We’re excited that there’s a new Church in the Cities! It’s called Genesis Covenant Church and we asked their head pastor, Steve Wiens (pictured) to write just a short blurb about what’s going on so far at their church. They’re kind of liturgical and their coffee isn’t that bad! You should check them out.

“Genesis Covenant Church is a new church plant that meets at Sabes Jewish Community Center in St. Louis Park. The people who started Genesis are betting the farm that God is still inviting all of us into new beginnings, sometimes even out of tragic endings. We believe the truest thing about Jesus, and about Christianity, is that we are being made new, over and over again. We are in the process of cultivating a community of ordinary people who hope to be characterized by things like simplicity, restoration, sacred rhythms, delight, and attentiveness – to God and to each other. One of the things we’re most grateful for as a new church plant is the generational diversity we’re experiencing. We are young and old, we wear dockers and tattoos, and we are learning from each other all the time. You can check us out at our website www.genesiscov.org, or feel free to drop by some Sunday morning at 10:30am at Sabes.”

~Pastor Steve

Connect with camp on a whole new level. Camp is looking for volunteers to help out during one of our busiest seasons of the year, winter. Once the holidays are over our calendar is filled with groups taking advantage of our winter weather; playing broomball, snowshoeing, ice fishing, cross country skiing or just sitting by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. We need volunteers to help in the kitchen, keep firewood stocked, or pitch in on one of the many projects we have going on around camp.

Please don’t let a lack of knowledge or perceived skill set keep you from volunteering. Camp is looking for people of all ages and abilities to pitch in. Housing varies by weekend, but camp will feed and house you for free. Don’t underestimate the impact you can have. Our staff is strengthened and encouraged and our ministry multiplies each time someone chooses to volunteer at camp.

Below is a short testimony from a camp volunteer, Wilder Freed. Read what he has to say about his experience helping out for a weekend.

“When we came up to camp to volunteer, we had a blast! There’s something about being able to give back through service; I felt like the time we spent working on projects at camp also served to help me clear my head of distractions, and scrub away some of the things that hinder me back home. It was a chance for us as a group to bond as brothers while earnestly working in service to Christ, and when the weekend was over, all we talked about on the way home was when we could come again.” ~ Wilder Freed

We are primarily looking for weekend volunteers, but if your schedule is flexible we could also use you during the week. We would love to have a few people from your women’s Bible study, men’s group, youth group, or even your individual family, serve at camp sometime this New Year.

Covenant Pines would not be where it is today without the faithful support and sweat given by past volunteers. Our goal for 2015 is to increase participation to include all of our 40 owner churches. Help us make this dream a reality, and have a whole lot of fun serving God at Covenant Pines. Please contact Angie Sampson or call the camp office 218 768-2610 to volunteer today.

In the Fall of 2013, some of our staff felt God calling them to create a High School leadership retreat during the Winter, geared toward those high schoolers who are involved in the Junior Staff Summer programs. This past weekend was our second annual Christmas SWEATers retreat and it was a blast. About 20 high school students came from Plymouth, Anoka, Excelsior, Salem, Community, and First Covenant St. Paul.

The students learned about leadership through workshops and discussions. We focused on integrity, purpose, and the true source of our leadership strength; Christ. When the students weren’t in leadership sessions, they were playing broomball on the lake, skiing around our wooded trails, hanging out in Fireside Lounge, and doing work projects around camp.

It is so encouraging for us up here to see young people that are so anxious to be leaders in the Church. We will be praying for all of those students who came that their hunger for more growth would continue in their communities and schools.

Cold weather has arrived at Silver Beach and the wind is blowing off Round Lake. How thankful we are that the new Cabin Two at Silver Beach is enclosed and interior touches are being made.

We’re thankful for the blessing of volunteers that have sheet rocked, cut trim, taped, mudded and textured, hung doors and painted the first coat. For those who worked outside in the warm and cold installing siding, trim, windows, and shingles.  There is hope that in January Cabins 1 and 2 will be available to rent.  How grateful we are for the servants God has sent, for providing for not only one new cabin but for two.

We’re praising God for the plans He has for Silver Beach, for the changes these new cabins provide for different seasons of ministry, and for the blessings these Cabins will bring to families, not only in the summer but all year long.

Looking for a quiet week or weekend getaway in the north woods? A fun-filled weekend with family and friends cross country skiing, having fun on the broomball rink, or settling in by the fire for game night? Come up to camp and rent White Pine or the new Cabins 1 and 2 at Silver Beach. Email Angie Sampson to book your stay. Silver Beach is also filling up for Summer 2015 so reserve your stay today.

First Covenant Church of St. Paul – Hello Dolly!