On Sunday July 3rd, Covenant Pines Bible Camp hosted a Summer Staff Reunion for all former summer staff members. It was a joy to worship, share stories and enjoy being at camp together! We had roughly 50 staff members spanning over 60 years of summer staff! It was a great day of fellowship and connection.
Though the weather was rainy, it did not damper the camp spirit of these former staff members. Former staff enjoyed a chapel service, complete with a message from former staff member Dave Nesburg, which immediately kicked off the walk down memory lane. The smell of the chapel, the walk up to the craft hall, eating burgers outside – these moments instantly bring back the best memories and reminders of years at camp together. Seeing the current summer staff do dishes, lead worship and engage with campers filled these former staffers with a sense of pride and nostalgia – it is so fun to see the “torch passed on.” Families enjoyed participating in all the camp activities, but truly the highlight was all of these staff members being together at a place that has had such a spiritual impact on them. People lingered in conversation around camp reflecting back on the years spent together at this special place.
While staffers were there, they had the opportunity to hear about the plans for the New Worship Center. Former staff were able to do a Q & A with Executive Director, Dave Cairns, while also walking around the site of where the New Worship Center will be. Click here to learn more about this project!
We had summer staffers present from 1960-2019. The generational impact of Covenant Pines Bible Camp is amazing and continues to live on. If you missed the reunion, don’t worry! We will plan to invite all former staff to the dedication of the New Worship Center and hope to do more staff alumni events in the future.
Below are some photos of the summer staff that were at the reunion. What a great day!
Photo 1: All Summer Staff and families in attendance
Photo 2: Summer Staff from 2010s and 2020s
Photo 3: Summer Staff from 1990s and 2000s
Photo 4: Summer Staff From 1960s, 1970s and 1980s
Welcome Annie!
Adventurous Christians is excited to welcome our new Program Director, Annie Huntington. Annie started at AC this week, and comes to us from Waco, Texas after recently graduating from Baylor University. Annie is passionate about outdoor ministry and even more so about Jesus! Below is a quick Q & A for you to get to know Annie a little bit better.
Get to know Annie:
Hometown: Tough question! I grew up in Providence, RI, lived in Atlanta, GA for 6 years and would most recently call Waco, TX home!
What were you doing before moving to Grand Marias?: Attending Baylor University, where I was in an honors interdisciplinary program studying Theology, English and Philosophy. I love to read – book recommendations are welcome!
What camping experiences do you have prior to working at AC?: I was part of the Baylor Outdoor Adventure Living and Learning Program where I participated in climbing, kayaking and backpacking trips through the Southwest. Some of my favorites have been Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountain, and Paria Canyon! I also spent a summer working for Camp Eagle where I guided white water kayaking trips on the Pecos River. The following summer I lead rafting trips on the Chattahooche River in Georgia with the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Most recently, I guided canoe trips in the Boundary Waters with the Coldwater Foundation, a camp just down the Gunflint from AC.
What led you to apply for this position at Adventurous Christians?: This past summer, I came up to AC to help out and guide for a week. I had been asking prayerfully whether I was called to Outdoor Ministry and felt a certainty on that trip that this is exactly where the Lord wanted me.
What are you looking forward to in this new role?: I am excited to host guests and share how wonderful both the challenge and rest of the outdoors are for growing closer to God!
Tell us an interesting fact about you: I’ve paddled 7 of the major rivers in Texas! The Pecos, Brazos, Nueces, Rio Grande, San Marcos, Frio, and Guadalupe.
Favorite Sports Team: BAYLOR BEARS!!! Sic ‘em
Favorite Restaurant: A little food truck in Austin, TX called Veracruz with the best el Pastor tacos you’ll ever have!
A note from Annie to the CPM community: I’m so grateful to be a part of this community and excited to work with y’all!
Please join us in welcoming Annie and praying for her as she transitions and steps into this new role!
After having to cancel much of our traditional programming in summer 2020, we are excited to finally welcome campers back to Covenant Pines Bible Camp and Adventurous Christians! We are looking forward to having some fresh updates around our properties for our campers to help enhance their experience. Below is a list of things we are working on around AC, CPBC and Silver Beach as we prepare for campers this summer!
Adventurous Christians
- New Wood Benches for the Outdoor Chapel
- Completing our new office and sauna building (see photo!) after the fire in summer 2019.
- Getting ready for trail by packing trail food and preparing equipment, which includes our new lifejackets and paddles thanks to our Portage Partners!
Covenant Pines Bible Camp
- Ampitheater Upgrades for our Outdoor Worship Space – including lighting and additional seating.
- Cabin 19 Renovation
- Outdoor Health Center
- Regrading and improving roads around camp
Silver Beach Family Camp
- We’ve added a new fire pit by Cabin 3! (See photo). It’s a beautiful space we know families will enjoy this summer.
We can’t wait to serve our campers this summer and for them to experience these new improvements and additions at camp!
To download these verses, click here.
Theme Verse:
Day 1 Verse
Day 2 Verse
Day 3 Verse
Day 4 Verse
Day 5 Verse
Planning your retreat for a youth group, church or organization can be a challenging process. Whether you are planning a getaway weekend for relaxation and reflection or a session-filled spiritual retreat for your church group, there are a lot of factors to consider. Covenant Pines has put together a few steps to help you choose the best facility for your group’s retreat.
Purpose
When planning your retreat, start by determining your purpose. This will help when choosing a facility to host your group’s retreat. Think about your group’s needs, what goals you want the retreat to achieve, and things you want to include in the experience. Once you have determined your plan and purpose for the retreat, there are several key factors to consider when selecting a facility.
Location
Where is the facility located? You will want to find a facility within a driving range that is reasonable for your group. However, it should be far enough away to avoid the temptation to go home or to the office during free time. The distance to the facility has the possibility of deterring participants if they are driving by themselves. If you are transporting participants, distance won’t matter as much but be sure to take transportation into consideration. Covenant Pines Bible Camp and Silver Beach are about 2.5 hours North of the Twin Cities. Adventurous Christians is about 5 hours North of the Twin Cities.
Accommodations
What type of facility best accommodates your housing preferences? There are numerous different types of facilities where you could host your group’s retreat. Are you looking for something unplugged, relaxed, and rustic? Or are you looking for Blacklight Dodgeball and a lots of space for huge games? Or maybe your group needs hotel-like accommodations and lots of space for breakout sessions. There are camps/retreat centers out there for all tastes. At Covenant Pines, we have a wide variety of housing accommodations. Adventurous Christians offers rustic lodging that is heated by wood-burning stove. Silver Beach offers luxurious and comfortable housing for families and small groups. Covenant Pines Bible Camp offers comfortable, year-round lodges and cabins at an all-inclusive rate.
FOOD
Be sure to ask about food as part of your research. Does the camp include food in their rates, or is that an extra fee? Some camps/conference centers serve food cafeteria style, others buffet style. Still others might have a server deliver your food to the table like you’re at a restaurant. Ask about their dining facilities.
Be sure to ask about their experience with special diets. Odds are, you will have someone in your group with an allergy or other dietary need. At Covenant Pines, we pride ourselves on accommodating dietary needs by providing high-quality alternatives. We try to learn the faces and names of those with special diets so that, when they come through the line, we have their plate ready for them.
Staff
Another important part of a potential facility is the staff. Staff members are there to help you out. Your first impression of the facility starts when you call them to get details. How they treat you on the phone and in your initial interactions as you acquire information is a good indicator of how you will be treated once you arrive at the facility. Once you have selected the facility, begin the process of communicating information to the staff in a timely manner. Speaking from our experience, the earlier a facility is able to have your information, the better they are able to accommodate your needs and desires.
These questions and ideas are just a few items to consider when planning your retreat; we hope you are able to use these tips to make your retreat planning process a bit less stressful. As you consider different facilities for your group’s retreat, check out what Covenant Pines has to offer by emailing our Guest Service Director, Angie, or by giving us a call at 218.768.2610.