NExt Steps Campaign
Campaign Update
We have raised just over $3.8 million of our $4.5 million goal for the New Worship Center at Covenant Pines Bible Camp! Construction has begun after a Groundbreaking Ceremony on April 15, 2023. Follow along below to see Construction updates. We are still actively fundraising during the construction process to continue to reach our goal!
Stepping Into the Future
The existing Chapel at Covenant Pines Bible Camp was built in 1957. For generations, it has served as a place of spiritual nourishment, growth and calling. If you look closely, the fingerprints of the workers line the ceiling boards… a reminder of the many prayers offered as the Chapel was built and dedicated. After serving for decades, the Chapel has grown tired. The time is now to build a new Worship Center.
the Need
SIZE CONSTRAINTS
The Chapel was built when our camps were half the size they are now. This means that each week of the summer, campers are fitting into a space not designed for them. It is crowded, hot, lacking in storage and bathrooms. And yet, God has used this space for campers to experience Jesus. Additionally, during the retreat season, our larger groups meet in Oakridge dining hall because the Chapel has NO heat, insulation, bathrooms or running water. But the dining hall was never designed as a place to hold worship.
MISSED STEPS
Our vision is to encourage campers to take a next step in Christian Faith. Imagine campers missing those opportunities because of a building. In our current Chapel, campers get distracted because the temperature is too hot or their cabin mate is sitting too close on a pew. Similarly, restroom trips can take 10-15 minutes because the walking time to the closest bathroom. While seemingly small things, they represent potential missed steps in the faith journey of a camper.
OUR PLANS
$4.5 Million is what needs to be raised to accomplish our dream of a new worship center.
Differences between the current Chapel and the new Worship Center:
Year-Round Use – the Chapel is not heated or insulated, which significantly limits the size of retreats we can host between October and April, cutting into both our ministry impact and registration income.
Capacity – the proposed Worship Center is scaled to meet both our current and future anticipated summer capacity, as well as retreats.
Safety – the Chapel has structural issues making it unsafe to occupy if we anticipate high winds, at times forcing a delay or relocation of our programs.
Location – for decades, the chapel experience has been the number one rated activity at camp. It is the “heart of camp.” The proposed location of the Worship Center will physically represent the “heart of camp” with its location near the middle of our property.
Offices and Commons – while the primary function of the Worship Center is to provide a sacred worship space for campers, the new building will have the added benefit of providing a relocated office space to welcome campers and a Commons to gather during the day or prior to worship. In essence, a Ministry Hub at the center of camp.
How to Meet the Need
We are asking boldly for people to give generously and sacrificially to this campaign; over and above their usual gifts to camp.
We’re seeking gifts and 3-year pledges to make the new Worship Center a reality and take the Next Steps toward accomplishing our 2030 goal of doubling the number of campers impacted.
Learn MORe
You can learn more about the need, our plans, our goal and how we plan to reach our $4.5 million challenge goal by reading through our case statement below.
You can also learn more about our plans for this campaign by watching the video below.
CHAPEL PRINTS
Order chapel prints from a custom collage made by Nate Stromberg. The original collage will be displayed in our new worship center!
Prints are 11×14 and $100 which includes a $50 donation to the Next Steps Campaign. Fill out this form to order your print of the custom collage of the chapel by Nate Stromberg, and proceed to our PayPal to make payment.
Please note: We submit orders once a month. You can expect your chapel print to arrive in the mail the first two weeks of the following month.