Originally written in 2015 by camper parent and former camper, Jelise Ballon, for her blog, Neither Height nor Depth, here's a glimpse of the magic of summer camp from a camper and parent perspective. Summers may come and go, but these memories last well beyond. Here's a huge THANK YOU to all of our counselors, past and present, for sharing the magic of camp with all of our campers! Dear Camp Counselor, September is here. Backpacks are packed, pencils sharpened, and yellow

We have been blessed with an incredible Summer Camp season here at Caroline Furnace! With the help of God, as well as the communities and individuals that support this ministry, we had eight weeks filled with faith, fun, and friendships that will last a lifetime. A total of 297 campers came to Caroline Furnace this summer! Of those 297, over 100 campers had financial support from their congregation, an outside organization, or from our camper scholarship fund. God's love and

It's Week Eight of camp, which is always bittersweet. We've already had our final Opening Campfire for the summer, our last Color Tag, our last time in St. John's for Wednesday Evening Worship. There are no more doctor skits, no more staff introductions, and no more nervous campers arriving for the first time. We only have one more Fancy Dinner, two more option blocks, one more game of Capture the Flag, and just a few more meals together. It has truly been an incredible summe

These are some of the things campers are thankful for and have shared at evening campfire. "Yay God"s are shared with the whole group and followed by snaps. safety. old friends and new. the earth. the universe. teamwork. trees. dogs. s'mores. my counselors. the lake. gaga ball. everybody. God. campfires. Jesus. lightning bugs. horses. ice cream. camp. #peace #share #serve #growth #alleluia #love #grace #renewal #faith #praise

Caroline Furnace is a place that’s filled with comfort and acceptance. Love flows all around us because of one simple reason - we are surrounded by God’s love in every moment and we get to experience it in a beautifully unique way while we’re at camp. Come feel it for yourself! Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! We’ll see you soon! #friendship #adventure #memories #share #experience #growth #community #alleluia #welcome #love #grace #faith #family #fellowship

Few things are better than worship among your camp friends. We'll gather around the campfire and sing praises under the stars. Let's spend an evening together in our beautifully restored 19th century chapel. Come sing, dance around, and praise the Lord with us out in God’s creation! Caroline Furnace worship is fun, exciting, and engaging. Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #friendship #share #se

Psalm 46:10 Takes Me Home "Be still and know that I am God." Wow!! Camp is so beautiful! There isn't a day that goes by at camp where I don't stop and think, "Wow, God made all of this; that is crazy". Sometimes at camp it is the little things in God's creation that make me stop and praise God. It may be the heart shaped leaves that make me think about God's love, or maybe just helping a camper growin their faith. Before I came to camp this verse was a reminder to me in the

All are welcome here at Caroline Furnace, especially YOU! We maintain an inclusive, positive Christian environment at camp, founded upon the fruits of the spirit. As the song goes, the fruit of the spirit is not a [insert favorite fruit here]; it’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-contro-o-o-l! Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #community #welco

"The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" I love this verse because I think it's so easy to be held back by fear - whether it's fear of disappointment, rejection, etc. It can be hard to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone. But God says, "I'm here. I got you." And with God on your side, is there anything to really be aftraid of? Is there anything that can really hold us back from going outside our comfort zones and growing and learni

For by grace we have been saved through faith, and it is not our own doing; it is the gift of God! What a blessing! Join us at Caroline Furnace this summer as we explore God's blessings through the lens of Ephesians 2:8. #alleluia #welcome #praise #spring #share #experience #season #love #grace #renewal #faith

At Caroline Furnace, faith is central to the fun and adventure that forms our community. Join us in discovering God through morning worship, Bible study, Faith5, and our friendships. We’ll explore a new theme and story each day, and together we’ll find out how God’s love changes everything! Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #share #serve #experience #growth #community #alleluia #welcome #love #

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” If these trees could speak, I bet they would have quite a story to tell. I sometimes wonder: How many people have spent time here and left more rested, a bit more whole, feeling closer to God? How many campers have experienced God’s love through their counselors or a new friend? What is the magnitude of impact from this place hidden in Fort Valley? There’s no way of truly knowing th

Tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent. Lent is the forty day season leading us to Easter, and it provides us an opportunity to reflect on who we are as children of God, repent for our human tendencies and imperfections, and to remember how truly blessed and undeserving we are of God's grace. Alleluia is the Latin form of the Hebrew words hallelu yah, which means "Praise the Lord!". Alleluia has traditionally been suspended in the church for these forty days sin