What a blessing that we have so many good and pleasing stories that reflect the perfect will of God. As we enjoy the beautiful fall weather

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

But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. 1968 was my first summer as a counselor at Caroline Furnace, and I returned in August to serve as chaplain for the last week of summer camp this year. Many people asked me about my reactions to the camp then and now. The Hogan Village is now only a dim memory at Caroline Furnace. People with names such as Pet

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

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." About 29 years ago, I went haphazardly along with a friend to spend a summer working at this camp in Virginia called Caroline Furnace. I was between jobs and she really wanted to have someone she knew with her at this camp, so I went. I was fairly new in my faith and was still figuring out what God wanted for me in my life. Little did I

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

We are nearing the end of Week Four of summer camp and are overwhelmed with the joy, fun, and faith-forming experiences that the Lord has granted us. Through activities such as canoeing, singing, crafting, fishing, and archery, our campers and staff alike have explored the grace that God freely gives to each and every one of us. Together, we are learning that this is in fact not of our own doing but is an incredible gift from the Lord. As a community, we have committed our

Let your light so shine before all, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven - As nobody lights a lamp only to cover it up, but places it so conspicuously as to give light to all who need light, so Christians, being the light of the world, instead of hiding their light, are so to hold it forth before all. At Caroline Furnace, you learn of the light and how the light can bring you through the darkness, and into a place of hope and life and

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

And the King will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, so you did it to me." Christ loves and accepts all of us, encouraging us to come as we are. Camp has embodied this open-minded, welcoming atmosphere for me in a way that has allowed me to feel comfortable expanding my own faith. As we sing in the hymn, WE ARE CALLED to love tenderly. Never does He mention only loving certain neighbors, but Jesus ca

Summer camp is a big sleepover and dream vacation rolled into one, and packed with fun! You’re sure the leave the week with many new friendships, as well as countless memories and funny stories. Together you will explore your faith, set out on new adventures, and enjoy all of your favorite camp activities. Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #adventure #memories #share #serve #experience #growth

Our counselors may be good at many things, but they’re the best at having fun! Join us for surprise dance parties, midnight gaga, camp legends, and other shenanigans! A fun counselor is a friend, mentor, mischief planner, caretaker, and leader. Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #adventure #memories #serve #experience #community #love #grace #fun #faith #fellowship #leadership #learn #praise #ca

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 brings me home to my new surroundings, where I look forward to experiencing God's sustenance with others in many ways. Sometimes we forget that concrete, tangible food is not the only form of sustenance. Certainly, we rely on a varied balanced diet for nutrition and energy. What might surprise us is we receive so much more in t

Are the craft options your favorite part of a week at camp? Do your friends and family describe you as creative? Do you enjoy making things for yourself and others? Does your room seem more like an art gallery than a bedroom? Would you like to learn to make cool things? Does Crafting Camp sound like a good time? If you said yes to any of these, join us for a week of limitless creativity! We'll play around with a variety of media (styles of art) throughout the week as we explo

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 #

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. -Colossians 3:17 Col 3:17 takes me home in reminding me of the wonderful values that Caroline Furnace stands for. It's a place where anyone and everyone is welcome to come learn about the love of Jesus, grow in their faith, and gain an amazing support system. By doing all you do in His name you are opening up your life to the love of Caroline and the peo