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 grace is tangible here, and the magic of camp really does change everything.
Summer Camp Bible Studies Our Hearts | Our Identity | Our Purpose | Our Community | Our Perspective In following this summer's theme of This Changes Everything, the theme verse was Ephesians 2:8, "For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH, and this is not your own doing; it is the GIFT of God". Each Monday started with Luke 24:13-25, where we discussed the walk to Emmaus and how God's spirit works in us to share the story of new life with all the world. Tuesday's Bible study was Acts 9:1-18, the conversion of Saul. Here, we discussed how we are called to follow Jesus and love others. On Wednesday we took a look at Matthew 25:31-46, which is the parable of the king, the sheep and the goats. We looked at the importance of compassion and service to all, including the most vulnerable. Thursday focused on the value of community with the story of the Canaanite woman, Matthew 15:21-28. Friday's Bible study wrapped it all up with a look at Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the prodigal father and the wayward son.
What’s Next?
As summer ends and fall draws near, our summer staff will go out and serve the Lord in new places. Zach will begin at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul MN and be working part-time in youth and young adult ministry at Redeemer Lutheran in Minneapolis MN. Shannon is serving in the AmeriCorps beginning in January. Noah is moving to Oregon for an internship at Washington Family Ranch, a Young Life camp. Rachel is planning to serve in the Peace Corps beginning in January. Nick will begin an internship at Pine Lake in Wisconsin. Justin, Erin, Andy, Maddie, Ashley, Caroline, Callie, Johnny, Kara, and Chris are returning to school. Laura will continue to work at Caroline Furnace until October.
Summer Work Projects Here's a huge thank you once again, to all of our volunteers and donors this summer! Not only did we ensure the magic of camp for our campers, but we also accomplished quite a few projects. Together, we completed the new boat dock, moved the lake shed from the swimming area to the canoeing end, moved the outhouse to the swimming area, retraced song cards in the Lodge, cleared the brush around the furnace ruins and pressure washed the walkway, rerouted and reclaimed Nature Trail, trimmed windows in the Farmhouse, replaced broken tiles in the Farmhouse bathrooms, renovated a downstairs bedroom in the Farmhouse to be ADA compliant, and so much more. Next on the list is to begin renovations in Marston!
Although Summer Camp is ending, there are still so many opportunities to stay involved! Join us this Fall for Work Weekend, Fall Fest, or the Wild Women: Wine Retreat. Bring your small or large group to the Farmhouse, Cabin Village, Sukkah Village, or Buttonwood Lodge for a retreat! We would love to help you plan a retreat for your youth group, mens or womens group, church council, or confirmation group. Let’s plan a family reunion, school field trip, or scouting trip.
We are your Outdoor Ministry, and we look forward to sharing God’s creation with you.