www.ilovecamp.org

Conference Update

Topaz and I, along with Carole Welch (a fantastic Synod Camp Board Member), are at the Specialized Ministries Conference run by the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC).  There are about 40 people here from Camps and Special Ministries across the country.

We were fortunate enough to have Colin Carmichael speak to us this morning.  Colin is the new Associate Secretary for Communications in the PCC - the "chief storyteller for the Church" is how he describes his position.  Colin was kind enough to field questions about the PCC Website, and to ask the room how the website can better serve each ministry.

Colin was also nice enough to specifically mention www.ilovecamp.org as an example of a good website.  Thanks Colin.

Our "Chief Storyteller" also has his own blog about the Presbyterian Church.  Check it out.

Huge Support from Synod

We had great day at Synod yesterday, and we want to thank you all for your support and prayers over the past few weeks! Synod approved the recommendations of the Camp Board to increase our annual camp grant, and to annually support the CYOB (Camp in Your Own Backyard) programme that was so successful this year.

The increase in the annual camp grant will be used to better support the Dorothy Lake Family Camp programme in Kirkland Lake, ON.

The CYOB funding will be used to run our travelling VBS programme every year - and the entire Synod (ministers and elders from lots of different Churches) was very interested to hear about the success of CYOB in 2008. Congregations interested in this programme for next year should contact the camp office ASAP, as spaces will fill very quickly.

Camp was involved in a great deal of Synod's proceedings yesterday. Match and Topaz and Taps led the morning worship, and close to 20 summer staff members joined us in the evening to help lead the evening worship service. Our staff did SO well, and we are very proud of them. They sang well, spoke well and allowed Synod to get a glimpse of what camp is really like.

We are very grateful to Synod for the financial support, and we look forward to using the money to improve and continue our successful programmes for Children, Youth and Families.

Synod is right around the corner

Monday will be a very important day for camp! We are making our annual report to Synod, and as a part of the report we will be asking Synod to "step-up to the plate" and support some of the amazing, new, year-round ministries of Cairn.

The Synod of Central, Northeastern Ontario and Bermuda meets on Monday and Tuesday next week, and the camp report is delivered Monday morning. Over 20 of our summer staff members are making the trek to Crieff Hills to attend the evening worship service on Monday, and we're very hopeful that we will have good news for them when they arrive.

Please keep Cairn in your prayers, as the decision on Monday is a critical part of the future of camp. Pray for the Synod Commissioners, who will be asked to make large decisions, and pray that God's will makes itself apparent next week.

Thank you for your continued support. We are so fortunate to have so many loving and supportive families in our corner.

Back from Quebec City

We are back from Quebec City and the International Camping Congress (ICC). What an amazing trip! We were able to meet and share with 500 delegates from all around the world - including Russia, Japan, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Ukraine, USA, Australia and every part of Canada.

Lots of great moments at the event, including wonderful music and fantastic keynote speakers. Look for some photos and videos to be posted in the next few days as we "catch-up" from our time away.

This is the first time the ICC has been held in Canada since 1994, and the organizing team from Quebec and Canada did a great job welcoming delegates from all over the camping world.

We're off to the International Camping Congress!

This weekend is the 8th International Camping Congress in Quebec City. The conference will have guests from camps all over the world, and Cairn's 3 Directors are going to be there to soak it all in. We're excited about learning and sharing new ideas from all over the world, and we're honoured to be a part of the International Camping community.

Bridget, our Administrator, will be in the office next week - so please feel free to send in your 2009 camper registrations! Any e-mails sent to Beth, Chantal or myself will be returned next week starting Wednesday when we return from Quebec City.

Wish us luck!

Camp Office is Open

We're back!  After a nice week's rest, the entire crew is back in the office this week.  We're happy to take your calls during business hours and get back into a "regular" routine.

Just a reminder, registration for 2009 will begin on September 15th.

Thanks for the Summer, Friends

Thank you all for another great summer!  We appreciate the huge support we received from the Cairn families, campers, alumni and staff members.

We're all taking a well-earned rest after a long summer!  The Camp Office will be closed from Saturday August 30 - Sunday September 7.  All phone calls, faxes and e-mails will be returned starting Monday September 8th.

We wish everyone a safe end of summer, and good luck to those returning to school in the next week.

The campers are coming!

                               Only one more sleep!  We're so excited.

                                    

See you tomorrow!

May Staff Weekend

What a great training weekend with our staff of 2008!  We dircled our circles, shared Bible studies together and planned for the upcoming summer.  Our weekly themes were unveiled, and each cabin group created a great cheer!

I'm very excited to work with these people!  The summer of 2008 will be great!

 

Happy Easter!

On behalf of all of us at the Cairn Camping Office I'd like to wish you a happy Easter!  Take time this weekend to be thankful, joyful and full of new life.  Jesus has risen, and we are loved unconditionally.

Left-to-right: Taps, Match, Topaz & Bridget (who will have a camp name soon...we promise!)