Sunday was Father's Day and I was thrilled to have all our kids home for the weekend.
The kids arrived on Friday evening along with Lynn's Mom Carol.
Saturday began with a bike ride around Clear Lake. My wonderful wife gave me a new bike for father's day! The crew for the bike ride included Dan, Maggie and me, a trip of around 14.5 miles. We stopped half way and had a friend, Charlie, join us for the second half of the ride. We also made a stop at the Baptist Camp. After a hardy breakfast with the entire family ... all seven of us! Amy and I took off for Mason City for a Father's Day shopping trip. Amy wanted to get me a new bird bath. We looked and looked and finally settled on the very first one we looked at! I really like, it's heave and looks really nice to boot!
Amy and I picked up a load of fire wood for my fire pit and then we got ready to have company for supper. For the last two Saturday evenings we have invited any of the full time summer staff at the Baptist Camp to come over for a cookout. This is a Bring Your Own Meat and Soda event and the young people seem to really enjoy the the down time. Supper was followed by games and the evening broke up around 10 PM.
Sunday was a great day at Church. Sunday lunch was Chicken on the grill and it was very good. Philip, Susan, Dan and Maggie all gave me cards. Philip's and Susan's were hand made and very thoughtful and cute. Philip's was printed on the computer and he printed it backwards. He said it was because I'm left handed but I'm not sure!?!?!?
The folks at the Clear Lake Church were very happy to see the kids again. Daniel & Maggie were able to be here for a wedding shower at the church. We had a fellowship supper and service all together in our evening service time. It was a very special time for Daniel and he was very emotional as he spoke and thanked everyone for their ministry in his life over the last 12 years.
It was a very emotional evening and a real blessing for Daniel, Maggie and Lynn and I. The time to say goodbye and with Dan's car loaded to the gills the group rolled out for Ankeny and Oskaloosa.
All in all it was a great father's day! Thanks to my kids for making me feel very special. I love you all very much!!!!
I remain,
Pastor Steve
Well Special Camp closed with a bang!
We changed our schedule and the camper were on their way home by 1 PM on Friday afternoon. This was done for a couple of reasons, first the group homes were having to send someone to pick up the campers on Saturday which usually meant overtime pay. Good for drivers - Bad for group homes. Second, some group homes forgot to send someone and we had camper on the grounds until as late as 2 PM on Saturday's. Third, the camper are worn out by Friday morning. And fourth, the counselors are tired as well.
Friday morning saw the last of the pontoon boat rides that were postponed earlier in the week because of wind and rain. So every camper that wanted a ride on the pontoon boat was able to get that ride!
Bible class time, craft time and counselor/camper time was completed on Friday before noon and lunch followed. After lunch we held our final chapel service with Pastor Garry Moore. He did a great job all week not just with the campers but also challenging the counselors and staff as well! Praise God for Pastor Moore's ministry!
Special Camp 2007 is in the book. Done and done! A very special thank to all who make camp possible, with out your help there is no way we could do the things that God allows us to do and accomplish!
I'm already looking forward to Special Camp 2008 - "The Rescue Zone"
That's A Wrap,
Pastor Steve
Another very windy day at special camp. there was the threat of rain and storms but God saw fit to let everything move North and East of us and we have a very sunny day!The weather was perfect for our second softball game of the week and I'm sorry to report that the counselors LOST for the 12 year in a row! We'll just have to keep trying ... we almost always win the Monday, but never the Thursday game! We will just have to try harder next year!Last evening was the banquet for the campers and those who want to can get dressed up in their best and come to supper. The dinning hall staff serves everyone their food and it always a very special meal. This year we had ham w/ pineapple, green bean casserole, cheesy potatoes, fruit salad and apple pie cake. It was wonderful!Following another great preaching service with Pastor Garry Moore, we had our awards chapel. Every camper and staffer gets a ribbon for being at special camp and other ribbons are give for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, in our "special games". Softball throw, long jump, short run and long run. Everyone really enjoys our "special games".That's it for now - A wrap up report is yet to come!Pastor Steve
All is well at special camp!We had a wonderful day on Wednesday, the rained high winds came but the afternoon turned off rather nice. Still very windy but the campers were able to get outside and enjoy the day.The service went well and there was one man who professed Christ, so we are very excited!Today we have beautiful sunshine but the wind is still ripping! At this time we do not know if we will be able to open the waterfront on the lake. The campers love to ride the bumper boats so please pray the winds die down!!!!Thanks for all your prayers!More to come.......Pastor Steve
Yesterday was a great day the weather was perfect and the campers had a lot of fun. The pool and lake front were open and so the bumper boat were getting a workout! The pool was a bit cold but the camper who braved the water thought it was worth the effort. Last night just after the evening service there was one camper who received Jesus as personal Savior! P.T.L.!!! This makes all the work of the staff & counselors worth every bit of effort! Continue to pray for Special Camp! Today looks like a rain day with some thunder boomers and high winds. Special campers are not great fans of thunder storms - so keep us in your prayers! More reports to come.... Pastor Steve
Special camp got underway this morning with a counselors meeting at 9 AM and camper registration at 10AM!
Please Pray for a very productive week and that God would do a great work in the campers and counselors lives!
More to come....
Pastor Steve
