Grateful

The end of a year is always a time when I reflect upon the past year and all the ways in which I have seen God at work .

As I look at 2023, in spite of the many uncertainties and trials in our country and world, I find peace in knowing that God was, is and always will be in complete control. And, I'm eternally grateful to have that promise and assurance.

I'm also grateful for many people and things related to Kenbrook! I'm grateful for the Loyalateer Sunday School class at Fairland BiC that had the vision and passion to start Kenbrook Bible Camp almost 75 years ago. I'm grateful for the many, many people over the years who have served at Kenbrook in a variety of ways. I'm grateful for the families who have allowed us to speak into the lives of their children. I'm grateful for the hundreds of people who give of their time, talents and treasures to bless Kenbrook and keep it in operation. I'm grateful for the many prayer warriors who faithfully pray for the ministry at Kenbrook, for our campers and for our staff. I'm grateful for a Board (and past Boards) that have guided Kenbrook through the decades. I'm grateful for a staff that is passionate and dedicated to the mission of Kenbrook Bible Camp. And, most of all, I'm grateful for a God who is watching over Kenbrook and fills this place with His Spirit and Truth.

I encourage all of us to take time during the holiday season to pause and give thanks for the many blessings God has given us. Even in the difficult times, we have the blessed assurance that He is with us and will never leave us or forsake us. And, that is certainly something to be grateful for!

Finally, thank you for your gifts of prayer, service and financial support to the ministry of Kenbrook Bible Camp. As always, if you have any questions or would like to stop up and visit or learn more about all that is happening at camp, please feel free to contact me at jmcfarland@kenbrook.org

Blessings,

Joe McFarland

We are excited to announce the theme for the 2024 Summer Camp season..."Dry Bones Come Alive!" Ezekiel 37:4-6

Plans are already underway for a great season as we enter our 74th year!

Join us as we dive into God's Word to see the great gift we are offered and how He gives us new life when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We can't wait to welcome new and returning campers for another great summer of fun, fellowship and spiritual growth.

And, older campers....Revolution week is returning! A week just for campers ages 12-16.

Here are all the 2024 dates:

• June 9-14: Pilgrims (ages 10-14)
• June 16-21: Trailblazers (ages 8-12)
• June 23-28: Edge (ages 10-14)
• June 30-July 3: Explorers (ages 6-11) Shortened week for first time/younger campers!
• July 21-26: Revolution (ages 12-16)
• July 28-Aug. 2: Hitchhikers (ages 8-12)

Registration will open in January 2024! Brochures to be mailed out in late December. Be watching for more information and details. You won't want to miss it. Invite your friends to join you for a great week at camp this year!

45th ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP GOLF OUTING

WAS A HUGE SUCCESS! THANK YOU!

This year's annual golf outing was a record-breaking success! We had 104 awesome golfers (26 teams) and between their support and the generous giving of our many sponsors, we raised $36,900! All of these funds will continue to ensure that EVERY child who wishes to come to camp can do so regardless of a family's ability to pay. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

To see a list of our wonderful sponsors and to find out more information about next year's tournament, go to our website for details!

2024 Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

Location: Pine Meadow Golf Course, 319 Pine Meadow Road, Lebanon, PA 17046 *

* Buffet lunch served at golf course prior to start; full dinner afterwards at Kenbrook Bible Camp, Woodland Lodge Dining Room

IMPACT OF CAMPER SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships are an amazing way to share summer camp with the next generation. More than 70% of our campers receive financial assistance to attend Kenbrook. Without this help, many would miss out on this memorable experience. Here are a few highlights from this year’s scholarship recipients:

-A camper heard the gospel for the first time and was excited to learn about how to find verses in her Bible.

-A cabin discussed the meaning of baptism and afterward decided to dunk their stuffed animals in the creek. One girl said she was going to talk to mom when she got home so that she could be baptized soon.

-An older camper worked with his counselor to lead his cabin in a discussion on living differently in the world. The group talked about how they could be a ‘marvelous light’ in the darkness.

It is inspiring to see the impact that a week of summer camp can make. If you would like to help future campers make memories, mark your donation for the Camper Scholarship Fund.

Our focus over the last few years has been the planting and nurturing of seeds. This current period of time at Kenbrook Bible Camp could be categorized as a season of growth. We are thankful for the fruit that we continue to see from this work. We are amazed and grateful for God’s abundant blessings.

In our summer camp program, children continue to grow in their faith while others meet Jesus for the very first time. One of the most impactful parts of the week is the ‘Jesus Walk’. A camper who has attended Kenbrook for multiple years said this about the experience, “it teaches me

more and more each time; you get to learn more about Jesus and how He lived his life”.

To read more about how your investment in the ministry of Kenbrook Bible Camp enables us to continue to impacts lives for Christ, click HERE.

You make this ministry possible! Thank you!

MONTHLY GIVING FURTHER SUPPORTS THE MINISTRY OF KENBROOK

Consistently giving to Kenbrook is a blessing to both the camp and the giver. As you can imagine, monthly giving benefits the camp greatly. It allows the staff to plan more strategically, knowing what funds will be available. The budgeting for summer camp, youth retreats, and community outreach is more effective because of the continued generosity of our monthly donors.

And monthly gifts add up quicker than you think. A recurring gift of $20 covers the new sports equipment needed for summer camp. $50 a month provides all the summer camp medical supplies needed and a monthly gift of $200 covers the cost of a summer counselor. You can see the impact!

This type of giving also benefits the giver in the following ways:

• By giving monthly, the donor can budget a fixed amount each month. This allows the giver to make a larger financial impact that may not be possible with a one-time gift.
• Faithful giving can be automated through PayPal’s recurring donation feature, saving time and effort.
• By making a long-term commitment, our Campfire Circle members see the continued impact of Kenbrook through real stories of campers and guests.

We are so thankful for those who choose to be part of the ministry in this way. For more information on the Campfire Circle or to join click here. 

DADCAMP 2024...EXPANDING TO TWO WEEKENDS

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL!!

DADS, YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!! YOUR KIDS WILL THANK YOU!

THE DATES ARE SET, SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

"Building Stronger Dads who Build Stronger Families"

2024 Dates:

Middle School DadCamp: Friday, August 30 through Sunday, September 1

Elementary DadCamp: Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 8

Dads will spend an epic weekend experience designed to equip THE DAD; so he can lead his family in the footsteps of Christ.

NEW IN 2024! GRANDCAMP

GrandCamp is a unique, grand faith adventure for grandparents and their grandchildren focused on leaving a faith-legacy for the next generations. Through purposeful activities that grandparents and grandchildren experience together, to discovering from God’s Word what it means to walk in the truth, to building a treasure chest of life-changing memories—all in an environment that invites having a pile of fun—this will be a time for building memories that will last a lifetime!

GrandCamp is an amazing inter-generational adventure designed to transport grandparents and their grandkids away from the daily distractions of life where God can do something extraordinary in the lives of both grandparents and grandkids. If you are a grandparent, GrandCamps offers a unique environment and context for providing a powerful, transformational generation-to-generation experience.

CGN has been doing GrandCamps since 1998, and that experience record ensures you are getting something that works, and that grandparents and grandkids want! 

​

GrandCamps are offered at 6 locations in the United States and Kenbrook is excited to host the Pennsylvania location!  Be watching for more information coming Summer 2024

WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!!

YOUR GENEROSITY MADE THE GYM REPAIR A REALITY!

Our interior gym repair is complete and it looks amazing! The new ceiling and wall insulation and the new carpet not only have enhanced the look of the gym which was deteriorating pretty severely, the added insulation will also help us reduce our energy costs. The only repairs left to be completed later this fall are some minor repairs to the roof and gutters.

One of our volleyball leagues' players was overheard saying, "Wow, this looks like a new gym!" when they arrived for their first practice of the season.

And, because of your generosity, we will be able to replace the original lights with high efficiency LED lighting which will be another cost savings factor and helps us be good stewards of God's creation.

Volunteer Support Needed!

Looking for an opportunity to serve others and provide much needed help to Kenbrook Bible Camp? Consider how you might be able to use your gifts and talents to benefit camp, the campers and retreat guests. Whether you can give a few hours, a day, a week or periodic assistance, we have a spot for you! Please take a minute to complete our Volunteer Interest Survey. Thank you for your time and we appreciate any help you can give.

Kenbrook's mission is to be like Christ in all relationships in order to facilitate a closer connection to God, self, others and nature. The staff (both year-round and seasonal) are integral to helping fulfill that mission. We encourage you to pray for the staff and hope that by introducing you to us through this spotlight, that even if you don't get to camp often, you know who we are and can be praying for us as we serve our campers, guests and all who come to Kenbrook. 

This issue's staff spotlight is on Samantha Lightner

Sam has worked as the Housekeeping Assistant at Kenbrook since March of 2023. She is from Myerstown and went to ELCO through middle school, then transferred to and graduated from New Covenant Christian School in 2022. While at New Covenant she was on the varsity girls soccer team for all four years. She managed the varsity girls basketball team during senior year. Sam also was involved in three school musical productions including Cinderella, The Lion King, and Aladdin. During the summers she worked as an automotive detailer, where she learned valuable cleaning experience. She did not attend college and went straight into the workforce. She attended dog grooming classes, got certified and worked as one for several months after deciding it wasn’t for her. After that she found the housekeeping opportunity at Kenbrook. 

Sam enjoys traveling, going to the beach, concerts, reading, shopping, taking care of animals, and being with friends and family, and, of course, cleaning!

She is glad God answered her prayers by leading her to a place where she’s comfortable and is doing something she enjoys. She can’t wait for what other opportunities He will lead her to at Kenbrook and is happy she is working for such a great organization.