Bay Shore Camp and Family Ministries

Follow Bear

2011-06-06T11:47:00.000-04:00

Follow Bear - The Camp Photographer - As he enjoys his summer and works with God here at Bay Shore Camp!

http://bearatbayshore.blogspot.com/

Isaiah 40:31

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Hey 31 commit!

2011-02-08T14:17:00.000-05:00

Here is your passage for this week:

More Than Conquerors
Romans 8:28-37

What is God saying to you personally? What things is he working for good in my life?
How Can I apply this to my life? If I know that God is working for the good, what should my attitude be about things going on in my life?

Pray for God to show you HIS truths today!

What random act of kindness will I do this week?

Okay...now it's your turn.....go!!!!

31 Commit

2011-01-13T13:41:00.002-05:00

Hey 31 commit people!

Here is a new passage this week to read, study and pray over....

Hebrews 4:12-13

Lots of good stuff in there....don't forget

15 minutes of Bible readying, plus asking yourself the these ?'s

1. What is this saying in my own words?

2. How can I apply this to my life....Be Specific!!!

and then PRAY this verse in your life!

10 minutes of prayer Time!

Do this 5 times a week

and 1 random act of kindess!

Ready, Set, Go!!!

15-10-5-1 Get Ready & Go!

2011-01-05T14:41:00.002-05:00

Attenion Senior High Retreaters!!!!!!!
I will use this blog to help keep you all accountible and give you some help with our 15-10-5-1 commitment. In fact, let's just call it- 31 commit- if you add the numbers- they come up to 31 and we are committed to doing this- so 31 Commit it is!

Here's the lowdown- and if you weren't at the retreat and want to do this with us...all are welcome! Won't it be fun to see who's keeping up? I think God's got great things in store for you....imagine what he could do if all of us that made that committment kept up with it...

So here's the scoop....

15 - spend 15 minutes a day reading God's Word. Read a verse or a passage and then get a journal or notepad- write down these questions and answer them.

1. What is this verse saying to me, in my own words?

2. What does that mean for me? Specific Application for my life

3. Pray back to God what He's telling you to do.

10-Spend 10 minutes praying- talk to God, thank Him for what He's done and what He's going to do and then just talk to Him like He's your best friend!

5- Do this 5 days a week- ( if you want to do it more, Great! but for now make the committment to do it 5 days a week)

1- Do one random act of kindness a week- look around you and you will see a huge mission field around you, for all God's done for us, it's not too much to ask us to do 1 act of kindness a week.

Ok...you got it...good! If your participating in this, leave us a comment so we can be encouraged as well, leave the verse your reading or tell us about your random act of kindness. This can be a great way to keep us all connected.

Ok...in case your wondering where to start in your Bible Reading, I'm going to be updating this frequently with passages to give you ideas...but you don't have to do these, they are just a suggestion. So here's this week's passage to start with:

Psalm 37:3-8 Look familiar? We did this at the retreat...but take another look at it, by youself and think about what God is trying to tell you in this passage....sometimes when we're by ourself...something else may jump out at us that didn't before.

So here's our starting point...Ready....Set ....Go!

The Project Festival

2010-08-20T10:56:00.002-04:00

Don't Forget that Tomorrow we are opening the grounds at Bay Shore Camp for a day of fun.
Ride the Zipline, play Mini Golf, grab some food at the concession table, Listen to some Great music and hang out! We will end the night with a time of Worship with The Wells.

1:00pm - Midnight

Mini Golf open 1:00pm-6:00pm
Zipline open 2:00pm-4:00pm
Concessions open 1:30pm-6:00pm (plus beverages will be available during the concert)
Inflatables open 2:00pm-5:00pm

Concert will begin around 5:30pm
Come out and support our bands

Cost for the whole day is $3.00 per person!

Family Camp 2010

2010-07-26T17:00:00.002-04:00

We are currently in our 3rd day of Family Camp Assembly here at Bay Shore Camp. Things are going well and we are excited to have every one here with us for the week. Jack French is our Evangelist for the week and I encourage everyone to come out and here him speak during our evening services which start at 7pm.

If you need any info please check our website: www.bayshorecamp.org

Family Fun Days!

2010-05-25T13:53:00.004-04:00

A few pictures from Kick-Off

2010-04-20T11:03:00.006-04:00

Sunshine. Warm Weather and all I can think of is SUMMER!!

2010-04-01T14:59:00.004-04:00

thats right. it won't be long now! summer will be here before we all know it and this weather makes it feel like it could be now!! but before we hit summer we have a few events that have to take place. but each one will draw us that much closer.

the first is our Kick Off Banquet!

The next event to come up at Bay Shore is our Father/Son Catfish Tournament.

and last but not least: Family Fun Days!

Hope you see you at one of our events!!

Spring

2010-03-18T11:19:00.002-04:00

So happy for the mild weather we've been having. and even though they say it could snow this weekend, but I'm not worried, because spring is close at hand and these beautiful days keep me motivated.

The office has been pumping out mailing after mailing to get us caught up on all of our spring events. Kick off invites have gone out and if you are reading this and did not get one, you can still come and join us for a great night of food, friends and excitement as we prepare for another awesome camping season!

This weekend we are hosting our Quilter's Retreat which is sure to be a great time, and Men's Retreat follows close on their heels the following weekend.

We hope that with all that is coming up on our schedule of events that we will see you at one or more of them!

What an exciting time to be heading into here at the camp!

Summer 2010

2010-01-13T12:51:00.002-05:00

Our New 2010 Summer Camp Brochures are done and starting to circulate. Be on the look out! if you need one drop us an email: marketing@bayshorecamp.org and we'll be happy to get one to you!

give of yourselves this Christmas...

2009-10-15T09:53:00.002-04:00

each year Bay Shore Camp serves as a collection point for Samaritan's Purse Christmas Shoe Boxes/Operation Christmas Child.

Check out this music video to help promote Veggie Tales New Christmas Movie and a great way to give back this Holiday season. Fill a shoe box and bring it to Bay Shore Camp during the week of,
November 16-22. Mon-Fri open 8:00am-4:30pm and Sat-Sun open 1:00pm-5:00pm.

Merchant in the Valley

2009-10-13T14:05:00.004-04:00

Help support the new movie from Ames Church.

www.merchantinthevalley.com

One of many good things that are happening in this city is the "Merchant in the Valley" film project that is coming to the Saginaw Quad Theater on 10/18 and 10/22 at 7 p.m. This movie was filmed in Saginaw using actors from Saginaw. This movie shows the painful realities of temptations of the streets among our youth, but to also give a message of hope encouraging students to believe that they DO have a choice and don't need to go down the same road that their parents, siblings, or friends might be going down. The timing of this film being shown, unfortunately, seems to be more right than ever with some of the recent violence we've endured.

I'm asking you to help support this film in prayer, in marketing, and in buying tickets ($5 each). Also, know that the showing of the movie at the Quad will be extended to more shows if people support it. Please consider supporting it as a way of educating our community, fighting crime through the media, giving them hope, and sharing the Gospel in a secular environment! Thank you.

Jesse Karls
Youth Pastor, Ames UMC, Saginaw, MI. 48602

P.S. - the movie is PG-13 for thematic elements which include drug use and the use of guns in a threatening manner. There is no sex and no obscene language.

30th Annual Benefit Auction!

2009-09-18T08:55:00.002-04:00

Its almost that time of year again! The kick off of the Fall Season here at Bay Shore Camp. You have one week left to make your plans and get in any last minute donations! Visit our website for the most up-to-date list of Auction Items. www.bayshorecamp.org

Questions? Items to Donate? Call the office at 989-883-2501. We will accept Donations thru Sept 23.

This benefit auction is one of our main fund raisers for the year so please come out and support the work of this Camp!

Thanks!

Update

2009-08-24T09:31:00.002-04:00

The summer flew by! I can't believe that we are already done with camping. It was another great summer!!

This week we are happy to have all our guest musicians and friends here for the Lloyd Severance Gospel Music Fest! Its going to be a fun filled weekend, so if you like Southern Gospel Music, then head out to camp for a weekend of music and fellowship. Its our transition time where we get back into the swing of rental groups and retreats, and boy do we have a line up for you this fall!

Here's a quick run down, more information will be following.

August 27-30 - Gospel Music Fest
September 26 - 30th Annual Benefit Auction
Sept 28-Oct 3 - 55 & Up Fall Tour
October 9-10 - Couple's Retreat with Kevin and Ellen Harbin
October 10 - Fall Family Day
October 12 - Annual Meeting
October 16-17 - Dean's Retreat
October 24-25 - Fall Scrapbooker's Retreat
October 31-November 1 - Fall Quilter's Retreat

Please mark your calendars and check out website: www.bayshorecamp.org

Sr High - Thursday Highlights

2009-07-22T17:03:00.001-04:00

Sr High Wednesday Highlight Video

2009-07-16T10:50:00.001-04:00

Sr High Camp Tuesday Highlight Video

2009-07-15T22:41:00.003-04:00

Sr High Camp - Monday Highlight Video

2009-07-15T22:41:00.001-04:00

Some More Senior High

2009-07-15T13:31:00.004-04:00

Senior High Pictures

2009-07-14T08:40:00.002-04:00

Teddy Bear I Camp Pictures

2009-07-02T08:52:00.005-04:00

Jr. High Camp Pictures

2009-07-02T08:31:00.003-04:00

Junior High Camp Pictures

2009-06-29T13:07:00.003-04:00

Primary I Camp Pictures

2009-06-29T12:53:00.003-04:00

just around the...bay shore???

2009-06-25T16:38:00.003-04:00

Junior Music.....La La La!

2009-06-25T13:30:00.004-04:00

A few pics from Cynthia's Camera...

2009-06-23T23:21:00.009-04:00

jr music and soccer pics to start off the week!

2009-06-22T10:27:00.008-04:00

Jr. Music Camp Registration

Soccer Camp Registration

Basketball Pics

2009-06-17T19:11:00.010-04:00

Pictures from Fishing

2009-06-17T14:08:00.012-04:00

Pics from Basketball and Fishing Camp!!

2009-06-16T10:46:00.011-04:00

Happy Birthday DUSTIN!!!!

This week marks the start of our camp season. We have Basketball and Fishing Campers here with us this week and so far its been a blast! We are so excited to have campers and staff back on the grounds for another great summer season!

fishing camp!

Family Fun Days

2009-06-10T13:17:00.005-04:00

June 5-7, 2009 was our annual Family Fun Days. We welcomed friends, families, and teams from all over to spend a great weekend of sunshine, softball, basketball, mini-golf, worship, and many other activities.

The weekend was kicked-off with the first round of our softball tournament. We had 14 teams enter this year. Kilmanagh was our winning team, with Mayville Blue not far behind as runner-up. We even think that we set a record for the number of times that the Tabernacle and Youth Center roofs were hit between the two days of competition.

Our 3-on-3 basketball tournament was fun for the younger crowd to participate in on Saturday morning. Our winners are as follows:
7-8 year boys:
1st place- USA Bad Boys
9-10 year boys:
1st place- White Tornadoes
2nd place- Blue Bulldogs
11-12 year boys:
1st place- Nightmares
2nd place- Witness Fitness
13-14 year boys:
1st place- Mutton Chops

Our mini-golf, zip-line, and children's games were also available for families to take part in while they enjoyed their weekend at Bay Shore. Sunday brought us our first 5K run which was won with a time of 21:05. Worship brought the weekend to a bitter-sweet end as we reflected upon and celebrated the wonderful weekend with so many wonderful people.

Family Fun Days is always a great weekend at Bay Shore Camp. Now we are about to head in to our first week of summer camps. Basketball and Fishing start things off next week. Be sure to check out the blog for your large group camp pictures! The website will also be hosting daily photos of campers and their activities.

And remember...It's a GREAT day at Bay Shore Camp!!!

Basketball Camp

2009-04-29T15:19:00.004-04:00

One of our first camps to start off our summer is Basketball Camp and this year we are very honored to be bringing you: Stephen Cramer to help guide and teach you during your week here at Bay Shore. We are very excited about having him here and hope that all of you interested in Basketball will take advantage of his experience and knowledge of the game. If you need to register for camp visit: www.bayshorecamp.org or call our office: 989-883-2501.

Here is a flyer to give you a few more details about Stephen. If you have any questions at all email: info@bayshorecamp.org.

Thanks!

Kick Off

2009-04-20T13:28:00.002-04:00

This weekend was our official KICK-OFF to the Bay Shore Camp Summer Season. We had an amazing time with friends and family as we gathered together to eat and share what's new with the camp. Special thanks to all who helped in putting the evening together. The youth center looked great as we were reminded everywhere of our theme to Get Rooted, in Christ. That is our hope and prayer for all this summer - that we can do as Ephesians 3:17-19 says:

"and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the LOVE of Christ."

So as summer quickly approaches we are hard at work getting the camp ready for the arrival of all the campers. We look forward to another GREAT summer here at Bay Shore Camp and ask that you would join us in praying for our camper numbers, our finances, and most importantly that lives would be positively changed by the power of our God! May it be a summer of getting rooted and grounded in our faith so that as the storms of life come we may be able to stand strong like a tree.

We are so thankful to have a place like this to minister to kids and families and we are asking the Lord for an amazing summer of His Love being poured into many!!

New Promotional VIDEO UP NOW!!!

2009-03-10T15:46:00.001-04:00

The Cutting of the Phragmites has Begun!

2009-02-12T14:20:00.008-05:00

Bay Shore Camp has been working for a while now to help reclaim our shoreline from the phragmites, and I've got pictures for you so you can see just how mowing them down has helped us regain view of a once lost shore.

The Shore

2009-02-06T09:26:00.001-05:00

I have a couple of videos from The Shore that I would like to share with you. These were done by John J. Britt, and I thank him for posting them for us to enjoy and remember what an awesome night we all had.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-01-27T15:50:00.003-05:00

For anyone that thinks this camp slows down in the winter, I'd like to tell you otherwise. Between our retreats, rentals, new programs, keeping the website up-to-date and making promotional materials we've always got something that needs to be done.

This weekend is THE SHORE. Remember to pray for us as we launch a new event for Sr. High youth. Pray for safe travels and good weather. Pray for God's presence to fall and for kids to find more than just a fun time hanging out with their friends.

Let us keep our hope in the Lord, and trust in Him to hold to his promise to give us a hope and a future. In the years to come it will be most important for us believers to reach out to those around us in love and to spread the hope that is found in the Lord.

We may not always understand the Lord and His ways in our lives, but we have many promises made to us throughout His word that we can find comfort in. So lets look to the Word of God for guidance and let our strength come from joy in the Lord.

Even in the busiest of weeks, we can still stop and listen for that still small voice of God. What is He saying to you?

History Has Been Made

2009-01-20T12:54:00.002-05:00

We gathered around a computer today in the office here at camp to watch history being made. The overall mode is hopeful. I still have my concerns from the last post, but as you hear Obama's words to our country today, you realize that with God first, our Nation can still overcome its obstacles and unite together for the good of all humanity.

Let's be thankful today, that it appears we have a president who will do what he can to better our nation. Let us pray for him and his family's safety. Let us remember, our God, who is still in control and let us remember to serve God first.

Be happy and share in this time with all of our country and look in hope to God to lead our new President, Barak Obama.

Barak Obama Day

2009-01-20T08:58:00.004-05:00

Well, that is what it seems like, and while I do share in the thought that it is a great day in our history to watch Obama get sworn in as the first African-American President, I do have a few thoughts.

I was reading some comments about a video that was posted by celebrities pledging their service to the new president and it got me thinking about how far this country is going to separate itself from God. Celebrities and those that follow everything that comes out of California are looking for a leader, someone to show them what their standards should be, only instead of looking to truth, they are looking to a man. And eventually this MAN is going to fall short of their expectations as a god figure. God, the only one we need to give us direction is the one that we seem to be forgetting in all of this.

If we are Americans, then we should stick together, under God, thru thick and thin. Isn't that what our pledge of allegiance says: "One Nation, Under God" Then why are we turning to what those with the most money have to say. Why are we letting the media influence us in a way that says Obama is the salvation our country needed and our Nation finally has hope because we were all smart enough to vote him into office. I have nothing against Obama and I know that God has placed him in office for this time in our lives, but that does not mean I have to start looking to him instead of God.

I hope that as we celebrate this day in America that we can remember where our HOPE comes from: Jesus, the one that came to this world to save us.

We don't need a president to tell us how to live our lives. What about those that have been trying to "Go Green" far before Obama was thought of as our next president. Why is it now that people are so willing to get involved and offer their support. Why not before? Why is it that people can't seem to stand together no matter who is in office? Why is it that we can only care about the environment if our president does? This election was won far before we ever voted. Why? because Celebrities and the media had picked their winner. They wanted someone who would represent them and their agendas.

I pray for Obama, not just because he is our next president, but because so many people have put him on such a high pedestal, because so many people are looking to him to "save" us in these times. I don't know about you, but as a people of God, I think its time that we start waking up to the reality that our country is wanting less and less of God and His Truth. We need to pray for our country and for Obama and for the Lord to continue to keep His Spirit here in America, a country that is becoming set against him.

Psalm 121
"I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Let us not be swayed by all that we hear and see on TV or from sources other that God's WORD. Let us look to HIM in this time, for He is our help. He is our Truth. He is our ultimate authority.

Beware of those so willing to give themselves to serving a MAN, and not GOD.

Obama is just a man, and like all men he cannot please everyone at all times. So yes, be hopeful that better times can come because Obama is now our leader, but stay grounded in the Word and Truth that God is still God, and we are not. And let us come together to support and pray for those in leadership and to not get caught up in the game of who's better. We have been given Obama as our president, so lets be like Jesus and continue to show love to all of those around us and believe that God can use Obama to help lead our country in these times. All of us can be used by God if we are willing to be His servants. Let us live and die for something Greater than ourselves.

Today we Honor Martin Luther King, Jr

2009-01-19T12:42:00.002-05:00

It seems that we remember Martin Luther King, Jr at the perfect time in history. It is the day before Obama is sworn in as president and today we get a chance to look back and reflect on that famous "I have a Dream" speech. I have copied that portion out for you to read and remember and reflect on this time that God has brought us to in our country. History is being made and remembered.

The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr (taken from his famous speech)

"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!"

Remeber to Pray for those in Israel

2009-01-15T08:27:00.002-05:00

I usually start my day off with an email that keeps me up-to-date on Israel. Today there was a link to this video, so I thought I would share it with all who read this blog. The media here in the US does a great job of making Israelis look like the bad guys, but the truth is that the rockets that are being fired into Israel on a daily basis are doing harm too. This video gives a look at things from their side. I ask you to join with the command that the Lord has given us to "pray for peace".

I have known friends on the front lines fighting in these wars, and still have friends there. Please pray for all of the believers in Israel to remain strong during these times and for those who don't know Yeshua, to come to know the one true Messiah.

The Shore

2009-01-09T14:35:00.004-05:00

Bay Shore Camp wants to invite all Sr. High Youth and Youth Leaders to our first ever "THE SHORE" event!

We are very excited to be able to use our resources (aka: youth center) as a gathering point for youth to come together and hang out with friends, play games, eat food and meet with God.

Leann has been hard at work planning and bringing people together for this event, so please get the word out to anyone you might know that would be able to attend.

We are not starting a youth group, we are simply giving youth leaders an event to bring their kids to once a month.

We are also looking for a few volunteers to help out that night. if you are interested email Leann at: program@bayshorecamp.org

SEE YOU THERE!

A Snow Covered Bay Shore Camp

2008-12-11T08:55:00.006-05:00

The snow has blanketed the camp, so Mike went out with a camera to give everyone a glimps of the beauty to be had here during the winter season. (more pictures to come)

Operation Christmas Child

2008-12-04T15:21:00.002-05:00

Last week we were a collection site for people to drop off their shoe boxes filled with goodies to be sent to children overseas who wouldn't otherwise get a Christmas gift. Last year we collected and sent 444 boxes. Our goal this year was to hit the 600 mark. When Mike and Rose Mary left on Monday morning to deliver the boxes to the next drop off point they had 799 boxes! We met our goal and more! One little boy carried a box in and made the comment, "This is a lot closer than going to Africa!" That little boy truly knew what he was doing and a part of. Included in each box is a Gospel Tract with the message of Jesus in the child's own language. What an amazing gift! Thank you to everyone who packed a box and donated their time and energy to this cause. There will be many happy children who will feel special and loved this Christmas because of you!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T14:51:00.002-05:00

Just a note to say that here at Bay Shore Camp we are so thankful to all of those who are a part of this ministry, for our campers, deans, counselors, and all of our volunteer staff in the summer, as well as all of our volunteers year round - we couldn't keep this camp going without you, for all our staff and their hard work and long hours spent to keep this camp going all year long, for our board members and all of those that serve on commitees, for our facilities and the ability to make them available to guests year round and for God always guiding and teaching us how to maintain His ministry here at camp.

We have a lot to be thankful for in these times and our prayer is that this Thanksgiving you can focus on all that God has done, for our trust should be in Him and in His goodness. The future may not be certain, but one thing that is is GOD. He never changes and is with us always.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Twilight

2008-11-21T08:11:00.002-05:00

So today is the day that so many young girls have been waiting for. The opening day of Twilight. Now, I have not read these books, but they do interest me. Actually, because of our position in ministry, it always interests me when there is a new fad out for youth.

The other day I was listening to a young girl talk about the movie and why she was so into it, and she said something along the lines of it being because the hero/vampire showed her what a real man should be like, a protector.

These girls are drawn to "Edward" because he is a protector. You could say the same about God. He is our ultimate protector. But God does a lot more than just protect us. He also watches over us and directs us and provides for us. He is our Father and cares for us as one. And if females want the best example to look for, they should fix their eyes on Jesus.

I probably will venture out to see Twilight at some point, just to see what all the hype is about. But for now, I will rest in comfort knowing that my God and Savior watches over me, as with the rest of his children.

New Computers!

2008-11-20T14:07:00.002-05:00

Thanks to the great people who buy things at our auction and the Ladies Auxilary, Bay Shore Camp was able to purchase some much needed computers for the office! We are very excited!!!

These computers will open the door for us to be much more productive and efficient with our time and energy... so, expect some new and exciting stuff to be on the horizon!

winter is here.

2008-11-11T13:09:00.003-05:00

As I look out the window in my corner of the office, I see a perfect day for a light snowfall. Yes, I said the "s" word... I have already witnessed a few flakes falling here and there over the past few days, but there is that excitement that starts to stir in your spirit for that first significant snowfall and for the time of year that is right around the corner... That's right, its time to move into that Christmas mindset. This year, however, I challenge you to not rush by thanksgiving. It really can be more than a meal, if you give yourself the opportunity to reflect and truly be thankful for what the Lord has done in your life and for the blessings as well as the trials. In a nation where nothing is certain these days and the system that so many had put their hopes for a future in failing them, its a great time to sit back and reflect on God's promises to his children.

This year, please remember to give thanks for Bay Shore Camp and the on-going ministry that God has allowed us to continue, but also remember to keep us in your prayers. We feel the financial troubles here too, but one great promise we all have as Christians is that God will never leave us nor forsake us. If we remember to put our trust in the Lord, He will get us thru the times that lie ahead.

Our prayer is that as the holiday season approaches, that all of our Bay Shore Family, "being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all of the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and keep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." -Ephesians 3:17-19

Making History

2008-11-06T11:10:00.003-05:00

Yes, Barack Obama is our new president elect, and that means that we are making history in this nation.

Now, more than ever it is important that we pray for this country. And not just pray because we don't think the right decisions were made in the election, but pray because we still want God to be a part of this Nation.

No, we don't know what is going to happen over these next few years, but one thing is certain, we will see changes come to this country. Some we may agree with, others we may not, but one thing that we need to remember is that God is still our ultimate authority, and yes, we are told to obey those in authority over us, which means that like it or not, we are going to be under Barack's authority as our commander in chief. We need to pray that God's will for our land will still be done thru his presidency.

God never changes and He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Today at Bay Shore we are getting ready for Christmas. Elroy and Mike are outside taking advantage of this beautiful day that God has blessed us with to put up lights around the grounds.
Its hard to believe that there is a chance of snow in the forecast for this weekend. The seasons are changing, and for a couple of months at camp, our events will slow down and we will get a short break before the busyness starts back up again. I suppose its not true for all of us, because there are things always needing to be done. In this moment, however, I look outside my window that is open, to allow the cool breeze of fresh air to flood my corner of the office, and I'm happy. I'm taking pleasure in the small details of life that so often get over looked. As the holidays approach, let us remember to look past all of the busyness and distractions that can take us away from what is truly important. Let us remember that no matter what is to come, that God is still in control and let us continue to praise Him for who He is and for what He has done in our lives.

thoughts on election day...

2008-11-04T10:23:00.002-05:00

Today is probably one of the most important elections of our time. The stakes are high and people are making their decisions for our next president. This president will have a lot of pressure on them to make the changes they have been promising.

And I want to remind you that as Christians, who ever becomes our next president, is going to be in need of our prayers to get them thru. In Romans 13 it says, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

We know what we believe, what lines up with scriptures and that will always hold to a higher law, God's law. There may be a time that comes when spritual law superceeds human law, but we still need to trust that whoever ends up as our next president, is a part of God's plan. He knows what will happen, and whether we agree or not with our next president we need to remember that God has placed them there for a purpose. A purpose we have yet to see, a purpose that may only come about if we join together as a people of God and pray for those in authority over us. So today, let us not get caught up in distractions, but let us pray for the will of God to be done. And let us remember to seek His forgiveness for being a nation that is trying to pull further and further away from Him and His truths.

I pray that everyone who is able will get out and vote today. We have been given the right to vote, so lets use it.

november warm spell

2008-11-03T16:02:00.002-05:00

its the first of November and things are finally starting to quiet down as we head closer to the holidays. our rental groups will lessen the closer we get to thanksgiving and our own evens will end the year with our couples retreat, nov 21-22. there is still time to register if you would like to attend. contact us for more info: 989-883-2501.

enjoy this beautiful weather while you can! it won't be long until the cold air blows in from the north bringing us that first real snowfall.

Pumpkins, Food and Fun!!

2008-10-20T09:12:00.014-04:00

Well our Fall Family Day has come and gone and for being our first year planning an event like this, I would have to say that the Lord provided everything from people, to great fall weather to plenty of food and fun! A big thanks to everyone who helped make this day a success, whether by donations, volunteering time or by coming out to enjoy the day with us and take part in all we had to offer! You made this day a success by being a part of it. :) Here are a few pictures from the day:

Fall Family Day

2008-10-13T08:28:00.002-04:00

Saturday, October 18th!!! Fall Family Day @ Bay Shore Camp (Sebewaing, MI)

Everything kicks off at 2pm.

2:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Mini Golf Course open.

2:30 pm - 4:00 pm - Zipline Rides available.

2:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Food Available at the club house. (includes, hot dogs, nachos, cider, donuts, popcorn, apples, coffee and hot cocoa. **apples, cider and donuts all donated from Leipprandts Orchard**

3:00 pm - "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!" (1st showing in the tents off of the mini golf course).

2:30 pm - 6:30 pm - Hay Rides

Everything will wrap up around 7 pm. and if its raining the event will be cancelled since everything is outdoors.

3:30 pm - Hay Ride leaves for Corn Maze ($3 per person)

4:30 pm - Campfire lit

5:30 pm - "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!" (2nd showing under tent by the mini golf course)

Don't miss out on a great day to spend with your family. There is no cost for the day, except the corn maze, but donations will be accepted to help cover some of our costs. Thanks to all who have donated items/food to help make this day a great one.

Oh, and did I mention: "There will be CANDY!!" Now, who doesn't love that?!

any questions call 989-883-2501 or email: marketing@bayshorecamp.org

see you there!

29th Annual Benefit Auction

2008-08-27T09:49:00.002-04:00

Bay Shore is gearing up for its benefit auction that will be happening at the end of September. This is my first auction with Bay Shore from a planning standpoint, and so far it seems to be going ok. There are many things to learn and piece together, but with the help of our committee and staff here at the camp, I know that everything is going to work out just fine.

That being said if you are reading this blog and would like to donate any items for our auction, please leave a comment or call our office: 989-883-2501.

As we start to get our minds into the swing of the Fall and retreat season, we look forward to events that can draw families and continue our ministry.

Betty...

2008-08-22T16:13:00.006-04:00

There are some of you who may remember a "lady" in the women's bathroom at last year's fall quilter's retreat... We here at camp named her Betty. Well, Betty liked to sit on a hay stack and keep watch over the women's bathroom in the youth center, and as she sat there, she was known to catch quite a few off their guard as they entered the room.

After the retreat, Betty decided to stay with us, and went on to randomly show up around camp. She was quite a prankster and would hide and wait for people to notice her. She was found anywhere from empty rooms, to vehicles to even showing up in Leann's bed this summer... The best thing, was that you never knew where she would turn up next. and this all continued until this past Friday. I'm afraid that Betty made her last showing today at camp... and with the help of Ethan, I think we have a good idea of what happened.

First off, she was found in the dumpster, without her wig...

while driving around taking pictures of all the RV's here for Gospel, we happened across her wig on the back of the gator... so we waited.

to our surprise we saw Jerry put on the wig and the hat and drive away...

so what we've concluded, was that Jerry, having figured Betty had seen better days, threw her in the dumpster, so that he could have her wig because he wanted to try and look more like Ethan.

New Promo Video

2008-08-21T13:44:00.001-04:00

Just a quick note to let you all know that we finally have a new promo video uploaded to the internet. You can find on our blog if you scroll to the bottom of the page. :) Be sure to check it out. It was done by our very own, Kelly R. who was with us this summer taking pics and videos and making DVDs of every camp! Big thanks to her for all her hard work and dedication to getting us some cool videos to use to help promote Bay Shore Camp!!

11th Annual Lloyd Severance Thumb Gospel Music Convention...

2008-08-21T09:07:00.005-04:00

Gospel Music fest is finally here and what a weekend it will be. The RV's are already starting to fill in and by tomorrow there won't be much open space left. Pictures will come soon!

I thought I'd post a rough schedule of events for everyone:

Thursday, August 21
starting at 7:00pm
Blue Grass Revival
Aaron Wilburn
Dennis Gwizdala

Friday, August 22
starting at 7:00pm
Toney Brothers
Courtney Lynn
Not Ashamed
Ron Elrod
Souls Harbor
The Browns

Saturday, August 23
starting at 11:00am
The Thurston's
Royal Heirs
The Brown's
The Northmen
Offering
The Sammons
The Calvarymen
Intermission
Blue Grass Revival
Dennis Gwizdala
Master's Touch
Offering
Mark & Andrea Forester
The Gospelmen
Finale

Sunday, August 24
starting at 10:00am
Mark and Andrea Forester

Sunday, August 24
starting at 2:00pm
Joyful Sounds
Strong Hold
The Grimshaws

There will be daily activities as well including:
-Coffee hour in the Family Center @ 9am
-Bible Study in the Family Center @ 10am
-Mini Golf as well as a Golf outing
-Zip line and games for children/youth on Saturday

Also don't forget about our ice cream sales just outside of the Tabernacle. All proceeds will go back to help support the Camp.

Hope to see you this weekend!

if you have any questions please contact us: our office phone is - 989-883-2501
or you can also email us at: info@bayshorecamp.org

You can also click here-->Thumb Gospel<--to see their website page.

End Of Summer

2008-08-18T14:44:00.003-04:00

Well, its getting that time of year when the nights start getting a bit cooler and you know that fall is right around the corner. This weekend is our Gospel Music Fest, which is just another indication that summer is coming to an end. All of our camps have wrapped up and most of our summer program staff has moved on, and we start to switch gears back into rental/retreat season.

It is going to be quiet around camp again, but before you know it next summer will creep back upon us and we will turn around and do it all again.

Hopefully we will have our new promo video up on here soon for all to preview! :)

Thanks to all who came out to Bay Shore this summer and helped make it another great year!

Please keep in touch with us through out the rest of the year with this blog, it will continue to get updated with fun happenings around camp, so keep checking back with us!

Family Camp - Waterworld/Canoeing

2008-07-31T11:29:00.014-04:00

We are having a great time here at family camp this week. Tom Harmon has been giving great messages. If you haven't had a chance to come and hear him talk on prayer, you are missing out.

These pictures come from yesterday afternoons activities. enjoy!

Family Camp

2008-07-29T09:23:00.007-04:00

Flood of 2008

2008-07-23T18:59:00.015-04:00

It all began with a few games...

and then the rain started...

and it rained and rained for hours... the end result: well, see for yourself.

Then came the canoe...

The End.

Football!!

2008-07-15T12:30:00.019-04:00

this week I have the privilege to hang out with the football campers and take their pictures. So far its been a lot of fun! I hope these pictures will help you see some of that fun!

WELCOME!

2008-07-12T13:35:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to say HELLO to our new campers coming in. This week we are pleased to welcome: Volleyball, Football and Sr. High! Its going to be another great week here at camp! Its crazy how fast the summer is flying by around here. But each camp has been awesome along with the kids and staff!

Jr High Beach Photos

2008-07-10T08:49:00.006-04:00

Sometimes all you need is a day at the beach!

Jr High Campfire

2008-07-09T17:53:00.005-04:00

Campfire time at camp is the best and I've been enjoying my time with the jr high campers and their staff this past week. Its so great to see a side of camp I never had the energy to enjoy last summer. :) Bay Shore is truly a great place to be with so many great people!!

Jr. High Camp Pictures!

2008-07-08T14:26:00.012-04:00

I had a chance to get out and about the grounds at camp this morning and these are the pictures I have to share with all of you. :) Enjoy!

Sr. Music Pics

2008-07-08T10:36:00.006-04:00

Just a few shots from practice this morning.

Pictures from Jr. Music camp!

2008-07-04T13:33:00.011-04:00

New Campers!

2008-06-29T11:11:00.002-04:00

Its time to say welcome to a new set of campers!! This week Primary 1, Jr. Music and Teddy Bear camp will all be coming through. Please remember to keep these and all of our camps in your prayers. Pictures will be coming soon. (well as soon as I get back from Chicago and can take some!)

Just another day at the BEACH!!

2008-06-25T17:47:00.019-04:00

I had a chance to make it out to the beach today and catch a few shots of the soccer campers and their life guard, Brent.

New Fishing Camp Pics

2008-06-25T09:13:00.025-04:00

Our Housekeepers hard at work!

Fishing Camp.

Fishing Camp on the Low Ropes Course.

Tabernacle Time for Soccer Camp.

Pictures

2008-06-23T15:57:00.010-04:00

SOCCER, FISHING, GOLF!

2008-06-23T11:37:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we welcomed 3 new camps! And it seems to be turning into a better week already (weather wise) the sun is shining bright and its a bit warmer! :) Pictures will be posted soon.

A few pictures

2008-06-19T21:36:00.019-04:00

We are having a great time here at Basketball Camp. The kids are working super hard and learning a lot not only about the sport of basketball, but about themselves and growing in their faith in the Lord. Its hard to believe that this week is coming to an end. We will miss all of the great kids that were here, and look forward to the new ones that will be coming in on Sunday. I hope you have a chance to look at all the pictures that I've been posting! :)

Basketball Camp Pictures

2008-06-18T09:03:00.005-04:00

Basketball Camp

2008-06-18T08:20:00.007-04:00

Family Fun Days Photos

2008-06-14T11:08:00.016-04:00

Here are some pictures from our Family Fun Days weekend. Thanks to all who came out and made it such a great time!

new update.

2008-06-10T21:14:00.003-04:00

Ok, I see that no one has written anything since I left, so I thought I'd give a short update from the road. Right now I'm traveling back to Michigan. My time in Texas was great and now its time to get back home.

I have lots of pictures, but probably not many that would interest all of you who read this for info and pics of camp, so I'm just writing to say a quick hello, and to let everyone know that I'll be back at camp on Friday and will have updates from camp soon after. Its going to be a great summer!!

I was sad that I missed family fun days, however, I'm not sad that I missed out on all the storms and electricity being out at my house.

I am very thankful for the time God gave me with my family over these past couple of weeks and it was great to be around for my uncle's retirement. 50 years in ministry is a great accomplishment and I know that in those years he helped God in changing the lives of many individuals and families in Texas.

Looking forward to being back and getting caught up on camp life.

the next two weeks...

2008-05-29T14:19:00.003-04:00

well... i am going to be out of the office for the next two weeks, but i have left people in charge of keeping the blog updated while i am gone. And, you never know when you might just get a pic or two from my trip. :)

-------------------------------

Some things to remember!

FAMILY FUN DAYS
June 6-8th
(there is still time to make camping reservations, just call the camp office at: 989-883-2501).

SCHEDULE:
Friday
*Softball Tournament starts at 7:00pm
*Family Movie Night - 9:00pm

Saturday
* Morning Breakfast Buffet - 7:00am-11:30am
* Softball Tournament resumes at 8:30am
* 3 on 3 Basketball, register at 8:30am
* Concessions Open at - 10:00am
* Mini Golf Tournament - 11:00am
* Children's Games - 1:00pm
* Living Truth II Concert - 7:30pm

Sunday
* Morning Worship at 10:00am

***We will also have times for the zipline and Bay Shore Train Rides***

If you have any questions please email us at: info@bayshorecamp.org
or visit our website: www.bayshorecamp.org

Make sure you mark your calendars! its a great weekend to get away with the family, while still staying close to home. Don't miss all the fun here at Bay Shore Camp!!

---------------------------------------------

2008-05-27T09:51:00.002-04:00

Every day we move closer and closer to Family Fun Days and the beginning of our camping season. The Summer staff is working hard and finishing up their training over the next week or so.

The campstore is looking great with all its new merchandise and is ready for people to come and start buying things to support Bay Shore Camp! :) One of the best ways that you can help us promote this camp is by purchasing something from the store with our name on it. Simple, easy, and yet so effective. :)

Continue to pray. God chooses to work His will through our joining with Him. and the best way to do that is to pray. So I would ask that you would remember Bay Shore Camp in your prayers both now and all summer long. This will help to ensure that God is able to do all He wants to here at the camp and in the lives of all who will pass thru this summer.

Do you ever wonder if we miss out on things sometimes because we fail to pray? Well this summer lets not have to wonder. :) Lets stand in prayer for the lives of these kids and pray for the Lord to unleash His spirit here among us this summer at Bay Shore Camp!

Just a note. the lady that keeps this updated will be going on vacation. So if the blog does not get updated as often over the next couple of weeks, I do appologize in advance. But do not give up on us, because when I get back I'll have all kinds of great updates for you concerning our summer camps and plenty of pictures to go along. So be sure to check back often!

Be blessed.

The sad, the weird and the excited...

2008-05-22T08:44:00.003-04:00

I've been trying to get on here and blog for the past couple of days, and it seems that there is much to write about. Not all Bay Shore related, but I think its worth writing about.

First, the sad.
Some of you may have heard this morning that one of Steven Curtis Chapman's daughters has died. Here's the story, as reported by the tennessean.com

"Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

Maria, one of the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver’s name.

The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home at about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said.

“It appears to be a terrible accident,’’ McPherson said."

So, as a community of believers I'm asking you to please pray for Steven and his family. There are going to be some rough times ahead for them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ok, now for the weird.

I was driving home from work yesterday when I caught part of a news update that was telling about people not cutting their lawns. It seems that in one state here in the US (not sure which one) that if you are asked to cut your lawn and refuse to do it, the second time you are asked you could face a $250 fine or up to 30 days in jail. 30 days in jail just for not cutting your LAWN! I wonder who's going to cut it for the month that you are behind bars??

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and finally, the part to be excited about!

As anyone who reads this blog knows, Leann and I have been following American Idol this season, and our favorite, DAVID COOK, has won the title. This is great for him to go all the way and actually win, but I'm still concerned that he may be forced to hold that image that they want of him, limiting his abiblity to be himself. I pray that this does not happen to him. but yeah, very exciting stuff for him!! Here are some videos from the finals, incase you missed any of it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

update on our summer staff...
the boys are spending some cold nights in the sheridan, something that i can relate to from last summer! :) but its a great house to stay in and i know that once it warms up, it will only be too cold because they have the air set too cold!! ;)
the girls are upstairs in the dining hall, so its probably a bit warmer for them.

Everyone has been hard at work taking care of the school groups we've had this week and trying to get trained on their different jobs and activities. Its going to be a busy summer for all of them, but once the initial soarness wears off from this first couple of weeks, i know its going to be a great summer!! we are very blessed to have this group of young adults with us. Please pray for them this summer that this experience could be all that God wants it to be for their lives!

and with that, i'll end.

oh, and hopefully you have made it this far in the blog post, because i wanted to tell everyone that we have started a FACEBOOK for Bay Shore camp, so find us and become our friend so that we can stay in better touch with all of you! :) BAYSHORE CAMP FACEBOOK.

Summer Staff!

2008-05-19T08:44:00.003-04:00

Ok, I know that the weather may not feel quite like summer yet, but today marks the first day of having our 10 summer program staff working with us. We are very excited to have them on board. As Mike said to all of us this morning, God has brought us all together at this moment in time, with all of our unique gifts and personalities to work together for the Lord this summer. And I am excited to see how it will all play out.

Their arrival, also marks the beginning of our summer here at camp. This has come upon us very quickly, but its something we all look forward to. Each new summer gives us that many more chances to reach out to the kids with the Love of Christ.

As Mike has gone around preaching these last few months, one of his messages to the church congregations is how camp can be a time of starting over. Its a safe place to come and be yourself, and to make new friends and strengthen the ones you already have. Camp is that one week that you can get away from all you know, and open yourself up to experiencing God in a whole new way.

As we draw near to our first week of campers, please pray for all of the kids that will be here, whether thru coming to camp, or coming out with their families to Fun Days or Family Camp. Also pray for our leaders, staff and volunteers that we can always reach out in love and that we can be sensitive to prompting of the Spirit of God to not let any "God Moments" pass us by. Its easy to get caught up in the practical things that need to be done daily, that we don't want to miss out on any of those times we weren't expecting.

Father/Son Catfish Tournament

2008-05-15T15:17:00.009-04:00

the weekend in pictures!! and what a great weekend it was!

Thanks to all who attended and helped to make this a great time of fishing, food and fellowship!

Home School Convention.

2008-05-07T09:26:00.007-04:00

This outing to Lansing for the Homeschool Convention was made by me, my sister and Mike and Rose Mary Coffey. We were able to spend a weekend making connections and talking with people about Bay Shore Camp. Being new to marketing/promotions here at Bay Shore, it was great to get a chance to talk with people that knew nothing about us, or what we offered to kids and families. Its so exciting to be a part of a ministry that has so much to offer both. Often times in the homeschool world its harder to connect with others that share your beliefs on the matter, and this convention gave them a meeting place. I do hope that in time we will be able to help facilitate our own meeting place here at camp for the homeschool community. It was a great opportunity to get away and to stay motivated to continuously look for new avenues of promotion for the camp.

I had a few pictures to post, but I don't have my camera with me, so instead I'm going to tell you a little bit about our NEW "Creative Writing Camp" that we have going on this summer. Its a camp for Grades 8-12 and will be held Aug 6-11. We are blessed to have J.B. Cheaney joining us for that camp. She is known in the homeschool community from her curriculum, "WordSmith". She has also authored 4 novels.

You can visit her website by clicking on her name: J.B.Cheaney

a few thoughts on blogging.

2008-05-06T10:54:00.003-04:00

a blog is a place to communicate and is going to have more personal ties to the one that is posting. since one person is writting the posts, its not a surprise that it may seem to reflect their life at the camp. all in all, i try to post things that not only give information about the camp, but that can hopefully inspire you about God, make you laugh, and just show a more human side of people at camp. i post about american idol, because i think that its awesome that so much of this season has been centered around God and positive influences. in this day and age its hard to find anything on tv worth mentioning. and yes, not everyone is going to feel the same, but i hope that in many ways i can help point out good things in our culture that can be an encouragement to us and believers.

my intent with this blog is also to get many of the staff posting, so that different oppinions are shared about all things. but that takes time to get people on board and comfortable with sharing their thoughts on a blog. i do hope that anyone reading this blog can see that we here at bay shore camp and family ministries want to share our stories with you. which is why if others don't post, or tell us their stories so that i can post them, it may continue to seem one sided. it is not my personal intent to take over the bay shore blog, but it is my intent to post what i feel can be an encouragement, or fun pictures. i posted pictures of my friends because they were here at camp enjoying themselves and by posting pictures of them i was also able to share aspects of our camp with those reading. And my pictures from lake ann camp were so show a trip that 4 of us staff members were able to go on. a blog is not always just going to be a listing of whats coming up. that is really what our website is for, sure there will be times i keep you posted on our up-coming events, but as we grow and adapt this blog to meet the needs of the camp, be patient with us as we write about different things and as more people learn to become comfortable with blogging.

blogs are places to reflect on the world and life as we see it, and if i think there is something worth writing about i will, just as i would like for others here at camp to do the same thing. i'm sorry to any of our readers that don't think that this blog represents bay shore camp.

-cynthia.

Lake Ann Camp.

2008-04-28T14:53:00.011-04:00

A few of us Ladies from Bay Shore Camp just recently had a chance to go and visit Lake Ann Camp (near Traverse City). It was a great time of asking questions, seeing their facilities and eating cherries! Big thanks to Eric, Troy and E.J. for all their help. Here are just a few pictures from our time there! Also, I threw in a couple of shots from while my friends were here from Chicago last weekend!

American Idol - Shout to the Lord...

2008-04-11T09:51:00.003-04:00

I don't know if you had a chance to catch American Idol last night, but for those who didn't I'd just like to share this clip from the night.

If you've been watching this season, you'll notice that God is a prevailing theme, and last night it was so great to see them come together to sing Shout to the Lord. It was truly a worshipful moment that I would like to share with you...

Some Nice Thoughts On Worship...

2008-04-10T10:41:00.008-04:00

Theology - Why We Worship

The verb “worship” in Hebrew means to surrender, to fall down in submission – the way we would humble ourselves before a mighty king. (Psalm 95:6)

All of us were created to worship - there is an innate desire within us to place something or someone on a pedestal and glorify them. One sees this on a daily basis in today’s secular world, with the many people revering and worshiping (although many of them do not understand that this is, in fact, what they are doing) celebrities and sports stars.

God created us to worship – thus, if we do not worship him, we will worship something else. The tangible irony here is that as a result of the fall, the one thing that God craves most(1) is being given to so many other sources of God’s creation. CS Lewis said “The salvation of souls is a means to the glorifying of God because only saved souls can duly glorify Him.”

If we are to fulfil the calling that God has placed in us to worship Him, then we must have a biblical perspective of worship.

Romans 12:1

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”

This verse is one of the most succinct passages we have on worship in the Bible - yet it tells us so much about how God views Worship. Paul starts out this verse by using the phrase “in view of God’s mercy.” The words “in view of” represent a key facet of worship - it is primarily a response to God. We respond to God’s love, what He has done for us and who He is.

He is the Sovereign king - that is He is infinite(2) and unchanging(3). He is perfect(4) in holiness(5) wisdom(6) goodness(7) and love(8). He is eternal(9). Given this, it must be our response to worship Him. The first commandment that God gave Israel was concerning worship(10), saying “I am your God, you must not worship anything else but me.”

Paul continues, “offer your bodies as living sacrifices”, thereby effectively telling us to give all of ourselves to worship. We are told to offer our bodies - a phrase that must be considered in view of the Jewish understanding of us as beings, which was totally holistic. Our modern understanding (Plato) compartmentalises different parts of who we are, our thought life, our prayers and our physical actions. This would have been totally alien to Paul. His paradigm was that it was all interlinked. This means therefore that everything we do is a chance to worship God. Worship should pervade our whole lives as we are given the chance to do everything in a way that glorifies God.

Paul tells us to be a living sacrifice. The notion of sacrifice implies that we must give God something that costs us. Thus our worship must have a cost. When Jesus was anointed by the woman at Bethany, we are told the perfume used was worth a year’s wages(11) - she gave the best she had to Jesus. The cost of worship can be seen on just about every level. Abraham was ready to pay the cost of sacrificing his son to God as an act of worship(12), and many many Christians have been persecuted and killed for worshiping God under oppressive regimes. This is the cost of worship, but perhaps many of us cannot readily identify with such a cost from the comfort of our lives. However, a less extreme cost of worship should be seen in all of our lives on a daily basis. For example, when you sell a car, you have the choice to describe it in the best possible light, ignoring all the little problems that only you know about to get the best price; or to describe it how it is, highlighting the area where it will need money spending or work doing to ensure that the buyer knows what they are getting, and then pays a fair price. As mentioned before, everything that you do is a chance to worship God. Matt Redman, in his book Facedown(13), suggests that we should regularly ask the question that Isaac asked in Genesis 22; “Where is the sacrifice? What does this cost me?” Furthermore, we should move from saying “Lord, please give me more.” to “Lord, it’s time I gave you more!”

In the final part of this verse Paul tells us that our sacrifice is to be holy and pleasing to God. This speaks against the idea that God does not accept our worship unless we are living Holy lives. Please do not misunderstand me here, I am not for one moment suggesting that holiness should not be something towards which we should strive, in fact I believe it can only come through true worship. The fact that “holy” and “pleasing to God” are suggested as distinct qualities of our worship highlights that we are to give God our worship no matter what state our lives are in. When Jesus taught the Disciples how to pray(14) he taught them to worship (hallowed be your name) before repenting. Once again do not think that I am suggesting we need not repent, not at all, I merely suggest that God wants our worship whether or not we think we are worthy to come before him.

Our worship, then, must be an all-pervading daily lifestyle in which we place God first - at times to the detriment our own desires and wants. Our worship does not make God what He is - He is Lord of all and remains so whether we chose to acknowledge him or not. CS Lewis said “A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” This is a wonderful way of emphasising that God is eternal and unchanging and it is our place to respond to his love and join in the song that we hear in Revelation 4 and Isaiah 6.

Musical Worship.

As we have seen, one’s worship must be daily and all pervasive throughout every area of life. However, I wish to look specifically at the area of musical and sung worship. We see precedent for this with many scriptures, primarily within what has been called the Bible’s “hymn book” - the Psalms. Psalm 95 - “Come let us sing for joy, let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song(15).”

In music God has given us a wonderful tool to use in our worship. Music by its nature can bypass the intellectual and communicate what is in one’s heart. Many have often found that the words and melody of a song can express what is in their heart far better that they ever could without the song. There is a connection as we sing to God, our hearts expressing love and affection and our minds affirming God’s truth by the words of the song. We are, to quote the old Hymn, “lost in wonder, love and awe”

We must worship God on the premise that it is for Him that we do it and out of love and adoration. As we do this, not only is God glorified, but we enjoy him. Psalm 95 tells us to sing for joy. “In commanding us to worship him, God is inviting us to enjoy him.” (Lewis). Thus, we enter into the wonderful dynamic of worship before our maker whereby He visits us as we glorify Him.

Endnotes
1 Exodus 20:1-4
2 Psalm 95:3
3 Isaiah 43;15
4 Matthew 5:48
5 1 Peter 1:15-16
6 Isaiah 28:29
7 Psalm 31:19
8 1 John 4:8
9 Isaiah 43:13
10 Exodus 20:1-4
11 John 12:5
12 Genesis 22
13 Matt Redman Facedown pp 68, 2004 Kingsway Communications Ltd
14 Matthew 6:9-13
15 Psalm 95 1- 2

to view the source click here: VINEYARD UK

Update

2008-04-02T08:47:00.002-04:00

American Idol Favorites, David Cook and Michael Johns are still the ones to beat in this competition. Especially after last night. The others that gave good solid performances in my mind where, Brooke White, David Archuletta, and Jason Castro. The rest, well, its hard to even remember them.

oh and if you are looking for some fun entertainment please check out the video from my last post! :)

Ingenious.

2008-04-01T13:39:00.002-04:00

Psalm 121

2008-04-01T08:59:00.002-04:00

"I lift my eyes up to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and forevermore."

----------------------------------------

Life is full of twists and turns, but in good and bad, let us remember to look to the Lord for our help and remember that it is He who watches over us.

American Idol

2008-03-27T09:02:00.008-04:00

So usually my posts are a bit deeper than this, but how can you ignore some of the talent that is being shown to us this season on American Idol.

So far our staff has a few clear favorites. I personally think that any man that can cover Queen like Michael Johns is worthy of being the winner. But David Cook also shines with great talent on Eleanor Rigby and Billy Jean and Brooke White with her sweet and pure personality is just infectious. So in light of some great performances I have had decided to give us a little dose of pop culture compliments of youtube...

Breathe Your Life...

2008-03-17T10:45:00.009-04:00

A video I found on Youtube that I thought worthy of sharing with you, to show that there are good things to be found there... another video you can check out is our bay shore camp promo! :)

Enjoy this video. I hope it stirs your heart the way it did mine.

new promo video!

2008-03-07T15:51:00.005-05:00

hello everyone! its cynthea here. and i would like to use this post to share with you my very first attempt at creating a promotional video for bay shore. i must give thanks to the newsboys for the use of their song, "City to City". and i have also posted this on youtube.com so that it can be seen by more than just those who read this blog. hope you enjoy it and that it gives you a better look at all the beautiful people that God has created who have found Bay Shore Camp and Family Ministries to be a valuable part of their lives. And hopefully this is just the tip of the ice berg for us here in the promotional department at Bay Shore, its just taking me a little time to learn my way around some of the video editing programs we have. So, I know its nothing that will blow your socks off... but, I still think its a good first attempt! :) Let me know what you think by clicking on the word comment at the bottom of the post. Thanks!

Snow vs Spring

2008-02-29T08:20:00.006-05:00

This winter makes me think of one word: SNOW. Today as I sit and look out the window, its coming down once again. Soon it will be March and spring is on its way, but sometimes its hard to remind yourself of what is probably just a few short weeks away, the snow and ice seems a regular part of our daily lives.

With the spring also comes easter and a time when Christians remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us through His death. Lets not forget though that the story does not end in death, but in eternal life given for all. Let us not lose hope in the One that gives us life. As the world we live in seems to turn farther away from the one who created it, we as Christians are going to have to make decisions that will challenge us more than ever to go against the status quo. We are also faced with many struggles to reach a generation that is plagued by the media and a culture with no boundaries. This brings me back to thinking about what we are about here at Bay Shore Camp. We exist to be a safe place for kids to come and escape those pressures of the world, and to be encouraged thru Christian leadership/relationships. A week at camp is a week to seek God in His creation and to lessen the distractions that pull us away from spending any real quality time with the Lord. Camp is a great place to find the support and encouragement we are all looking for in a Christian community and thru friendships that are built there. Sometimes we all just need an escape from reality so that when we rejoin the world, we can be refreshed. And that's not to say that all you need to follow the Lord is a week at camp. No, its up to our families and local churches to continue the work throughout the year. As spring approaches, lets remember the LIFE that we have through CHRIST and remember to be in prayer for the ministries in our areas committed to loving God and others.

GLADE

2008-02-20T15:41:00.003-05:00

So, you may be wondering why I have decided to place a picture of Glade Air Freshener on the Bay Shore Blog?! Well, it's because I have a great story to share with everyone. :)

This afternoon in staff meeting Julie shared with us a story from housekeeping and I felt that it was blog worthy, as well as telling you a little story of my own. (For those that don't know, Julie and I have switched positions and I'm now working in the office and she is out on the grounds taking care of housekeeping).

Today Julie was busy cleaning in our lodge rooms, going about her usual routine when she grabs a can and the dust cloth to put the finishing touches on the furniture by giving it that nice shine from the furniture polish. So, she sprays the cloth, only instead of getting it on the cloth, the spray goes straight up into the air, and she notices that it has a strong floral odor, but remembers a time when Carol used floral scented furniture polish, so she redirects her can and sprays again, this time hitting the cloth. She continues to use this "floral" scented spray to dust the room, and then moves her things into the next room. Its at this point when she goes to grab the can so she can dust that she discovers it is air freshener instead of furniture polish! At least the room smelled great! :)

The other story I have to share with you is what happens when you work thru a call list of only first names. This is the first time I've had to call people with a reminder about camp coordinators day, and so I'm working thru the list that Julie had printed out for me, just calling away and leaving many messages. I notice though while I'm listening to the answering message that I had gotten that I recognize the voice and the names being listed off as unavailable. Its then that it hits me that I just called the home of our very own Paula while she was sitting no more than a few feet away from me!

All in all, the switch is going well, but is making for a few funny stories! :)

Camp Coordinator's Day

2008-02-19T09:24:00.002-05:00

Each year Bay Shore Camp hosts a day just for our Camp Coordinators! This year it is falling on Feb. 23 which is this Saturday. :)

This is a great opportunity for our Camp Coordinators to receive promotional materials they can use at their churches, and to meet and share stories with others. Its also a time to be encouraged. Promoting camp isn't always the easiest thing to do, but the impact that it can have on the life of a child remains imprinted in their hearts forever.

This years theme is "Take Flight" taken from the scripture in Isaiah 40:29-30

We will run and not grow weary.
We will walk and not grow faint.
We will soar on wings like eagles.
As the Lord increases faith.
(taken from the song Yahweh is for Us)

To often in our daily lives we spend so much time pouring into others that we seldom think about ourselves and this scripture is a great reminder that the Lord will renew our strength.

**Prayer focus for the day:
Camp Coordinators and all of our up coming summer camps.

Upcoming Events

2008-02-08T15:00:00.000-05:00

February brought a change here at Bay Shore Camp and Family Ministries. It saw two of its staff members change positions, which as a result, may give opportunity for this blog to be updated more than just once a week. :)

The closer to spring we get the busier we become here at camp. So even though the snow may be pilled high outside, we are already getting ready for spring. It seems like this time of year we all get that warm weather itch, and what better way to move into spring than by keeping busy.

We have many of our own retreats coming up to tell you about to help pass the time:

Ladie's Day
featuring guest speaker: THE REV. JOY MOORE, PhD
February 16th beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Annual Mens Retreat
featuring keynote speaker: TOM HARMON
February 29 - March 1

Spring Quilters Retreat
April 5-6 (Early Bird start, Friday, April 4)

For details on these or any other of our events check out our website at: http://www.bayshorecamp.org/ or send an email to: specialministries@bayshorecamp.org

----------------------------------------------------------------

"He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor."
Proverbs 21:21