Pennsylvania Retreat & Conference Center

Staff Prayer Requests

10/17/2018

As quickly as our calendar in 2018 is moving, the CRC staff is moving faster! Each week we have the joy of welcoming groups to our wonderful facilities. With each group that CRC hosts, ministry is happening! Lives are being restored in terms of physical rest & spiritual renewal. Lives are also being challenged & encouraged to go forth & redeem their sphere of influence as individuals return home. Please be praying for the camp staff so that we may be encouraged & continue to serve joyfully without grumbling & complaint.

Pray for Sharon Engle, our Development Director, & newest staff member. Pray that Sharon may be an example to others as she seeks to demonstrate how the body of Christ can support each other in order to present a restoring hope through the joy of giving and trusting our Heavenly Father with all we have!

Pray for Mindy Palm, our Food Service Director. Pray that Mindy serves well as she creates menus for our guests to enjoy. Pray that she may lead the way in hospitality as she invites our guests to enjoy a meal seated around the dinner table with friends & family. May the dinner table be an invitation to see and enjoy the company of those around us!

Pray for Cheryl & Amberly Zimmerman, our wonderful House Keepers. Pray that the may see their job as more than cleaning rooms, folding laundry, & collecting trash but that they know they are creating atmospheres where rest & sleep can happen in the bedrooms, where conversations can happen in the lounges, & where teaching can happen in the meeting rooms!

Pray for Matt Sieber & Jacob Henson, our Maintenance & Grounds team. Pray that they don’t just fix & maintain buildings & equipment at camp but that they may practice the subtle art of pushing back against our broken world of sin. By maintaining our grounds & keeping buildings in great condition may they show those who enter CRC that our lives don’t have to be chaos but that we can have order as our Creator orders our Universe!

Pray for Esther Bashore, our Reservations & Office Manager. Pray that she may be a positive voice to all who call the office. In a world where customer service lines are tedious & mundane, pray that Esther may bring life to all conversations as she believes in the ministry of CRC & has a foundation of hope based on the Kingdom of God!

Pray for CRC’s Board of Directors. Pray for discernment & wisdom as they partner with the staff to help guide the camp forward. May their involvement & guidance be an example to others of what can be accomplished when Christians are moving in the same direction with the same goal, which is to ultimately make the name of Jesus of known so that others may faithfully walk in obedience to him as Lord & Savior!

Lastly, pray for me. Pray that I may lead well while remembering the legacy of individuals & families that have worked so hard over the years to make a CRC a holy ground, where sacred moments happen throughout the year because people meet Jesus & form lasting relationships.

CRC greatly appreciates your prayers!

In Christ,
Zachary Bashore

With the addition of Sharon Engle to our camp staff, Bud Wagner (former Executive Director) will also be volunteering & partnering with Sharon as a collective effort is made to significantly reduce the camp debt over the next few years. We are excited & grateful for his involvement & that Bud still has a desire & passion to see CRC grow & reach lives.

Summer Camp dates for 2019 are set and posted on our website. It’s never to early to be planning for next summer! Visit our site and mark down the dates so your child doesn’t miss a great week

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September Update

9/12/2018

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Change- to give a different position, course, or direction to.

Those are some of the words Webster uses to define the word “change”. Currently at the Christian Retreat Center those same words are appropriate as the winds of change are blowing. First and foremost, the Board of Directors would like to extend a great big “THANK YOU” to Jeremy Spear for the last 2 ½ years he has spent giving direction and leadership to CRC. His love for CRC along with the time and talent that he has poured into CRC has made a difference. He will be missed. For the past 2 ½ years the Board at Roxbury camp has permitted Jeremy to share his Executive Director responsibilities with CRC. With a major building project taking place at Roxbury Camp along with some personnel changes, Roxbury’s board felt with the current workload Jeremy is carrying he could no longer effectively work as Executive Director at both camps. So, it is with regret we announce that effective August 31st, 2018 Jeremy Spear will no longer be serving as Executive Director at the Christian Retreat Center.

Considering the change in the Executive Director position and to further develop and grow the Christian Retreat Center’s ministries, the Board at CRC felt it necessary to hire a Development Director. The Board of CRC would like to welcome and introduce Sharon Engle as the Development Director for CRC. Sharon comes to us with many years of experience of Development Directing and Fund Raising, having served in that position for over 18 years at Messiah Lifeways. Sharon was raised on a dairy farm in Franklin County, attended Messiah College and then went on to earn her MBA from Frostburg State University. She is married to Millard Engle. Early in their married years Sharon and Millard served in Africa with Mennonite Central Committee. CRC looks forward to engaging with Sharon as CRC continues to share the love of Christ through summer camps and retreats. Sharon began her position at CRC at the beginning of September.

As for the Executive Director position, an Executive Team has been created to fulfill the duties that were previously being done by Jeremy Spear. The team consists of the Chairman of the Board from CRC, Zachary Bashore, and newly hired Development Director, Sharon Engle.
We continue to covet your prayers and financial support as we seek God’s will, desires and direction for CRC daily.

In His Service,
Stan Gipe
Chairman BOD

CRC’s Fall Finale is quickly approaching! Dates for this weekend are October 5th-7th. Go to crctims.org/rv-camping-weekend for more information! There is still time to register and join us for a great fall weekend!

Wish List Update!
CRC is looking for 1 to 2 golf carts, a soda vending machine, canoes or kayaks, and 2 to 3 desktop computes. For more information visit our Amazon Wish List!
We request all items are new or gently used.

If you would like to be added to CRC’s mailing list please contact the office and such requests will be granted immediately. We have both mail and email versions available!
717-734-3627
office@crctims.org

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Summer Recap!

8/17/2018

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The August newsletter is one of my favorite letters to write. It’s my chance to share about the summer camps and the TIMS program which recently concluded!

In the summer of 2017, CRC had a young man come to our Teen Camp. Due to various circumstances back home, this camper was very reserved, opted to stand off by himself, didn’t desire to talk to anyone, trusted no one, and couldn’t believe that a god existed. Over the course of his first camp experience, he started making connections with his counselors and our speaker. Slowly, he started to talk. Slowly, he started to become involved. Slowly, we started to see life in his eyes! As his week of camp concluded last summer he expressed that he was able to trust his counselors and the guys in his cabin. He expressed that he felt loved and accepted by others here at CRC. He shared at the Thursday night camp fire (a tradition where everybody shares a praise or testimony from the week) that he found a belief in God.

As he loaded his luggage in the back of the car on Friday afternoon I kept wondering if this week of camp truly made any difference. He was returning home where his circumstances awaited. Would his belief in God sustain?

On July 8th, 2018 this young man returned to CRC for a second year of camp. He was no longer shy and timid but a young man full of confidence! During the week of camp he was a full participant in all the activities. Multiple times after Bible study you could find him encouraging other campers and providing a listening ear and speaking words of encouragement. CRC’s Thursday night camper fire came around again. As everybody sat around the fire he shared that over the past year he was able to find a peace and calmness in Jesus that has been absent in his life. He recounted how last summer he had no belief that a god could exist but because of the friendships, our speakers, and the love he received he knew that God was real and present with him.

It’s encouraging for myself and the rest of the summer staff to hear these stories. It confirms that what we do at camp does create life change and allows young people to know the peace of Jesus.

In addition to this testimony, CRC had 10 people say yes to Jesus and begin the process of being restored and made whole. Another 13 people desired to rededicate their lives to Christ. During our staff training week, three young men on the counseling staff came forward and were baptized in front of their camp family!

During our Teen In Missionary Services (TIMS) program we were able to serve 16 sites and organizations! We had teams in Waterloo, Blairs Mills, East Waterford, Port Royal, Mifflin, Mifflintown, Ickesburg, and Eschol! There were an estimated 100 participants from Antrim, Harrisburg, and Manheim BIC Church. Together, we invested approximately 2,700 hours of labor which equals 112.5 days or just under 4 months of work and service directly into our community! TIMS was privileged to also help two of our BIC churches, Blairs Mills BIC and Eschol BIC. We also had the joy of serving Lack-Tuscarora EMS who does so much for the surrounding community.

It was another great summer here at CRC! This camp is possible thanks to our kitchen volunteers, our nurses, speakers, summer counselors, our full time staff, and your prayers!
In Christ,
Zachary Bashore

There is still time to register for our Fall Finale Camping Weekend! Dates are October 5th-7th.

CRC’s “Investing in the Future” campaign is still ongoing. We are seeking 4 people to commit to each of the following amounts per month in order to meet our monthly Lodge Debt payments.
$5, $10, $20, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000
Please contact the camp office for more information.

Looking for ways to support CRC? Go to our Amazon Wish list at Amazon.com! Currently we’re looking for another 1 or 2 golf carts, a soda vending machine, and canoes or kayaks!

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A Summer Update from CRC!

7/24/2018

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Hello friends, family, and supporters of CRC! My name is Logan Knepper, and I am one of the Assistant Program Directors (or APD’s) at camp this summer. Starting off with a little bit about myself: I am 19 years old and going into my sophomore year at Messiah College this fall. I am double majoring in Youth Ministry and Economic Development. I am going to be a Resident Assistant (or RA) for a floor this next year, and I play on the club Ultimate Frisbee team. I want to serve full time in ministry once I graduate, most likely with a nonprofit Christian missions and aid organization. I have 4 brothers of which I am the middle, and have been involved with my home church, Mechanicsburg BIC, in basically every way possible throughout my life. That is just some of the basics! I first was introduced to CRC through the TIMS program, the summer after I finished 7th grade. I came back to TIMS as a student leader 4 years later, and had yet again an impactful time connecting with the couple at our worksite and the people from my youth group. However, the most important experience both times was how the physical and spiritual aspects of TIMS lead to helping me build my relationship with God. After learning about the summer camps here, I decided to come back as a counselor in 2017. It was a life changing experience spending 5 weeks with children of all ages, getting a chance to show God’s love to campers from all sorts of backgrounds and tough life situations. There is something so special about the simplicity of being here at CRC, surrounded by God’s handiwork, with none of the distractions that overwhelm youth today. It allows for more meaningful and real conversations about Christ and eternity than some people will experience in a year elsewhere. This year, I was offered the position as an APD, and have had the chance the help encourage and support the counselors to be God’s direct ambassadors to everyone who steps on the grounds here. The joy I saw in a 9 year old kid who accepted Christ for the first time during pioneer camp, helped remind me of the reason behind everything we do here! While fishing, canoeing, going down the waterslide, doing skits, and playing capture the flag are all a ton of fun, watching people experience God for the first time is what the Christian Retreat Center is all about! I am grateful to be able to play a part in His plan.

Hello, fellow fans of CRC! My name is Emily Santucci, and I am a recent graduate of Juniata Mennonite School. I have been working at the Christian Retreat Center for the past four summers, both as a counselor, and as an Assistant Program Director. Having gone to a small Christian school, I have always had Godly people surrounding me and encouraging me in my faith, but the impact that CRC has made on my spiritual life is extraordinary. I decided to start working as a counselor in the year 2015. I was extremely shy, terrified of new things and people, and while I had a growing faith, I was not very experienced in sharing that faith. Working at CRC not only pushed me to grow in my relationship with Christ, but also inspired and taught me how to make my faith active and not passive. Through working at the camp, I've learned how to be more vocal and confident with sharing the gospel, and I have been encouraged to go out of my way to serve. At the end of the day, being a camp counselor is a summer job. You come and serve, but when those 5 weeks are over, you return home. But during that time you are constantly being stretched and diving even deeper into God's word. During those five weeks you are being challenged to think about how you can serve when you go home. During those five weeks you are learning to share the Gospel and how to be an active Christian in everyday life. Being a counselor only lasts for a summer, but the lessons that you learn throughout that summer last for a lifetime. The Christian Retreat Center has not only helped me grow in my personal faith, but inspired me to take my faith into the community. Through being a counselor, I have learned to be more confident, and I have learned what it means to truly serve and evangelize. This year, as an Assistant Program Director, I have been challenged to take those lessons and teach them to others. The Christian Retreat Center has pushed me to take my faith to places that I never would have expected. I fully believe that God has brought me to this camp not only to shine his light on campers, but also to show me where my faith can go!

Thank you for your prayers during the summer! To continue to receive monthly updates about CRC consider joining our newsletter. Also, please go check out our Amazon Wish List to see how you can be supporting CRC with various needs and wants. You can read more about our wish list here.

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CRC Prayer Request

5/10/2018

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Warm weather has finally arrived! We’re mowing, planting flowers, and enjoying the outdoors as we prepare for summer camp. Our summer programs are a little over five weeks away and every day brings a little more excitement!

As our staff makes final preparations, there are several prayer requests which CRC would love if you interceded for on our behalf.

Pray for our full-time staff. The staff works hard ensuring that CRC runs smoothly as we host groups of all types and all sizes on a weekly basis. Pray that we may continually serve joyfully and reflect Jesus to those we encounter. Pray for a spirit of unity and wisdom as we make decisions and prioritize the needs of the camps. Also, please pray for our new staff members. Since February CRC has hired two young men to help with maintenance and grounds. Both men have done a great job learning on the fly, going the extra mile, and seeing how their work directly impacts the camp ministry. It’s been a joy having Matt and Jacob join our staff!

Pray for CRC’s summer counselors. Pray that as camp approaches, they may be growing and leaning into the Spirit to be conformed into the image of Christ. Pray that the staff may have one focus this summer: to proclaim the name of Jesus to campers and to each other. May we continually be people of gratitude, love, and self-sacrifice as we look to serve our campers and their families.

Pray for our campers and their families that even weeks before camp, the Lord may be stirring their hearts. We ask that you pray for their safety and for lasting change to take place in their lives. In addition, pray that families will be impacted by the difference that camp may potentially play in their lives of their children!

Pray for the TIMS program that our participating churches may be ready to serve in Juniata County. Pray that they faithfully represent Jesus well through word and deed. Pray that our homeowners may be receptive to the Gospel of Jesus if they do not know his restoring peace. If they do know his restoring peace may they then be encouraged by these young students and their leaders! Pray for safety as groups travel and work on their sites.
We look forward to sharing many stories throughout the summer of lives being changed and Jesus being magnified!

In Christ,
Zachary Bashore

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Staff Prayer Requests

September Update

Summer Recap!

​There is still time to register for our Fall Finale Camping Weekend! Dates are October 5th-7th.

A Summer Update from CRC!

CRC Prayer Request

There is still time to register for our Fall Finale Camping Weekend! Dates are October 5th-7th.