​On Sunday, December 2nd, CRC hosted an open house at the White Oak Lodge for donors, volunteers, and local businesses.  It was a wonderful afternoon that far exceeded the staff’s expectations!  We provided refreshments and had current staff and board members available to mingle and meet long time supporters of the camp.  It’s so good to be able to put faces to names we’ve heard so much about.  It was a joy to interact and have so many people who have contributed towards the ministry of CRC over our 40 year history in one room.
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Over the course of the open house I was privileged to share a few minutes with the likes of Roger Witter, Joe and Marie McBeth, George and Rachel Kibler, Les Weiand, Avery and Eunice Zook, and David McBeth.  These people have history and stories that date back to some of the original meetings as CRC was still just an idea. I’m so grateful for their support, the hours they’ve volunteered, and the continual prayer and encouragement they provide to CRC.  CRC looks forward to having similar events like this in the future!

I want to take a minute to say thank you to those who have responded so well to Sharon Engle’s letter she wrote last month.  Your generosity has been a blessing and greatly appreciated as we close out another incredible year of ministry at CRC! In these closing weeks of 2018, I’m looking for an additional $30,000 to come through our office in end of year giving.  This money will allow CRC to pay off all current interest on our Lodge Debt while also providing a solid foundation to start 2019 off well! 

Throughout this fall my responsibilities at camp have increased as I’ve been tasked with managing the camp finances (Thankfully I have a great team of individuals around me!).  At times it can be easy to fret and be overwhelmed as I look at a budget that is bigger than what I normally work with.  When I’ve been tempted to fear I think back to the Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 4 when he says don’t be anxious about anything but bring your requests to our Father with thanksgiving! In doing so, may we experience a peace that comes from Jesus! I also think to Matthew 6 when Jesus talks about how our Father tends to the birds of the air and flowers of the fields.  Will he also not tend and care for our needs as well? As his people seek his Kingdom, our King is faithful in his care!
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I have been praying and trusting the Lord will provide the necessary money that CRC needs with thanksgiving and trust, not anxiousness.  I also have been praying that those who receive this letter would continue a habit of generosity and giving.  As God has been faithful for 40 years of ministry in East Waterford, I trust that he will see CRC through another 40 years of walking in obedience as we trust his Spirit to conform and mold us into the image of Christ!
 
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

​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.