Pastors' Conference 2009 - Day 1

Pastors' Conference began at lunch today with 38 pastors in attendance. The day included recreation, personal study, delicious meals (steak on the grill for dinner), fellowship, praising the Lord through singing, and preaching from the Word of God.

On your mark, get set...

Imagine preparing for a party – cleaning the house, preparing the food, setting up the table – and then watching for the arrival of the guests. That’s how we here at Peniel are feeling tonight. After weeks/months of preparation, the 2009 summer camping season begins tomorrow morning. Time now to get a good night’s sleep so we’ll be at our best tomorrow.

-Patti Perry

Getting ready to start camp...

Did you ever get one of those vacation postcards that read something like this: “Having a great time. Too busy to write.” I think that’s the way we are feeling right now.

We have wanted to get a newsletter out for almost 2 months now, but… So, lest you think we’ve forgotten you, our faithful prayer warriors, we want to just update you a bit on what we’ve been doing to get ready for camp which, by the way, starts 8 days and 17 hours from now.

Registrations continue to arrive almost daily for summer camps and for the fall retreats. Youth Camp information goes out almost daily as well. Teen 1 Camp is already full with four on a waiting list.

We are praising the Lord for the provision of staff this year. Other than those few counselor positions in Teen II Camp not yet filled, we are looking at a full complement of summer staff. We have sent out staff information via email this year which, we trust, is a more efficient way to get information to our staff.

Menus are being tweaked and lists are being made. Melody Peeler, our Kitchen Superintendent, will be placing her initial summer food order next Wednesday. Then there are the boxes to be unpacked and food to be arranged in the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer as the kitchen is made ready for preparation of the first meal on the 22nd.

Thank the Lord for computers, the Internet, and copy machines. It seems like we’re buying reams of paper each week to put together camper and staff booklets. And then there’s the copying of all the other paperwork that goes into running a camp.

Jerry Edinger and his crew have installed new toilets in the main restrooms that will better service the needs of our campers. Major upgrades have been made to increase the overall water delivery. Bed rails have also been added to the upper bunks for the safety of our campers. Equipment has been upgraded so that the recordings of camp messages will now be available free of charge on the web. Farewell, cassette tapes.

Cathie Edinger has been stocking the Camp Store with camp clothing, Bibles, books, music, and all sorts of little doo-dads that the kids enjoy.

Whew! There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes to prepare for the summer camping ministry. We hope that all these efforts will result in many “happy campers” this summer!

We so much appreciate all those who have already been praying for the ministry of camp. We trust that campers will meet God face to face at Peniel Bible Camp this summer.

-Patti Perry

Memorial Day Conference 2009

Memorial Day at Peniel Bible Camp - May 25, 2009

Marvin Gassman, President of the Ohio Bible Mission (OBM)

and General Director of the Ohio Bible Fellowship camping program

Singing in the Chapel - around 300+ in attendance
Jerry Edinger, Peniel Bible Camp Superintendent

Pastor Joel Owen (Cambridge Bible Church)

God's Role Model for Government - Psalm 78:70-72

Picnics on the grounds

Enjoying fellowship, games, and ice cream cones in the Rec Hall / Snack Shop

A beautiful day to enjoy the outdoor activities!

Father/Son Retreat - May 1-2, 2009

About 160 men and boys ages 4 and older attended the 2009 Father/Son Retreat. Although the retreat began with a couple downpours, the weather Saturday made up for that. What's a few wet clothes when Saturday is about as beautiful a day as you can ask for in the spring?

Pastor Gordon Dickson preached on Friday night on The Sword, the Shepherd, and the Sheep from Zechariah 13:7; 12:10. On Saturday morning he spoke to the fathers on Shepherding Your Family (Job 1:1-5). The boys up through 6th grade met with Pastor Paul Martin during that time on the porch of Ashbrook Hall. The teen boys had a Bible lesson with Pastor Mark Perry in the Rec' Hall. Pastor Dickson's final message on Saturday was The Shepherd Knows His Sheep from John 10:24-31.

The weekend was filled with plenty of good food to eat: roast beef, french toast, grilled chicken, etc. along with ice cream treats from the Snack Shop. Activities included riflery, basketball, archery, volleyball, canoeing (including a Father/Son race!), foosball, air hockey, tether ball, horseshoes, ping pong, and lots of fishing.

This was a great start to the 2009 camping season at Peniel Bible Camp.

Fishing on Friday afternoon. The rain drove some off the dock, but some were prepared to fish rain or shine. (Notice how high the water is!)

The fishing Browns from Auglaize.

Friday night roast beef dinner

The Wileys were enjoying dinnner!

The West boys had their Father/Son Devotions on the porch of Ashbrook Hall.

The fathers singing in the Chapel on Saturday morning.

Pastor Gordon Dickson instructing the fathers.

Pastor Mark Perry teaching the older boys' morning Bible class.

Pastor Paul Martin teaching the younger boys in their morning Bible Class.

The Hixsons canoeing on Saturday morning.

Grilled chicken sandwiches for lunch on Saturday - with all the fixin's.

These two boys were checking the camp map - even though they knew the property well. They concluded that they were by the lake.

Afternoon Canoe Race - ...and they're off!
Playing foosball in the Rec' Hall.

Harrison Anthony fishing with Dad - and letting him bait the hook.

Fathers and Sons fishing together.

Spring at Peniel

Usually when most people think of Peniel Bible Camp, they picture it during the summer. The trees are full, the lake is low, and the woods are full of shadows.

Here are a couple pictures taken today to show you what camp looks like in the spring.

The lake was so full from all the rain this past week, that it was pouring over the spillway.

Looks like you could just walk right across the water to the dock!

Spilling out of the lake and into the creek - usually dry in the summer.

You would get your feet wet walking to this fishing dock today.

Spring in the woods


The water spilling from the lake into creeks that run between

the A-frame cabins and the boys' cabins.

Help Needed to Prepare for the 2009 Camping Season

Dear friends of Peniel Bible Camp,

We would like to personally invite you to help us get the camp ready for the 2009 camping season. Two Saturdays have been set aside for this purpose - April 11th and 25th. Any of you who have helped before are certainly aware of the importance of having many helping hands in this annual task. For one, the task is enormous. With all of us working together, it can be an enjoyable day of service.

The buildings were closed down in the fall and need to be opened, dusted, swept, washed, and made ready for the first campers who will arrive on May 1st.

Helpers should bring basic spring cleaning supplies (all purpose cleaner, rags, window cleaner, etc.). An area to clean will be assigned to you.

You might want to plan to arrive early in the day, do your cleaning in the morning, eat a picnic lunch on the grounds (bring your own food), and enjoy a spring day at camp when you are finished.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Spring Projects at Peniel

Work continues on the camp property in anticipation of the opening camp of the season on May 1st (Father/Son Retreat). Several trees were removed out by the road and around Olden' Hall.

The kitchen ceiling/walls were repaired and painted. A special "splash area" was installed in the dish room around the work areas. (Anyone who has worked in there can appreciate that!) Everything was moved out and the floors were professionally cleaned.

The office was painted and rearranged.