Memorial Day Celebration 2012

What a wonderful day it was! The day began with a service in the chapel with patriotic music, honoring our servicemen, and a message by Pastor Stephen Howard. The offering received was over $3800 with the promise of additional gifts to come.

Following the service everyone was treated to a delicious picnic lunch with hamburgers, hotdogs, french fries, and lemonade provided by the camp. With each family bringing a dish to share, there was plenty of food to fill the plates of the 300+ people!

Then there were games for the children with ice cream cones as prizes.The adults enjoyed watching from the shade on the hill as the children ran off energy.

The first annual 5K Fun Run/Hike started at 1:30 with 31 runners/walkers participating. Each one finished the race to the cheers of those gathered at the finish line. For many this was their first 5K; for most it was the hottest one they ever participated in!

Pastor Donald Gallion shot off several rockets and the children ran through the fields to retrieve them. A "rocket show" followed, viewing footage from the rockets' cameras.

The last thing on the schedule was the Chicago-style 16" softball game for teens and adults.

Families enjoyed boating, swimming, fishing, playing games in and around the Rec Hall, shooting at the rifle range, and eating French vanilla and/or strawberry shortcake ice cream cones from the Snack Shop.

Many memories were made on Memorial Day 2012 at Peniel Bible Camp. While it was a very warm day in central Ohio, the breezes coming across the lake were refreshing. The fellowship with others from around the state and beyond was priceless. Many expressed their appreciation for a fun-filled day.

Memorial Day Conference Offering Project Announcement

Link to letter from the Ohio Bible Mission regarding the 2012 Memorial Day Offering here. Text below.
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Dear Members and Friends of the Ohio Bible Fellowship,

Thank you for your past service and support of Peniel Bible Camp. Many of you have served as camp counselors, cooks, maintenance help, and other support staff. However, serving as staff is not the only way of service. Another way of serving the Lord is through our gifts. One reason that we have an offering at the camp Memorial Day service is to provide another avenue so that God’s people can serve in the ministry
of Peniel Bible Camp.

A quality camp facility requires constant maintenance and upgrades of existing resources, but also new projects. Major upgrades to the Bookstore and Snack shop are mostly completed. Upgrades of the youth cabins have been made. The driveways and certain pathways around the camp have been graveled. We plan to reroof the bath house, and we have many more projects that we would like to get started. We
believe that the bath house and road graveling should be the emphasis and have set a Memorial Day Conference offering goal of $6,000. We ask you and your people to prayerfully consider how you might help toward these improvements to our facility at camp.

We encourage your participation in the Memorial Day Celebration and look forward to some extra-special events this year. There will be free food, games for the kids, a 5K walk/run, launching of model rockets, a
softball game, along with opportunities to enjoy all the special facilities at camp. This is one event you’ll not want your people to miss. More information is located here.

Again, we are thankful for your support for the ministry at Peniel and look forward to how the Lord will bless in the future as we faithfully follow Him. I will be glad to answer any questions you may have.

For the Lord’s Glory,
Donald L. Gallion
President, Ohio Bible Mission

Your Invitation to the 2012 Memorial Day Celebration at Peniel Bible Camp

Link to printable copy here

Fathers and Sons Together at Peniel

 

The 21st Annual OBF Father/Son Retreat was held at Peniel May 4th and 5th, 2012. One hundred forty-one fathers and sons of all ages enjoyed spending time together away from the world. Many memories were made fishing, canoeing, singing, sharing, doing a "man craft" together, learning new skills, and growing in Godly wisdom.

One father said that although it wasn't easy for a dad to care for his 3 young boys away from home, he knew the time spent with them was worth it in the long run! Another father said that he had such a good time last year that he decided not to miss it this year even if no one else from his church was able to attend. Spending time with his son at Peniel's Father/Son Retreat was one of the best investments he could make in his son's life.

Additional pictures may be viewed on our Facebook page. (If you are not a Facebook user and cannot view these pictures using this link, please let us know. This is the first time we have tried to link a Facebook album to our blog.)

Reopening of the Peniel Bookstore

The Women's Retreat 2011 offering was designated for renovation of the Peniel Bookstore. Over the past 6 months much work has been accomplished by our camp staff and numerous volunteers who gave of their time to the work at Peniel. Many thanks go to all who helped with this project. 

The Peniel Bookstore reopened for business during the first weekend retreat of the 2012 camping season.

Stop in the next time you're at Peniel Bible Camp and see what has been done here at Peniel Bible Camp!

The view as you enter the bookstore

New camp clothing for 2012

Custom made walnut bookshelves on the back wall

Music area

All Cleaned Up

Thanks to all who worked at Peniel Bible Camp in April to ready the camp for the 2012 camping season.

Camp Clean Up: One Down, One To Go!

The first Clean-up Day for 2012 is now history. We are thankful for the folks that came out on a blustery Saturday to help clean the camp. Several buildings are now clean and ready for the start of camp next week. However, there is much more to be done. We would invite you to be part of the group planning to come this Saturday to finish the job. Working together makes the job more enjoyable!

Bring your cleaning supplies: shop vac, paper towels, cleaners, etc. Also bring your lunch and plan to enjoy some fellowship while we eat. 

Contact Izaac (pdirector@obf.net) for more information. 

See you Saturday, April 28th!

VanderSchel Update: April 2012

(For a printable version, click here.)

The VanderSchels / Ohio Bible Mission / April 2012

 

What We've Been Up To Lately:

We have been very busy here at Camp Peniel this spring! There have been many work projects going on, visitors stopping by, and much to do to get ready for the upcoming camping season.

February-- Izaac and Kim had the opportunity to attend a camp conference at Alpine Bible Camp in West Virginia. It was such an encouragement to be surrounded by so many other godly camp workers from across the country and to come home equipped with some new ideas to try here at Peniel.

March-- The kids had a great time working alongside some new friends as they helped out with work projects around camp. They enjoyed a beautiful, warm Spring Break from school while Kim was out of the country visiting her brother and his family in Okinawa, Japan. Izaac’s work with BCSA included judging several speech categories for the high school fine arts competition and numerous trips to the Statehouse to meet with representatives and senators regarding legislation potentially affecting our Christian schools. 

Brenna and Ashlyn helping with projects

Carson helping with a project

 

April-- We kicked off the month with a school field trip to Mott’s Military Museum. The kids had a great time checking out the tanks, planes, and wartime memorabilia. Kim has recently assumed the role of camp store manager and has spent many hours this month researching new products, placing orders, and preparing for the upcoming season. Izaac and the kids are looking forward to participating in spring baseball and softball leagues. We enjoyed celebrating Easter with our church family at Westerville Bible Church and with some good friends visiting from Washington Court House. The remainder of this month will find Izaac busily planning for the summer’s theme- decorations, games, skits, songs, etc. 

Easter 2012

Friends visiting for Easter

Our presentation schedule picked up again this spring. We’re thankful for the opportunities we’ve had to be in many different churches sharing our burden for the ministry of Peniel Bible Camp. We’re praising the Lord that we are currently at about 76% of our support, and we’re confident that He’ll provide the rest in His perfect timing. We’re so grateful for all of the churches who faithfully pray for and financially support our work in this ministry, and we thank the Lord for the opportunity He has given us to be a part of it. May we be found faithful!

What's Going On At Camp:

Tim Smith from Zanesville

Quite a few work teams have been busy on camp this spring. A group from Zanesville came in February, bringing with them a wonderful gift of some woodworking tools for the camp. Mark Goldfuss headed up a work team from his home church in South Carolina. They spent a week here at Peniel working on various projects all over camp—snackshop/bookstore renovations, youth cabin improvements, and boat shed repairs.

South Carolina work team

 

The Frys have moved on site and are currently getting settled in. They’ve taken over all the grounds responsibilities, and we’re so blessed to be partnering with them. Nathan has had a large part in helping Izaac and Dan Corey finish the snack shop and store remodel.

The next two weekends will be clean-up days here at camp. We’ll be getting all the buildings cleaned, aired out, and ready for campers. Consider joining us!

Father/Son Retreat and our Memorial Day Celebration will keep us hopping in May, just in time for the kick-off of the summer camping season.

 

OUT OF THE PARK, our summer youth camp baseball theme, will be a great opportunity for hundreds of young people to hear God’s Word, participate in various activities, and hang out with old and new friends. Please pray for the weekly speakers as they study and prepare their messages, for the campers to come ready to listen and respond, for the staff that God is preparing to use this summer, and for all those whose hearts and lives will be touched by the ministry of God’s Word at Peniel Bible Camp.

 

Camp Needs:

• Funding is still needed for reimbursement of printing costs of the summer staff t-shirts. If you are able to help meet this need, a special offering or gift would be greatly appreciated.
• We are in the process of replacing some of the outdated furniture in the lakefront and A-frame cabins. If you've recently purchased some new furniture for your home and have couches, chairs, end tables, dressers, lamps, desks, etc. that are still in good condition,  please consider donating them to the camp. Contact us at pbcprogram@gmail.com or through Facebook.
• Summer staff (counselors, nurses, kitchen workers, custodians)

 

Our Prayer Requests:

• continued financial and prayer support of local churches 
• sale/rental of our home in WCH
• witnessing opportunities in our community (subbing, ball games, etc.)

 

Kids' Column:

I’m having lots of fun at camp! I’ve been able to help my mom and dad do lots of things. This spring we’ve seen baby bunnies and baby racoons. They were so cute! It was fun having our friends come spend Easter with us. We stayed up really late talking. This week I started my softball practices. I love softball! Now I can’t wait for summer to get here!

Love, Ashlyn

Ashlyn at Mott's Military Museum

 Presentation Schedule:

  May 1- Heritage Christian (Findlay

May 8- Mentor Christian May 15- Licking County Christian Academy If you’d like to schedule an update or presentation, please contact us at pbcprogram@gmail.com  -------------------------------  Serving the Lord and Strengthening the Church by: enhancing the current camping program establishing new opportunities encouraging continued involvement