Presbytery of Olympia, Strategic Board
3801 N. 27th St.. #7008,
Tacoma, WA 98417

January 20, 2016

Dear Colleagues in Ministry,

This week you are tasked with the responsibility to be good stewards of your camping ministry, Sound View Camp. It is not a task to be taken lightly. You have much to consider. As a pastor of a small church, I offer these points for your discussion:

1) Camping is a valuable addition to any church’s youth and children’s ministry. But a small church is unable to provide that ministry on its own.   Our small church has five high school aged youth. All five have participated in camping ministry through Sound View Camp – two at their summer programs and all five at one or more fall retreats. Three have also participated at Tall Timber Ranch through our Presbytery’s winter youth retreat or their summer program. Having good options with appropriate Reformed theology is important to us and enriches the ministry we have with these teens and their families.

2) Summer camp offers a valuable experience in the unconditional love of God. One of our youth whose home situation was filled with conflict, and for whom life on the streets would soon become preferable to living at home, remarked after her retreat experience at Sound View that, “I never knew people could love one another like this, without wanting anything in return.”

3) According to the May 2012 Presbyterian Panel survey, camping ministry has contributed significantly to the faith development of both ruling and teaching elders.   “Camps have facilitated in a very important or important way education about the Christian faith and the association between faith and life for between one-third and one-half of panelists in each group (members, 33%; ruling elders, 34%; pastors, 48%; specialized ministers, 45%).”   I believe it is important that our Reformed theology is represented in the Christian camping world. Judging by these panel numbers, the spiritual development of a large number of our future leaders in the PCUSA will be directly connected to camping.

4) When we look at a camping ministry we recognize that it is a mission of the church. We do not expect our mission causes to be profit centers, but we do expect good stewardship of the resources we entrust to these mission causes. I believe Sound View Camp has provided that good stewardship over the years and is well poised to do so in the future.

On a personal note, my family has benefited from nine years of participation at Sound View in all aspects of the camping ministry.   The camp has been a blessing to my children, giving them an arena to learn Christian leadership skills and to practice them in a real way as they moved through the LIT program and into summer camp leadership.   I am thankful for this blessing and would be sad if the same opportunities were not available to those whose children are just starting their seasons of camp.

with prayers for your discernment,

Rev. Amy Delaney,
Pastor, Edmonds Presbyterian Church
Northwest Coast Presbytery

Testimonials