Spring Into Camp

Spring Stick Crew

Spring Stick Crew making the rounds this morning. 2 wagons full of sticks in the main area of camp were picked up and moved to a burn pile! 

Thanks to those who helped in this chilly morning. This week is all about getting camp ready for the Spring into Camp event next Saturday starting at 1 pm. Hope to see you there!

Why Families Choose Camp

Dear friends,

As families continue registering for camp, we’re reminded why this place matters.

Parents tell us they value camp because faith is lived here— morning watch at the bridge, visiting with residents at Pine Crest, or a moment of quiet reflection while watching the last embers of the campfire burn. Many once came as campers themselves and now return with their own children and even grandchildren! 

All the while, we welcome those who are new to outdoor ministry to attend, and sometimes they may not have the means to do so. Scholarships help ensure that families who desire this experience are welcomed, regardless of financial circumstance. 

If you’re looking for a simple way to support faith formation this season, we invite you to be part of this shared ministry.

With appreciation,
Randal Westfall
Camp Emmaus

Firelight Findings: Reflections from our Camp Manager

Have you ever tried to watch something grow in real time? A tomato plant, a child, even your own soul. You can stare for hours and never see a single change. But come back a day later … and something has shifted. Growth happens quietly—without our permission, without our awareness, without our control. 

Jesus says the Kingdom of God grows like that (Mark 4:26–29). Slow. Hidden. Unhurried. “The seed sprouts and grows, though we do not know how.” 

Recently at our annual retreat, camp board members held small slices of wood cut from trees around Camp Emmaus. Each cross-section told a story: rings wide and narrow, rings from years of drought and years of abundance, rings formed during storms and during stillness. And while the tree was alive, no one could see those rings forming. They grew quietly, layer by layer, beneath the bark. 

Camp ministry is the same. Every summer, every retreat, every porch conversation, every late-night campfire prayer adds another ring. Rings of courage in a teenager. Rings of healing in a family. Rings of calling in a young adult who doesn’t yet know they’re called. Most of the time, we don’t get to see the growth—but Christ is shaping it all the same. 

The outermost ring on a tree is always the newest one. The tree didn’t plan it; it simply stayed rooted. And the ring appeared. You and I are standing in our newest ring right now. God is forming something in us —in this camp, in this season, in this community—that we can’t yet see. But it’s happening. Quietly. Faithfully. Inevitably. 

As we step into spring, may we ask not, “Is God doing anything here?” but rather, “What ring is God forming in us now?” 

As Emmaus begins forming our 78th ring this year, may it be another ring of grace that tells both our story and God’s Love. 

Respectfully in Christ, 

Randall Westfall

2026 Dates

Summer Camp registration is open! Register online and find details at campemmaus.org.

May 22-25: Memorial Day Family Camp

June 12-14: Counselor-in-Training (CIT)

June 13-14: Elementary Camp

June 14-17: Target Sports Camp

July 5-11: Senior High Camp

July 12-18: Survivor Camp

July 19-23: Intermediate Camp

July 24-26: Young Adult/Young at Heart Camp

July 26- Aug. 1: Middle School Camp

August 6-8: Women's Camp

September 4-7: Labor Day Weekend Family Camp

Camp Bee-auty

Does your church use the Living Word bulletin series from Brethren Press? If so, you might have seen a bit of Camp Emmaus in your sanctuary recently. Camp volunteer Jim Miner of Elgin took the cover photo for the March 8 bulletin at the camp, capturing a bumblebee on a pollination mission amid Emmaus’ famous shooting stars. Spring is a great time to see camp’s beautiful variety of wildflowers.

Camp News & Notes

• Brethren Volunteer Service is coming to Camp Emmaus! This year’s fall unit, BVS 340, will hold orientation at camp Sept. 15-23. We look forward to welcoming these volunteers as they prepare for a year of service across the country and around the world.

• Have you considered holding a retreat for your church group or other group at Camp Emmaus? The cozy retreat lodge and the log cabin are winterized and available year-round, while warmer weather has options in the cabins outside of summer camp season. Call camp to check pricing and availability!

• Please consider giving a gift to camp. Your gift can support general operations, scholarships, or special projects. Walk with us as we provide a sacred space for outdoor ministry. You can mail a check, donate on the website, or visit https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donationform/8596dd75-871a-458b-b5d2-5f0f3054367c.

In the Wilderness

The 2026 Outdoor Ministries Association (OMA) “InsideOut” camp curriculum for summer camp will be titled “In the Wilderness.” An introduction to the theme notes: “Wilderness is a time or place where we encounter what is new, strange, scary, lonely, unknown or mysterious. The wilderness is a wild and beautiful time and place where we can discover the sacred within each person and all creation. … The wilderness reveals our strengths, growing edges, and potential as God equips us for the unknown still to come. The wilderness awaits us all, and God meets us there.” Daily themes will examine the nature of wilderness and how it’s woven into our lives (Psalm 139:7-14); how we experience awe in the wilderness (Job 12:7-10); God’s presence in our wilderness times (Exodus 13:17-22); Jesus’ example of using the wilderness to recharge and renew our souls (Matt. 14:22-30); the sense of community and never being alone (Esther); and being equipped to face our wilderness moments (Jer. 29:11-14). The annual InsideOut camp curriculum is a partnership between the Church of the Brethren and other denominations.

Property Enhancements

Camp Emmaus has received a grant from the Church of the Brethren Faith in Action Fund to support improvements and additions to the basketball court and central fire pit area, with hopes of making this a more attractive and engaging area for visitors to camp. … Two truckloads of wood chips are ready to be spread on camp trails. Watch for information on a workday this spring. Work on installation of the new kitchen dishwasher should also be happening soon. Thank you, donors

Think Spring!

Summer camp season will be here before you know it!

Join us as we welcome the warmer months with Camp Emmaus’ now-annual “Spring Into Camp” event, April 25. Come for a day of fellowship, fun, food, hiking, a campfire, and more. Watch for more details at www.campemmaus.org.

Spring into Camp - April 25

 

2026 Spring Newsletter

 

Online Registration

Camp Emmaus 2026 Summer Camp Registration is now open!

We are using a new online registration platform that we hope will be simpler than our previous platform. We're using the same platform (Zeffy) that many of you are already familiar with as we use it for our Camp Store.

To view the registration form please click the link below and follow the directions for each of the camps.

You will select the camp that you are registering for by clicking the green Add + button and then follow the directions for the deposit ($25) or to see the full amount for the camp click on the "More Details" portion of your camp. 

If you have any questions about the new system please contact us via FB Messenger, email or phone.