Fall 2010 Camp Manager’s Report
God uses your support to produce fruit. Fruit that will last.
Have you ever been in a worship service
where the spirit was so strong that the preacher didn’t even preach and people
kept going to the altar?
Being at ABC, I have been blessed to be a part of many of
those type of worship services over the years. We had one of those this summer
and afterwards no one wanted to leave. People wanted to just stay and soak it
all in. These are one of those spiritual markers Henry Blackaby talks about
where you can look back and remember what a real God we have and you realize
you have been a part of something special that doesn't happen often enough.
Being at some of these services and working with my family in the ministry this
summer has to be two of the highlights of my life.
The Summer of 2010 surely was an amazing summer with over
2000 more people attending ABC by the end of July than the previous year and
having 183 professions of faith. We had 4 worship services in the gym because
our chapel was too small to hold the services. This was our first summer using
the new dining hall expansion. The additional
seating, hallways, restrooms, and new serving lines are an
amazing blessing. The new walk in cooler and freezer help
tremendously.
The three cabins behind the camper park are an asset that
gives us extra room for ministers and special guests. The bathhouse by the pool
also helps in our service to swim groups and campers in the camper park. We are
still praying and seeking God’s will about how to best utilize our new property
to the south and east of us. New ball fields, a lake and more cabins are some
options that are being considered.
Even though ABC has had great attendance and numerous
building projects, we are still dependent on your prayers and support. The
dining hall expansion cost $767,047 with furnishings and we borrowed $380,000.
Our note is down to $356,000. Thank you to all the individuals and churches
that have made special donations to this effort. A special thank you to our
contractor and board member, Joey West, who labored tirelessly to complete the
project $100,000 under projected cost and came back in the heat of early June
to re-roof our flat roof around the gym complex to enable all the campers to
have dry rooms this summer. Volunteers and supporters mean so much to the work
here.
I would like to share a ministry with you started this
summer, and is led by a former staffer. She is leading a water aerobics class
for adults in the evenings and swimming lessons while the weather is warm.
Contact our office for more information if you are interested in participating
in the aerobics class or taking swimming lessons.
ABC is a nonprofit corporation supported by 6 associations,
80 churches, and many caring individuals and companies. Encourage your church
to pray for ABC and support the ministry. Many lives are touched in the camp
and retreat environment each year and those lives produce fruit that echoes
throughout eternity.
Yours
in Christ,
James Newsom