Camp Crew Update on... CIRCUIT!

Today we get to share one final 2021 Camp Crew update with our Beacon community. Sit back and enjoy this catch-up with our very own Circuit!

So, Justin - I mean Circuit - what are you up to these days?

I just finished my second year of Computer Engineering at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario. I have been exploring what job I want to do this summer, and I have decided to work at a boating company in Tobermory called Blue Heron. I will be helping to sell ticket for boats, keeping the company buildings clean, and I might even get to be crew on a few boats!

What is the best thing about your school right now?

The best thing about my school has definitely been Power to Change. It is a student lead Christian organization dedicated to helping students find a relationship with Jesus and helping students grow in their faith! I enjoyed my Bible study every week with my five guys, and I also loved the Connect events every Friday where we would just hang out and have fun with other Power to Change people! I have also been involved in another campus community called Geneva House. They are a similar organization to Power to Change, and they have had weekly socials on Sundays that I have also really enjoyed!

What is the last great book you’ve read and why?

I’ll be honest, I don’t often read books. I would like to, but whenever I’m reading, I always fly off in my own thoughts while continuing to read the words on the page. When I realize that I have been reading without actually paying attention to the book, I have to go back and re-read what I have already read. That being said, I have been really enjoying my Bible reading in the book of Acts. It is so interesting to read about the stories of the early church and about how God used the disciples and apostles to spread the word of Jesus all over the nation of Israel and beyond. I just read the part where Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement that caused them to go separate ways. They might have seen that as a bad thing, but I think it was a good thing for them to split up and go separate ways so that they could share the gospel with even more people!

What is your favorite meal these days?

As a university student who doesn’t have much time to make big elaborate meals, I would say it has to be spaghetti. It’s quick and easy to make, you can make a lot and have leftovers for the next few meals and if you make it right it tastes really good!

What is a good piece of advice you’ve received lately, and from whom?

“It hits you when you least expect it” – Sam

“Don’t sweat the small stuff” – Tim

“Worship is not about feeling” – Andrew

As you can see, I get a lot of advice from a lot of people, and I couldn’t choose only one. The first one is from my housemate Sam. He was talking about love when he gave me that advice, but it can be expanded to all kinds of things. One way to use that advice could be for someone looking for an answer from God. Maybe you keep asking him something and you feel like he isn’t answering, but maybe he is trying to answer it and you just aren’t listening. Make sure you are always listening and prepared to get an answer from him.

The second one is from my previous youth pastor. Tim has been a mentor to me for a long time, and he told me this advice when he was talking about the church. He was saying that so many churches divide over the smallest things that won’t matter at all when Jesus returns. It was interesting to reflect on the things that I have made a big deal of even though a lot of that stuff doesn’t matter that much.

The last one is from my friend Andrew that I met during Geneva house events. I was talking about that feeling you get when you’re worshipping God with all your heart. After I spoke about that, he gave me that advice. He meant that you could get a feeling, but that isn’t what worship is about. Worship is telling God that he is everything, and sometimes he will give you that feeling, and sometimes he won’t, but that feeling is not what worship is about.

What is your favourite memory from Summer 2021 at Beacon last year?

I don’t like this question because there are so many awesome memories, but I would have to say that it was when Shimmer and I did the “Getting ready” skit during the talent show at the first family camp! It was the funniest moment of my entire summer. I loved it so much because I love getting in front of a group of people and giving them a good laugh! I may have swallowed some toothpaste, and the clean up afterwards was not very fun but it was totally worth it!

Throwback Time!

This week on our blog we have a challenge for you: take a look at the pictures below and let us know what building you think this is at Beacon Bible Camp! Hint: these pics are from waaaaaaay back :D

Delight in the Lord!

This week’s blog post is a special treat, as we get to hear from Scott Vanderform (the teacher at Lofty Mountain Family Camp last summer). Enjoy!

Can I share with you a saying I heard from roughly 2000 years ago that is still true today? It is a saying that has been passed down for generations as something that families need to know. It was passed down to me from my Father and Mother and I am determined to pass it on to my kids as well. Are you ready for it……

“tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,

and the wonders that he has done.”

To be honest, this verse from Psalm 78 is not just a saying, it is an instruction coming directly from God himself to us and it is a reminder to all parents of what they are called to do by God. Do you regularly remind your Family of our good God almighty? (Check out Crowders song titled “Good God Almighty” to help get you started). Remember, we are talking about our one true God who has all might and power in His hand and has accomplished so many wonders that if we were paying attention we would constantly be in awe of Him. The point of this psalm is to instruct us to always remember the goodness of God to such a degree that it affects and informs the way our families live. Please hear me, this does not mean we must be doing two hour systematic theology bible studies every day as a family. What I think Asaph (the author of Psalm 78) is getting at when he writes these words is to encourage parents to make sure their families (parents and kids included) are regularly delighting in God.

This does not mean it looks the same for every family. For some it may be a walk in the woods and delighting in God’s creation and allowing it to point our hearts to God. For others it will be singing together. For others still it can be traveling to see the marvels of the world and allowing it to humble us to realize how small we really are in comparison to a God who spoke this world into existence. It could be a regular prayer time where you record your prayers as a family and watch as God answers those prayers in ways only He can, or it could be reading through a book of the bible and listening as God speaks powerfully through his word. There is so much adventure to be had for those who would seek after God with all their heart!

Our problem is we don’t practice regularly reminding ourselves of who our great God is and as such we turn from God to all sorts of idols without even seeing the gradual decline. Again Asaph says families need to regularly keep their eyes on God “so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God,” (Psalm 78:7)

As summer time approaches we tend to give ourselves a bit of an unintentional vacation from our regular disciplines with our Lord and I wanted to send this thought out as a challenge to all of you - parents and young people out there - to find new and creative ways to delight in God this summer instead of putting him to the side while you relax and “enjoy life”. We need to believe with all our hearts that He is our joy and diligently seek Him. In seeking Him you will find true LIFE (John 10:10).

Go chase after God as a family this summer!

Here is a picture of Scott and his family, taken last Fall.

Into the Woods with Curio: Bird Calls Made Easy

“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.” Psalm 96:1

Spring is the time when the birds are singing. It’s breeding season and they call with an amazing assortment of songs and sounds from everywhere – around your neighborhood, and in the woods at camp – to claim territory and attract mates. But the volume and variety of sounds is confusing. How can you tell which bird is making what call?

Some calls are familiar – the caw of a crow, a robin’s cheery song, the chirping of house sparrows and the whistling of cardinals. The loon’s eerie call from the camp lake is unmistakable, as is the booming of the whip-poor-wills at night! But which bird is making that long trill from over in the bushes? What bird sounds a bit like a robin, but different? And who makes that hauntingly beautiful descant late in the evening at Family camp?

One way to know what bird is making which call is to find the bird, of course. When you hear an unfamiliar bird song or call go on a bird safari. Hunt down the bird making the song – maybe using some binoculars – until you find it and hear it calling. Once you associate the bird with its song, you’ll remember it the next time you hear that song. If you aren’t sure about the ID of the bird when you do see it, there is an app for that. Called Merlin, and available at merlin.allaboutbirds.org, it is designed to help identify bird sounds, as well as bird ID in general.

Putting words to a bird’s song also helps to identify some birds. The white throated sparrow’s beautiful melody sounds something like, “pure sweet Canada, Canada, Canada”. The ovenbird is a small warbler with a very loud song that sounds like ‘teacher, teacher, TEAcher, TEACHer, TEACHER! They are quite common at camp, but spend most of their time hidden on the forest floor, so are heard rather than seen. A red winged blackbird makes a loud ‘conkaree’ call down at the waterfront, (in Quebec it says ‘Aujourd hui’). Barred owls hoot their loud, ‘Who cooks for you, who cooks for you-AWL’ in the middle of the night.

Other birds, like the whip-poor-will, say their names. Chickadees say chickadee, with many variations, while phoebes repeat their name over and over. And catbirds really do meow like a cat.

So why should we care about the songs and sounds birds make? God has given us an incredible collection of birds – over 10,000 species worldwide. Each has its own unique song, but all tell of His greatness. And every one of us that is redeemed also has a unique song of praise for God.

Monk's Musings: New Life After the Winter

“So the elders of the Jews continued to build… They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel… Then the people celebrated the dedication of the House of God with joy.”

EZRA 6:14-16

These are the first two flowers to show their heads at Beacon this year! Beautiful crocuses signaling the end of the icy winter and the start of new life. A couple of weeks ago we had the joy of visiting one of our married sons in Holland, and they took us to see fields of tulips laid out in beautiful gardens. Spring arrived in Europe well before it reached Canada! Maybe the past year or two has been an emotional and even spiritual winter for you. Well, God is calling us back to Himself, to enjoy the Son-shine of his warmth, to renew our commitment to loving Him and serving in His Church and even at camp! Just as with flowers, God is calling each of us to live the new spiritual life He offers us in the Lord Jesus.

In a similar way, many centuries ago, after 70 years of “winter exile” as captives in Babylon, the Jews were finally allowed to return to Jerusalem, and in 537BC, soon after they arrived, they rebuilt the altar and offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord. It took them 21 years to rebuild the temple (516BC), and a further 71 years before the city walls were rebuilt under the direction of Nehemiah (completed in 445BC). So also, restored life and healthy growth are not quick fixes, they require time and perseverance and following the Lord faithfully and allowing Him to rekindle His Holy Spirit in us.

We hope that during this camp season, Beacon Bible Camp may be used by God to strengthen your spiritual life and provide opportunities to serve and give back to others. We trust this may be true for you and for those you care about; whether you come as a camper, and invite a friend along, or come as a family, or whether you have the courage and faith to volunteer as staff; our desire is that you grow and find abundant life in the Lord Jesus. Perhaps God is calling you to sponsor others to attend camp. There are many ways in which we can get involved: Have faith in God and step up!

With all our best wishes for your life!

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn