Camps With Meaning ministry contemplates closure
WINNIPEG, MB—Mennonite Church Manitoba is proposing changes to its camping ministry, Camps With Meaning, that would include closing one of its three summer camps.
"This is a very difficult issue for Mennonite Church Manitoba (MCM)," says Ken Warkentin, executive director of MCM. "We have had a strong history of camping ministry, and we love all of our camps. Many people in our constituency consider [Camp Moose Lake] to be their favourite, and we're very conscious of the pain this proposal is generating, but we simply at this point don't have the human and financial resources to operate three camps safely and effectively. We are struggling with that issue."
In 2011, the MCM board asked its Camp Planning Committee (CPC) to develop a model for a sustainable camping ministry. The CPC concluded that operating two year-round camps with strong children's programming, strong leadership development and a commitment to understanding the camps as learning centres would be sustainable and effective.
According to Warkentin, the need for such a model arose because there are less young people able to work at camp, MCM has less financial resources, there is a "lowish" rental occupancy, and an aging infrastructure.
The proposed solution is to close Camp Moose Lake, located near Sprague, Manitoba and consolidate CWM's head administrative office with Camp Assiniboia, located just outside of Winnipeg, reducing CWM's camp sites from four to two.
Warkentin points out that this proposal still allows for leadership development, year-round discipleship training, creation care and a "strong, vibrant, spirit-filled children's camp experience."
MCM constituents were able to respond to the proposal at the end of April and beginning of May as MCM held five meetings in different parts of southern Manitoba. MCM has not made any final decisions regarding the proposal. It is hoping to provide the constituency with more information in the coming weeks, as well as communicate with congregations so that they can potentially offer their insights into the proposal.
In 2011, 6,933 people visited Camp Assiniboia, 1,602 people visited Camp Koinonia and 1,304 people visited Camp Moose Lake.
Warkentin says he is deeply grateful for the ways people have engaged with MCM's proposal so far.
"There is … an incredibly gracious church at work here, trying to discern God's future for us," he says.
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