CCC News
Updates from the Christian Conference Center in Newton, Iowa
August | 2021
Summer Camp 2021 by the Numbers

Rev. Tiff Williams
Associate Regional Minister and
CCC Camp Director

Numbers can be helpful metrics in our ministries (as long as they aren't the only metric.) Our last session of Summer Church Camp officially closed on August 14th. Here are some numbers for you about the summer...Before it was all said and done we hosted 15 camp sessions over 8 weeks. (We also hosted 2 rental youth camps for a total of 10 weeks of camp.) Most of the camp sessions we programmed were weeklong events, but 5 of them were one or two night camps.

We welcomed a total of 484 campers to Holy Ground this summer. This is about 60% of a typical summer. I worked with 28 event directors who recruited over 100 volunteer counselors to minister to our campers. We hosted 1 camper baptism. We hired 4 college student interns. We said goodbye to 13 seniors. One more interesting number: zero. In ministry you rarely hear the number zero as a sought after outcome. But this year was different. We prayed and prayed that we would have a zero number of Covid-19 cases among our camps, and I am proud to say we achieved that goal! God is good.

Some outcomes and metrics of ministry are harder to quantify. There are some numbers that we may never know for sure. How many lives did we change? How many campers heard about the love of God for the first time? How many counselors were renewed in their faith? How many mustard seeds were planted? How many future pastors and lay leaders did we shape? How many campers made a commitment to follow Jesus? Heaven only knows. Thanks be to God for another life-changing camping season.
CCC Calendar of Events


Groups at a Glance...
Who's on Campus?


Ever wonder who's on the grounds at the CCC at any given time? Check out our September and October church and rental groups:


5 quilting and scrapbooking groups,
7 wedding parties,
2 Disciples youth groups,
1 Pentecostal Men's Retreat, 1 Boy Scout troop,
1 Tae Kwon Do group,
1 adult mission team,
the Disciples regional gathering, and more.


Join us online or in person at the CCC for the

All Congregational Gathering

and Regional Minister Installation

Oct. 2, 2021
10:00 am 


www.newtonccc.org
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Summer Youth Mission Camps
This summer the CCC staff decided to try something new. We anticipated that summer camp numbers would likely be lower due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We also knew that we were falling behind on projects after not being able to have volunteers onsite for many months. We decided to get creative to get some work done around the grounds as well as fill up empty cabins. We advertised our availability to host small mission teams throughout the summer. We pledged to arrange all work projects and to provide housing and foodservice at a discounted rate. All the groups had to do was tell us they were coming and when. We had a total of 4 youth mission teams come serve alongside us this summer.

Mission projects included setup and tear down of Chi Rho Country, siding the Main Lodge, construction on the BSD Treehouse, painting, and more. We had so much fun that we hope to offer 4 mission camp slots again next year.

Special thanks to Jerry and Linda Wolf and Bob Mayfield for giving of their time to help supervise the youth and to Noel Brown and Butch and Lea Hendricks for your help with the projects. We could not have done this without you!
Above: Volunteers putting the finishing touches on our summer mission project. Over 30 individuals worked on the Main Lodge siding throughout the last 13 months. Below: The youth mission team from University Christian Church of Fort Worth, Texas poses for a final photo before they depart.
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What's Going on around
Holy Ground?

The CCC staff is always working hard on upgrades around the facility. Take a look at some of our more recent improvements. Or better yet, stop in to see them in person!

The new Hammock Park has been a great addition to our grounds. Campers loved this quiet place for reflection. Thank you Norwalk Christian Church for the donation that made this possible!
The Stone Chapel Stage burned down just 2 weeks before the camping season began. Thanks to our amazing donors and volunteers, we were able to completely rebuild the stage before camp began.
The BSD Treehouse is beginning to take shape. The treehouse will honor our past Regional Minister, Bill Spangler-Dunning, for his many years of service to the Christian Conference Center.
Some new lake toys were added to Wolf Lake The campers loved this new play space and the staff had a blast putting them in. (1 more is coming that is backordered.)
Camp Wish List
    
  1. Log splitter, new or used ($1,500)   
  2. New or used 7 ft aluminum scaffold planks ($135 each, 6 needed)  
  3. New V plow for snow removal ($3,000)
  4. Oven vent hood for kitchen fire safety ($5,000)
  5. Campbell Hall Carpet ($8,000 needed, $2000 raised already)
  6. Park Grills for cabins ($150 each, 4 needed)
  7. Dishwasher racks for glasses ($15 each, 8 needed)
  8. Duvet covers for Lodge Rooms ($100 each, 25 needed)
  9. New commercial grade zero-turn mower ($10,000)
  10. Retractable air hose reel for CCC barn ($250)



Current Volunteer Needs

  1. Chainsaw Volunteers to cut and split firewood for Chi Rho Country and all campfire rings
  2. Someone with Plumbing Experience to help install a triple sink in the CCC kitchen
  3. Property Committee Members to serve a 2 year term on the CCC Property Committee
  4. Someone with art skills to help freshen up a wall on the Chi Rho Bathhouse
  5. Someone with office experience to type up some forms and do basic data entry
  6. Single volunteer or group to help clear brush around power lines
  7. Single volunteer to help winterize equipment
On the Horizon
Boatwright Boathouse Update

The Property Committee voted to continue moving forward with a project we're all very excited about: a boathouse at Wolf Lake. The Boatwright Boathouse will have a storage room for boats, lifejackets and fishing gear that will double as a storm shelter. It will also have a covered deck that will serve as a shade structure for camps and a beautiful overlook for gatherings such as weddings, birthday parties, and photo sessions.

The Property Committee is soliciting bids for the foundation work now and hopes to break ground either this fall or next spring. We will advertise the need for volunteers when it is time to build the stage structure. Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Boatwright from Marion Christian Church for making this project possible.
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Thank you for your support
Thank you for all the ways you support the ministry of the Christian Conference Center! We value every gift of time, talent and prayer. If you would like to make a financial contribution toward our ministry, simply click the link below.
Christian Conference Center, Newton, IA | www.newtonccc.org