2011 Online Registration Up & Running!

www.cherokeeretreatcenter.com

C.I.T. Pathfinders Information Available

http://www.cherokeeretreatcenter.com/CRCPDFs/CRC%20Leadership%20Pak.pdf

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God Moment

OK, so a little history on what "God Moment" is - at the beginning of each staff meeting we go around the circle sharing our high of the day - our most happy/silly/exciting thing that happened during the day - and where we saw God that day.

Since I don't typically work with the kids, I don't get to witness their silly antics or see God through their eyes. I do, however, load all the pictures for our Ecamp site so that you, the parents, can see what your kids are up to here at camp!

But today when I was going through these pictures I found two that I would have to say make up my God Moments. They are both very similar pictures, but one is a CIT and one is a counselor. In these pictures, the counselor and CIT are sitting with one of the campers and you can see their full attention is on these kids - what ever that child is saying or doing, they have 100% of the Counselor/CIT's focus and it is wonderful to see that devotion not only from the counselors but also from our counselors in training!

Along with those amazing pictures, there are also some really funny ones. For the first time in 6 weeks of summer camp, I have pictures of kids jumping into the pool that are more than just big splashes of water! A couple kids even look like they are walking on water! Anyway, check them out for yourselves at our ECamp Site - I know you will love them as much as I did!

Till next time,
God Bless!

Week 5

Last night's all camp activity was fantastic! Our activity was Water Games and since the pool is currently out of commission, we played Watermelon Football in the lake! It was so much fun - I will have pictures up this afternoon so that you can take a look at those. I am really excited about tonight, too, because at the Camp Fire, one of our staff, John is going to do a magic show! I have seen a preview and it looks really exciting.

I will have all the pictures of yesterday afternoon and this morning up by 3 PM, but in the mean time, go to our Ecamp Site and check out pictures from yesterday.

Till next time,
God Bless

The past few weeks...

Hey folks,

Sorry it's been a while since the last post. If you haven't been following it, there are new photos added to our ECamp Site everyday, so make sure you get on and see what all the kids are doing!

Just to update everybody on what's been going on, last week was our High School Connections group plus a group of day campers and volunteers from Mars Hill Presbyterian. It was such a great week - the high schoolers and day campers were all so much fun and the volunteers spent the week painting the outside of Parker Lodge (it looks great, by the way!).

On Thursday, a huge storm came through and knocked out all of our power for about four hours! So not only did we have dinner by candle light :) but we also had to move the always-favorite Skit Night to the lodge where the stage was lit from the light of the setting sun (what a beautiful sunset!). I am working on getting those videos up, so you will definitely be notified when I finally get the kinks on that worked out because they are all great! Then was worship, put on by the Mars Hill volunteers and CITs. That was the most moving worship service I have been to this summer! After worship, Julie and Josh, our senior staff, planned a whose-line around the camp fire. Some of the sketches were hilarious!

This week we have Middle School Connection and Exploration groups. I went down to the pool yesterday for all camp swim and the kids were all having so much fun! It's always my favorite to see the kids playing in the pool and having fun with the counselors and CITs!

Once again, I'm posting pictures everyday, so make sure and check out ECamp whenever you get a chance! I know you will all love looking at the pictures as much as we love taking them!

Till next time,
God bless!

New Photos!

Photos of campers are up! Check them out at our ECamp site and come back daily for more updates!

Open House This Saturday

Join us this Saturday, March 6th to check out the Cherokee Retreat Center, home of Camp Cherokee. Play, hike, check out our facilities and enjoy a free hot dog off the grill! Bring a friend and make a relaxing day of it!

Sr. High Retreat Postponed

Due to the snowfall, this weekend's scheduled Sr. High Retreat has been postponed until March 5-7.  We will wrap the open house/first Mars Hill paintball tournament into the retreat and have a blast!  Join us by contacting your youth leaders who can let me know who all is coming.

Kelly Howington

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2009 "In The Black"

After lots of prayer and hard work by our CRC Board of Directors and Executive Director, we can celebrate a big success in the life of Cherokee Retreat Center, but 2010 will likely be another challenging year to "land" from a financial standpoint.

If you have been following the changes in the direction of Cherokee Presbytery, you know that there are some very exciting and new vistas on the horizon. A more worshipful and relationship based approach has paved the way for a new way of being in community that is fresh and colorful. Through these changes, Cherokee Retreat Center has been upheld as one of the few ministries that will carry on a programmatic emphasis throughout our 41 churches. To this end CRC is positioned to be a great resource for our collective "living into" our vision. While we could easily state that to bring 2010 to a successful end there is a financial number to shoot for and manage, perhaps it is more appropriate to say that in 2010 we must see even more participation in the life of this ministry. Our primary goal is to bring many more people to Christ through their experiences at Cherokee Retreat Center and the unique environment it provides.

That being said, we do need your help financially to offer the level of quality experience and improve areas that are in need throughout 2010. Under the new design of Presbytery, CRC receives exactly $50,000 of direct support. For comparison in 2008 and before we often required three times this amount and more just to make "ends meet". Careful management and restructuring of how we do this ministry have made a great difference, but now more than ever we need your direct giving to this ministry. Please urge your session to give fully to the Presbytery as planned and to also consider CRC for a place in your mission budget. Help us to find individuals who are interested in giving directly to CRC and tell them that accounts are now set up for designated giving that will ensure that their gift will be directly received and used by Cherokee Retreat Center. In 2009 we needed and received an additional $60,000 in giving from individuals and churches for our operating and capital repairs. We couldn't have done it without these gifts, thank you so much if you or your church were a part of this additional support.

Together with God's help we will give flight to this graceful ministry which has kept so many safe and warm under her wings as they grew in Christian faith and love since 1957!

Be A CRC Hero!

This year is an extremely important year for Cherokee Retreat Center. In the wake of 2009's economic challenges, we were blessed to be able to finish the fiscal year "in the black." Now that hurdle has been jumped the real work begins. You can be a CRC Hero this year in three ways:

First and foremost, we need your prayers. All you can muster. The last several years have been filled with movement from the Holy Spirit and we feel it is imperative that prayers continue in order for our success story to continue to further important milestones.

Second, give, give give! Give of your time by volunteering all year round, give financially as you are lead, talk to your session and share the importance of Camping Ministry in the live of Cherokee Presbytery as well as in your own lives. While we were able to land in the black in 2009, this year will be even more challenging as we continue to repair buildings and improve programs with only the same amount allocated from Presbytery Unified giving.

Finally, come and enjoy all the blessings that are offered by the natural surroundings of Cherokee Retreat Center and our summer program Camp Cherokee. Your participation in our activities and usage of this site is why we are here - to provide a sacred space apart where you can come and connect, fellowship, worship and just reconnect!

2010 Day Camp

Last summer we started the first ever CRC Summer Day Camp. Several children came and enjoyed the same Christian Community, fun, fellowship and love that our traditional sleepover campers experience. This year we hope to fill every space for our Day Camp but we need your help getting the word out to your family and friends.

This year we have day camp sessions planned for nearly the entire summer and the price is only $125/week. In addition, with the early bird discount available until March 1st, the price is only $100/week. Where else can a child experience high quality Christian Community, awesome fun, great food and fantastic role models for only $100?

Please help us get the word out in your community today!

turkeys!

Year End & In The Black

For anyone who has been following Cherokee Retreat Center over the last few years, you are well aware of the roller coaster we have been on. For a variety of reasons, our budget over the last several years has been changing dramatically. While overall these changes, which have been masterfully lead by our leadership (both volunteer and paid), have set CRC on a new path of fiscal responsibility and good stewardship, they have also meant a dramatic new understanding to what we have resources for and what we may not. As we began to live into 2009, we also began to feel as though the rug was quickly being pulled out from under us both financially and missionally. With resolve and direction, however, we charted a course to end the year in the "black," and I for one am ecstatic to say with confidence, that our plan has paid off. With only days left in 2009, CRC has enough reserves to cover the remainder of our expected expenditures......with a little bit to spare!

Rejoice in the Lord Always and again I say REJOICE!

What this means, is that following year after year of large cutbacks in 2009 when we were required to make perhaps our most daunting cuts, we kept our bearings and have landed soundly on our feet. In an age when it is more and more important to demonstrate viability in so many different ways, what a statement this year's financial performance makes.

Thank you, to everyone who has had a hand in making THIS a reality!

Sincerely,
Kelly Howington
Director - Cherokee Retreat Center

Pumpkin Patch Success!

The tally is in and we can celebrate because our first ever CRC Pumpkin Patch fundraiser brought in $1,000! Just the other day the Heritage kids came over and delivered the check and I for one am eternally grateful. The ball is rolling, or the pumpkin rather. Now we have 11 months to plan the next round!

Presbytery Hanging Of The Greens

Check out the Presbytery Office Hanging of The Greens pics!

Christmas is coming!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cherokeepresbytery/sets/72157622914193436/show/

Register Early = Last Year's Rate

The 2010 summer camp dates are now online and the system is ready for you to register. This year we hope that many of you take the opportunity to lock in at the 2009 rates by simply putting down your deposit BEFORE the end of this year. You can always change which week you are signed up for as we go along, but this price break will end when the ball drops on New Year's Eve!

Register Today & send your child or grandchild a Christmas gift that will last all year long!

the pumpkins have arrived!

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Originally uploaded by Kelly_Howington

This afternoon, around 20 folks gathered at the Pre-owned Jeep Store on Hwy. 20, and got their Sunday workout unloading 753 beautiful orange pumpkins from the truck. Working in lines, we passed each pumpkin from person to person, down the line until it reached its destination. The younger kids chased each other in and around the pumpkins as the youth and adults worked, and there were some adults who didn't move pumpkins, but instead acted as our cheerleaders and moral support. And it struck me, as we were out there, that moments like this are really little slices of what church is supposed to be... everyone working together on a common project to their ability, supporting and encouraging one another, struggling some, but having lots of fun in the process. And the whipped cream on our little slice of church pie? The ice cream man showed up just as we were unloading the last few pumpkins! I think we made that man's day.

If you get a chance, please come out and join us at the pumpkin patch. We'd love for you to come help, or just come and buy your pumpkin and help support camp. Maybe if you're lucky, the ice cream man will stop by then, too. I recommend the cherry slushes.

Jean

God's Great Surprises

I knew it might not be the best of starts when I arrived at Camp Cherokee already close to "really, really tired." It had been quite a long week involving big projects at work and at home and, to be honest, I was wishing that our Suburban were headed for Disney World or the Grand Canyon.

To be frank, it's never been my nature to really be excited about work. Spa days? Absolutely! Ladies Night Out? Uh-huh. Movie Night with my family in my pjs? I am ALL ABOUT IT. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't get all that excited about work.

I've done this enough by now that it shouldn't surprise me. Without fail, God somehow manages to turn my ho-hum-it-sounded-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time attitude into one that always surprises me. Suddenly, as we round the corner of camp, dipping into another pot hole and spot the crew that's been expecting us, my spirit is lifted. And I am surprised. Again.

Last night, I was tucking two of our little ones into bed. As usual, I helped them with their nightime routines - including nightime prayers. As an afterthought, I offerred to pray with their two little roommates who eagerly accepted the invitation to privately praise God for our first day. Just the two of us. As I closed their bedroom door, one of those precious children jumped out of bed, hugged my neck, wept tears of appreciation and said: "no one's ever prayed with us before." And I am surprised. Again.

I have discovered that this is the beauty of mission work, for me. In a world that is so predictable... work, soccer, homework, work, laundry, pets, mail, work, cutting grass, work... there are few surprises anymore. But not this week. Not at Cherokee Retreat Center. Not with snow on the way. Or the amazing Joe Garrett, roofer, who's here to help. The expert carpenter father/son - Max and Jeff Vanderlip - team who have decided to take on every transition/threshold issue in the lodge! Or three teenagers (Jessica Gamble, Gino Arocena, Andrew from Heritage) who are learning how to lay ceramic tile, as I write. Or the fantastic team of Lily-Kate and Kelly - 10 and 13 year olds - who have literally scrubbed every piece of trim in Parker until it looks like it's all been freshly painted! Or even six year old James MacPherson who suprises me constantly with his passion (and precision) for paint. Or Richard "Rooster" Hunter who is now on his eighth hour of pressure washing even as the temperature drops steadily.

We are out here with our palm branches, FPC. We hope you will join us this week. You won't want to miss (I know I don't) what awesome surprises God has in store for tomorrow!

By-Becky Jordan