A Tent Story and more.

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8

Many people who have been on the property at camp comment on how they encounter the presence of God here. A Riverside family recently sent me a note from their conversation around the Easter table this year.

"During our family's Easter meal, one of our daughters said, "I have a 'table talker' ... what do you think heaven will be like?" One of the girls said, "I'll go first. I think heaven will be like Riverside!" Then they other kids both chimed in too, "YES! That's it! Like Riverside!" Wow. God is doing amazing things there, and He's clearly working through your staff. Giving children a glimpse and taste of heaven - that's INCREDIBLE! Keep up the good work in the name of Jesus and His Kingdom!

We love how God meets people in powerful ways through the power of the Holy Spirit here at camp. We continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would move in powerful ways in the lives of God's kids here at His camp!

Here are a few updates on what's happening here around Riverside!

We bought a tent! Yes, that's right. It's a God story for sure. We wanted to ensure we could welcome as many people to camp this summer and worship together in a safe space-and with COVID still around, we felt led to purchase a large tent (40ft x 180ft to be exact). I quickly looked up large tent prices, and prayed simply that the Lord would provide the funds necessary to do so. The next day, in the afternoon, I received an unexpected call from a financial representative. They notified me that one of her clients had passed away a few months prior and that they had identified Riverside as one of the beneficiaries of their investments. This was an unexpected gift we didn't know about. Then she said the amount...it was almost the exact amount we prayed for. I laughed out loud in my office and then explained the story to the representative. God is good, and faithful, and we look forward to many great memories under the tent worshiping this summer!

A busy April. (see pics above)

As you can see in the above pictures, it was a busy April here at camp. We had a great turnout for our Spring Work Day and did a ton of work out and about at camp. We were also blessed to have Valley Disaster Relief onsite this month to help take down some more trees! What an incredible blessing they've been to Riverside! Our staff have been busy working on some indoor remodeling projects, as well as several outdoor projects. We hosted our Men's Retreat, and right after that hosted a large Men's Retreat along with Lil' Cowpokes and other church youth groups. It's been a blessing to see some more groups start to come back to camp after a quieter season with COVID. These grounds and facilities are here to be used for ministry, and our staff is so excited to see people more and more coming back onsite.

Summer is coming!

Summer is coming and we're so excited to welcome many campers and staff here for the summer. Here are a few specific updates and ways you can join us in prayer for this summer at Riverside!

1. Summer Staff. We are in need of more applicants for summer camp who love Jesus, have a desire to grow in leadership and their faith, and desire to invest in the lives of young people! If you know anyone in your life who might be a good fit, send them to our website for more information!

2. Camper Numbers. In light of item #1 above, we have unfortunately had to make some adjustments to the number of campers per week that we can adequately staff for. We continue to hold to having two cabin leaders in every cabin to provide the best experience for campers and staff. If you haven't registered yet, please do so soon as many opportunities are already starting to fill up. If we do see an increase in staff, then we can begin to open up more sessions and move people off waiting lists. We thank you for your understanding and the trust you place in our team to provide the best camp experience for all people.

3. 5K and Quilt Auction Day. August 7, the Quilt Auction and 5K are back here at Riverside! Get this day on your calendar and look for more information to come. This will most likely be a hybrid event with some online bidding available, but also live viewing and a live auction under the tent. We're looking forward to a great time together supporting God's continued work at His camp!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the ministry of Riverside! We look forward to connecting with you in the future!

God bless you,

Chris and the Riverside Team