August Update
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." 1 John 3:16
Summer 2023: Grateful.
What an incredible summer of ministry it was here at Riverside. The Lord moved in great, life-transforming ways in the lives of His kids of all ages. Through worship, games, bible studies, zip lining, God time, challenge courses, the mime, free time, first words, delicious meals, and sweet cabin time--our sole desire in every aspect of camp is to focus on knowing more and experiencing the extravagant love of Jesus in community. I'm so grateful for our summer staff: an amazing group of young people that the Lord led here to lay down their whole entire summer to love, serve, and point campers to Jesus. I'm so grateful for the families who registered their campers for camp: making an eternal investment in their children/grandchildren by giving them this great opportunity to grow in their relationship with Jesus while making life-long memories and friendships. I'm so grateful for our congregations and individuals who pray for and support this important work: you are making an eternal impact in the lives of tens of thousands of lives for the Kingdom. I'm grateful to our great God who loves us relentlessly, and laid down His life for us and rose again for us, that we might experience the abundant with-God life now, and forever through faith in Him. What a great gift this summer was, and may the Lord continue this work in and through His kids as they head back to their communities and schools!
What else is new around camp? A question I often get asked. Here are some bullet points:
*We hosted a reunion of great folks who were on staff at Riverside in the 1970's over our
Quilt Auction weekend (see pic on right). What a gift it was to worship and connect with this incredible group and hear stories of how the Lord moved in tremendous ways during that time!
*Pool. Can you believe the pool is already 8 years old? It's needed a bit of work, including some work on the slides, all new painting on the floor, and filters. Grateful to our staff for taking such great care of this great pool!
*Mortvedt Hall. The old Dining Hall, Mortvedt Hall, is in need of a bit of work. As part of our Master Plan process, we're looking at the future usage for this space and timeline for repairs/upgrades in the future. More to come on that!
*Office Remodel is complete. We moved back into our newly remodeled office in early May and our staff are absolutely loving this updated space. If you're ever around the area, please swing in to check out the new space and say hi!
*Master Plan Process. A subgroup of our board is continuing to work on discerning next steps in our Master Plan process that will continue to enhance the ministry of Riverside for years to come. Look for more updates coming soon!
*Traveling to churches. I'm in the process of scheduling many church visits throughout this next school year on both Wednesday and Sunday evenings. I'd love the chance to come and share about what God is up to through Riverside, preach, share music, and anything else. If you're interested in having me, or one of our team members, visit on a Sunday or a Wednesday, let me know!
A Full Fall of Retreats.
Keep us in your prayers as we head into the fall. Since 2020, our Fall Retreats especially have grown in number. Every weekend this fall, we have at least one group onsite hosting a retreat, with many weekends including multiple groups. We're excited to welcome people from all over the Midwest this fall for Christ-centered, refreshing retreat experiences, and welcome your prayers for the Lord to touch the lives of His kids here this fall. If you're ever interested in volunteering or helping with retreats, whether in our kitchen or other roles, please reach out--I think you'll find it's a great blessing to serve.
God bless you friends, and grateful for your continued partnership in our mission, "To know Jesus Christ and to make Christ known to all."
In Christ,
Chris Dahl
Executive Director
