What is Campfire?

Campfire! Summer Bible Camp is a Christian, non-profit, overnight children's camp organized by members of the Canadian Reformed Churches. We operate in a manner that is consistent with God's Word, as it is summarized in the confessions and teachings of our Church, including the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort.

With thankfulness to the LORD, we are able to operate our summer program from our facilities in Markdale. Each summer we host around 400 children in eight week-long sessions of camp during the months of July and August. 25 - 30% of these campers come from families through Streetlight Ministries and the St. David's Inner City Mission, both of which are Christian outreach ministries operating in Hamilton's north end.

Statement of Purpose

Our purpose is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with children and youth by providing a safe and spiritual holiday that serves to foster Biblical knowledge, active faith and the development of Christian life skills.

Location

Campfire! is located 5 km west of Hwy 10, near Markdale, Ontario. The facilities are surrounded by 165 acres of heavily treed land with an extensive trail network.  Three ponds and many other natural features add a beautiful dimension to the property.  Part of the attraction of camp is getting out of the house for a week and enjoying God's creation in a rural and rustic setting.

A Typical Day at Camp

After breakfast and clean-up time, every day begins with a chapel and cabin pack devotions. Chapel is led by a staff chaplain who instructs the children in the lesson of the day. Singing, prayer and skits are also integral parts of the chapel program. Cabin pack devotions are devotions led by the counsellors and counsellors-in-training with the campers in their cabin pack. These small groups allow the children to study the Bible and share experiences in a comfortable and safe environment. Other activities at camp include crafts, swimming, canoeing, tuck time, confidence course, sports, critter hunts, etc. Whenever possible, there is a campfire at the end of the day where the whole camp can sing, laugh, learn, and close the day with prayer, praise and thanksgiving to God.

How Campfire! is Run

No successful camp can be run without the help of a large behind-the-scenes support network. There  are committees that work year-round in fund-raising, public relations, and planning the actual weeks of camp. With the exception of the core staff, all the counsellors, CITs and support staff volunteer their time, energies and dedication to Campfire!

The core staff, consisting of a director, an assistant director, a head counsellor, an assistant head counsellor, a program director, an assistant program director and a head cook, run the camp during the eight weeks of the summer. The volunteer support staff consists of five or six cooks, a nurse, a lifeguard, a chaplain, the counsellors, and the counsellors-in-training. Counsellors must be 18 years or older and have some past counselling experience. CITs (Counsellors-In-Training) are between the ages of 17 and 18 years old. They are paired up with a counsellor who instructs them in how to deal with their campers, and progressively gives them more opportunities for counselling experience. During each week of camp, the counsellors and CITs take care of four to eight campers.

Our Objectives

• To teach children and youth about God as He has revealed Himself through His Word, and to create an environment in which they can grow and develop in faith and obedience, through Bible study, prayer and song.
• To develop in children and youth an appreciation for the beauty of God's creation and a stewardly attitude concerning how that creation is to be enjoyed.
• To provide opportunities for children and youth to enjoy new and challenging activities which promote responsible behaviour and the development of Christian life skills, and which encourage healthy relationships with others.
• To assist children and youth in becoming active members of their church communities.
• To nurture the development of long-term, "big brother/big sister" relationships between young Christian adults and children and youth with special social, emotional and family needs.
• To provide counsellors, other staff members, and teenaged campers with opportunities for leadership development and for Christian service to others.

The Future

It is our prayer that our gracious Father will continue bless this ministry and to keep Campfire! operating for many years at our facilities in Markdale.  Community support for this project has been and continues to be overwhelming - thanks be to God.