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Annual General Report2019
Annual General Report2019
3I write an Annual Report for the Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp Board every… well, I write them annually. But this year, I was inspired to write a public Annual General Report, for the supporters, and for camper parents. Turns out, it isn’t easy. I haven’t wrien one before, so I don’t know what I ought to say! Luckily, there are lots of Bible Camps publishing Annual General Reports, and I’ve been studying them. Here’s what I have learned you need:● A Message from the Director● A Statement of Mission and Values● Charts and Graphs (Some will be serious - like how many kids were served. Some will be funny - like how many burritos were served.) ● Plans for 2020● Maybe a word from the Finance CommieeHere’s something I was struck by, as I read through all those reports: Camp works, friends. Camp works - not only at Crow - but all over. Camp works. Sure, there are notes of frustraon in some of these Annual General Reports. And we have struggles at Crow too.But the common thread running through all these reports - and ours - is success. Again and again, as you read Camp reports, you see hope, peace, joy. You see the deep sasfacon of living and working in community with each other and with God. It’s true for us too. At Crow, we see people changed by experiencing Jesus: a new way of being in the world.“Life does have a purpose; there is comfort for those weighed down by moral injury; narcissism is not the true ‘normal’; there is something more powerful than economics and bombs. There really is a dierent way to be human, and it has been decisively launched by Jesus. There is a new world, and it has already begun, and it works by healing and forgiveness. The world will probably raise its cynical eyebrows: can these things really be true? Yes, answers the church. And these new things come about as people worship the God in whose image they are made, as they follow the Lord who bore their sins and rose from the dead, as they are indwelt by the spirit and thereby given a new life, a new way of life, a new zest for life.” ~ N.T. WrightMy report is this: The kind of life that the Way of Jesus iniated is sll puzzling, sll new, sll overowing to eternal life. Be encouraged, and know that the Kingdom of God is growing; the same Word that my Grandfather shared at Crow in 1959, the same Word that enchanted me when I was a boy; that same Word… sll is changing the world and making people whole.My report is this: It’s good to be at camp. You can imagine how good it is for me to have my life and my vocaon in the midst of community. You can imagine how good it is to work in a job that is done “together” with a large family, and with my family. You can imagine how good it is to have a job that is comforng homesickness; singing lullabies; sharing Life Abundant and Living Water in a dry and weary land. You can imagine how good it is to live this way, but you don’t have to: you can simply come. You can be a part of what happens here at Crow.Camp works all over, but Crow is a unique place. It is unique because it is funded enrely by donors - and always has been: no fees, no government grants. You can be a part of the success of this place - ll out the monthly pledge form included with this leer. Crow is unique because all of our summer sta are volunteers: you can come, and join the team, and see the work as it happens. We need kitchen sta, maintenance people, speakers, dining room hosts, nurses, and cabin leaders. We always need cabin leaders (and despite what you may think… you’re not too old!).Please give. Please come. We’d love to see you this summer.In Christ,David GrahamDirector of Camping, Crowsnest Lake Bible CampMESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
4Why Does Crow Work? What is Crow Trying to Accomplish?Camp Works: that is clear. And yet it is also mysterious. Why does Crow work? What is it… that makes camp so eecve and special?I’ve spent roughly ⅛ (12.5%) of my adult life working at Bible Camp, so of course I have given it some thought, and I do have some theories about Why Camp Works. But before we get to theorizing about the reasons for success, the rst step is to outline what precisely it is that Crow is succeeding at. What are we trying to accomplish?The Mission of the Crowsnest Lake Bible CampYou’ll see our Mission in everything we do - in the buildings, and around the campre, in the programs, on the climbing wall and in the dish pit - but to see the Mission Statement literally spelled out, the Policy Manual is the place to look:Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp Associaon is an autonomous, evangelical, faith ministry dedicated to bringing glory to God by responding to the needs of the whole person according to the Biblical principles of evangelism and discipleship through oering programs in a camp seng.Crow is autonomous, and always has been… almost by accident. You see, many of our founders aended Plymouth Brethren Assemblies, and the Plymouth Brethren are emphacally not a denominaon. Instead, they generally see themselves as “a network of like-minded independent churches.” So the Plymouth Brethren are a lile like “No Name Brand”: they are not a denominaon… even if they kind of are. “Autonomy” meant the founders had freedom to direct Crow’s ministry and teaching in the way that seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to them. They felt that local oversight was consistent with the way of the early church. You can see the desire for independence, and deep respect for scripture, in our policy manual:We believe that all should accept, strongly hold, and pracce everything taught in the Bible, but do not insist that all respond uniformly to any specic teaching; believing that to so insist is at best redundant and has strong potenal to be divisive.So that is what it means to be autonomous.We’re evangelical: that literally means we are commied to sharing good news1 . We’re a faith ministry, because we are always, only, depending on God to sustain us. Bringing glory to God is the aim of all Chrisans, everywhere: no maer what we do, we “do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)We believe in responding to the needs of the whole person because caring for a person requires more than just looking aer their physical needs. People need more: “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” (Luke 12:23) We aim to meet social needs, spiritual needs, intellectual needs, physical needs. “Heart, soul, mind, and strength,” (Luke 10:27) you might say.We also believe that everyone should walk as Jesus did. (1 John 2:5). Inving someone to be an apprence to Jesus is evangelism; learning to do what Jesus did is discipleship. That was the teaching of the New Testament: “whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of Lord Jesus Christ” (Col. 3:17). Discipleship involves doing everything as if Jesus were doing it. That’s the mission. So when we say “Camp Works,” it means “We are having success in Discipleship & Evangelism.”Which leads us back to our inial queson… Why does Camp work?1Evangelical: from Greek, evangelion. The root of “evangelion” is just the verb ἀγγέλλω angello (“to announce, bring news of”) plus the prex εὐ, “good” or “well”MISSION AND VALUES
5Here’s my theory: Camp is excellent soil for Discipleship & Evangelism, because camp allows for Deep, Integrated, Life-Giving Community, which we deliberately work to foster.DEEPCamp sessions are short. But over summers and reunions -- even over a handful of meaning-full days… kids begin deep change and build deep bonds that bring them back again and again. Crow breeds a permanence, perhaps because of the way we live, and love each other:A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:34INTEGRATEDA week at camp can create deep connecon and spark deep change, but it is not enough. We can’t be there to help manage lengthy renovaons. But… imagine (if you will)... a place lled with:● younger Chrisans to teach; ● older Chrisans to learn from;● Chrisan peers to encourage, and eventually fall in love with… You are imagining a church. You are imagining the only instuon God… instuted. Crow deliberately integrates with the church, so that we can work together.Pay careful aenon to yourselves and to all the ock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Acts 20:28 Integrated living also ts within our pracce of acknowledging the whole of each person at camp: heart, soul, mind, and strength. Our community comes with complexity: families, histories, secrets and struggles, and an emphasis on integraon allows us to come as we are.
LIFE-GIVING“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that tesfy about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40)What a great reminder for a Bible Camp! The Book is important - sacred; indispensable - for one reason: because it tells us about Jesus. We are careful to remember that the point of Bible Camp is not the Bible. It is LIFE, in the person of Jesus. It is Jesus that is the dierence between our community, and a choir, or a soccer team: Jesus is life, to the full. (John 10:10)COMMUNITY“Now you are the body of Christ, & each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Cor 12:27)As a community, we are able to demonstrate the rule and reign of Jesus, and show people how it feels to live in His kingdom. Listen to Jesus describe the coming of his Kingdom: “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Luke 17:20-21God’s Kingdom is not a solitary place. You do not go there alone. It is a Kingdom that is within, and/or among us. Done properly, community allows us to see and feel what life with God is. This is how we can make Jesus’ reality present, tangible, manifest, so it can be heard, seen, touched. This community itself is the way we preach the message, and it is the message.That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life — the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and tesfy to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us — that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:1-3 David Graham, 2019
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The graphs are a key part of the report… Here’s what I will point out:More and more kids want to come: in 2019, for the fth consecutive year, registraons have increased - this year 1085 kids applied to come to camp at Crow2019644 kids441 MorekidsCrow hosted that is the all-me high. We’re wildly popularIt’s a good problem to have, but it is a problem: would have come if we’d had a place for themOur kids are coming from all over, but most are from Lethbridge or Calgary. The Kootenays, Crowsnest Pass, and North Central Alberta round out the Top 5.No one knows how many Burritos we served. I asked Jeanee, and she said she was not counng. Suce to say: Jeanee is not going to be the Kitchen Coordinator for Summer 2020.In all seriousness, folks, it’s true: Aer many years of excellent service, Jeanee has decided to step down as kitchen coordinator. I assure you, it has nothing to do with failing to count the burritos. Thank you, Jeanee, for all of your hard work on behalf of your ‘old friend’ Crow. I’m going to miss the wiy banterMost of those kids who didn’t get to come are hoping for a spot in Junior CampLake SiteJunior 1: 30 June - 6 JulyIntermediate 1: 9 July - 16 JulyIntermediate 2: 19 July - 26 JulyJunior 2: 30 July - 5 AugustSenior 1: 9 August - 18 AugustSenior 2: 21 August - 30 AugustFamily Camp: 4 September - 7 SeptemberMountain SiteMountain Junior 1: 27 June - 2 July Mountain Intermediate: 4 July - 9 JulyMountain Girls: 13 July - 18 JulyMountain Junior 3: 21 July - 26 JulyMountain Bike/Rock Climbing: 29 July - 4 AugustMountain Junior 2: 8 August - 13 AugustMountain Boys: 16 August - 21 AugustMountain Senior: 24 August - 30 AugustMountain Family Camp: 4 September - 7 SeptemberProgramsC.O.L.T.S.: 26 April - 31 AugustP.I.T.: 29 June - 7 AugustW.E.L.S.: 29 June - 7 SeptemberKeenagers: 16 May - 18 MaySkills Week: 12 June - 17 JuneSenior Women’s Ourip (SWOT): 12 June - 15 JuneFather & Son Ourip (FASO): 19 June - 22 JuneAll-Girls Ourip (AGOT): July 5 - July 12All-Boys Ourip (ABOT): July 19 - July 26EventsSenior Reunion: 28 February - 1 MarchLeadership Retreat: 27 March - 29 MarchStandard First Aid: 22 April - 23 AprilProgram Director Training: 24 April - 26 AprilLake Site Work Party: 1 May - 3 MayMountain Site Work Party: 5 June - 7 JuneAcclimazaon Camp: 19 June - 22 JuneBackcountry Clean Up Event: 27 JuneIntermediate Reunion: 13 November - 15 November2020 Camp Program Dates
9A FINANCE REPORTAlright, there are two ways of looking at this nance commiee report: On the one hand… it’s never good when the free cash balance is hovering around -$97,000. We’re in a ght spot, especially considering that we are an organizaon that does not charge any fees...On the other hand, Crow has a line of credit that allows us to spend up to $100,000 past what has been donated: that way, we don’t have to cancel programs when the money runs out. And we made it to the end of the busy season without exhausng our line of credit: we paid all our summer bills, and now our spending can go into hibernaon. To a certain extent, this happens every year.Even from an opmisc perspecve, we spent more than we took in. We spent a lot on Water Treatment - and that is an investment for the future. It is an investment that we needed to make, and (God willing) it is an investment we will not need to make again.It doesn’t feel good to be looking at a year in decit. But I remain encouraged. I look at the sta team that we have assembled: it’s a good team - people who have other opons, but choose to work at camp because they feel that camp is a worthwhile investment. The summer sta, too - all volunteers - dozens and hundreds of them who contribute to camp because they see that Camp works, and they want to be a part of it. In the same way, people send us cheques, and they donate their services, because they believe that a place like Crow should exist: a place that is welcoming, and deeply loving; a place that shares good news, and food, and a love of Creaon and Creator with everyone who comes, regardless of their ability to pay.If you believe, as I do, that there should be a place like Crow, please contribute nancially.Our goal for 2020 is to nish the summer with all our expenses and debt paid, and at least $1 le in the bank. That is an ambious goal, but God has been faithful to Crow for more than 60 years, and, as God has been faithful, so have God’s people. If you support Crow, and the mission of Crow, please contribute to Crow by compleng the aached monthly pledge form.With sincere thanks,David Graham DoC
10The Crows Nest Lake Bible Camp AssociationPrepared by Reviewed by132INCOME STATEMENTFor the Period Ended September 30, 2019Current % Prior % Variance %Donations 472,030.20 82.35 468,419.62 83.60 3,610.58 0.77Camp rental 54,848.00 9.57 41,794.00 7.46 13,054.00 31.23Tuck and registration 36,678.98 6.40 38,752.69 6.92 (2,073.71) (5.35)Investment and other9,618.03 1.68 11,339.99 2.02 (1,721.96) (15.18) Total revenue 573,175.21 100.00 560,306.30 100.00 12,868.91 2.30EXPENSES BY COMMITTEEBusiness operations 23,438.85 4.09 38,389.86 6.85 (14,951.01) (38.95)Program 91,913.96 16.04 84,010.57 14.99 7,903.39 9.41Personnel 339,701.26 59.27 299,601.26 53.47 40,100.00 13.38Facility and equipment 134,622.31 23.49 97,514.62 17.40 37,107.69 38.05Capital replacements 3,781.56 0.66 7,107.22 1.27 (3,325.66) (46.79)Rental expense 15,060.00 2.63 9,360.00 1.67 5,700.00 60.90Tuck expense22,733.12 3.97 25,000.64 4.46 (2,267.52) (9.07) Total Operating Expenses631,251.06 110.13 560,984.17 100.12 70,266.89 12.53Net Income (Loss) from operations$ (58,075.85) (10.13) $ (677.87) (0.12) $ (57,397.98) 8467.40Motel Equity Pick-up 0.00 0.00 4,887.00 0.87 (4,887.00) (100.00)New Building Donations (Lodge / Water) 93,305.00 16.28 272,500.00 48.63 (179,195.00) (65.76)Cabin Purchase Donations 20180.00 0.00 44,050.00 7.86 (44,050.00) (100.00)93,305.00 16.28 321,437.00 57.37 (228,132.00) (70.97)Water Treatment 114,727.60 20.02 0.00 0.00 114,727.60 0.00Amortization of Capital52,600.00 9.18 52,614.51 9.39 (14.51) (0.03)(167,327.60) (29.19) (52,614.51) (9.39) (114,713.09) 218.03 Net income from other(74,022.60) (12.91) 268,822.49 47.98 (342,845.09) (127.54) Net income after all(132,098.45) (23.05) 268,144.62 47.86 (400,243.07) (149.26)Cash and receivables 26,809.85 4.68 86,104.75 15.37 (59,294.90) (68.86)Accounts Payable- external (29,474.22) (5.14) (5,989.06) (1.07) (23,485.16) 392.13Loans- internal (94,500.00) (16.49) (101,500.00) (18.12 ) 7,000.00 (6.90)Operating cash (shortfall) (97,164.37) (16.95) (21,384.31) (3.82) (75,780.06) 354.37Capital loans (to donation if not funded (150,000.00) (26.17) (115,000.00) (20.52 ) (35,000.00) 30.4312/03/2019 Notice to Reader11:43 AM This Statement Prepared Without Audit Page 1
CONTACT DETAILS403-563-5120587-838-9724info@crowcamp.ca Director of Camping:David Graham - david@crowcamp.ca General Contact: Cover PhotoSennel Photography: hps://www.sennel.photographyinstagram.com/sennelphotographyCrowsnest Lake Bible CampBox 250 Coleman, AB T0K 0M0 Mailing address:All other photos courtesy of Don Penner. Thanks Don!