Bay Shore Summer Camp! A Life-changing Experience
We’ve turned the calendar to April, which means it’s just a couple of months until your kids will be out of school for the summer. They’ll be ecstatic, of course ─ for the first week or so. But don’t wait for the inevitable complaint of “nothing to do.” The time to act is now. Get something on the calendar that they can look forward to … like a week of supervised fun and adventure that invigorates a child’s body, mind, and spirit.
And where might you find that? In Sebewaing! Nestled along the shore of Saginaw Bay, just a half-hour drive northeast of Bay City, Bay Shore Camp and Family Ministries has been making a huge impact on children’s lives for over 100 years. The camp offers a different program each week, combining Christian teaching with a wide variety of activities for children in various age and interest groups.
Why Choose a Christian Camp?
Now you may ask, with all the options available for my children, why should I choose camp, and specifically a Christian camp? Bay Shore’s Executive Director, Jeff Parsons, offers some thoughts. “Recent research studies report that ‘90% of those attending a Christian summer camp like Bay Shore Camp report that they grew in faith,’” he said. “And, ‘Kids report that by growing in faith at camp it helps them in their daily life back home.’ Contact us at Bay Shore to learn more, and check out effectivecamp.com.”
What Bay Shore Summer Camp Has to Offer?
“Camp,” by the way, does not mean tents and outdoor privies. Bay Shore’s facilities are up-to-date buildings with all the modern amenities, including electricity and indoor plumbing.
Walk onto the Bay Shore property in June, and you’ll hear exuberant young voices mixed with those of treasured adults in an adult-child buddy camp called Polar Bear Cubs. Later in the summer, you might hear the slap-slap of basketballs in the Youth Center gym or the sweet harmonies of voices and instruments in the Tabernacle. There are camps for soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, fishing, and worship and theatrical arts, as well as more traditional camps for specific age groups.
Campers also enjoy playing Ga-Ga Ball, Nine Square, and Carpet Ball. There are opportunities for canoeing, swimming in the camp pool, and crafts. For those with a taste for adventure, the camp boasts a climbing wall, paintball, laser tag, and a zipline. Check out the camp video!
And each evening, all summer long, you’ll see hands and hearts lifted in praise as campers gather in the Tabernacle or at one of the outdoor worship sites.
Bay Shore also offers a series of day camps, both on the Sebewaing property and “on the road” at church sites throughout the state. Beginning this summer, the ministry will also offer day camp at a newly acquired property called “FaithQuest,” near Gagetown in Huron County.
Family Camp
While you’re making plans for the kids, check out Bay Shore’s family opportunities as well. In late July, a week-long Family Camp provides fun and Christian enrichment for everyone ─ parents, grandparents, youth, and children. Some activities involve everyone together, while others focus on age-based groups.
“This Family Camp event, in its 111th year, welcomes new families every year,” Parsons said. “We love seeing families playing and worshipping together in a faith-filled environment.”
Bay Shore also offers a couple of family camping weekends during the summer, a camping experience for you and your dog, as well as Family Fun Days in June and October. Bring your RV and prepare to relax. The “off-season” schedule features craft and quilting retreats, a family catfish tournament, and more.
About Bay Shore
Bay Shore started in 1911 as an outreach of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, which later joined the Methodist Church to become United Methodist. Today Bay Shore is an independent camp, still affiliated with The United Methodist Church but operating from a non-denominational model. The camp’s mission statement is “to provide an invitation for all people to experience Jesus Christ and to nurture them in their relationship with Him.”
“If you’re looking for a life changing experience for your child or youth, we’re waiting for you!” Parsons said.
Register today, while spot are still available.
Website: www.bayshorecamp.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bayshorecamp