Written Excerpts from the Indian Lake Nazarene Camp District Assembly Presentation July 8, 2013 Dr. John Seaman: This spring I asked Dr. Larry McKain, who has been a member of our District Advisory Board, and current pastor of Lansing South, to serve as the leader of a Review Committee to study Indian Lake Nazarene Camp. Larry spent numbers of hours this spring, listening and asking questions of numbers of people involved with Indian Lake. What you may not know is that he is a spiritual product of a Nazarene Camp, on the Iowa District. A district that once had thriving childrens and youth camps. With 1200 – 1500 people attending Family Camp Week-en d in the 1960s, 70’s and 80’s. H e has been spiritually shaped by Nazarene camps. In 1999, Dr. McKain founded the non-profit coaching consulting ministry called New Church Specialties. He wrote the curriculum and launched a training system for church leaders called New Church University, which has been translated into Spanish and over 5,000 church leaders have attended. He has an undergraduate double degree in business administration & religion from Mid-America Nazarene University, a masters from Nazarene Theological Seminary, and a doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary in church development. During his 12 years with New Church Specialties, Dr. McKain travelled throughout the United States, working in partnership with over 50 Nazarene Districts, many of whom operated camps. In the past 10 years, he has seen districts where camps have flourished and districts where camps have closed. Because of his background, I’ve asked him to serve as the Chairman of the Indian Lake Interim Governing Board. But before he comes to lead the presentation about Indian Lake, the District Advisory Board has asked David Downs, our Board Secretary to make a recommendation to the Assembly. Rev. David Downs: After careful review this spring, on May 9 th , with the approval of General Superintendent J.K. Warrick and the District Advisory Board, Dr. John Seaman, our District Superintendent declared Indian Lake Nazarene Camp in crisis. The District Advisory Board voted to appoint Larry McKain as the new ILNC Governing Board Chairman and authorized Dr. Seaman and Dr. McKain to assemble a new Board for District Assembly approval. I make a motion we approve the members of the Interim Governing Board that have been assembled and have begun working. District Assembly Approved the Governing Board
Dr. Larry McKain: Thank you Dr. Warrick, Dr. Seaman, members and friends of the Michigan District Assembly, for the confidence and trust you have placed in all of us as an Interim Governing Board to serve you and the interests of Indian Lake Nazarene Camp & Conference Center. Dr. Seaman has done a stellar job of assembling a top-notch board to lead us through this crisis. It is such a privilege to work with them. I can assure you that everyone on the Interim Board wants to help turn the camp around as fast as we can, so we can move the camp out of crisis and back to normal, healthy operations. I want to begin first of all, by thanking Paul & Carol Carasez, for what they have taught me personally about the camp, for their support, and the heart they have had to serve Indian Lake Nazarene Camp. The issues the Interim Board are now addressing began long before they arrived, and their work over the past 10 years for our District will not be forgotten. And to them as a servant-leader couple, we owe a great debt of gratitude. They have resigned their roles in recent days and we are currently working together on a succession strategy. When I think of Paul & Carol, I think of the A postle Paul’s words of gratitude to the Thessalonian Church in chapter 1, verses 2-3. He writes, “We always thank God for you… We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance in spired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” For Paul and Carol, its always been about serving our children and youth. Another person I want to recognize as we begin is Myra Richardson. She serves as our Governing Board Secretary. Only Jesus knows the dozens and dozens of hours Myra has given to the camp just in the past month. We have easily processed now a 1,000 pieces of communication about Indian Lake and if it seems like through this report that we are making any progress, in large part, it is because of Myra Richardson. As we go through this presentation today, we are committed to full communication with you … and that includes lots of listening on our part. In Luke 2:46-47, we learn the secret of how Jesus grew and found favor with God and man. The Bible says when Jesus was just 12 years old, and was in the temple, he was sitting among the teachers, two things: 1) he listened and 2) he asked questions. So as we give this presentation today, you have been provided with blank sheets of paper. If you have a question that comes to your mind that you’d like to ask , please write it down. Our goal today is to have every question answered so everyone in this room can become an Ambassador, a raving fan of Indian Lake Nazarene Camp before you leave. At the end of our presentation today, we have set aside some time to answer your questions. An incredibly gifted team of leaders began working together last month to lead Indian Lake Nazarene Camp into some of her best days ever. Indian Lake has faced some hard days before. She may face some hard days in the near future. But a growing number of us believe that Indian Lake Nazarene Camp can and will become one of the finest Christian camps in America. Why do we believe this? Because Indian Lake is the story of God at work… and the people of the Michigan District at work…touching the lives of children and youth. Becaus e this camp is really…about our commitment to kids. In the book, Called Unto Holiness, there is quote from the founder of Nazarene Theological
Seminary, Dr. Hugh C. Benner. In it, he talks about the importance of investing in and paying attention to future generations. This is what Hugh Benner wrote, “It takes but one generation, ignoring or distorting the spirit and basic issues, to change fo r all the future…the course of any spiritual enterprise.” That’s why e very new generation must be reached… every new generation must be touched… every new generation must be trained. Indian Lake Nazarene Camp has been a tool in the hands of God…to help mak e that happen. Across the past 86 years, there have been some incredible accomplishments in the development of our camp. On August 18, 1926, two acres at the point, 3 small cottages, a small boat house, a half- burned out hotel, and about 30 acres of open field were bought by a small group of visionary Nazarenes…f or $7,000. No electricity, the ground covered with briars and weeds. No road. But the Nazarene founders of this camp had a vision. And from the very beginning, it was really about, not just themselves, but the next generation. Impacting… training future generations. I have the privilege of pastoring Lansing South Church of the Nazarene, a church that began in 1932, when the camp was just five years old. Cal Kring is one of two living members we have, his parents were charter members. Cal was saved at Indian Lake Boys Camp in the late 193 0’s. The spiritual impact, the generational legacy that Indian Lake has created, not only for Cal personally, but for every one of his children, and his grandchildren who are now coming to camp here …. We can’t put a dollar value on that kind of le gacy, on that kind of spiritual, generational impact. That same spiritual impact has been true for hundreds of families. And there have been thousands of boys and girls and young people whose lives God has touched on these grounds … From the beginning…this camp has always been about young people…about building the next generation…training the next generation. In everything we do, we must never forget, Indian Lake exists ultimately for God to spiritually touch young people. And when God uses us to reach young people and they love it, we reach their parents. And they reach their friends. And then we have dozens of raving fans and they start telling their friends about this wonderful camp environment , telling people… “you’ve just got to come to Indian Lake and experience it .” As an Interim Governing Board, we believe this 10-12 million dollar asset (including the private community that has grown up around Indian Lake Nazarene Camp) is too valuable of a spiritual resource for us to ignore or neglect. Indian Lake Nazarene Camp can, will and must thrive. And we as your Governing Board are committed to doing whatever is necessary to make that happen. So let’s talk about o ur strategic focus for the coming 3-5 years. Our Board has begun developing a Three-Part, Get Well Strategy. That includes A Get Well Promotions Strategy, A Get Well Operations Strategy, and a Get Well Financial Strategy. We want to talk about the first two and then introduce you to Steve Butler, who will talk about the third. Let’s first talk about our Get Well Promotions Strategy. This is our first important area of change for the future. Every Michigan District church must become a supporter of Indian Lake Nazarene Camp. We must do whatever is necessary to make every pastor, every youth pastor, every
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