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I love our denomination, the Christian and Missionary Alliance. I love the heart behind why we started over 100 years ago. It started as a movement
to reach people with the Gospel. It was a movement to bring people together who were like-minded in wanting people to be reached with the good news of Jesus. In the early days, people would gather together for days at a time to be encouraged and reminded of
what God is doing around the world. It was a time to be inspired to spread the Gospel. It was a time to remember that we are God’s Ambassadors in our communities and around the world.
I didn’t know this until more recently: A.B. Simpson, the founder of the C&MA, envisioned a worldwide movement of God while at a summer camp
in Maine in the late 1800’s. Camp ministry has been pointing people to Jesus and creating space for people to sense God’s call on their life for a long time! Our denominations very roots can be traced back to camp!
In those early days of C&MA ministry, people would gather together for several days and worship under a tent that was often called a tabernacle.
People looked forward to going to these meetings to be inspired and reminded that we are God’s people on mission. Some would say that this was the start of family camp (which still happens today!!)
I recently met the directors of a fellow C&MA camp in Pennsylvania. The camp is called Mahaffey and has been around since the beginning of the
C&MA – over 130 years! They began as a place where people wanted to have a gathering place to have extended time with God and others. And it is STILL happening!
It is compelling to know that camp ministry was an integral part of the C&MA movement from the beginning. It remains an integral partner with
churches, helping connect people to Jesus by having a place where they can get away from the stressors, distractions and agendas of day-to-day life.
If you haven’t been to camp in a while - find time to come. Join us for family camp - imagine families coming together to a space where they
can encounter Jesus together! Come to a retreat or volunteer at a summer camp. Or if you need a quiet place to get away to refocus on God – you are welcome! God is still using camp after all these years and we are honored to be a part of this legacy of Christian
camping and we are grateful for all of you who are our partners in keeping the heritage going!
Rhonda Wynegar
Camp Director
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Moving Big Sandy Camp Forward
Looking back over the last year, we can’t help but see God’s hand at work in and around camp. We see His provision and going before us in countless
ways!
- Trees falling perfectly during storms to miss vehicles and buildings,
- Checks coming in, that are equal to a need that came up suddenly,
- Someone to help us with roof damage - a direct answer to prayer,
- A skilled worker at fall workday that saved us thousands in water heater repair,
- A well timed conversation that led into a growth opportunity,
- Two washers and dryers show up as the ones we had were failing,
- This is just a handful of ways that are seen – imagine how many ways God acts on our behalf that are not yet seen.
Just looking at this list is an encouragement and a reminder that God is the one who accomplishes things. He is our provider. He is our sustainer.
He is our advocate.
Yet, He invites us to partner with Him. We have a few opportunities that we are praying for God to help provide for us. One is the Lakeview roof.
It has begun leaking. It must be repaired this spring. We have $10,300 toward the project cost of $20,000. We also have a great need for a generator that has the capacity to keep Lakeview powered. This generator and the building to house it is $175,000. Lastly,
we have a few areas around camp that are in desperate need of new carpet, starting with the Lakeview Chapel.
We know many of you have given faithfully to camp. We also know that we continue to make more needs known. It will take more time to keep moving
camp forward. But project by project, camp is getting better and more sustainable!
If God lays it on your heart to help us get closer to funding these projects please
CLICK
THIS LINK. We truly believe that God is going to use a multitude of people to continue to build camp forward. As He blesses camp through people, those people
are also blessed in their obedience.
- Scott Wynegar, Director of Development
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- LADIES RETREAT - Space for God – April 17-19, 2026 - For all ladies ages 15 and up!
- SPRING WORK DAY – May 2, 2026 - all ages and skill levels are welcome!
- RIVERSIDE KIDS CAMP – June 15-19
- EXPLORERS (Gr 3-5) and ADVENTURERS (Gr 6-8) Camps - June 23-27
- ROOKIE (Gr 2-3), EXPLORERS (Gr 3-5) and CRAFT (Gr 4-5) CAMPS - June 29-July 2
- FAMILY CAMP 1 - July 3-5 – Speaker Jonny Olson
- ADVENTURERES & WAKEBOARD CAMPS (Gr 6-8) - July 7-11
- PATHFINDERS (Gr 9-12) CAMP - July 14-18
- NEXT GEN CAMP – July 20-24
- FAMILY CAMP 2 – September 4-7 – Speaker John Stumbo
- MARRIAGE RETREAT!! - Oct 9-11
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Josh Jirasek
Maintenance Director
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My first experience with Big Sandy Camp was with a group of friends from my church going to kids' camp in 1993. I don't remember much about that
week, except that I wanted to come back the next year. Big Sandy Camp became part of my summer almost every year from then until I finished high school, only missing a couple of summers. I was at camp in middle school and told myself I wanted to work there
someday. That opportunity came the summer after high school when I learned about the LIT program. I signed up for a two-week session and kept volunteering week after week, ending up spending 10 weeks at camp that summer. I returned year after year doing various
summer roles.
I absolutely loved the campers, my fellow summer staff, and the full-time leadership at camp. But the most eye-opening experience was seeing
how God watched over this place and how He moved in people's lives while they were there. I had several opportunities to pray with campers to accept Jesus as their Savior for the first time. I learned to play bass guitar and was part of the worship team. I
saw kids show up on Monday wanting nothing to do with being here, and by Friday, not wanting to leave.
I was away from BSC for about 10 years, working at other camps, when I was asked if I would apply to join BSC full-time. That was five years
ago now, and I still love this place. My role at camp has changed since those summer staff days. Now, instead of leading worship and cabin talks, serving food, cleaning, and leading games and activity areas, I’m responsible for keeping those areas ready and
functioning so the next generation of summer staff can do all those things. I handle tasks like keeping toilets flushing, ensuring rooms are warm in winter and cool in summer, the water is hot, grounds are clean, vehicles
and equipment is running, and handling all the other essentials to keep the camp in top shape—all in hopes that every guest who comes onsite
enjoys a comfortable, distraction-free experience.
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MAKE JOSH’S DAY!!
(Well, all of us too!)
Camp requires A LOT to keep up, repair, tidy, clean, and keep compliant. Every spring (and Fall) we have a workday, to love on camp, and to ready
it for another season of impact in the lives of kids, students, adults and families. We are praying for 75 people to come to camp on or around May 2 workday.
It would be AMAZING to have this many people working together to get tasks completed! Can you imagine what could be accomplished?
75 people working 5 hours is 375 hours worked!! That is over 2 month’s worth of Josh working in ONE DAY!! That would go a long way to jump start
the LOOOOONG list of to-dos.
Grab your family, your youth group, your small group or your friends and come to camp for a fun day of working with friends and be a part of
GOD AT WORK! We will end the day with some FUN - laser tag, rock wall climbing and the giant bounce house and enjoying the property we all KNOW and LOVE! If you haven’t been to camp in a while, take this invite to reconnect in a meaningful way! We’d LOVE to
have you!!
You are welcome to come the night before – we have rooms! Contact us if you can come and let us know what project below you are skilled to do!
Simply email Josh and make his DAY!!
josh@bigsandycamp.org
Schedule for May 2, 2026
8:15 Breakfast
9:00 Projects begin
12:15 Lunch
1:00 Projects
3:30 Play time! Enjoy the camp grounds, Laser Tag, Rock Wall, Bounce House
5:30 Supper for anyone still around
PROJECTS TO BE DONE
· Removal and installation of new vinyl siding on Acorn residence
· Grass planting on new retaining wall
· Window and screen washing
· Casement window crank repair
· Stucco repair (if you know someone)
· Smoke alarm upgrades
· Urinal divider install
· Fiberglass repair of watercraft
· Build kayak storage rack
· Power wash entry carpets
· Install hooks in closets and showers
· Install better protection for gym windows
· Sand bunk graffiti
· Stair riser repair/replace
· Washing of walls
· Dusting of all the tall areas
· Scrape tape from room doors
· Small engine tune ups (if you know someone)
· Caulking in bathrooms
· Drywall cracks and holes to repair
· Painting
· Tile work
· Trail trimming
· Firewood splitting
· Beach landscaping
· Waterfront set up
· Program prep
· Flowers (bring and plant flowers to make camp beautiful for the season!)
MAKE JOSH’S DAY!! - – PART 2
IF you can’t make it to work day, but you want to be a part of it, consider giving a gift to camp to help with project supplies, flowers and
food for the volunteers!
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- Praise God for His protection and provision over camp, campers, volunteers
and staff.
- Praise God for the campers lives that were impacted this winter. Pray that
the seed will grow in good soil (Matthew 13:8).
- Praise God for all the gifts, donations and prayers that help keep this
place going. We are grateful to our many partners in this ministry!
- Pray with us for growth in camper numbers. More campers = more lives changed!
- Pray for the summer staff team to come together.
- Pray for us to have a full crew of LIT’s (Leaders In Training) this summer!
- Pray for lots of volunteers for camps, projects, and guest cabin leaders.
- Pray for God’s provision of funds for the projects that we need to complete
to keep camp in compliance and running well. I know we have said it before, but this is a DAILY prayer around here!
- Pray for wisdom for decisions, finances, and
future development of spaces and people!
Thank YOU for being an integral part of the ministry of camp. We truly cannot do this without
YOU! It takes a large village to make camp a reality!
We LOVE our Big Sandy Camp Family!!
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GET IN TOUCH
Big Sandy Camp & Retreat Center
52511 185th Place
McGregor, MN 55760
218-426-3389
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