Throwback Time!

This week on our blog we have a challenge for you: take a look at the pictures below and let us know what building you think this is at Beacon Bible Camp! Hint: these pics are from waaaaaaay back :D

Delight in the Lord!

This week’s blog post is a special treat, as we get to hear from Scott Vanderform (the teacher at Lofty Mountain Family Camp last summer). Enjoy!

Can I share with you a saying I heard from roughly 2000 years ago that is still true today? It is a saying that has been passed down for generations as something that families need to know. It was passed down to me from my Father and Mother and I am determined to pass it on to my kids as well. Are you ready for it……

“tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,

and the wonders that he has done.”

To be honest, this verse from Psalm 78 is not just a saying, it is an instruction coming directly from God himself to us and it is a reminder to all parents of what they are called to do by God. Do you regularly remind your Family of our good God almighty? (Check out Crowders song titled “Good God Almighty” to help get you started). Remember, we are talking about our one true God who has all might and power in His hand and has accomplished so many wonders that if we were paying attention we would constantly be in awe of Him. The point of this psalm is to instruct us to always remember the goodness of God to such a degree that it affects and informs the way our families live. Please hear me, this does not mean we must be doing two hour systematic theology bible studies every day as a family. What I think Asaph (the author of Psalm 78) is getting at when he writes these words is to encourage parents to make sure their families (parents and kids included) are regularly delighting in God.

This does not mean it looks the same for every family. For some it may be a walk in the woods and delighting in God’s creation and allowing it to point our hearts to God. For others it will be singing together. For others still it can be traveling to see the marvels of the world and allowing it to humble us to realize how small we really are in comparison to a God who spoke this world into existence. It could be a regular prayer time where you record your prayers as a family and watch as God answers those prayers in ways only He can, or it could be reading through a book of the bible and listening as God speaks powerfully through his word. There is so much adventure to be had for those who would seek after God with all their heart!

Our problem is we don’t practice regularly reminding ourselves of who our great God is and as such we turn from God to all sorts of idols without even seeing the gradual decline. Again Asaph says families need to regularly keep their eyes on God “so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God,” (Psalm 78:7)

As summer time approaches we tend to give ourselves a bit of an unintentional vacation from our regular disciplines with our Lord and I wanted to send this thought out as a challenge to all of you - parents and young people out there - to find new and creative ways to delight in God this summer instead of putting him to the side while you relax and “enjoy life”. We need to believe with all our hearts that He is our joy and diligently seek Him. In seeking Him you will find true LIFE (John 10:10).

Go chase after God as a family this summer!

Here is a picture of Scott and his family, taken last Fall.

Into the Woods with Curio: Bird Calls Made Easy

“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.” Psalm 96:1

Spring is the time when the birds are singing. It’s breeding season and they call with an amazing assortment of songs and sounds from everywhere – around your neighborhood, and in the woods at camp – to claim territory and attract mates. But the volume and variety of sounds is confusing. How can you tell which bird is making what call?

Some calls are familiar – the caw of a crow, a robin’s cheery song, the chirping of house sparrows and the whistling of cardinals. The loon’s eerie call from the camp lake is unmistakable, as is the booming of the whip-poor-wills at night! But which bird is making that long trill from over in the bushes? What bird sounds a bit like a robin, but different? And who makes that hauntingly beautiful descant late in the evening at Family camp?

One way to know what bird is making which call is to find the bird, of course. When you hear an unfamiliar bird song or call go on a bird safari. Hunt down the bird making the song – maybe using some binoculars – until you find it and hear it calling. Once you associate the bird with its song, you’ll remember it the next time you hear that song. If you aren’t sure about the ID of the bird when you do see it, there is an app for that. Called Merlin, and available at merlin.allaboutbirds.org, it is designed to help identify bird sounds, as well as bird ID in general.

Putting words to a bird’s song also helps to identify some birds. The white throated sparrow’s beautiful melody sounds something like, “pure sweet Canada, Canada, Canada”. The ovenbird is a small warbler with a very loud song that sounds like ‘teacher, teacher, TEAcher, TEACHer, TEACHER! They are quite common at camp, but spend most of their time hidden on the forest floor, so are heard rather than seen. A red winged blackbird makes a loud ‘conkaree’ call down at the waterfront, (in Quebec it says ‘Aujourd hui’). Barred owls hoot their loud, ‘Who cooks for you, who cooks for you-AWL’ in the middle of the night.

Other birds, like the whip-poor-will, say their names. Chickadees say chickadee, with many variations, while phoebes repeat their name over and over. And catbirds really do meow like a cat.

So why should we care about the songs and sounds birds make? God has given us an incredible collection of birds – over 10,000 species worldwide. Each has its own unique song, but all tell of His greatness. And every one of us that is redeemed also has a unique song of praise for God.

Monk's Musings: New Life After the Winter

“So the elders of the Jews continued to build… They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel… Then the people celebrated the dedication of the House of God with joy.”

EZRA 6:14-16

These are the first two flowers to show their heads at Beacon this year! Beautiful crocuses signaling the end of the icy winter and the start of new life. A couple of weeks ago we had the joy of visiting one of our married sons in Holland, and they took us to see fields of tulips laid out in beautiful gardens. Spring arrived in Europe well before it reached Canada! Maybe the past year or two has been an emotional and even spiritual winter for you. Well, God is calling us back to Himself, to enjoy the Son-shine of his warmth, to renew our commitment to loving Him and serving in His Church and even at camp! Just as with flowers, God is calling each of us to live the new spiritual life He offers us in the Lord Jesus.

In a similar way, many centuries ago, after 70 years of “winter exile” as captives in Babylon, the Jews were finally allowed to return to Jerusalem, and in 537BC, soon after they arrived, they rebuilt the altar and offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord. It took them 21 years to rebuild the temple (516BC), and a further 71 years before the city walls were rebuilt under the direction of Nehemiah (completed in 445BC). So also, restored life and healthy growth are not quick fixes, they require time and perseverance and following the Lord faithfully and allowing Him to rekindle His Holy Spirit in us.

We hope that during this camp season, Beacon Bible Camp may be used by God to strengthen your spiritual life and provide opportunities to serve and give back to others. We trust this may be true for you and for those you care about; whether you come as a camper, and invite a friend along, or come as a family, or whether you have the courage and faith to volunteer as staff; our desire is that you grow and find abundant life in the Lord Jesus. Perhaps God is calling you to sponsor others to attend camp. There are many ways in which we can get involved: Have faith in God and step up!

With all our best wishes for your life!

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn

Camp Crew Update on... SHIMMER!

In today’s blog post, we get to have a virtual chat with another one of our Camp Crew 2021 members - our very own Shimmer! I am sure you will be super encouraged after reading her answers to our interview questions - God is good, and he is faithful!

Hi Julia! I mean, Shimmer! What are you up to these days?

Currently, I am finishing up my first year at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

What’s the best thing about your school right now?

The best thing about school right now is the people. My friends and I like to study together by drawing things out on whiteboards and teaching each other the concepts. Not only is it more fun to study with other people but we feel like teachers and ensure there’s time for a Second Cup coffee break between teaching each other complicated topics. Another thing that I enjoy about school these days is my anatomy lab – we get to work hands-on with specimens that are fascinating. I am always blown away by how incredibly intricate God has created our bodies to be; saying that they’re pretty cool is an understatement.

What is the last great book you've read and why?

Hmmm… good question! I’ve not had much time to do leisure reading these days but I have been making my way through reading “Present Over Perfect” by Shauna Niequist. Emily “Heaps” Shields suggested I read it. It is about letting go of the striving, hustling-and-bustling, busyness/success-focused lifestyle to embracing God’s calling for our lives to be present, focused in the moment, and with our eyes continually fixed on Him. I love this book because it has challenged me, convicted my heart, and helped me to critique the areas of my life where I get consumed in a worldly cycle of busyness, rather than pursuing a Jesus-focused life. Preferably enjoyed with a chai tea (or any tea of your choosing) and a seat by a window.

What is your favorite meal these days?

Being a student on a meal plan, I have to say that my favourite meal is anything homecooked! Moving away from home has made me appreciate my parents’ cooking so much more – I especially love my dad’s homemade pasta (my mouth is salivating as I am writing this).

What is a good piece of advice you've received lately, and from whom?

“Enjoy the journey” has been a piece of advice that I have received from my dad for so long and he has recently reminded me of this advice again. As much as there are times that I will take this piece of advice with an eye roll and a “I get it, Dad, you’ve told me this before,” this piece of advice is filled with so much truth that I need to be continually reminded of. It is about staying present and joyful in the journey that God has set before us and is about appreciating the blessings even in the moments that seem tough. This year has had its ups and downs but reflecting back, I see that even in the tough moments, there were beautiful moments too. More than ever, God has used those moments to show me so much love through the people He put into my life. So passing on this piece of advice to you (yes, you) reading this, enjoy the journey, stay present, and enjoy the process of God guiding your life!

What is your favourite memory from Summer 2021 at Beacon last year?

Suzie, you can’t ask this kind of question – there are too many memories to choose from! This questions should not be allowed. ;) If I had to choose one, I’d say that my favourite memory was singing and dancing in the rain to the "Power Shuffle" during the Rolling Thunder family camp. It was a spontaneous moment that involved taking life’s lemons (i.e. the bad weather) and making some lemonade (i.e. DANCING!). It is a memory I will hold into for my whole life.

Psalm 117

Today we have the special treat of listening in on some reflections by Rowan Fraser (the speaker at Forest Glade Family Camp back in 2021). He’s been meditating on Psalm 117, and this is what he has to say:

Pslam 117. This three-verse psalm has often been thought of as incomplete. It was thought to be the end of Psalm 116 and was sometimes added to Psalm 118. However, it is complete in that it has a call to praise, a cause for praise and a conclusion.

The psalm begins with “Praise the Lord, all nations” and expands to “Extol (praise enthusiastically, actively, willingly) Him, all peoples”. Not the few in the region or some of this nationality or many of this age, instead all people. It gives a collective, yet individual call to praise and worship the Lord.

It is a beautiful picture where one day, in essence, every knee is bowed and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.

But how do we get there?

I am one of the few people who loathe springtime. Most times when I share my dislike of this season, people react like I’m crazy. But, really, what’s to love?? The muddy terrain, soggy animal refuse, unpredictable weather and gray outlook of spring has bothered me for years. Spring restlessness is something I face each year as an educator with students and staff alike. The only saving grace of spring is Easter… literally! Spring is a season of transition where the ravages of winter are exposed and new life comes from the death of winter.

So, again, how do we get to the beautiful picture of praise?

To call people and nations to praise and extol the Lord, we have to pray for a kingdom of worshippers.

Think of some of the things that compete for our worship:

Online games and quick gratification

Food/Drink

Pleasure

Approval of peer groups

YouTube/TikTok influences

Athletic/Academic/Career success

Some of these, as Paul Tripp often says, are good things that have become bad things because they have become ruling things.

How much more focus should be on the prayer for hearts of this nation that are being bombarded by calls to praise other people and things.

Our goal must extend beyond seeing people saved, it must extend to them being enthusiastic, thoughtful, sincere, joyful and Spirit-empowered worshippers of the King.

We engage in mission work at Beacon, in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in our workplaces and in our homes, but more is needed. We need to engaged in mission work on our knees for this generation (and the next) to be worshippers of the Living God.

One author says it this way:

“The proper end of missions is not the salvation of souls; the proper end of missions is the glory of God. The end of missions is more and more people who are happy in God”

You may find yourself in the Lighthouse this summer and notice the kids as they worship (or not). You’ll either be encouraged by those who are engaged or discouraged by those with limp arms and mouths barely moving, staring at the images on screen.

Let me encourage you to pray right in that moment. If you see…

joyless singing - pray for joyful worship in their hearts

boredom with lessons or the gospel - pray for excited engagement with the gospel and the Word of God

rebelliousness or disrespect - pray for obedience to the gospel and delight in holiness

selfishness - pray that they would actively seek to be living sacrifices whose worship is good and acceptable

So why is the King worthy of the nations’ worship and praise?

He is worthy of praise because of His steadfast love. It is dependable love that can you bank on. Other translations render this “merciful kindness”.

The key part is the directionality of God’s love. It is toward us; Gentiles, Israel, all peoples, all nations. The door is flung open wide by a transcendent God who in merciful kindness and steadfast love brings salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ and makes those who were not his people, his own. That is a huge reason to praise Him!

Furthermore, we don’t need to fear that the salvation won, the promises made or the relationship extended are going to ever be withdrawn because his faithfulness is true - it endures, it’s forever.

The Psalm ends with “Praise the Lord”, because it’s the only way to end a psalm where we are confronted with God’s global purpose to bring people to worship Him for who He is and what He has done. It is a divine and expected exclamation mark!

Knowing these things causes us to worship for sure – but should also spur us on to pray passionately for others. An author I read on prayer, said this: “All prayer pursued far enough becomes praise”. So pursue prayer for the young ones we teach, sing with and memorize verses with. Pray for these families – that they would become worshippers of the King who is worthy.

Pray that hearts would praise our great, faithful God together, knowing that He will bring about praise for His glory, now, but most certainly in eternity and even in Spring.

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. (Psalm 117, NIV)

Rowan with his wife Joy and their family this spring. Look how much those kids have grown!

Into the Woods with Curio: Singing in the Snow

It must be April -- the other day a robin was out in the yard singing while it was snowing. The calendar says its spring and the robins are back. So why does it still feel like it’s winter?

Like almost all of Canada, (except Vancouver Island and Vancouver) spring rarely arrives early, or even on time in Muskoka, and at Beacon. There’s just too much winter to get rid of first. The layers of snow and ice, the frost in the ground and the many other effects from months of short winter days and sub-zero temperatures take time to go away.

This makes it feel like winter hasn’t left yet. Nights still dip below zero, and the daytime temperatures often don’t rise above single digits until the end of the month. There can even be more snow, which stays longer than is wanted.

None of this, however, stops the wildlife at camp from getting about their spring business. The bears are awake from their hibernation, and hungrier than we can imagine. Other hibernators, such as chipmunks and raccoons, are also scurrying and prowling about in search of something to eat. The robins on the Lighthouse lawn are joined by squeaking grackles and noisy red-winged blackbirds making territorial displays. A song sparrow’s sweet serenade is heard down at the waterfront, phoebes call from the porch at the upper washrooms, and the low rumbling noise, which sounds like someone is trying to start the tractor, is a ruffed grouse drumming from somewhere in the undergrowth.

By mid-month the ice should be gone from Beacon’s lake. Once that happens the beaver become more active, downing trees and making their presence known. Spring peepers start calling from any low, wet area of camp, filling the evenings with an almost deafening chorus of sound. Adding to the mix is the weird quacking of the wood frogs, and the long trills of toads.

The ‘ice-out’ event is followed by what is referred to locally as ‘green-up’, when the herbaceous plant growth re-emerges on the forest floor. This brings much anticipated nourishment for the ever-growing population of wildlife at camp, and finally ushers in the spring we are expecting.

Regardless of the weather I know that Spring will finally arrive at Beacon. But winter weather in April tests my faith to believe that things will be different than what they appear. Just like a robin singing when it is snowing, I have to believe that warmer days are ahead.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Hebrews 11:6

Monk's Musings: What Quenches Our Thirst?

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost… Listen to me, and eat what is good.”

ISAIAH 55:1-2

Eight centuries after the prophet wrote that invitation from God, Jesus came and said “whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst… it will be a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). He changed water to wine at the wedding of Cana (John 2) and claimed “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48). He alone can satisfy our soul’s deepest yearnings, because He created us to find our greatest satisfaction in Him alone. He offers us the water of eternal life through the Holy Spirit. He offers us the wine of true joy and lasting happiness. He offers us the milk of His Word that will help us grow spiritually. He offers us the bread of abundant life. May we accept His kind offers, and stop filling our minds and hearts with the fake substitutes that the world offers us!

Beacon Bible Camp exists for this alone: It was founded to “point eyes to creation and call hearts to God”, because even the beauty and glory of the Muskoka lake country will not ultimately satisfy our hearts. It is a beautiful gift that we hope you will choose to enjoy, but our hearts’ greatest desire, whether we acknowledge it or not, is for the Giver, more than for His gifts. So may we be encouraged to feed on the real food and drink, which is ultimately Jesus Christ himself. And yes, may we be encouraged to make Beacon a part of our plans for the summer, whether as a camper, or as a volunteer cabin leader, summer staff or cook; but most of all, may we find our deepest joy in knowing and loving the Lord Jesus.

With all our best wishes for the coming spring and summer,

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn

Camp Crew Update on... HEAPS!

Today we continue our Camp Crew Updates series, and we get to check in on Emily (Heaps) Shields to find out what she’s been up to recently. Enjoy this sneak peek into her life!

Emily, what are you doing these days?
I'm a small business owner!! I design fashion--altering cringe-y vintage pieces into something people actually want to wear nowadays! I discovered the concept of 'upcycling' when I was studying in Australia a good decade ago. Besides the fact I thought it was environmentally genius, it was a way I could creatively express my love for the country and its impeccable fashion! Now I also do it to provide alternative clothing options for folks wanting to boycott sweatshop-produced fashion. My store exists online so you can check it out for yourself (umyep.etsy.com). I'm biased, but I think you'll at least get a good chuckle out of my 'before' photos!

What’s the best thing about your job right now?
Being self-employed allows me to be flexible with my schedule. I particularly appreciate being able to give myself quality time with God before I start my workday! I found with previous jobs that when I dawdled at any point during my morning routine, it cut into my already short time with God before having to leave for work. Now I can stay working later, or take a shorter lunch to make up the time if needed!
I actually also have a part-time job at a vintage clothing store in downtown Kitchener to help me make ends meet right now. Besides being surrounded by decades of top notch clothing, I love interacting with cool, quirky locals, and am excited to be a light amongst them!

What is the last great book you've read and why?
'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever' by Barbara Robinson. When I was a youngster, my Mom would read it to us at Christmas time (it's a short, children's chapter book). She loved it so much that she bought my sisters and I our own copies. I hadn't read it in a number of years, so this past Christmas I cracked it open. It's about a "heathen" family who bully their way into participating in a church's Christmas play--just for the snacks! They've never heard the story of Jesus' birth before, and wind up helping the congregation connect with it in a fresh, real way as they discover the beautiful truth behind the season for themselves! It's funny, and really gets you thinking!

What is your favorite meal these days?
Anything that goes with green beans haha! (Specifically green beans sautéed with butter, salt and a heap of garlic.) I just can't get enough of them!! My mouth salivated while I typed that descriptive sentence haha!!

What is a good piece of advice you've received lately, and from whom?
”God doesn't need our good works, our neighbour does.”
It was on a social media post/story from Sydney Missionary and Bible College (that's where I studied in Australia). They were quoting someone reputable from history. I can't quite recollect who, and I can't find it anymore...

What is your favourite memory from Summer 2021 at Beacon last year?
One glorious, warm, sunny day off, a whole bunch of us [Camp Crew] took the stand-up paddle boards out on the lake. We ended up linking together--each of us holding the board beside ours with a foot, leg or hand. As the wind and current floated us along, we played one of my all-time favourite games (eeek--the name escapes me)! Basically, Person A comes up with a sentence and whispers it to Person B, who makes up their own sentence based on what they just heard and whispers it to Person C, etcetera! After everyone has had a chance to make up their own sentence, each person shares what their sentence was, and the revealed story is HILARIOUS!!! Lots of laughter :)

Dia Duiti!

In today’s blog post, we enjoy a guest entry by Patrick Garret, who was the teacher at Rolling Thunder Family Camp last summer. Enjoy!

“Dia duit!”

Or should I say 'hello'? The former is a typical Irish greeting which literally means “May God be with you”, and is a much better and more ancient greeting than the English “hello” — which according to Oxford may have come from an Old German word for hailing a ferryboat! (And I have it on good authority no true Irishmen anywhere at any time has actually said "top o' the moring ta ye!" or has requested a kiss simply because of their ethnicity despite what the shirt your dad wears may tell you.)

In writing this entry, I do not presume upon any truly Irish amongst the readership, but as you will soon realise, as it is written for March, this entry will nod to the patron saint of the Emerald Isle.

Before I continue, do let me introduce myself: As one partial to Northern Ireland particularly, I am a pastor to a Baptist congregation in Northern Ontario these past three years. I am a father of five, the husband of one, and have served congregations previously in Barrie, Oakville and Centre Wellington all in part-time to full -time ministry to youth and families.

I was asked to write an entry for the blog a few months back, and was given free reign as to what I would write. My history with Beacon is a relatively short but enriching experience: beginning with the first ever Family day event I was introduced to wonderful camp and its leadership. From there, my wife and eldest daughter attended a Mother/Daughter weekend, and my eldest son a boy's camp. I have been a leader at senior boys camp, attend a father/son weekend and as a family most recently we attended "Rolling Thunder" family camp in 2021 where I had opportunity to teach the adult chapel.

For the last several months since family camp, like everyone else, I've been growing through adjustments to life post-covid both in my community, congregation and family.

When I was asked to write this entry, and knew when it would come, I jumped at the chance to write about my namesake: St Patrick. From a young age, simply because of the name my parent's gave me, and being raised for a time in a tradition that honored saints, I have had personal enjoyment of growing to understand the saint. He has been the subject of a paper I wrote in seminary, a banner day to celebrate every year with family, and an excuse to listen to the Getty's just because! I have eaten more than my share of Lucky Charms, usually smell like Irish Spring, support both Hibernian & Celtic FC of the SPFL, and enjoy wearing green all year around. To boot, I was installed at my current congregation on St Patrick's Day in 2019! Yes, there were many allusions to this providence, closed the gathering with The Lorica, and shared a green cake to follow.

In all of this patrician devotion, however, one item in my study is of perennial value for me and others I will share. There is a sign in my study which came from a conference years ago, considering the life of the saint, and is titled "St Patrick: A Rule of Life". It encourages all of us believers to take a page from a life of one who pointed to Jesus as we seek to be ...

sacred instead of sensational

timeless instead of trendy

prophetic instead of popular

generous instead of entitled

meek instead of aggressive

quiet instead of attention-seeking

humbly prayerful instead of demanding

patient instead of prideful

inviting instead of isolating

understanding instead of judgmental

I close with a synopsis of Patrick's life taken from the short but excellent biography by Michael Haykin. “Patrick was a Trinitarian man, he had a zeal for mission, he was extremely biblical and had a great dependence on the Spirit. once we separate the man from the myth; the leprechaun and snake driving veneer, the drink-stained and nationalistic assumptions, the shamrocks and jigs, we are left with much for which we can thank God. This March 17th we can celebrate the life of a man who was taken from his home by kidnappers, made a slave but was called by the Lord while there, and later took the gospel to the very people who had kidnapped him. He planted churches, preached and wrote. His is a life of service to His God which should encourage us.”

Before I go, if you haven't already I recommend you try to learn a little more about the man and missionary by watching the short film the folks at Big Idea made a decade ago, or read the child-friendly biography by the Voice of the Martyrs -- and for theology geeks, you might enjoy the short video "St Patrick's Bad Analogy" at Lutheran Satire.

I pray you are blessed and thanking you for the opportunity,

(St) Patrick Garrett.

Here is Patrick with his lovely family (except for their oldest son, who was away at the time this photo was taken).