Cancellations Due to COVID-19.
After much prayer, deliberation, research, and some tears, it is with a very heavy heart that the board of directors for Benchmark Ministries and I must announce the cancellation of Camp Victory 2020. This is the hardest decision I have ever had to make and does not come easy canceling the 34th consecutive year of Camp Victory.
It was going to be an uphill battle to conduct camp in the midst of the virus as it was, but we really thought we had a plan that would work using the cohorting method. Then the new Executive Order 147 came out last Wednesday June 24th with an additional mandate for everyone over the age of 11 to wear a mask, and extended Phase II. That was the tipping point for us. We believe that compliance with these additional restrictions/mandates would greatly hinder the social, spiritual and even fun aspect of camp and, at the same time, create additional concerns for the health and safety of workers and campers required to wear masks in 90-100-degree weather.
Our decisions up to this point to move forward, even purchasing hundreds of dollars of hand sanitizer, disinfectant and masks, were based on the widely accepted prediction that the summer months would bring about a slowing of the spread of the virus, moving into Phase III and a lifting of restrictions. However, the opposite happened, we are still in Phase II, and the mandates and restrictions have intensified.
We know that this is a huge disappointment to campers and parents alike, and ask that you pray that God will grant us the wisdom we need to go forward and plan out the remainder of the year and the best Camp Victory ever for 2021.
If you have already registered your camper, please let us know what you want us to do with the funds that you have already deposited with us for camper registrations. The options are:
- Transfer any funds you have paid to your camper’s registration for Camp Victory 2021.
- Have the funds that you have paid for your camper’s registration returned to you by check.
- Donate deposits or funds deposited to your camper’s registration to the ministry of Camp Victory.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience as we deal with this situation with God’s guidance.
This we know, our great and awesome God was in control before the pandemic occurred, is in control in the middle of it, and will still be in control when it is all over. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
In Christ
Tom Lewis
Email: tomlewis@benchmarkministries.org
Cell: 919-815-7603
Where We're Headed
The infrastructure and support systems presently in place allows us to move to the next step on the master plan, camper housing.
The construction of The Village (the first permanent camper housing) will allow us to increase the number of campers we can serve each week, provide summer staff quarters, and afford us the opportunity to expand the ministry to include off season events such as couples’ retreats, family camps, ladies’ conferences and father and son retreats. The village will contain 10 hotel type rooms, infirmary, large gang restrooms, apartment for the speakers, and space for conditioned chapel and dinning. We are also making preparations to provide concrete floors for the camper tents, in lieu of wood floors, and increasing our camper capacity by purchasing additional girls and boys tents.
God has blessed us with a visionary Board of Directors, along with a number of architects, engineers, builders and volunteers who have devoted countless hours to this great endeavor.
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Milestones.
We've reached several key milestones in our vision to build Moore's Keep Christian Camp. In 1986, God prompted the pastor of a small church to encourage his congregation to conduct its own camp for its young people in a rented facility. Two of the volunteers at that first Camp Victory, Tom and Nicky Lewis, experienced firsthand how God could use the fun, safe, and serene setting of a camp to speak His truth into the hearts of those young people. Tom and Nicky had such a desire to be a part of something so special that they went back for the next 16 years. In 2002, both Tom and Nicky felt God's calling to establish a permanent home for the Camp Victory and founded Benchmark Ministries to do so.
Benchmark Ministries.
Moore's Keep Christian Camp is sponsored by Benchmark Ministries Inc. The mission of Benchmark Ministries is to introduce people of all ages to salvation through Jesus Christ and disciple believers in spiritual growth. The vision of Benchmark Ministries is to develop and operate a year-round Christian camp and conference center where people of all ages can unplug from the world and step into a serene setting to draw closer to God.
Hearts and Minds.
Our mission is to introduce people of all ages to salvation through Jesus Christ and disciple believers in spiritual growth. Our cause is to win the hearts and minds of young people through the power of the Holy Spirit and to send them into the world as ambassadors for Christ.
2019 marked the sixth year of camp at Moore's Keep where God's blessings were witnessed even in the smallest details. But more importantly He blessed in the twenty-one weeks of camp with:
31% (278) of the campers receiving Christ as their Savior
42% (377) of the campers rededicated their lives to God
44% (396) making life changing commitments/decisions
The need for a Christian camp to introduce juniors and teens to Christ has never been greater. 80% of those that accept Christ as their Savior do so by age 18. 60% of those make that decision at Christian camps.
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Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31