February 2012/Christmas lives on!!

As you may have already heard we have received a generous donation from Schneider Electric of North America in order to finish our Barker Hall project! Praise God for His provision and thank you all that have been praying so fervently for this provision. This project is of great financial value to us and will give us the ability to generate enough income to continue to serve our young students and those in need.

As an organization we believe that we should not only serve people internally but externally as well. What I mean by this is that we believe that serving our youth and families on our grounds is important, but we also believe that there is great need outside our four walls as well. Specifically the homeless/needy populations of Winnebago, Stevenson, Carrol, Ogle, Lee and Whiteside counties.

The Christmas season is at our backs and life moves on. Have you ever wondered why we only see news on charitable giving during the holiday season? The holiday season is the most important time of year for charitable organizations simply because that is when people have a more giving attitude. I’m not saying that this is the only time of year that people give, but I would put my money on the majority. I came across an article that stated “several major charities ended 2011 on a high, with some nonprofits conducting record-breaking holiday-season campaigns.”  Holiday season campaigns.  Why not more?  This article also talked about the salvation army’s red kettle campaign. Ever wonder why they don’t do this all year long? People need help year round, not just two months out of the year. I may be a liitle ignorant here because I’m sure these holiday donations carry a lot of organizations throughout the year and not just the holiday months.  But why stop there? We know we have the means to give more.  As the church I believe we could do a lot more, a whole lot.  I recently heard a statistic that if Americans would donate the money that they would otherwise spend on Christmas and give it to charitable organizations, we could actually eradicate world hunger in just three years! Are you kidding me, world hunger eliminated in just a few Christmas seasons?!

The United States census bureau defines poverty as having a household income of $11,139 or less for one person and $22,314 for a family of four.  I did some research in our six surrounding counties; Ogle, Winnebago, Stephenson, Carrol, Lee, and Whiteside.  There is an average of 12.02% of the population that resides under the poverty threshold.  This calculates out to 70,580 persons right in our back yard.  Now I don’t know if all these people are considered homeless but I bet the majority need help with feeding their families.

With all this said, camp is launching a new program in which we will collect food for our local food pantries.  We will be collecting food donations on a monthly basis.  Please send a small box of non-perishable goods to our address at 8159 White Eagle Rd., Leaf River, IL 61047 or contact Chad Toelke at 630-649-1001 to arrange for a pick-up.  Please don’t read this newsletter and assume someone else will take care of it.  We’ve all been there.  I also know there are a lot of you out there that already do so much, so please invite your family and friends to get involved.  We are the bride of Christ and the world doesn’t see Christians how Christ meant us to be seen.  We are called to help the lost.  Please join us in this effort.

Love Never Fails,

Chad Toelke

December 2011 Newsletter

December 2011 Newsletter

November 2011 Newsletter/Fundraiser

November 2011

September 2011 Newsletter

September 2011

August 2011 Newsletter

August 2011

ACC Manna Project

The “ACC Manna Project” is a community that practices a “relational tithe” concept of sharing in one another’s burdens. We believe that there are enough resources to meet the needs of every person, and that the needs of each person are the responsibility of all people. We see examples of the “relational tithe” done in Acts 4:32-37 with the early believers.  Jesus has called us to share in one another’s burdens; to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, and to invite the homeless in.

I’m reminded of a talk I heard from Louie Giglio about the sizable problem of starvation, homelessness, and the naked that are in this world today.  Giglio states, that as the body of Christ there is no reason why we can’t feed all the hungry, clothe all the naked, provide clean drinking water, and put a roof over all of the suffering people in this world.  I happen to agree with him.  I think sometimes as “Christians” we feel safe in this little country we call America and believe that praying is enough.  Absolutely we should pray for all these burdens to be eradicated, but if we don’t also put our feet to the ground and obey His calling than don’t you think that those prayers will less likely be answered?  Sure God can magically make things better by, “poof” there’s our daily bread, which He has already done with manna in the desert, but I believe that He would rather be glorified through His sons and daughters actions.  I believe He wants to use us to bring Heaven to Earth rather than performing “magic”.  Lets be His hands and feet!

This group in designed to be a meeting place for those in need. Lets start in our own back yard.  Please post any need that you have and lets come together as a community of believers and share in one another’s burdens.  Follow the link to join. http://www.facebook.com/groups/accmannaproject

Love Never Fails!

June 2011 Newsletter

As most of you may already know, on Saturday May 21st a severe storm passed through camp and destroyed hundreds of trees.  The cross still stands as a testimony to God’s faithfulness, goodness, and love.  As I was picking my way through the rubble I had an overwhelming sense of peace and comfort that God’s plan is always bigger and grander than we may ever begin to understand.

* God has set in motion a design and plan for this area that has been destroyed.  Please pray for our camp leaders as we pray and discern what He has planned for this area.

In other news, our 1st teen camp was a great success!! On Thursday as the campers started showing up I could sense that the weight of the world was upon some of them, but as our counselors began to engage with them, within the hour you could  see them begin to be themselves again.  Praise God for a great community of fellow believers, praise God for His peace the transcends all understanding, and praise God for His faithfulness!

* Continue to pray for our campers hearts throughout the summer as they practice the real life applications they learned to stay strong and walk boldly for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you to all for your continued support and prayers for Adeline Christian Camp.

* Please continue to pray for the overall financial health of camp.

Love Never Fails,

Chad Toelke

Executive Director

WaVeS

God created millions of wonderful and beautiful things for His people to enjoy. I know you’ve seen images on the internet of marvelous creation pictures. Here’s just one of millions for you.  I believe waves are one of the most beautiful things in God’s creation.  They are mesmerizing (like a campfire), they call lull you to sleep at night, they smell great on a beautiful summer morning, and you can have fun with them!

Have you ever thought much about what gives a wave its power?  I know we all can agree that the wind gives a wave its power.  It’s something that we all learned in grade school. It’s one of those simple concepts you typically put in a filing cabinet in your brain as you get older.  The wind! What another great example in God’s creation about what the Christian life should look like.

The Holy Spirit is symbolic to wind a number of times in the bible.  Probably the most famous of passages; John 3:8 “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”  The original Greek word for spirit is πνεῦμα,n \{pnyoo’-mah}, which means air, wind, breath, spirit.  The Holy Spirit moves like the wind!  Christians should conform to the properties of water and allow the Holy Spirit to move us wherever He chooses.  The more the water gives into the power of the wind the bigger and more intense a wave gets.  As Christians if we allow the power and movement of the Holy Spirit to influence us in every aspect of our daily lives, we will become a power uncontrollable to the enemy.  Then we can show Jesus’ true love and grace to our brothers and sisters of this world!

 

Chad Toelke

Executive Director of Adeline Christian Camp

Fog

I love it when God speaks to us in normal everyday occurrences.  It’s a great thing when I know that God spoke to me!!  A nobody who is trying to follow Him in the midst of all my sins and imperfections.  How GREAT is our God!  How He loves us so!

It was reasonably foggy last week as I was driving to Adeline Christian Camp to work on the construction of Barker Hall, when it struck me that life is foggy sometimes.  We sometimes don’t know what’s in store for us, what the future looks like, or what the next step is going to be.

 

When we first accept Jesus Christ into our hearts and make that commitment to follow Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we KNOW our end destination.  When I left for work I knew I was going to end up at Adeline Christian Camp.  What I didn’t know was the fact that I was not going to be able to see 50 feet in front of me.  Life is like this sometimes.  We can’t always see what God is doing in our lives or where we are heading in a particular moment of life.  But know that He is with us and guiding us all the way.

 

As I pulled into the camp’s driveway I realized that I arrived at my destination.  Wow! What a great feeling it is to know that one day we will end up at our Heavenly destination! God will allow the fog in our lives to happen to see if we’ll be faithful in pursuing the prize.  Even though I didn’t know exactly where I was on my journey, God did.

Know this!  Even if you don’t see what God is doing in your near future, you WILL end up right where God wants you do be.  In His arms!

 

Chad Toelke

Executive Director of Adeline Christian Camp

Preparation

 

As an unseasoned camper who has a new found passion for Christian camping, I am learning that preparation is an essential element to success.  Preparation can bring success in two senses; one, it can help Adeline Christian Camp succeed as a non-profit organization and two, preparation can help a person’s spiritual walk with Jesus.

I’m learning that I need to prepare myself for my upcoming day, week, and even months ahead.  Why?  So that I may be successful and keep my vision focused on the goal.  As I struggle with my new life of being self-employed and see the need to map out my days and prepare myself, I can’t help but think of Jesus and what He was always looking to and preparing Himself for, which was the cross.  Jesus prepared Himself daily for which He was called to do; to offer Himself as a living sacrifice for you and me.

As we look ahead to this next camping season, lets begin to prepare ourselves for the work Jesus has called us to do.  Let’s pray for our campers, volunteers, and donors.  Let’s pray for lives to be changed.  And ultimately, let’s pray that we may be continually in preparation for Christ’s return.

 

Chad Toelke

Executive Director of Adeline Christian Camp