News and Events

8/2009

Ground Breaking Ceremony

The campaign will be having a ground breaking ceremony on Sunday, September 20th at Epwroth Forest CC.

The ceremony will begin at 3:30 pm and occurs the same day as a youth rally concert called "illuminate" which occurs annually at Epworth Forest CC.

All are invited to attend. Read Article

10/2008

New Capital Campaign Aims to Reach Next Generation for Jesus Christ

The Right Here, Right Now, Right Future. Campaign will provide an infrastructure
for us to reach 10,000 more youth each year. Read Article

04/2008

Blessed to be a Blessing because of Epworth Forest

According to Genesis Chapter 22, God blessed Abraham that he might be a blessing. Abraham believed God, so he lived out his life serving God that he might receive blessing and then serving God that he might be a blessing - Blessed to be a Blessing.

Recently, I had the privilege of breaking bread with a young man who also sees himself as "Blessed to be a Blessing".

Alex Wulpi is a 19- year-old member of Leo United Methodist Church. In his junior year of high school, he began to explore the military. The U.S. Marine Corps made the most sense to him, so after much prayer and discussion with his parents and youth pastor, Alex and his parents signed on the dotted line. He would go into the Marines the summer after graduation.

Faith is an important part of Alex's life. His family is one who is called when a driver is needed for a youth event, or who stay late to put away tables after an activity at church. He comes from a bedrock church family. I wasn't really all that surprised when his mother told me that Alex had made his decision out of faith and a call to service. But it took my breath when she told me that he had set his induction and basic training date for the Marines in July so he could attend church camp at Epworth Forest, our United Methodist center in North Webster, Ind., - just one more time.

Alex told me "You know how it is at camp; you are exposed to all this love and being part of that great community. The atmosphere of being in a place where the spirit of God is flowing is so freeing, you do not have to worry about anything, and you can just love and be loved. I needed to have that with me before I went to boot camp."

While we talked, I asked him how boot camp had gone. He said after he figured out the system, it was kind of fun. "At first the mental part was hard, then, that got easier and then the physical stuff got harder."

Then I asked him if being at Epworth Forest before induction had helped. He responded, "You know how it is, when you get back from church camp, that feeling of being loved and having the spirit stays with you. I kept that feeling with me all the time I was in boot camp, and it made all the difference." He continued, "Epworth Forest changes your life; one week will turn your life around."

To all those folks who have invested their time, money and love into the camping ministry of The United Methodist Church, and on behalf of Alex and all those other Wulpi young men and women, who have been blessed by God, Thank you for being a blessing.

Alex is the son of Jim and Marsha Wulpi of Leo, Ind. He is in security in the infantry of the U.S. Marine Corps.

04/2008

Report for Capital Campaign

A third-party feasibility created by Cargill and Associates was presented to
the OMRT, Capital Campaign Funds Committee, Building Committee, Camp Staff,
and Bishop Mike Coyner. Download the full report.

02/2008

Awareness meetings and interviews made for
the Pre-Campaign Survey.

 

09/2007

Pre-Campaign Survey/Meeting Held

Capital Campaign Funds Committee, the Steering Committee and Cargill Associates along with many leaders and Pastors from North Indiana gather to begin the pre-campaign survey.

• Expected completion of Pre-Campaign Survey in 5-6 months.

 

05/2007

Annual Conference of the NICUMC

• The Master Plan for Epworth Forest Conference Center is unveiled.
  
• The Annual Conference hears the updated reports of the OMRT and the Capital Campaign Funds Committee.
  
• Preliminary Feasibility study is in process
  
• Imagine Indiana Planning Team affirms the project even in the event of establishing a new annual conference.
  
• Continued work toward the big goal of 10,000 campers per year.

04/2007

The OMRT view the North Indiana Conference Camps
(Impact 2818) Master plans.

 

01/2007

Meetings and Committees

• A Blue Ribbon Camp Task Force gathers to help the implementation of the Capital Fund Raising plan.
  
• A Steering Committee is established to facilitate the planning and implementation.
  
• A Building Committee is created and a Project Coordinator named: Rev. Steve Burris.
  
• A Capital Funds Campaign Committee is established and Chairperson named: Rev. Jean Brindel

08/2007

Design Work Begins on Conference Center Master Plan

The OMRT approved the architect/engineering firm MSKTD to begin the design work on the Epworth Forest Conference Center Master Plan.

06/2007

Camp Design Leadership Team Report

NICUMC Annual Conference hears the report from the Camp Design Leadership Team and approves the recommendations to:

• Affirm Outdoor Ministries as the number one evangelism and disciple-making ministry of the annual conference.
• Affirm the Outdoor Ministry Resource Team (OMRT) as the administrative body of camping ministry to assure quality of all areas of camping ministry.
• Keep all camp properties and utilize in the best possible way for ministry.
• Launch a multi-year Capital Funds Campaign to:
• Establish a goal (approximately $16M) to raise funds, including a Maintenance Endowment, to begin the rebuilding at Epworth Forest Conference Center.
• Establish a Capital Funds Campaign Committee.
• Conduct a Feasibility Study to determine the possibility of such fund raising.
• Develop a Master Plan for Epworth Forest Conference Center.
• Launch a Capital Campaign following the successful Feasibility Study.
• Develop a plan for construction following the Capital Campaign.