Report of the
Victory Valley Camp
The Board of Directors of Victory Valley Camp took a major step this year in preparation for a re-imagination of this 52-year-old ministry of the BFC. After moving through a strategic planning process with the Souderton-based Center for Ministry Advancement, funded by a number of BF Churches, the board identified four areas of focus.
1) Board unity around a common purpose
2) A re-imagined facility
3) Development (fundraising)
4) Marketing
Taking these in order, the board determined that its very structure and decision-making process would pose a challenge to achieving unity. Like many organizations, the camp’s board needed clarity on its role and the role of the executive director to avoid the twin risks of micromanagement and neglect. Over a period of several months, the board studied a model of board function called policy-governance (or the Carver model). With help from Sinking Spring Pastor Robert A. Sloan, the board drafted a policy manual based on this model.
The policy-governance manual, which was approved in December 2008, consists of four areas…
1) Executive Limitations Policies: Setting the boundaries of what the director may not do.
2) Ends Policies: Establishing the desired outcomes (results not means) of the ministry
3) Board-Management Delegation Policies: How the board tracks compliance with Executive Limitation and Ends Policies
4) Governance Process Policies: How the board operates as a governing body.
Through policy-governance, the Board fulfills its obligation to the Annual Conference of the BFC. This is just the first step in our strategic plan process, but the unity of the Board on this part offers hope for positive results on the next steps.
Our winter weekend camps in 2008 ministered to more than 140 boys and girls ages 7-12, and we continued to experience growth in children coming with groups, rather than alone. Victory Valley is committed to strengthening the local church, and one of the ways we do that is by special pricing for church groups.
Overnight summer Camp and Outpost attendance was 469. During our first week, a stomach bug began spreading through the camp. We decided to send everyone home, and then invited them back later in the summer. Some 34 campers returned to enjoy a full week of camp at no additional charge.
This summer VVC ministered to 184 children whose parents listed a home church when they registered. Parents of 285 campers listed no church affiliation. However, between those who attend a non-evangelical church and those who attend no church at all, it seems certain that VVC proclaimed the good news of Jesus to hundreds of children this summer who have no regular access to a Bible-believing, gospel-proclaiming local body of Christ.
More than half of the children who attended came with church groups, which is a hopeful trend. If this can continue and accelerate, even among BFC churches, Victory Valley Camp will have a long and fruitful future.
The Lord allowed us to provide free or heavily-discounted weeks of camp for…
• Children of troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Children of BFC Pastors and Missionaries
• Boys and Girls from inner city churches in Allentown and Philadelphia
• Orphans from the Children’s Home of Easton
• Campers who could not have experience camp without financial assistance.
Our Day Camp program continued to grow to 142 campers. Praise the Lord for the influence of Christ’s love lived out daily by our staff.
We continue to marvel at the caliber of youth and adults who submit themselves to the Lord’s leading to serve at VVC. Some of our future church leaders will come from the ranks of our summer staff.
We had a half-dozen adult counselors for a week each this summer, who came with a group of children from their church. There were a few youth volunteers who did the same. These people not only did a good job, but it is our desire that they will take this experience back to their home churches and share it with other parents and leaders.
During the winter months, our gymnasium (Victory Hall) is rented for at least two hours everyday. It is a way of ministering to the local community and introducing them to the camp property.
A number of BFC churches continue to rent the pavilion, grounds, and pool for their picnics. Bethel BFC, Emmaus, uses Victory Valley for a weeklong Day Camp program, as well as periodic youth events in Victory Hall. Please consider Victory Valley Camp as a future retreat option.
Facilities Manager John Masters continued his tireless work to develop the quality of our facilities by repairing and improving our existing buildings and grounds. He drew upon the cheerful labors of dozens of faithful volunteers from BFC churches. A property of 73 acres, 32 structures and 38 toilets takes tremendous dedication to maintain, and John does so with zeal.
Please consider supporting VVC by: praying, volunteering, and financially giving to help train up a child in the way he should go so that even when he is old he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6
Board of Directors, Victory Valley Camp, Timothy J. Bertolet, Chairman; Timothy D. Weaber, Secretary; Bruce A. Ellingson, Jason J. Englehart, Douglas J. Manwiller, Rachel E. Norris, Rodney P. Plows, Timothy J. Schmoyer, Gregory A. Uhrich
Scott G. Ott, Director