It's back-to-school time here in B.C., which means things just got a lot quieter at Ness Lake Bible Camp.
Personally, I wasn't ready for summer to end just yet.
If you've ever visited us during busy season, you know, as we do, that there's nothing quite like the vibrant sounds of happy campers to lift spirits and bring joy.
In fact, just this past month, at the end of one of our junior camps, I was talking with a parent about how much his son enjoyed camp.
When this dad asked his son how he would rate his experience, the child replied, "I'd give it a 7 out of 10."
I thought to myself, "Well, OK."
Certainly, we could have done worse, but we definitely could have done better. But, then, the father asked his son, "So, how would you rate your trip to Disneyland?"
The son thought for a moment and replied, "Oh, that was just a five out of 10." I think we can live with 7 out of 10!
It's fun stories like these - and the opportunity to provide a safe, inviting retreat for guests of all ages - that keep us returning to Ness Lake Bible Camp (NLBC) year after year.
This summer, we were privileged to serve more than 1,600 kids over nine weeks of camp. They join the hundreds of thousands of children and adults who have graced our grounds and made great memories since NLBC first opened 63 years ago.
Since then, NLBC has been an integral part of the Prince George experience.
Many of our staff were once campers here; many of our current campers have parents who spent their summers here.
For us, NLBC is more than just a seasonal getaway.
It's a symbol of faith, fun and friendship, an enduring hallmark of the beautiful and diverse relationships that define our neighbourhood.
That neighbourly relationship, admittedly, has been tested in recent weeks, as readers of the Prince George Citizen know full well. We've heard from folks all across the B.C. region - staff, students, parents of campers, former campers, people from various faith backgrounds, and everyone in-between - about your concerns regarding our camp policies.
And, I want you to know: we've heard you.
Because of this, for the past two months, we've been engaged in an ongoing dialogue about how NLBC can best honor its commitments to our sincere religious convictions and to our Christian commitment to welcome all - including our friends in the LGBTQ community.
Along the way, we've learned a few things.
We realize that the language we used to describe our beliefs and practices came across as hurtful to some, insensitive to others and unclear to many.
To think that Ness Lake Bible Camp, a place of hope and joy, could be the unwitting source of strife and division in our region broke our hearts. That was never our intention.
And so, we're taking active steps to address the matter.
After much prayer and consideration, we're beginning to revise our employee guidelines and our rental agreements to better clarify expectations for summer missionaries and visiting guest groups.
Everyone who shares our desire to create a warm and loving camp environment will always have a place at Ness Lake Bible Camp.
We're also working to outline, in writing, our long-standing practice of welcoming people of all backgrounds to use our facilities.
A new discrimination and harassment prevention policy will recommit NLBC to our core belief that every person deserves to be treated equally, without reservation, and served joyfully, with respect - even those who disagree with us on theological issues.
Our Christian faith has guided Ness Lake Bible Camp through more than six decades in ministry. It's this faith that compels us to love God, to love our neighbours and to serve people from all walks of life through our programs and facilities.
And, it's our belief in community, in mutual respect and in constructive dialogue, that we pray will continue to unite Prince George and Ness Lake Bible Camp for the next 63 years and beyond.
Elliott Harder is the camp director for Ness Lake Bible Camp.
