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Chris Polk

Greetings From Camp Garwood

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It’s officially crunch time. While we don’t have any “big” projects this year. We have several small maintenance items keeping us busy. I look at my list and then at my calendar and it makes me wonder, how am I going to get it all done?

But, then I remember. 1) It doesn’t all have to be done. 2) JULY 25 – 29, 2022
Camp Theme • Forward in Faith 2 Peter 1:5-7 See bmamissouri.org for Rules, Schedule, etc. as we get closer to camp help will come. 3) These are the small things. The main thing is the gospel. And it will be proclaimed. With or without every light bulb working. Or every leak stopped. By this time your church should be registered. Please ensure all adults have completed the screening and read the camp rules. Both can be found at bmamissouri.org along with the camp schedule and other information. We are getting excited to see everyone. It sounds like we’ll have a full camp again.

Forward in Faith. That’s our theme. Forward….In…. Faith. Always moving forward. Forward in our walk. Forward in our spiritual growth. Forward in our Faith. Supplementing our faith with virtue and knowledge and self
control. With those we become Steadfast and live godly lives with brotherly affection. And as these are increased we become fruitful. And that, That is our ultimate goal. To be fruitful in the LORD.

Yep. I’m excited to see everyone. But I’m more excited to hear Bro. Jordan preach the gospel from 2 Peter.

In these final weeks would you lift Camp Garwood up in prayer. Cover every camper, worker, recreation event, meal, and daily weather with prayer. Bro. Ben says every failure is a prayer failure. Pray for me.
What am I forgetting? For health. Patience. Energy. Pray for my family as we enter the busiest month of the year. Pray for Matthews church as she
functions under a pastor serving in dual roles.

If you have any questions or if you want to know how you or your church can help get ready for a successful camp please contact me or a camp
committee member. We will be happy to answer your questions and encouraged by your willingness to be involved. The more you are involved,
the greater the blessing of seeing souls saved and other good things that happen at Camp!

We’ll see you in a few short weeks at Camp Garwood!

Camp Director Chris Polk

2020 Camp Garwood Canceled

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The camp committee met tonight with Bro Matt and myself to discuss options for this years camp. After prayer and discussion it was unanimously decided that we can not in good conscience have camp.

We discussed options on serving food. Options on thinning the tabernacle. But the real problem comes down to the packed dorms. If we are still trying to practice social distancing we can’t pack the dorms full of kids each night.
We discussed options to thin the camp numbers, but that presents its own set of problems.

Another problem in the decisions of this year are with food availability and costs. I know this decision is not what you guys were hoping for. It’s not what we want either. But at the end of our discussions and our desires. We had to decide we will err on the side of caution. We all agree that no publicity is better than bad publicity.

We have already talked with Bro Dustin Wisely and he is planning to be with us for next year’s camp. We are going to keep the same theme, and we are hoping the guys in the band can be with us for camp in 2021. Which will be July 26-30th.

Some have asked about t-shirts. We are not going to have t-shirts made for the DEWrs or for camp this year. Just to avoid the cost and hassle. There is a bright side even though you may need to strain to see it. If our regular contributions continue without the expenses of camp week. We will be able to completely pay off the camp loan. We are doing some minor repairs and will be working at camp. In fact the DEWr retreat June 19-20th will basically be a work weekend. So if you’re a DEWr be sure to come help. A DEWr is anyone who gives $75 per year to camp. We will be cooking outside to avoid congestion in the dining hall.

The MO state GMA’s are also planning their annual retreat to be held at camp July 10-11. We are permitting their retreat because they typically have fewer than 30 in attendance which can be safely spread out through multiple dorms.

Again, We did not make this decision lightly. It saddens me to write this. Last year we celebrated 50 years, this year no camp. We are only comforted by knowing that our LORD will work even this out to be good.
It is HIS history. HIS story.
Chris Polk, Camp Director

May 2020 – News and Views from Camp Garwood

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Colossians 1:15-20 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” ESV

History is HIS story. An appropriate theme for 2020, much better than ‘vision 2020’ because none of us saw this coming. But Jesus did, even this is His story. We don’t know what the LORD is doing with this time in history. There’s a lot of speculation, there’s a lot of accusations. But that’s the thing about history. We can’t really see what’s going on until it has already happened. Is it all a hoax? Will half the population be killed off? Is it an evil plan devised and carried out by a political party, or another country? There are all kinds of ideas floating around, some of them a lot crazier than others.

While we don’t know what the end of the Coronavirus will look like, we do know what THE END looks like. Jesus will be seated on HIS throne ruling over HIS perfect creation, and in that knowledge I find peace.

Just like you, I have more questions than answers at this point. Will we have camp? I don’t know. If we do, what will that look like? I don’t know. When will you know? I don’t know. Even by the time you are reading this report it will still be too early to make a decision. I would like to say, “You know what, It’s not as bad as they say, we are having camp no matter what.” But the reality is, We can’t say that. And that is not a lack of faith.

I was able to watch the Governors Broadcast on FB today. I was actually able to tune in early. It seemed like 15 minutes but was probably only 3-4 minutes of watching closed doors. No movement, no talking, just closed doors. And even at that the angry faces were flying. There were some likes and hearts too, but it was overwhelmingly angry faces. People angry because he is opening the state, because he isn’t opening it fast enough, because he didn’t open it soon enough, because he didn’t close it fast enough, because he is helping this group and hasn’t done anything about this that or the other. Everyone has an opinion and on FB they don’t care to share it. In the midst of the angry faces and the angry comments people were signing in, posting where they are from. Florissant, Jackson, Kennett, Branson, Literally all over the state. When you think about that load, Whether you like him or hate him, that guy has a lot of weight on his shoulders and no matter what he does, a lot of people are not going to like it.

Everyone has an opinion, but that doesn’t make them right. People are failing to realize, this pandemic is not about them. Oh, it involves you in some way. But it is not about you. Even though we can’t see it yet, it is about Jesus. Everything that happens in history will be for HIM. “All things are for him and through Him and to Him.” He will receive glory through this; the question is, will it be by your lips and actions?

When your pastor or your elders or your deacons make a decision during this time remember they didn’t ask for this. They are doing the best they can and trying to glorify the LORD in the process. Their decision may not agree with yours but they don’t need to know that and neither does anyone else. Remember, It’s not about you.

Whatever the camp committee decides about camp this year it will be the right decision because it will be made through prayer and with the desire to please the LORD. Whatever we decide some of you will have other opinions. Remember, It’s not about you. There are a lot of things to factor into our decision. Are there liability issues? We are drawing in people from all over the state and out of state to pack into dorms that are not social distancing friendly. The tabernacle doesn’t have walls but we are normally packed in the pews. Will food be an issue? Will kids practice being sanitary? (That record speaks for itself). Right now it’s early May, How will the numbers be trending at the end of June? There are too many questions that can’t be answered yet. So be patient, we are waiting as long as possible to make a decision.

At this point we have no activities planned at camp, The DEWr weekend and the GMA retreat are on hold. We are continuing to do maintenance at camp and plan to have camp ready to go, hopeful that it will be used.
We have opened a PayPal account for camp to help you support this ministry. The easiest way to find us on PayPal is with our email address. campgarwood@gmail.com It will show up as Baptist Missionary Association of Missouri because that is our official name. But it will send the funds directly to the camp account.

Have a great day and remember to pray,
Chris Polk, Camp Garwood
PO Box 271 • Matthews, MO 63867
573-380-1975 • campgarwood@gmail.com