Important Announcement!!!

River of Life Bible Camp
P. O.  Box  726
Howland,  Maine  04448
(207) 732-4492
www.rolbc.org

May 1, 2007

Dear Friends of River of Life Bible Camp,

Well, spring is finally here and we see God's handy work of regeneration in His creation all around us (the green grass, buds on the trees, birds returning to their favorite nesting spots and the days getting longer and warmer).  What a great and wonderful God we serve!

I am writing this letter to the membership and friends of ROLBC to give an update of what exciting happenings are going on at the Camp.  The Board has been busy planning River of Life's 32nd year of camping.  Can you believe it?  Thirty-two summers God has been using the Camp ministry to honor and bless Himself through the hearts and lives of young and old alike.

On Thursday, April 26^th, the Camp Board of Directors met with John Romano, director of  Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) and Jim Bowen, CEF Board Member, to discuss Camp staffing at River of Life and CEF's ministry expansion needs.  Much prayer and thought has gone into these issues over the last several months by both parties involved.  During the meeting there was a feeling of unity, enthusiasm and harmony with the feeling of God being in this venture.

As many of you know that have been closely involved in the Camp ministry over the years,  there are times it has been difficult getting over the hurtle of providing qualified and experienced staff for the campers during the camp season, but God has always blessed and met our needs in this area. For some time the Board and many of you have been praying for a full-time Camp director, but for whatever reason, God hasn’t chose to grant our request at this time.  For some reason, this year it has been more difficult scheduling Camp staff and time is getting late.

On the other hand, CEF has out-grown Camp Good News, their camp in Livermore Falls, and feel God's leading to expand the ministry into central Maine.  For some time they have felt this need and have been praying for God to open the doors if it be His will and at the same time relying on God's time table to achieve this goal.

We (the ROLBC Board and CEF Board) feel the time is right to enter into a joint relationship at River of Life Bible Camp for a minimum one-season basis.  CEF would be responsible for providing qualified and experience staffing, program planning, and follow-up for the Camping season at River of Life.  They strongly encourage local involvement (labor, talents, etc.) to support them.  The Camp membership (Evangelical Christian Fellowship) would be responsible for providing the equipped facility and continued organizational governing of the facility under the direction of the camp membership and Board.

CEF is a strongly evangelistic, non-denominational and conservative missions-minded ministry purposed in reaching children with the Gospel in camp settings.  Many of our local churches support or have supported CEF as a mission. CEF has been supported the Camp over the years providing trained workers during our day campers.  John Romano, Director of CEF, wishes to schedule meetings with area churches and at the Camp union service (June 3 @ 6PM at Passadumkeag Baptist Church) prior to the camping season to familiarize everyone concerning CEF and answer any questions that you may have regarding the ministry and the joint relationship between CEF and River of Life Bible Camp. 

Please keep praying for the camp and for the Board.  Also we wish to encourage involvement in the Ministry with your time and talents.  Workdays have been scheduled for Saturdays starting on May 5^th to start preparing for the camping season.  If you wish to schedule another time to perform work at the camp, please notify Wayne Briggs at 827-4731 or Joel Jipson at 732-3486.   There is a lot of cleaning and repairs needing to be completed before the start of the 2007 season.

As, always, if you have any questions or concerns you may call anyone of the Board or Directors including Wayne or myself.  God bless.

In His service,

Joel Jipson, Secretary-ECF