Volume 15 October 2004 Number 1

New Horizons Include College Writers and Ministry Majors

“So, what can you do with 1100 mountainous acres, an ex-college professor and three open weeks in May?” Sound like a joke? Well guess what... it’s not! Starting in May of 2005, Blue Haven is joining hands with both ACU and OCU to offer two exciting college courses in the wild and untamed Sangre De Cristos.

Beginning May 1^st, Dr. Dudley Chancey, Professor of Ministry at OCU, will join us to host up to 30 undergraduate students for Christian Recreation: Studies in Outdoor Adventure Learning. This course will be of special interest to the ministry and /or Bible major, but will be open to majors in all disciplines. The course will be marketed to students at all of our Christian Colleges and to any college-level students interested in learning to maximize the learning opportunities inherent in God’s creation—specifically in the lovely slice we’ve all come to describe affectionately as our own “mile and a half toward Heaven.”

The course will also include discussions on teaching and the use of journals by our own Scott Simpson, and challenge course experiences as lead by our Blue Haven facilitators, Charolyn Mize and Byron Brunson.

Starting May 8^th and lasting through the 21^st, up to 20 student writers will gather at Blue Haven for the very first Blue Haven Writers’ Workshop, Voice in the Wilderness. This graduate / undergraduate course will be open to all college majors of at least junior level. It will of course be of special interest to the English major interested in creative writing credit, but will certainly be of benefit to any major interested in stretching his or her writing skills in the inspiring setting in and around Blue Haven.

Scott will be brushing off his Ph.D. to design and teach this course under auspices of the ACU Graduate and Undergraduate colleges. Students will have ample opportunity to write, workshop and read while at the camp, but the course will also include the traditional Blue Haven fare of hikes, cookouts, sleep-outs challenge course elements and campfires. It will be an excellent time for participants to explore, in their own writing, the connections between “nature” and the nature of our Creator.

Our prayer is that these additions to the Blue Haven calendar will be annual. The opportunities for outreach, growth and blessing are great... so keep these academic offerings in your prayers as well!

Memorials

We gratefully acknowledge contributions to CBH in memory of the following persons:

In Memory of...	Gifts given to Blue Haven by...
Aaron	Glenda Sue Tiner
Allie Sargent	Frank & Dolores Mullican
Angele Jeanette Saadch	Scotty Witt, J. W. Killingsworth
B.O. Burk	Douglas & Mary Degge
Beulah Ruckman	M/M Scotty C. Witt
Bill Brumley	J. W. Killingsworth
Billy Phillips	Scotty & June Witt
Brenda Nix	Kenny & Melanie Reed, Gussie Turnbough
Bryan Smith	Douglas Degge Family
Carrol Bevins	Laura Kerr
Cecil Reed McDonald	Mrs. Dixie Cox, Coy & Karen Cook
Chester Wiggains	Philip & Tammy Camp
Cliff Moore	Greg & Kris Neill
Clydetta Mitchell	Debbie Schulze & family, Terry & Druscilla Hutton
Cora Mitchell	Aubrey & Georgia Lowrance
Cora Smith	Carole Bayler, Mary R. Knowles
Cora Sue Wishard	Kenny & Melanie Reed
Curtis Camp	J. W. Killingsworth
Dan McCain	Mary R. Knowles
Dee Brown	Laura Kerr
Don Ham	Russell & Cindy Gustin
Dr. Larry Barbour	Kenny & Melanie Reed
Elma White	Howard, Genelle & Angela Patton
Esta Lee Mullican	Tony & Carole Compton, Ray & Wanda Finley
Eva May Haxton	Auditorium Class @ 2^nd St. & Adams Church of Christ, Elk City, OK
Exa “Love” Clark	Laura Kerr
Fayrene McDonald	George & Mary Cox
Frances Thompson	Douglas & Mary Degge
Fred Jamison	Jett & Vicki Green
Gladys Boles	George & Mary Cox
Hattie Graves	Albert L. Gagneux, Flossye G. Gagneux
Herman E. Nelson	Mr. & Mrs. Glen W. Exter, Alvin & Daisy Law
Hilton Terry	Albert L. Gagneux, Flossye G. Gagneux
J. B. Scott	Dee & Audra Martin, John & Tara Walker, M/M Scotty C. Witt, Glen & Wanda Exter, Clifton & Audell, King Thomas, Freddy & Carol Bell, Rodney & Barbara Bell
James D. Williams	Mary & Jim Lemley, Nancy J. Fouchs
J. W. Channel	Douglas & Mary Glen Degge
Janet Elkins	Witt Builders Supply
Jay Spurlock	Howard, Genelle & Angela Patton
Jean Bradford	Mary R. Knowles
Joan Williams	M/M Scotty C. Witt
Johnny Smith	Mary R. Knowles
Jordan Singleton	M/M George W. Bailey
June Defibaugh	Howard, Genelle & Angela Patton
K. & Sabra Barnett	Ray M. Johnston, Addie C. Johnston
Kristina Kerr	Norman & Sheri Kerr
Layne Baldridge	Douglas & Mary Degge
Linda Parker	David & Jenny Denman, Don & Varina Denman & family, Dan & Missy Denman & family, Mark & Judy, Edge & family, Jill & Russell Crook, Ryan & Lindi Roden, Gene & Jackie Denman & family, Clara Bell Martin, Dr. & Mrs. Dallas C. Dill, Bill & Gloria Carlile
Louise Menzies	Frank & Dolores Mullican
Marten Bradley	Douglas Degge Family
Merle Payne	Gussie Turnbough
Mildred Huff	Douglas & Mary Degge
Nelson Lethco	Kenny & Melanie Reed
Ozella Talley	Tony & Carole Compton
Patsy Hefner	Chris & Lynelle Morris & Girls, Howard & Genelle Patton
Polly Dobson	Kenny & Melanie Reed
R. H.(Bob) Degge	Douglas & Mary Glen Degge
Raymond Fluming	J. W. Killingsworth
Reba Freeman	Douglas & Mary Degge
Recil Johnson	Vance & Aimee Crowe
Rosemay Perkins	Dean & Willodyne Tucker
T.C. Clark	Dan & “Butch” Whitaker
Travis Jennings	Harold & Linda Bufe
Velma Powell	Betty Selvidge
Virginia Gaines	M/M Scotty C. Witt
Wayne Graham	Margaret Graham

Honors

In honor of...	Gifts given to Blue Haven by...
Vance & Aimee Crowe	Todd & Lisa Muse, Timothy & Cathey Colglaizier
Wesley Sheets	Keith, Janyt, Janyce, Bill and Kathleen

Special Needs List:

A CD-R / DVD duplicator / printer
A new camp laptop with multimedia capacity (CD-R / DVD burner, etc.)
A good 4x4 ATV
A backup power plant for the dining hall
A snowmobile
Several GPS units
Good camping equipment (cookware, sleeping bags, frame packs, etc.)

If you have a source for any of these items contact Scott Simpson at (806) 655-2926 or
(806) 655-0772, or by email at: bluehavendirector@cox.net

Direct Deposit: Giving Made Easy

Since 1956, Camp Blue Haven has had the privilege of ministering to so many of the young people in the Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico region. In more recent years we’ve expanded our scope of influence to include campers from many other states as well. This last summer, we worked with campers from Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wyoming. Our total Youth Camp enrollment hit 1176 in 2004 and God added 62 of those young people to His church through baptism at Blue Haven. Since our first summer, in fact, nearly 2500 young people have been baptized at Blue Haven, over 37,000 have attended and been influenced in ways only God could enumerate. I tell you all of this not to share a history lesson, but to impress upon you the importance of the Camp Blue Haven ministry. We are a mission effort—a mission aimed at our own homes, churches and communities. You see, through the years, as some of our congregations have lost young people, God has continued to bless Blue Haven with larger and larger numbers. Our children WANT to come to Blue Haven; our children crave the spiritual guidance, the Biblical study and the Christian fellowship that Camp Blue Haven provides. For some young people, camp is the last, best hope for a needed spiritual turnaround; for many, it is the most concentrated opportunity they have during the entire year to grapple with moral questions, gain encouragement from mature Christian, and develop a solid, personal faith. As most of you probably know, the camp itself is in great condition and we are poised to continue this ministry, with God’s blessing, far into the next several decades. However, because we are a ministry, we have always tried to keep costs to our campers low so that no camper is turned away because of money and so that no family finds it a financial hardship to send children to Blue Haven. To this end, many campers have received scholarships over the years and we have managed to keep our tuition lower than most comparable camps. To continue this kind of commitment to a ministry available to all children requires ongoing financial support from brothers and sisters whose goals match ours: the salvation and growth of our children. This year, our treasurer reported that Blue Haven would experience an $80,000 shortfall without additional help from individuals and congregations. Several congregations have already placed Camp Blue Haven in their mission budget at $50, $100, even $200 per month. This kind of gift helps to insure that the Blue Haven director and staff can continue to give focus to curriculum, programs and counseling issues—the issues that directly impact campers’ spiritual growth. To the right of this article is a “clip and send in” direct deposit form. This is probably the easiest way for any individual or congregation to give ongoingly to Blue Haven. Please consider playing a larger role in the ministry at Blue Haven. So many of you have given of your time, energy, expertise and money over the years, and God has blessed your giving and our work with fruit for His kingdom. Now, He’s opened another opportunity for you to work side by side with us as we plan and prepare for the campers who will flock to Blue Haven again in 2005. They’ll come with needs we don’t even know about yet, but with your help, and God’s guidance, we’ll meet them.

2005 Camp Schedule

Summer Sessions ____Special Sessions________________College Courses

Session 1: June 5 -June 11 YTMN 2232 Christian Recreation:
Session 2: June 12 - June 24 College Leadership: May 20-22 Studies in Outdoor Adventure Learning
Session 3: June 26 - July 2 High School Leadership: August 5-7 May 1-6 (3 hrs. OCU credit)
Session 4: July 3 - July 15 Blue Haven Trek: August 7-11 ENGL 442 / 540 Voice in the Wilderness:
Session 5: July 17 - July 23 Family Camp: August 12-14 The Blue Haven Writers’ Workshop
Session 6: July 24 - Aug 5 Golden Age Camp: August 19-22 May 8-21 (3hrs. ACU credit)