Feb 27, 2020
By Valerie Probasco
Jersey Oaks Camp, located on 12 acres of fields and woodlands in Salem County just outside of Shiloh, NJ, will be turning 60 years old this year. This article could tell you a detailed history of its inception, but let’s take another perspective. A generational perspective. There are some families of our congregation who now have the fourth or fifth generation being touched by this camping ministry. We have Primary Campers whose great-great-grandparents served at the very beginning of Jersey Oaks.
With this in mind, four questions were posed to some of our members, spanning multiple generations:
Question 1: Who do you think of when you hear “Jersey Oaks”? Our young campers quickly named Pastor Don and Charlotte Chroniger. These are the faithful shepherds who have served as camp administrator, director, teacher, leader, and all-around fun coordinators for the entire lives of these kids. The parents and grandparents fondly named Pastor Charles Bond and his vision and excitement for camping ministry. So many others were listed as well, and we are beyond blessed by their friendship and selfless dedication.
Question 2: What is a favorite memory you have of camp? Our grandparents remember the hands that built Jersey Oaks. Many physically helped their parents, joining in the vision. “I remember going with my Dad to look for land for the camp.” (RD) “I loved building it. I was in high school and learned so much about construction. We had 30 Sundays of work in a row with no rain!” (PB) Others also recalled times of volunteering and enjoying the early days. “I remember Mom went down as a nurse, registered kids, and did physicals.” (RP) “I was an exchange camper to Jersey Oaks from West Virginia the first year it opened.” (CD) “Canteen! We could take $1 and buy 10-cent candy bars. All the kids loved Canteen.” (KS) “Charlie Harris did a tree book that I kept for years. I got poison oak doing an initiation with Pastor Herb.” (SL) “No A/C and bunks full of SAND.” (JS) For our kids and not-so-young adults, Jersey Oaks has been all about the fun and fellowship. Softball, swinging on the swings, going to the pool, singing camp songs, doing crazy activities, and playing guitars together are memories in the making.
Question 3: If you were going to talk to someone about camp, what would you say? One response sums it up. “It’s just a little part of Heaven.” Take a minute and consider how you would respond to this question regarding your own camp or any other outreach. Then, find someone to tell so they don’t miss out!
The final item posed to our multi-generational survey participants caused unexpected discomfort.
Question 4: What if Shiloh Church didn’t have Jersey Oaks? Everyone responded with a pause. Everyone pondered the weight of that concept. Young and old alike did not want to think about that. After the initial shock, the rally began. “We’d have to replace it by renting or building elsewhere…We’d be missing out on outreach to a whole lot of young people…We’d have to see how to start it up!…I know people I went to camp with who send their kids there now, even though they’re not connected to a church. It’s their only connection to God…I feel it fulfills a mission we’re supposed to do.”
Jersey Oaks Camp was a vision that has had a generational impact. It was a vision centered on sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a safe, beautiful environment where relationships could grow and discipleship could begin. My prayer for all of our churches is that we would make GENERATIONAL decisions. Our heritage of SDB camps is an example of how God wants to bless us from one generation to the next. Please PRAY for the Holy Spirit to reveal His plans for your church 25 and 50 years into the future. When He does, move forward together with your time, people, and money resources into His more preferable future. Stop simply living from program to program, activity to activity. Stop being distracted by the “low hanging fruit” that might deplete your time, people, and money resources. Seek Him and He will make Himself known. May God continue to bless us all with a rich heritage in Him and a legacy that points only and always to Jesus.
For more information about Camp dates and registration forms go to: http://www.jerseyoakscamp.org/Home
Valerie Probasco serves her Savior as a Sabbath school and youth group teacher at the Shiloh SDB Church and has a passion for church—and association—revitalization. She works for a local school district as a Speech Pathologist and lives in Shiloh, NJ, with her husband Bill, daughter Holly, and son Liam.
