The dates for Camp Meeting week in 2024 are August 5-9

A Vacation Bible School (VBS) style program is planned to be held @ BSCM each weekday afternoon during Camp Meeting Week.  Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) will supply curriculum and teachers for the 5-Day camp.  We are looking for support from Cottagers to be volunteer helpers for the VBS.

Please contact Beth McCarrick @ (484)432-5527 or Sarah McGovern @ (609) 932-5557 if you are interested in being a part of this.

CEF is offering a Teacher Enrichment Seminar in Linwood, PA (Marcus Hook area) on Saturday, March 16th.  Please click here to see the CEF brochure to REGISTER for training by MARCH 6th.

This training seminar is open to everyone. You may attend the seminar even if you cannot help with BSCM’s VBS.  Attending this seminar is not required to be a helper at BSCM’s VBS in August.

Please follow this link to answer questions in a brief survey about what you are looking for in the BSCM Bible Study for 2024.

Supporting document is found here: list of 59 “One Another” Scripture references (some of the commands are duplicated because they are referenced in more than one Bible verse).  

Sound System Operator:  

We are looking for individuals to be trained in how to set up and monitor the sound system in the Tabernacle. Volunteers for this task should be available throughout the season (June – August) to take turns for various worship services and events, particularly on weekends.

Hospitality Crew:

Will you join us in extending hospitality to our community, visitors, and invited speakers/musicians throughout the upcoming program season? Please consider assisting the Program Committee in this way– undertaking even one duty at one event would be greatly appreciated. 

Duties may include:

• *welcome speakers/musicians–show them to the Parsonage; attend to other needs if necessary
• *greet visitors at various events–hand out a brochure, find out names and contact info if they are willing
• *usher to collect the offering
• *provide food (homemade or bought)
• *set up a fellowship event (Biddle, Collins, Hilltop, Tabernacle)
• *serve food or manage a buffet line
• *clean up following events

Events at which Hospitality Crew is needed:

• *concerts and worship meetings
• *camp-wide picnics (5/17/24 and 7/4/24)
• *Refresh Day luncheon (6/28/24)
• *Coffeehouses (usually Friday evening)
• *Camp Meeting week (8/2 – 8/10)  coffee/bagels before morning Bible study
• *various community-building events

Please contact Sarah McGovern @ 609-932-5557 (voice or text) or sarahbmcgovern@gmail.com  if you have an interest in participating in any of the volunteer opportunities listed above and specify how you would like to serve. Thank you.

The camp meeting has had some tree damage during the last two storms.  A storm in early December brought a tree down on Cottage #35 (the old cottage treasures) and did some damage to the roof and back side of the cottage.  A work crew of volunteer cottagers worked with Grounds to remove the tree, secure the roof with tarping, and contact the electrician to work on damaged electrical lines that were also damaged.   

The storms last week brought down more trees with the most significant damage to the upper restroom roof and a few other camp owned structures had minor damage to their roofs as well.  We had a tree also fall alongside Turtle Lodge and thankfully did not cause any damage to the structure. Many thanks to Alan McCarrick for being the first to assess and report on the damage, and Bob Cloutier and John Krulik for tarping and securing all damaged structures.  Simon James, Grounds Chair, will be meeting with our insurance company to review the damage and see how they can help cover some of the losses.  Alan McCarrick, our Sales and Rentals Chair, also notified any privately owned cottage owners who may have had damage to their cottages.  Simon has also secured an approved tree company to begin removal of the dead trees and the Grounds Committee is working on a plan for coordination of a work party/contractor to start the needed repairs of our structures over the winter months. 

Thanks to Jackie Brandt, Simon James, and RuthAnn Purchase James for photos!

Brandywine Camp has faced challenges for years with the process of adopting new cottagers. The simultaneous goals of having Christian individuals and families join and refurbish empty cottages and the goal of them becoming a living part of our community are often difficult to achieve. Christians have busy lives with family, church and outreach ministries added to work requirements. Does everyone have the desire to add an additional “family” to their lives? It is true that BSCM offers a retreat to a more natural setting where we can feel closer to God, but that is not the central purpose of our camp. We are to function as a Christian community interacting, helping, supporting and praying with and for each other.

To insure that prospective members recognize the goals of BSCM and wish to participate, we have enlarged our application process to one full year. We expect that applicants should participate in various activities such as small group Bible studies, preaching services, musical events, dinners and work days. The sum of those activities represents the range and flavor of camp life.

In addition to the year’s activities, we require that each applicant have a “sponsor” – one who befriends and personally helps them understand camp life and its policies (written and unwritten). Applicants are invited to rent cottages in order to stay on grounds. Prospective members are also expected to be involved in their local “home” church. References are required and checked as well as their pastor’s reference. This longer process has seemed frustrating to some applicants who wished to buy a cottage “immediately.” We have experienced cases of folks who give valid testimony, but find that they choose not to be involved in camp life. We hope and pray this new process will allow families who really wish to and can be involved in camp life to apply. Continue to pray that God will bring new families to us.

Allan McCarrick,

Sales and Rentals, Board of Trustees

Leaves have fallen! It’s time for a leaf cleanup day at camp. This is especially important for fire safety, not just aesthetics. The scheduled day for leaf pickup is Saturday, NOVEMBER 11. Please plan to have leaves raked around your cottage and brought to the outside circle road of camp (not interior walkway) on this date.

Reminder: water is not on any more at camp, so plan accordingly. No bathroom facilities are open.

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor” – Ecc. 4:9

2023 Autumn Work days are set for September 30 & October 14 from 8:00a to 3:30p

Bring family, bring friends and invite your church members or any volunteer groups for many hands make for light work..

• A light breakfast and lunch are provided for all volunteers.
• Indoor and outdoor projects available for all age groups.
• Flexible schedule to accommodate busy schedules.
• Please remember that these days are set aside to work on common tasks to improve our campgrounds, not our personal cottages.

Cottagers,

Please remember the Covered Dish Dinner this evening at 5:30 PM followed by a Cottagers Meeting.  One goal of the meeting is to build our committees with cottager volunteers.  If you are unable to attend, please reach out to the committee chair where you would like to serve.

George Phillips (for the Board of Trustees)

As a reminder, the following are committee chairs:

Sales & Rentals- Alan McCarrick  

Grounds- Simon James.

Publicity- Elizabeth Schrock

Program- Sarah McGovern.

Friday, August 25th, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm  We will be having a plein air art event on the grounds of Brandywine Summit Camp Meeting.  Come with your art supplies to capture the beauty of God’s creation present at the camp meeting.  Lunch will be provided.  Please RSVP to Beth McCarrick 484-432-5527 so food can be planned.  It is our hope to use the artwork produced for a new BSCM Aux. Calendar for 2024

It is a Joy to greet all of you this much cooler Sunday morning.   We have had 2 evenings, both Firday and Saturday,  of wonderful praise thru excellent music and witness.   I don’t know how much time you spend praising the Lord.  It can be a lifestyle decision, but some of us  have begun that process.  Last night someone suggested ” it is Well With My Soul”  as our theme next year, after hearing the story behind the song and all it exceptional words.  Take time for Praise……!

Camp Meeting Week is a good time to Revive your Soul, Restore your Soul, Renew your Soul.   Are you ready to begin anew with your Saviour and Lord? 

The Corner Store will be open a half hour before and after all services 

Sunday morning at 11 A M the trio, Mercy’s Well will be with us and Richard Purchase will provide the message on our  theme, Isaiah 40.    We deliberately set the time so you can attend your own local church service and then join all of us.

Sunday evening at 7 P M we will begin a week of preaching, teaching and wonderful music.  

  The music  will be provided by pianist David Zipse and your voice, as we have an opportunity to sing the  old camp songs.  The preaching will be by Dennis Brice, who comes to us from Scotland and many other places and cultures.   This fall he will be in Portugal bring the Word.of the Lord.  

  The teaching will be every morning at 10 A M with Ethel Guy sharing from the Book of James, the Wisdom Literature of the New Testament. 

On Wednesday at 6:30 P M we will.met in the Kane Memorial Prayer Garden, led by Sarah McGovern.   Prayer is an essential part of our camp.  

  Our special guest that evening is Jim Hughes, a friend of the camp for many years.  He will share through music and drama, Seeking the Cross.  Please come and invite others to hear and see thus unusual presentation of the gospel.

On Friday we will transition into our closing weekend.  Friday night,  Dan Ziegler will bring the message at 7 P M.  Then he will provide the Saturday morning Bible Study at 10 A M.   Sunday worship at 11 A M will include Simon James with music and Dan preaching.

   Saturday night the Covered Dish Dinner will be at 5:30 P M.  Bring a ( full) dish to pass and share this fun time and maybe meet some new folk. 

Walk around, an old tradition in many Camp Meetings,  is Saturday night beginning at 7:30 P M.  ☆☆☆ Take note of the change in time.  Jean Watson, a Celtic violinist will share her talent but also her message of faith.  During the day  we all put candles out,  reminding all of us and our friends of the Light of Christ, how He lights our path and our responsibility to provide a light for others.

Luncheon on Sunday will follow the Worship Service,  in Biddle Hall and then around 1 P M  we will hold the 157th Annual Meeting which will review the  past year and elect 3 new Trustees.  All cottagers are expected to be here. 

Remember this is what we became cottagers for and also gives us opportunity to share our faith with those we love.  

See you at the Summit.

Betty