Summer 2026: A Seat at the Table

As the summer season comes to a close, there is something special about taking a moment to slow down and reflect. The cabins may be quiet, the lake a little calmer, and the familiar sounds of campers and counselors have faded for another year. But when I look back on Summer 2026, I am reminded of just how much happened within these few short months. This summer, 209 camper sessions, 195 individual campers, and 135 households were part of the Camp Fellowship community. Behind each of those numbers is a story. A first camp experience. A new friendship. A brave moment away from home. A late-night conversation. A laugh around the table. A prayer shared with a counselor. A child discovering that they are loved by God and that there is a place for them here.

A Table of Grace

Our theme this summer was Table of Grace, and as the summer unfolded, I found myself seeing that theme everywhere. We talked about invitation, love, peace, hope, joy, and grace. But more importantly, we experienced those things together. The table became more than a theme. It became a picture of what Camp Fellowship is at its best: a place where people are invited in, where friendships are formed, where stories are shared, and where everyone has a place.

There were moments around dining hall tables, picnic tables, campfire circles, and tables covered in crafts and games. There were moments when campers gathered for worship and moments when a counselor simply sat beside a homesick camper and reminded them they were not alone. In all of those moments, we were reminded that grace often looks like simply making room for one another.

The People Behind the Summer

None of this would have been possible without our summer staff. This year, 11 summer staff members gave their time, energy, and hearts to Camp Fellowship. Six male staff members and five female staff members served together to create a place where campers could be welcomed, encouraged, challenged, and loved. Our staff were supported by two nurses who served alongside the team throughout the summer, helping care for the health and well-being of our campers. 

One of the things I find most meaningful about this year's staff is the Camp Fellowship legacy represented among them. Four staff members were once Camp Fellowship campers themselves. Four returning staff members continued their commitment to camp ministry. And two staff members are part of a second-generation Camp Fellowship legacy, following parents who previously served as counselors. There is something incredibly special about watching a camper grow up, return as a counselor, and eventually help create the same kind of memories and experiences for another child.It is a reminder that camp ministry doesn't always end when a camper goes home. Sometimes, it becomes part of who they are.

A Summer I Will Always Remember

For me personally, this summer carried a special meaning. I stepped into the Assistant Director role just a few weeks before staff training, which made for a very busy spring. There was a lot to learn, a lot to prepare, and a lot of unknowns. But through it all, God was faithful. Looking back now, I can see His presence in so many of the details. I saw it in our staff. I saw it in the campers who arrived nervous and left with new friends. I saw it in the families who trusted us with their children. I saw it in the volunteers, nurses, board members, and supporters who helped make camp possible. I saw it in the moments that didn't go according to plan but somehow became some of the most meaningful moments of the summer. And I saw it around the table.

Thank You for a Summer of Grace

Summer 2026 was made possible because so many people chose to believe in the ministry of Camp Fellowship. Thank you to the parents who entrusted us with your children. Thank you to the staff who gave so much of themselves. Thank you to our volunteers, nurses, board members, donors, churches, and supporters. And thank you to everyone who prayed for Camp Fellowship throughout the summer. Most of all, thank you to our campers. Thank you for filling camp with laughter, questions, creativity, energy, and joy. Thank you for reminding us why this place matters.

As we close the chapter on Summer 2026, I am leaving this season with a grateful heart. The summer may be over, but the stories continue. The friendships continue. The faith that was nurtured continues. And the table remains. There will always be another child who needs a place to belong, another story waiting to be told, another friendship waiting to begin, and another seat waiting to be filled.

Thank you for pulling up a chair and joining us at the Table of Grace.

— Gracen Price
Assistant Director, Camp Fellowship