2012 Summer Camp Schedule Now Available

Happy 2012 everyone! 2011 was a great year and we're very much looking forward to an even better 2012. We are now accepting registration for summer camps. To access the schedule and the forms visit our website. We looking forward to seeing you this summer!

LABOR DAY FAMILY WEEKEND

September 4-6, 2009
Come for a weekend of family fun, worship, and teaching. Learn how to strengthen your family and build a healthy marriage. Financial and estate-planning workshops available. Come for the day; come for the weekend!

Family fun for all ages; games, swimming, crafts, inflatables, and great teaching. What better way to spend the weekend.

To learn more visit us on Facebook or our Web page.

Ladies Fall Retreat

Our church, Vineyard Eastgate Community Church in Cincinnati, just had our third annual women's retreat at Camp Kirkwood, on October 10-12, 2008, and it was an awesome experience yet again!  The ladies at our church just love the peace and natural beauty of Kirkwood, and always come away feeling refreshed in body and spirit.  Tim and Judy Swicegood, the site managers of Kirkwood, always make us feel loved and taken care of.  They feed us more than well, too--the food is so yummy!   

What's not to love?  We get to spend time with God, soak up all the beauty of the nature around us, and also have wonderful fellowship with each other!  When the program is over on Saturday afternoon, it's time to have some fun.  We can hike around the trails on the property; canoe on the lake; have a totally crazy hayride by Sam Taylor; a bonfire, complete with s'mores and stories, in the evening; and karaoke into the wee hours of the morning.   

Pass It On Ministries (POM), the ministry group that has given our retreat program for the past three years, always love coming up to Kirkwood, too.  Several of the POM ladies mentioned to me that they look forward to coming to Kirkwood every fall; they feel like they're going away to camp!  I would recommend Camp Kirkwood to any group who is looking for a place for their youth to go to camp or an adult weekend retreat:  it's such a beautiful, peaceful place to be, and I really feel the presence of God every time I'm here. 

Benefit Auction & Open House

We are so excited to host the first annual Benefit Auction and Open House. This special fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, November 8th from noon until 7pm. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, musical entertainment, and a live auction & raffle. If you would like to make a donation or would like more information, please call Tim at 937-382-3535. The event is open to the public so bring your friends, family, and church members.

Jr High Retreat

Okay so I am about two weeks late in writing this post but better late than never I guess. The first part of November we had the Miami Baptist Association Junior High Retreat at Kirkwood and we just had a blast. Mac Hillabush was our speaker for the weekend and he challenged us to change our world upside down for Christ. We were challenged about joining God's army and whether or not our youth groups look more like an army or a social club. The youth praise band from St. Clair Ave Baptist Church led us in worship the weekend and it was just tremendous. It was great to see about 60-65 middle schoolers and adults worshipping the Lord. If you have never seen it I encourage you to take advantage of such a great opportunity. Please feel free to add your favorite memory and remember to make time for silence so we can listen to what God is telling us.

Jeremy Spence
Jr High Miami Baptist Association Retreat Director

Sr High Retreat

What a weekend we just had!! There were over 95 of us that met together for a time of worship, hearing the Word of God, playing games, and just getting to know each other. Adam Metzger was a powerful speaker and much thanks to St Clair Ave Baptist Church for providing some tremendous times before the throne of God in worship. I am sure we will not, or at least I pray not, forget what took place this past weekend and the ways we have experienced God. Please remember the commitments you made at the different stations from Saturday night and the video from Sunday morning. To watch the video again please go to www.hagnos.com or search for "Lifehouse Skit: Mission" on www.youtube.com and I am sure you will be able to find it. If not please let me know. If you want please add comments with your favorite memory from Sr High Retreat. Also keep asking yourself: What are you willing to surrender? Surrending it all for Jesus.

Jeremy Spence
Sr High Miami Baptist Association Retreat Director.

Sanctuary

I can honestly say that Camp Kirkwood happens to be my favorite place on this earth. My family has been going to Camp Kirkwood for over 30 years. Over all it hasn't changed much....It doesn't need to. You can't improve upon God's creation. Oh, there have been some needed man-made improvements as time passed. Such as new air conditioned cabins, lodge renovations, improved kitchen facilities, etc., and hopefully more to come,...but the same beautiful surroundings, the same beautiful sanctuary, the lake, the creek, the trails, the wildlife such as the deer, raccoons, squirrels, and birds, are still there for generations yet to come, to discover. It is still the same place year after year, for friends and families to bond even closer. To build memories and enjoy God's bountiful nature as they camp in the RV section and go exploring the woods.
We first discovered Camp Kirkwood through our late beloved church pastor recommending that we send our children there for camp one summer long ago. They went and loved it. They enjoyed the various activities, such as swimming, canoeing, fishing, hiking, volley ball, archery. They introduced many friends to the camp over the years and now they are sending their own children there as well. It is an ideal place for children along with their peer groups, to learn to know Christ on a more personal level. They have always looked forward to going every summer and have enjoyed many sing a longs and testimonies around the camp fire as do our grandchildren. Now, our grandchildren are introducing their friends to Christ through Camp Kirkwood. I cannot recommend it highly enough.