Director’s Update
Last updated 8/27/2026
2026 update
With our summer officially over, we’re looking forward to our Fall Festival this weekend. If you haven’t been before, we’d love to see you on Saturday, August 29th for a time of fellowship and fun. From homemade pie and ice cream, steak sandwiches, and a variety of activities, there’s something for everyone! You’ll have a chance to see old and new friends alike, some of the improvements around the campus, and the new dining hall construction. If ever there was a time to make it up the mountain, it’s this Saturday!
Spiritual Growth:
As of August 27th, we have welcomed just over 6,035 campers this season, with 305 accepting Christ for the first time, and another 383 who have recommitted to the faith they already claim. We are looking forward to the rest of the year and in seeing what God will continue to do here at camp!
Major Projects:
The New Dining Hall and Chapel project construction is still ongoing. The photo above was taken on 8/27/2026 and shows the internal mezzanine (2nd story) and stairs. This phase includes the main steel structure, the stairs, the concrete platform for those stairs, and the roof. We continue to raise funds towards each future phase. The current phase will conclude around October. As funding comes in, we will move to future phases to work towards the overall project completion, including completing the external walls and the internal build out. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we continue to move forward with this project.
Truck Sweepstakes
We are hosting our first-ever Truck Sweepstakes fundraiser. Between now and December 15th, campers, guests, friends, and volunteers of camp are all eligible to participate. To find out more visit www.tinyurl.com/hartlandtruck. We will be doing a drawing on 12/23/2026, just two days before Christmas, if you’d like the chance to surprise a loved one with a new truck! Using the link above, you’ll get the same opportunity as our campers this season with an extra 25% in entries. Be sure to participate before 12/15/2026 to participate.
Verses to Ponder:
Mark 16:15
“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
Hartland is unique in that people readily come here to camp to hear the Gospel. The call is still to share and preach the Gospel, and as just noted, it can come in many shapes and forms. As believers, we are ALL called to share the Good News. What ways will you share the Gospel this season? Will it be through direct conversations, will it be through ministry support? Strike up a conversation today and make the most out of every opportunity. If you’re not sure what to say, invite someone to church, or invite someone to camp, and just start having meaningful conversations. You would be surprised how easily it can come up in conversation, but only if you try.
The Gospel: You’ll note this section doesn’t change with the director letter updates, it’s that important!
If you do not know Christ as your personal Savior, I invite you to learn more by visiting our Gospel Page and getting plugged into a local church. While we love serving you here at Hartland, consistent discipleship happens at your local church (in your city/town) and it makes a huge difference in your walk when you are gathering regularly with other believers. For those continuing in their walks, we also have Bible Resources available to help spur on the study of God’s Word.
Prayer:
Please continue to pray for all those that minister here at Hartland, from the Hartland staff and volunteers to the visiting Pastors and leaders that boldly proclaim Christ’s Word to a world that desperately needs it.
In service to Christ and His Church,
Joshua Embry
Executive Director/Steward/Minister – Hartland Christian Camp
