Director’s Update

Last updated 7/04/2025

2025 Updates

The little things matter. We’re taking time to touch up paint around camp and create new breakout areas for the churches we serve. This spring, our Food Service department was able to paint the insides of all cabins, Robin’s Nest, and Eagle’s Perch so our campers could enjoy a refreshed space. As the weather has started warming up, we’re touching up hand rails, the bridge, and some external buildings between serving our campers. We hope you notice the difference when you’re here for a visit and will continue to focus on both the large and small projects around our campus.

Major Projects:

The New Dining Hall and Chapel project is still underway. We’ve delayed some of our forestry projects a few weeks to ensure we have the building area free from debris and tree roots so that grading can happen in mid-July. This 2-3 week process should be complete in early August and we also hope to install the septic/holding tank in the build site in August as well. If the weather holds well this winter, we should be on track for building completion by late April or early May 2026, prior to our 2026 summer season.

We are still raising funds for the upstairs chapel portion of the new dining hall, which we’re working hard to complete all in one phase. If needed, we can finish out the chapel in a second phase while still including it’s skeleton within the main building structure. The main dining hall/kitchen portion will be completed with existing funds. A year-round chapel that can hold 400-500 campers is a real need here at camp and would allow us to serve and share the Gospel with up to an additional 100,000 campers over the next 20-25 years.

You can donate towards this project by texting the word “Give” to 559-258-1701, mailing in a check, donating online, or giving us a call at 559-337-2349 Monday through Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm.

Verses to Ponder:

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ…” Colossians 4:2-3

Summer is by far the busiest time for youth camps here at Hartland. Please be in prayer each week as we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with each and every camper this season. It is God who changes hearts, and we pray that God will work on camper’s hearts even before they arrive and long after they depart. Pray that we will be effective ministers of His Gospel and that we make the most of every opportunity this summer in sharing Him.

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