Hey friends,
As the year winds down, we’ve been thinking about all the moments that made this year what it was.
Not the polished highlights.
Not the spreadsheets.
Not the numbers.
Just the stuff that stuck.
So here it is — not ranked because some are “better” than others, but because lists are easier when they count down.
Here are ten moments from this year that mattered to us.
10. Running our First Amplify Retreat
We got to try something new this year — and honestly, it felt like exactly what we were made to do. Running our first-ever Amplify Retreat for high school youth groups gave us a chance to come alongside youth leaders and say, “You don’t have to hold it all together this weekend.” They got to just show up, be present with their students, and breathe a little. Watching the church work together like that? Pretty special. And yeah… we’re excited to see where Amplify goes from here.
9. Welcoming Bill, Mike, and Cale
We added some really good people to the Lakeview team this year – Bill, Mike, and Cale. Bill Finke (Director of Capital Development) is helping make all our capital campaign projects happen. Mike Vandercar (Alpine Village Project Director) is helping to complete the Alpine Village Project. And Cale Buelow (Facilities Assistant) is serving as an extra set of hands to get things done. Each of them brings something different to the table, but all three are reminders that ministry happens because of people. That includes you! Your support through our capital campaign is helping to bring important work to life. Thank you!
8. Resurfacing Tennis Courts & Paving the Villages (Finally!)
Some things take years. These were two of them. Resurfaced tennis courts. Paved Village roads. Long hoped for. Long planned. And now? Kids are playing pickleball, dodgeball, pillow polo — all the good stuff — on surfaces that don’t fight back. It’s amazing how much joy comes from projects like these once they’re done. Thank you to the people that made these projects possible – it was only because of support (in donations, volunteering, time, and prayer) that they happened this year.
7. Remembering Bob
This year, we said goodbye to Bob, a longtime and cherished member of the Lakeview family. While we grieved his passing, we also experienced the joy of giving thanks for his presence here at camp and the joy he brought campers year over year.
We’re looking for another llama for camp! If you know a possible connection to help us achieve that goal, please reach out and let us know!
6. Quiet Progress at Lakeview Springs
Not everything exciting is flashy. At Lakeview Springs, a lot of important things kept moving forward behind the scenes — the lodge getting closer to completion, roads and parking taking shape. It’s the kind of work you don’t always notice right away, but one day it means more people get to rest, gather, and be renewed. We are excited for the next step in the process: building a family RV park to begin welcoming people to spend time in God’s creation at the Springs!
5. A New ECT Time Tradition
What started as a 60th anniversary idea kind of turned into something we don’t want to let go of. Experience Camp Together time gave families a chance to come early, worship together, eat together, and play together. Parents. Grandparents. Kids. All in the same space. We’re planning on continuing this time for Summer 2026 and are already dreaming about how to make it even better for families and campers — maybe even equipping families with tools and resources for continuing faith growth at home.
4. Welcoming Our First Campers to Alpine Village
Seeing campers stay in Alpine Village for the very first time this past summer was one of those moments where you just stop and smile. Years of dreaming. Years of planning. And suddenly kids are sleeping there, laughing there, living there. We can’t wait for this next summer where Alpine Village will be filled with campers all summer long!
3. A Surprise Opportunity with Lilly Endowment
This year brought a remarkable opportunity through Lilly Endowment Inc. when they announced in May a major grant opportunity for capital developments for youth camps in Indiana. opening doors to significant grant funding for camps throughout Indiana. Arriving alongside our capital campaign, this was truly an example of God’s perfect timing—accelerating our plans and opening possibilities beyond what we had ever imagined!
2. Launching the “For Generations to Come” Capital Campaign
We officially stepped into our For Generations to Come capital campaign this year. It’s a season full of prayer, dreaming, planning, and trusting. We’re moving carefully, listening closely, and asking God to guide every step — because ultimately our mission as a ministry is to be faithful to His call and wise stewards of all that He has entrusted to us. Thank you to everyone who has supported the “For Generations to Come” campaign so far. We have raised 4.5 million dollars of our 7 million dollar goal. If you would like to give a year-end gift, you can do so by going to lakeview.camp/give!
1. Changed Lives (This Is the Whole Point)
God continues to work and move through the people and the experiences at camp. All the good that has been accomplished this year is only through His grace and the love that Jesus showers on us. At the end of the day, this is what matters most.
-A college staffer changing his major to ministry after a summer at camp.
-Former staff coming back to participate and donate at the Dinner Auction, becoming part of the next generation supporting camp.
-A mom returning to Family Camp after years away, bringing her daughter and simply saying, “I’m back.”
These stories — the quiet ones, the unexpected ones — tell the Lakeview story better than any report ever could.
We’re deeply grateful for the way God showed up this year.
For the people.
For the moments.
For what’s still unfolding.
Thanks for being part of it with us.