All posts by Don Peek

Out of the Box Camping

Introducing our new Summer 2020 Program

Summer 2020 – The Year Camp Came to you!
Join in on the fun of “Camping: Out of the Box”

Want to engage with your kids and connect with God this summer? Join in the fun! We are offering 6 weeks of individualized programming for different age groups.

Your Box Purchase Includes:

  • At least 10 activities per week including materials – each week is unique, and theme based!
  • Twice weekly “sing along” Campfires
  • Daily social media challenges
  • Additional devotionals and activity ideas for those who want more to do!
  • Automatic inclusion in daily chapels and the Friday “Family Fun” Campfire!
  • Familiar faces in near and distant places! Our camping veterans will see lots of old friends! Our new friends will meet many new friendly faces!
  • We will be visiting Pathfinder and Vick during our 6-week experience!

Learn and grow along with us with many hands on, interactive adventures as we all camp out of the box together!


Prices and Options:

$40 per week or $220 for all 6 boxes! A limited edition 2020 Camp Shirt with your choice of a tie dye kit or fabric markers can be added or purchased separately for $22.50.


Scholarships available for those in need.


Want to support this vital ministry during this unprecedented time? You can:

Sponsor a box or boxes to send to a child in need of support
Make a minimum donation of $25 and receive a handmade candle and magnet as our thanks and reminder to pray for camp!

Register Your Camp in the Box Program

Visit our Registration Page and find our downloadable order form or our online store.

A Message from the Board of Directors

For past 3 months the Board of Directors has been meeting every week. We have explored  a number of innovative ways to re-imagine the camping program during this pandemic. Due to many factors, including a mandate from the state of New York, we will not be able to have a traditional overnight camp this year. However thanks to our amazing staff, we are excited to introduce a new way to experience camp from home for Summer 2020. Very soon our staff and board will be sharing content on our social media channels explaining how you can be part of this year’s program. We look forward to seeing you in person in 2021 when we return to our overnight camping program.

A Message from the Board of Directors.

Dear Friends and Supporters of Vick Pathfinder Ministries,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  As we are in the midst of the Lenten and soon Easter season, I want to thank you all for your continued prayerful and financial support of this ministry that is so dear to all of us.  We have some exciting news to share with you. We have called a new CEO Amanda Simons and she has accepted. Mandy has an extensive background in camping and in various other ministries.  She is gifted and brings many strengths and abilities to our organization. We are blessed to have her continuing the good work that was started by our departing CEO Rev. Dr. John Buskey. Keep an eye on this web page and on our social media channels for a more extensive biography for Mandy.

Like most people, the Board of Directors of VPCC Ministries are also keeping an eye on the quickly developing and fast changing impact of COVID-19, the Novel Coronavirus.  We have made no definite decisions yet in regard to the camp schedules for the summer of 2020. It is our sincerest hope that we will be able to run a full schedule with all of our programs.  We are watching the seemingly daily changing reports of an all clear date with the hope that we can solidify our plans and begin to prepare for a wonderful summer of Christian Camping. Please keep an eye on our webpage and social channels for any updates which we will report to you as soon as we are able.  We hope you will continue to pray for and financially support this vitally important ministry.

On behalf of the VPCC Board of Directors and with the ever present hope of Christ,

Rev. Dr.  David J. Spiegel, Sr.

(Board Chair)

VPCC Summer 2020

Come and meet the I AM – The God who is and learn about the connection and awesome relationship God wants with you this summer
at Camp Vick and Pathfinder Lodge!

For more information,
use the links in the menu at the top!

SEE YOU AT CAMP!

Welcome to Vick and Pathfinder Camp and Conference Ministries

We are looking for Children, Teens and Adults who want to have fun, be challenged, to grow, and who want to be transformed by the power and presence of God!  We have several opportunities to introduce you to Jesus in fresh ways, to allow you to grow spiritually and to equip you to minister to your world.

Come and join us!

                        Our 2020 theme is I AM!                                 Come and get to know the God who is!

Come find out what it means to stand firm and live a life that glorifies God.  Be equipped to face the challenges of today.

Giving Tuesday

On this “giving Tuesday, ” I am thinking about fishing. I remember fishing as a child. There were places we would go that seemed loaded with perch or bull-heads. Those were fun trips. Then, there were days when nothing seemed to bite. Looking back I realized it wasn’t about the fish biting or not, it was about the relationship and time spent with my family and friends. It’s like that when it comes to funding this ministry. The money is important BUT the real treasure is in the relationships forged between the people at camp and the one with Christ. While admittedly it’s more exciting to be making the catch, I will never sacrifice the presence of the relationships built.
It is important to finance the ministry so we can continue to help others build relationships face to face.  We also build relationships with Christ so we can grow in our faith.

What Do you do at camp in December?

During this time of year, we spend time giving thanks, eating with friends and family, spending money on sales… And giving to support the ministries that matter to us.

In several conversations recently, there have been two common questions.  What do you do with yourself this time of year?  What expenses does your ministry have now, I thought all of your expenses happened in the summer?  Internally I smile at both of these.  I recognize that every ministry looks glorious and easy from the outside.  The true cost of doing ministry is often hidden to all but the insiders.

October through January are busy seasons in camping getting ready for the next season.  We’ve closed down the facilities, started writing Bible Studies, spent time evaluating what we can improve on, paid many visits, began the hiring process, reconciled the books, we are setting up the schedule, producing a brochure, running leadership seminars, crunching all the attendance numbers and looking at bills coming in for the summer’s groceries, insurance, payroll, maintenance and utilities.  Last, I spend time trying to fund the ministry.  Between now and the end of the year we need to raise $65,000 to finish our fiscal year.  Normally we raise $45,000 in the end of the year giving.  This figure sounds daunting for a small ministry, but we have long since left the arena of small ministries!  Especially when I look at our impact.

I was speaking with some pastors a few weeks ago, they were relaying stories of children and teens whose lives had been changed.  One was telling me of a young teenager who had been in and out of trouble. Since returning from camp, he is a different boy.  “He walks to church early, helps with the sound, never misses Sunday School, he cannot wait to be here.  His father is amazed at the change in his life.” This story repeats itself with another pastor, in almost the exact same words.  I ran into several teenagers at the ABY convention, it thrilled my heart to have them run up to me and tell me of the amazing things God is doing in their lives since they committed to follow over the summer.   I spoke with staff, and have them posting on our facebook page:

<em>“Camp changed me by reading the bible every day for a summer and being around other people to discuss it in a place focused on just that is incredibly refreshing when you go out into the real world… It’s good to know places like Camp Vick exist… Whenever I read my bible now I am much more comfortable in discussing it with people of all walks of life because of camp… One cannot be in an environment like this all the time but I think we all have been equipped and have learned how to bring an environment like this to other people wherever we are… I am truly appreciative to the people who have provided me with the opportunity to work at camp and hope that others for many years to come will benefit from this as well. Philippians 2 has stood out to me a lot of late if anyone is looking for a good passage to read.” </em>

<em>AND “It feels so weird to be packing up and leaving camp — I couldn’t have asked for anything different… to think that when I was offered the job I was not even going to take it. The thought was do I really want to give up my whole summer? This place is more than just a job, yes there are duties that must be done– but it is a ministry– and everything we do here is a reflection of our Creator! We have an opportunity to impact everyone who steps foot on this camp with the love of God- we have an opportunity to plant a seed into someone’s life– sometimes we are blessed to watch that seed grow year after year, I’m excited for what God has in store for Vick and Pathfinder Camp and Conference Ministries. He is truly doing something great here and I feel like everyone should be a part of it!!! </em>

These are the stories that keep me going in the fall and winter.  These are glimpses into the reason I take pure joy in the trials of the ministry.  These are the people whose stories are multiplied, for each person who we have an opportunity to minister to.  These are the faces of the people who give me enough courage to ask for people to give financially so we can continue to minister.  It is expensive.  Insurance alone is $42,000 just to be open, payroll for staffing is $170,000.  These are not as glamorous as scholarships for the children and teens who we never turn away, or supporting a specific project so the infrastructure can be there for years to come, but they are a costly necessity.

Would you consider an end of the year gift to Vick and Pathfinder Camp and Conference Ministries?  Would you help support the child who desperately needs to know about God’s love and care in his/her life.  Would you enable us to help a child disconnect from the virtual world, and connect to the reality of a relationship with an incredible loving Creator?  You can donate in honor or memory of a loved one, we will acknowledge it on your behalf!

Please consider making a donation today. You can do so at:    http://vpccministries.org/donate/capitol-campain/

Your fellow laborer,

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John R. Buskey