Camp Emmaus
Mount Morris, IL
Camp Emmaus is an outdoor ministry of the Illinois/Wisconsin District of the Church of the Brethren since 1948.
Nestled on nearly 100 acres of rolling woodland in the Rock River Valley, we invite you to connect with creation, experience God, and ignite your faith.
Camp Emmaus has decided to do a trial run this summer for Elementary Camp (August 3-4) by including children who have just completed kindergarten that parents feel are ready to do an overnight with a parent/guardian. So Elementary Camp now includes campers who have completed K-2 Grades.
Hi Campers!
It’s hard to believe but Summer 2024 is coming soon!
I’m excited to welcome you all to Camp Emmaus for another epic summer of fun, fellowship, and faith-filled adventures.
This summer’s camp theme is Linked by Love, and you will explore how you experience God’s love and the ways God’s love is linked by your relationships to your families, friends, and faith communities.
We’ve got some new things in store for you this summer as well as all your traditional camp adventures like connecting with God’s creation, swimming, hiking, team building, Bible studies, games, and a whole lot more. I hope to see you here and meet many of you as we celebrate the new thing God is doing in the ministry at Camp Emmaus. Reserve your spot today!See you soon! Randall Westfall, Camp Manager
(Click the image to get the PDF version of the brocure.)
For over 75 years, Camp Emmaus has created experiences that have enabled young people to deepen their faith in Jesus Christ and his message of love, grace, peace, and reconciliation. We are also deeply aware of a need for biblical stewardship of God’s creation as a response to our discipleship and faith.
Our natural setting, of nearly 100 acres of rolling woodland forests, and natural prairie savannas connects summer campers to God’s Story written in the landscape and the stars. Camp Emmaus is an outdoor and outreach ministry of the Illinois/Wisconsin District Church of the Brethren.
May 24-27
Memorial Day Family Camp Intermediate Camp (grades 3-5) Young Adult and Young at Heart Camp (YAAYAH) Senior High Camp (grades 9-12) Middle School Camp (grades 6-8) CIT Elementary Camp (grades 1-2) Women's Camp Men's Camp Labor Day Family Camp Check the schedule page for more details.
We were created for deep connection. Yet the way we live our lives today leaves us feeling more disconnected. Jesus’ primary classroom was in an outdoor setting (51 percent or more of those we can infer from scripture). Jesus models authentic outdoor experiential learning for his disciples, and the setting in which they learned and grew in their faiths played an important role in how they continued Jesus’ ministry.
What makes outdoor ministry so unique is that it relegates the distracted, busy, mindlessness we bring with us to camp or retreats by tapping into Jesus’ rhythm of retreat. And when we look to the Gospels, we (re)discover that Jesus’ rhythm is grounded in the rhythm of creation. And creation reflects the glory of God’s presence.
That is a primary task of outdoor ministry: to help others tap into the glory of God’s presence by connecting with creation and reflecting that glory as disciples of Christ. When we reflect the glory of God, we then reconnect ourselves to the very things that we often feel disconnected from: creation, community, and Creator. It’s a cyclical blueprint that is at the heart of our relationships.
The setting in which we tell our story and God’s story is important. In fact, I would say that in today’s ministry settings the natural world has become a primary gateway for spiritual formation. And that will only increase for future generations. The power of one place can forever impact the many places we carry the good news of God’s love. May we at Emmaus remember that we are called to reflect the glory of God’s presence.
Respectfully in Christ,
Randall Westfall
- Camp is a great place to get away with your family, friends, church group, or organization! Schedule a retreat at camp in the retreat lodge or log cabin; call 815- 734-4268 for availability.
- New items are available in the camp store this summer, including water bottles and new shirt designs! Check it out when you visit camp this summer and add to your Emmaus collection.
- Escape to Emmaus events held in recent months included Flintknapping/Arrowheads in April, Birding in May, and Target Sports in June. Watch for future events!
- Camp manager Randall Westfall visited Polo, Dutchtown (Milledgeville), Highland Avenue (Elgin), and York Center (Lombard) this spring.
Camp Emmaus will be ready for all manner of safe and inviting activities across meadows, trails, and poolside due to the purchase of a new tractor and pool equipment maintenance.
The new tractor is a Case IH DX33 Loader, and camp received a great trade-in for the old Massey! Longtime volunteer Doug Firebaugh (pictured) and Tim Smith helped research and locate the new tractor. The total for these expenses is $29,000—of which $5,500 has already been generously donated toward the cost of the tractor. We are grateful for the individuals who consistently give their time, talents, and resources to further the mission of Camp Emmaus. Please consider donating to help cover the remaining $23,500. You can mail a check (designate in memo) to the PO Box or make a donation online (email Dev.Chair.CampEmmaus@gmail.com with your designation).
As the camping season approaches, this new tractor will allow all ages to encounter Christ and creation in a well-maintained space, and the pool updates will ensure access to clean, refreshing fun for years to come!
FYI for those sending mail to camp going forward.
Please do NOT mail anything to camp using both the PO Box and the camp physical address anymore. Example of what NOT to do:Camp Emmaus
PO Box 128
3011 W. Camp Rd.
Mt. Morris IL 61054The reason is that camp now has a mailbox on site that is for the Westfall's personal mail and that creates confusion between the Oregon and the Mount Morris post offices when done as such and it actually delays the mail by a week or so as 3011 W. Camp Rd. is not a Mt. Morris address.
So going forward anything that is business related to Camp Emmaus please send to:PO Box 128
Mt. Morris, IL 61054And anything that is for the Westfall's (or UPS/FedEx deliveries) please send to:
3011 W. Camp Rd.
Oregon IL 61061Hopefully this will resolve the issue and we'll see mail get to camp much quicker as a result. Thanks!
A gift of any size to Camp Emmaus can make a big difference! In addition to its regular annual fund, the camp is also building a new endowment to secure camp’s ministries for the future.
Give online at: https://campemmaus.churchcenter.com/giving, or contact treasurer Dan Radcliff at Dev.Chair.CampEmmaus@gmail.com.
Sara Garner, Board Chair Patrick Benassi, Vice Chair Dan Radcliff, Treasurer Elizabeth Patterson, Secretary Amanda Burch, Program Chair
Elizabeth Patterson
Callie SurberMichelle Bowman, Property Chair
Gary Baisden
Mike SondgerothShannon McNeil Smith, Development Chair
Patrick Benassi
Dan RadcliffMichelle Firebaugh (ex officio) financial secretary
Austin Weaver (ex officio) recording secretary
Randall Westfall (ex officio) camp manager
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Camp Emmaus
send mail to:
P.O. Box 128
Mt. Morris, IL 61054
ship UPS to:
3011 W. Camp Rd.
Oregon, Illinois 61061
To make a reservation or ask the Camp Managers a question please call 1-815-734-4268;
for summer camp related questions please contact manager.campemmaus@gmail.com
