Living Water Ministries’ summer staff think of themselves as community builders, leadership developers, faith formers, servant leaders, and world changers. While a huge part of their job is to care for the emotional, physical, and spiritual safety of your child, they are also responsible for helping your child learn and grow in a nurturing environment.
Our summer staff undergo an intensive two week training period prior to the arrival of campers. During that time, they learn how to build community in their cabin groups, and nurture your child as they grow in faith. It’s also during this training period that staff undergo background checks, drug screenings, CPR/first aid training, boundaries training, behavior management training, anti-racism training and more. It’s not only our goal to keep your child safe, but to also equip and empower the children in our care as members of a Christian community and as citizens of the world.
Preparing Your Child for Success
Homesickness-Prevention
An informative tool on homesickness to review prior to sending your child to camp. Homesickness is a natural part of growing up and into an independent and self-confident person. Our staff know to expect this and are trained to walk campers through homesickness into an amazing week at camp.Download Homesickness-Prevention Strategies
Emailing Your Camper
Emailing your camper at Stony Lake is easy! Please be sure to include your camper’s full name in the subject line of your email.
Emails will be printed daily and screened by Living Water Ministries staff. We will make every effort to get emails to your camper in a timely manner.
Packing List
Download the Packing List for Stony Lake
When packing please note that
- Personal pets are not permitted at camp
- We reserve the right to limit access and use of any personal sporting equipment brought to camp
- Electronic devices of any kind, unless medically necessary, are not allowed at camp and will be confiscated for the week of camp and returned at check-out. Living Water Ministries is not responsible for any electronic devices brought to camp.
Notification of Injury or Illness
Parents or Guardians will be promptly notified by the Health Officer in case of serious injury or of an illness that affects the camper’s participation in camp activities for more than one day.
Technology at Camp
A big part of the camp experience is its separateness from the rest of your child’s life. A week at camp is a chance to discover our gifts, grow in faith, and be part of a new community. The communities we form at camp give us the chance to connect to others outside of the social pressures of the rest of our lives and form relationships based on God’s love. This is how lifelong relationships are formed, the bonds of which are stronger than most any that your child is likely to form at church or school.
Sending a cell phone, iPod, or game system with your child can short-circuit their camp experience. Please do not send these devices with your child. Having one of these things means they are still connected to the rest of their lives in a way that will prevent them from being fully present with their fellow campers. While everyone else is growing together in Christian love, the camper with a cell phone is thinking about how to keep their Snap Chat streaks going. At camp, these pieces of technology are an anchor that will hold your child back from experiencing all that a week at Stony Lake has to offer.
Many parents/guardians don’t want to let their children be out of contact for a week. Rest assured that you can always contact our office to check on your child’s status or to send them email messages which we will print and deliver to them on your behalf.
Camper Drop off and Pick up
Camper check-in runs from 3:00-5:30 pm the first day of camp. All programs except First Timers end Friday at 3:00 pm with a closing worship that begins at 2:00 pm. First Timers ends Wednesday at 2:00 pm with a closing worship at 1:00 pm. Parents and guardians are invited to arrive at camp to participate in closing worship. Click here for directions to Stony Lake
Camp Activity Highlights
Crate Stacking
This activity sounds simple but becomes a great challenge! Campers, in a climbing harness and on belay, build and climb a stack of milk crates. Cheered on by their peers campers may make it as high as 20 crates before the stack looses balance and the camper is safely lowered to the ground by trained and certified camp staff. This is a great activity and all camp programs are eligible for participation, the only requirement is a proper fit in the safety equipment.
Service Projects
Campers at Stony Lake are provided an optional afternoon activity to put their faith into action with service projects in our local community. Sample service projects have included visits to nursing homes, helping out at a local food pantry, and serving at local soup kitchens and non-profits. Campers are transported to service sites via school bus.
Lewis’ Petting Farm
Elementary campers will experience Lewis’ Petting Farm just down the road from camp! Campers will be given money out of their camp store account to take to Lewis’ to buy food for the animals or a special treat for themselves.
High Ropes at Stony Lake
Stony Lake has a 7 element high ropes course, including a zip-line. Our high ropes course is approximately 35 feet from the ground. Campers challenge themselves individually on each element while wearing required safety gear and remaining on belay. Trained and certified Stony Lake staff keep a very close and watchful eye to provide emergency “take down” procedures in the event of a frightened camper. 6-15 campers participate in this experience at a time for approximately 1-2 hours. Only campers enrolled in our junior high (grades 6-8) and senior high (grades 8-12) programs are eligible to participate in high ropes.
Lake Michigan Beach Trip
All Stony Lake campers visit a Lake Michigan beach for a 2-3 hour period of time for an experience playing in the sand, swimming, and games. This trip occurs during afternoon programming time. Campers are transported via school bus to where they the beauty of summer at the beach. Swimming is monitored by trained and certified lifeguards and aquatic observers from the Stony Lake staff.
Program Outcomes
Our programs are crafted so that every camper is offered the chance to accomplish the following:
- Campers will name a time they gave or received God’s love (forgiveness, acceptance, patience) during the week of camp.
- Campers will name a time when they served others during the week of camp.
- Campers will name a time when they helped to lead others during the week of camp.
- Campers will name a time when they felt nurtured by or connected to others during the week of camp.