Series 8 - Camps with Meaning

At its 1948 sessions Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba gave Ältester Wilhelm Enns the moral support to organize a society that would facilitate the purchase of Sunnyside Beach, a 150-acre lot along the Assiniboine River near Headingly, Manitoba. A society was organized on May 21, 1948 and three days later took possession of the Beach which Enns named Mennonite Youth and Sunday School Park.

By the summer of 1949 the park had been renamed Assiniboine Mennonite Mission Camp (AMMC) and was used for retreats, camps, school festivities, and concerts. Financial support came from camper fees, church member fees, offerings raised at concerts, special offerings in congregations, contributions from individuals, women's groups and youth groups.

In 1956 a commission made recommendations to the Manitoba Conference to further develop the camp. It also suggested planning for a minimum of two additional camps, one in the western and one in the eastern part of the province. In April 1957 Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba took over responsibility of the Assiniboine Mennonite Mission Camp with a committee made up of Frank K. Isaac, A.A. Teichroeb, Ernest Wiebe, William Loewen and Menno Klassen.

A site along Moose Lake appealed to a number of business people from the Gretna-Altona-Plum Coulee area. They formed the Moose Lake Fellowship and bought 37 lots along the shore. The Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba was reluctant to build another camp, but voted in favour of the idea at it's sessions in 1957. Initially the Moose Lake Fellowship took full responsibility under the leadership of Menno Klassen of Gretna who was also on the camp committee. They invested time, labour and money. The Conference support was inconsistent.

In 1964 the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba approved the beginning of a 'second' camp at Max Lake and also took administrative responsibility for Moose Lake as a 'third' camp. Camp Koinonia, on Lake Max, was dedicated on Jun 20, 1971.
In 1968 the names of the camps changed from AMMC to Camp Assiniboia, from Camp Max Lake to Camp Koinonia and from Moose Lake Mennonite Camp to Camp Moose Lake. A revised and more independent Camp Committee structure freed the Education Committee in 1969 and in 1970 CMM approved the hiring of a full-time, year-round camp director.

The responsibility of all three camps and the option of a fourth continued to cause conflict and tension among the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba members. Regional committees worked in cooperation with the Development Committee and contributed to the efficient functioning, maintenance and a sense of camp ownership.
Camp Assiniboia offered horsemanship, ropes course and trampoline activity. Camp Koinonia emphasized intentional wilderness camps, mountain biking and sport climbing. Camp Moose Lake emphasized family programs. Archery, nature and swimming activities were part of all camps. The major feature uniting all camps was a Bible program.

Henry Enns director of Disabled People's International and member of the Camp Committee helped integrate disabled people into the regular camp programs. Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba also committed to remove all attitudinal, architectural and employments barriers. These efforts resulted in the operation of numerous Canadian Association of Community Living camps every summer.
By the late 1970s the camps went from an entirely voluntary staff to salaried staff, and in 1977 counselors were remunerated by their congregations.

As the years went by camp philosophy shifted away from an effort to convert each child to, instead, nurture and invite to faith, role modeling the Holy Spirit's working and prayer. Stories and symbols were considered important components in the invitation to follow Christ.

Full time executive directors for the camping ministry were:
-1976-1985 Terry Burkhalter
-1986-1987 Monica Wiebe
-1989-1991 Cliff Derksen
-1991- Bob Wiebe

In 1948 a group of Mennonites formed the Assiniboine Mennonite Mission Camp Society (AMMC) which purchased the Sunnyside Beach near Headingley, Manitoba on the Assiniboine River. Over the next decade the camping program developed, with the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba (CMM), increasingly assuming ownership of the program. In the late 1950s some church members purchased lots and cottages at Moose Lake, and making these available for campers. In 1964 the CMM approved the beginning of a "second" camp at Lake Max, based on the investigation of the Youth and Education committee and the Whitewater Mennonite Church (Boissevain), and CMM approved taking on the responsibility of Moose Lake as a "third" camp. In 1968 the name of the AMMC camp changed to Camp Assiniboia. The other two camps became known as Camp Moose Lake and Camp Koinonia.

-in 1964 the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba approved the beginning of a 'second' camp at Lake Max; the camp began programming in 1966.
-in 1971 the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba took administrative responsibility for the Moose Lake Mennonite camp; the name changed to Camp Koinonia.

A number of business people from the Gretna-Altona-Plum Coulee area, who had purchased lots along the shore of Moose Lake, formed the Moose Lake Fellowship. The Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba was reluctant to build another camp but voted in favour of the idea at it's sessions in 1957. Initially the Moose Lake Fellowship took full responsibility under the leadership of Menno Klassen of Gretna who was also on the Conference camp committee. The Conference took administrative responsibility for Moose Lake in 1964.
The camp was sold in 2017 to Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine.