Hi! My name is David Jackson and for me Camp Saugatuck has been a part of my family’s heritage of faith almost since it was opened in 1899. I am 45 years old and I have very fond memories of attending camp when I was just a kid. I loved the chance to commune with nature and I loved the opportunity to worship God in the setting of His wonderful creation.
As I grew older I began to appreciate the stories my dad told me of how he too had gone to Camp Saugatuck as a kid. He is now 79 years old. He also shared with me that his mom went to Camp Saugatuck when she was a kid. Now it is my pleasure to share this special place not only with my wife but with my sister-in-law and her daughter. Camp Saugatuck is truly a unique place where we as Christians can go and fellowship and simply have fun together in the setting of God’s amazing creation. It would be a shame for those of us who have had this experience passed down through generations of our family not to be able to continue to, in the words of one of my generations songs, “Pass It On”. I might not have kids but it is my wish and my dream that my wife’s niece will be able to bring her children and grandchildren here in the future and not simply point to some condos and say, “This used to be a camp I went to.” My wife and I have a cherished tradition started where we attend Family Camp here at Saugatuck every Labor Day and when I get to be my dad’s age I’m hoping to be able to tell people, “Yeah, I’ve been coming here since I was a kid.”
To the members of the Presbytery Task Force I prayerfully encourage you to not necessarily focus on the business end of any transactions concerning the Camp, but think of the spiritual impact that the LLC would have to offer both the present generation and the future generations to come. For me LLC wants to preserve this place of God as a spiritual retreat. Most anyone else who buys it would most likely hand it over to the so-called moneychangers. Consider Jesus’ words from John 2:16 (NIV) “How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”