A Brief History of Our Ministry and Facility

Although, difficult to document for sure it appears that members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest began to gather together for camping experiences in at least 1925 at the Iowa State Fair Grounds.  In the 1940’s camp gatherings were being done in geographic areas around the region.  This produced a camping ministry that rented several different facilities in a variety of locations throughout the Upper Midwest.  Camping ministry was organized and carried out between congregations in the belief that this ministry together would strengthen the whole church body. 

In time, as the camping ministry grew, and a desire and need to have one facility to house the growing numbers and establish a “Common Holy Ground” began to be explored. With the donation of 212 acres from Ralph McCague (Member at Central Christian Church, Marshalltown, IA) the dream was given a firm foundation to grow.   Those who had experienced the life changing relationships of their camping moments were the driving force in finding, establishing, developing and staffing the first camps at the Christian Conference Center in Newton, IA in the late 1960’s.

This common “Holy Ground” began its life as converted farmland and slowly through the work of many individuals and congregations developed into one of the highest quality camping facilities in the entire Denomination.  With the ministry firmly implanted in the hearts and minds of the first visionaries the Rustic area (now known as Chi Rho Country) was built up in a way to provide an exciting adventure for Junior High aged youth.  The very next year, 6 cabins were built with the unique concept of including a bathroom within each cabin.  The main lodge and other group gathering space followed.

Mission and Purpose of the Christian Conference Center

Provide the best camping ministry possible for youth from congregations of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest.

Provide camping and retreat ministry for adults from congregations of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest.

Serve as a source of connection and unity in mission between the congregations, clergy and laity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest.

Provide a ministry and source of evangelism for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through the hosting of other groups.    

Provide a holy ground that seeks to strengthen and encourage the Spirit of God in each individual for the mutual enhancement and unity of the church worldwide.

Provide a facility that generates income; which assists in financially supporting the above ministries.

As more and more of the camping ministries from across the region were able to conduct their camping programs at this new “Holy Ground” it became, as was the dream, the connecting “Common Holy Ground” for hundreds of youth every year.  In the next 30 plus years camping numbers would grow to over 1000 annually.

In the mid to late 1990’s a mix of those first visionaries and a few who had experienced camp only at the Christian Conference Center began dreaming that this “Common Holy Ground” might become a connecting ministry for adults throughout the churches as well.  In the Fall of 2000, an addition of 12 hotel-style rooms and a large meeting room was added to the existing lodge.  This addition of this facility and the continual support of generations of campers have helped to enable the Christian Conference Center to become what it is today.  In addition to the 1000 campers who attend camp in the Summer time another 4,000 adults experience the Conference Center with their Church groups, family reunions, or other fellowship groups.  This ability has allowed this particular ground to become a “Common Holy Ground” that helps individuals and churches throughout the region strengthen the ties that bind us Disciples Together.

In the most recent 8 years we have seen a resurgence of the understanding that this common “Holy Ground” is indeed a ministry we do Together as Disciples.  Churches have reinvested in the ministry by adopting different buildings and structures.  This has resulted in the improvement of existing buildings and the creation of new ones.  As the Conference Center grows in strength from the reinvestment by congregations in the Conference Center ministry, the Conference Center is able to provide a ministry that helps to strengthen the ministry of the congregations.  This symbiotic relationship was likely part of the original vision that motivated the first congregations to begin doing camp together in 1925.
 

A Dream For the Future

The Christian Conference Center has grown stronger in the recent decade and has become again a resource for individual congregations, clergy and laity.  In doing so, it has redeveloped a symbiotic relationship in which by reestablishing relationships with congregations it has become the common “Ground” that serves to bring people from the diverse congregations together for training, fellowship and worship.  This is the future for the Christian Conference Center.   This is the ministry we wish to pass on to the next generation.