Who We Are
Our mission: The mission of Ray Bird Ministries, Inc. is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the "at-risk" children and teens of the Michiana area, nurture those believers through memorable camping experiences and prepare them for participation in local churches.
Who we serve: At Ray Bird Ministries, we serve the economically disadvantaged children and teens of the greater South Bend area.
Board of directors: Ray Bird Ministries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors including: Bob Foegley (honorary), Phyllis Hueni, Wayne Kerby, Reverend Verneil Lewis, Randy Meert, Tom Thompson, Billie Jo Wawrzynski, Myrtle Wilson and Tom Yarger.
Our heritage:
The late Mr. and Mrs. Ray Bird (Ethel)
On December 8th 1914, Mr. Ray Bird backed by a few concerned citizens opened the doors of the City Rescue Mission to South Bend’s homeless and needy citizens. Their first Sunday School service was attended by a group of 24 children. The Bird’s ministry would continue to focus on the needy children and their families for many years to come. By 1935 the Sunday school had an enrollment of 450 persons.
On an early summer morning in 1919 the Elks Club gathered together on newly acquired land purchased for the City Rescue Mission at Chain O’Lakes (now known as Bass Lake). Mr. & Mrs. Fredrick Cunningham and Mr. & Mrs. James Oliver donated the parcel jointly for Ray Bird’s Fresh Air Camp. The Elks Club erected the camp’s original lodge in a single day. It became a haven for hundreds of destitute families for years to come. The families worked through the hard times, the husbands seeking work in town while the wives and children raised garden crops at the camp to sell in town. The camp still has in its possession a large garden sprayer, which was used by the Bird’s gardeners in the 1920's.
As years passed the camp evolved to meet the needs of each passing generation of needy children. The need continues and the program has continued to change and grow to meet today’s needs. But the bottom line stays the same - we are hear to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ!
Today the City Mission no longer exists, but Bird’s Fresh Air Camp now known as Camp Ray Bird, continues preach the good news of Jesus Christ to the at-risk children and teens. To learn more about Camp Ray Bird's history, email our director to receive a free copy of "Where Miracles Happen all the Time: A Historical Documentary of Camp Ray Bird" on video CD (plays in any DVD player).
Our statement of faith:
We
believe that there is one God who is
Creator of all things and eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and
Holy Spirit.
-God
the Father created all things. He
is the source of all truth, hope, love and justice.
-Jesus
Christ, God the Son, became a man so that we could see who God is and what God
expects of us. He died to pay the
penalty for our sins and then rose bodily from the grave to demonstrate His
authority over all things.
-The
Holy Spirit is God continuing to be with us.
He guides us, convicts us of sin, assures us that we are God’s children
and gives us gifts for ministry.
We
believe in the Deity of Christ,
in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and
atoning death for mankind, His bodily resurrection and His personal return to
power and glory.
We
believe that salvation
is God’s plan for restoring us to a relationship with Him, that eternal
reconciliation and reunion with God is possible only through an individual’s
personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
We accept salvation by confessing our sinfulness and receiving God’s
forgiveness, which must result in living in obedient faith.