An end and a beginning - the exodus of Marble Lutheran Church

When I was a counselor at Shores of St. Andrew Bible Camp in New London, MN, we often wished for a chapel like our neighbors at Green Lake Bible Camp had. GLBC's chapel was beautiful, but the best we could offer our campers for indoor worship was the upstairs of our lodge. But money was (and is) tight, and building a chapel was a luxury that we could not afford - not when buildings were being grandfathered in under the fire code.

Through the working of the Holy Spirit, the creativity of my friend Sara Larson, and the generosity of a tiny congregation, the church building of Marble Lutheran in Canby, MN, is now making the journey of a lifetime - 100 miles to Shores on the backs of two trucks. The dwindling membership of Marble made the painful yet hopeful decision to close their church's doors in Canby and donate its building to the camp, fulfilling a long-time dream.

When Marble arrives on the shores of Lake Andrew, it will be installed on a new foundation. The parishioners of Marble Lutheran donated $70,000 to cover the moving and on-site expenses, making their church building an outright gift to Shores, its staff and the children it serves.

Shores' parent ministry, Green Lake Lutheran Ministries, has set up a special site commemorating Marble's exodus across rural Minnesota.

As a past counselor, I want to offer my sincere thanks to the people of Marble Lutheran Church in Canby for their amazing generosity. I can't even say what a blessing your gift will be to the ministry of Shores. May you find joy and peace in the countless voices that will be lifted up in praise within those old walls each and every summer. I can't wait to see your beautiful building standing tall and proud at its new home next summer, gazing out over the lake, glowing gentle pink with the sunset.