Trout Partners,

Want to know the best-kept secret at Trout? Churches can rent the camp for an incredible outreach weekend. The first few months of 2012 have been full of that kind of ministry to teens and college students. New programs such as Winter Expedition and University Retreat challenged and encouraged campers to grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Each week our staff meets to plan and pray for the church groups coming that weekend. We want to serve them in the best possible manner so their group leaders can focus 100 percent on pouring into the kids in their youth group. Yes, we have fun on these week- ends (even without snow), but what I love is hearing how our staff serves these groups.

Here’s what one youth pastor wrote to me:

“Overall this was the best experience I’ve ever had working with a camp, even better than the old days when we came to Trout. Your attitude and the attitude it brings to your staff is the reason. Praise the Lord for the servant’s heart he has given to you and your peo- ple. I cannot express how well we were served and how welcome we felt.”

Our January 2012 retreat rental ministry was up 21% from last year. Praise God. I am so thankful to the many churches and individuals who partner with God’s min- istry at Trout Lake. Let’s make Trout’s best-kept secret not-so secret so even more churches use TLC as an outreach tool.

Wick