Camp Griesheim Christian Retreat Center celebrates 50 years
[May 21, 2025]
This year, the Camp Griesheim
Christian Retreat Center near Hartsburg, Illinois celebrates 50 Years.
Sunday, June 1, 2025 will be a day of celebrating and honoring the 50th
anniversary of Camp Griesheim Christian Retreat Center.
Camp Griesheim was once an old, abandoned and almost forgotten Boy Scout
Camp located on 21 wooded and hilly acres. Its renewal came about
through the desire of Central Illinois Kogudistas to create a beautiful
and quiet setting for Kogudus retreats and for area churches and
Christian groups to hold retreats, conferences, and meetings.
Although Camp Griesheim is independent of Kogudus, it is a direct result
of the Kogudus movement in central Illinois. Camp Griesheim board member
John Cross said previous Kogudus retreats would meet on the campus of
the University of Illinois during breaks. Then Jerry Crane came up with
the idea of having a place where area churches could have a place for
retreats.
The Camp Griesheim website says, “Camp Griesheim Christian Retreat
Center began Dec. 28, 1974 when a group of about 60 Kogudus people met
in the parish hall of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Emden. ‘Kogudus’ is
an Estonian word meaning ‘Christian fellowship.’ It is a part of a
renewal movement of the church. They decided to go ahead with plans to
lease, develop, and maintain Camp Griesheim, an old scout camp, as a
Christian Retreat Center.”
Renovation and building of Camp
Griesheim began in December of 1974 and the “new” camp was dedicated in
June of 1975.
Once the work started Cross said everything happened very quickly as
people from Champaign and St. Joe, Forest, Gridley. Flanagan and
Springfield came to work on the renovation.
There were holes in the roof and the floor that needed be repaired.
The place was just one big hall originally, but during renovations,
Cross said they added meeting rooms. A kitchen and basement were also
added on.
Plumbers, electricians, carpenters and roofers donated their time.
Others donated materials. Cross said it was amazing to see how it all
came together.
Older people like Elmer Krusemark would bring coffee and donuts. Women
from the area would bring food out to the workers.
The road to the camp was originally a dirt path. Cross said a guy from
Champaign told people working on the camp they could have all the rock
they could haul in one day. Area farmers and others brought about 30
trucks to help haul. Cross recalls that 100 loads of rock were hauled to
the camp that day.
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As Cross said, it
was quite an effort. Every time they needed something, it came
together.
A beautiful A-framed chapel was
built in 1980 to further enhance the camp’s usefulness. Jerry Crane
served as Camp Griesheim’s board president form its inception until
the time of his death in 2006. Today, Alan and Sylvia Klokkenga
handle the scheduling for Camp Griesheim.
Camp Griesheim is now a year round, fully equipped facility which
accommodates 44 people. It is incorporated as a non-profit,
non-denominational retreat center governed by a 12 member board of
directors.
Since the dedication June 1, 1975, the camp’s website says, “Camp
Griesheim has been rented almost every weekend of each year by
churches and groups from all over Illinois.” Though churches do not
use it as much as they once did, Cross said he and the board are
trying to encourage people to hold more events at the camp.
Over the past 50 years, Camp Griesheim has seen thousands of people
pass through its doors to share the love of Christ and to experience
Christian growth, renewal, and fellowship. They also enjoy the
pleasures of nature here in this beautiful setting.
Cross said the beauty, serenity and peacefulness of the camp appeals
to many people. It is a perfect place to get away and focus on Bible
study, retreat or fellowship. Cross calls it the best kept secret of
Logan County, and said he and other camp board members want to get
the word out so more people will use it.
The 50 year celebration will be held Camp Griesheim June 1 with an
open house from 2 to 4 and a program at 3.
For more information about Camp Griesheim, go to their
website.
[Angela Reiners]
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