MANSON, IA (December 22, 2004) – The building that housed the first Evangelical Covenant Church congregation is currently under repair, according to the executive director of the Covenant camp where the building is now located.
The Swede Bend Church in Iowa, noted as the place where the first Covenant church was located, was relocated from Swede Bend in 1976 and has been part of the campus of Twin Lakes Christian Center (TLCC) since that time. Joel Rude, who has served as TLCC executive director for 14 years, says the building is used for summer worship services, noting that some funds already have been raised to support general maintenance efforts. (The accompanying photo of the church building was taken two years ago.)
Next winter, in preparation for the 50th anniversary of TLCC, the center had planned on full refurbishing. However, the process was speeded up so that the building can be used much sooner. New floor joists have already been installed and a new floor surface will be set down – board by board – by volunteers in the coming weeks.
Next winter, in preparation for the 50th anniversary of TLCC, the center had planned on full refurbishing. However, the process was speeded up so that the building can be used much sooner. New floor joists have already been installed and a new floor surface will be set down – board by board – by volunteers in the coming weeks.
“We’ve been working at shoring up the floor of the building for several years,” said Rude. “A lot of the original infrastructure was rotting. Some of that infrastructure included the original logs from the 1861 church floor. They were found to be unsafe due to dry rot and the floor was sagging in several spots.”
TLCC has been in existence for 48 years. John Bengston, superintendent for what was then the Iowa Conference, was a key catalyst for the camp’s beginnings and a number of volunteers were also integral to the effort. Volunteers ran the camp for several years until Eldon “Bud” Johnson (now a parishioner at First Covenant Church) took over full-time operations of the camp with his wife, Pauline. Johnson played a key role in getting the Swede Bend Church building moved onto the TLCC campus. The building has been a valuable part of programming as locals and nearby Covenant churches have attended events there.
The Twin Lakes camp will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the building’s being moved on campus, along with its 50th anniversary celebration, during special events July 7-9, 2006. The weekend celebration will occur at the end of a one-week family camp and staff reunion, says Rude.
Last year, TLCC served 1,820 people through its own camps, retreats and events, along with another 5,770 through hosting guest group camps, retreats and events. A small but dedicated team of volunteers has formed a Development Committee for the purpose of raising funds for short-term and long-range projects, as well as operating expenses, notes Rude.
This winter, TLCC is taking advantage of a unique toboggan chute, one of the only ones in the region. The chute comes out of a wooden silo and propels children and adults at high speeds onto the frozen North Twin Lake. The chute is also open to the public on certain days in January and February – information can be found on the TLCC website at www.twinlakescc.com.
Along with the repairs to the Swede Bend Church building, TLCC has been involved in significant site planning in recent years to better use its 60-acre campus. The camp has been able to establish good rapport with its local community by helping with various planning sessions. Expansion of a local highway should help access to the camp and TLCC is also considering installation and beautification efforts of a recreation trail surrounding its grounds and an area around the lake the camp accesses for activities.
To learn more about the needs of the TLCC Swede Bend Church building project, call Rude at 712-297-7714 or email him at joel@twinlakescc.com.
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