OUR MISSION >

We are dedicated to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with Michiana children and teens, nurturing those believers, and preparing them for participation in local churches. Ray Bird Ministries specializes in serving families who could not otherwise afford meaningful camping experiences.

WHO WE SERVE >

Local - 95% of them reside in St. Joseph County.

Low-income - Over 90% of our campers' families receive state and/or federal assistance (i.e. food stamps, TANF, free or reduced lunch) due to economic hardships.

Diverse - Out of all the kids who come to Camp Ray Bird, here’s the racial demographic breakdown: 30-40% black, 30-40% white, 11-16% bi-racial, 10-12% Hispanic, and a small percentage of American Indian, Asian, and other ethnicities.

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 the Bible is God's Word, and that the Holy Spirit directed the human authors so that the original writings are trustworthy and free from error.

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 each person is lovingly created in God's image and therefore has great value, but all people have sinned and therefore separated themselves from a personal relationship with God.

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.

We believe that the Holy Spirit has a present ministry of guiding and enabling the Christian to proclaim the Good News of Christ and to minister to the whole person whose needs are spiritual, physical, emotional and social.

We believe that the Church is a manifestation of the person of Christ in this world and that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church bringing about spiritual unity among believers in Christ who are the body of the Church.

We believe that Jesus Christ will return to receive to Himself those who have trusted in Him and that those who have rejected His salvation will be separated from Him forever.

OUR HISTORY >

On December 8th 1914, Ray and Ethel 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.