The Saskatchewan Baptist Association’s passion for summer camp began in 1948, when they partnered with another denomination to rent a camp at Echo Lake for several weeks each summer. That twenty-year partnership sparked the search for a permanent site. In 1958, the SBA purchased a quarter-section of land across from Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park.
A year before the Good Spirit property was purchased, a nearby country church voted to disband. With two other SBA churches still in the area, the congregation chose to donate their building to the new camp. Volunteers dismantled it and used the materials to construct a kitchen/dining hall and several cabins, all completed in time for the first camp sessions in July 1958. Materials were also purchased to build a chapel that same summer. All the early buildings were clustered in the northeast corner of the property, within easy walking distance of the lake.
The camp’s location beside a provincial park provides access to an exceptional beach, unique sand dunes, a stretch of the Trans Canada Trail, and one of Canada’s top-ranked beaches, all while fostering strong relationships with park staff.
From the beginning, the camp’s purpose has been to be Christ-centered and to use the natural setting to offer recreation and skill-based programs—a focus that continues today as GSBC seeks to “challenge all people to know God personally through His Creation and His Word.” This focus is seen clearly in a cabin leader’s experience when they were walking with a young camper and looking at the night sky. The camper said, “God made that didn’t he?” It was a humbling moment to see in a child’s eyes an awe for God.
GSBC offers many classic camp activities—archery, canoeing, horsemanship, paintball, and more. Alongside age-group camps, we run three family-camp weekends and day camps that introduce younger children to the camp experience. To support our young leaders, we also provide a bursary for staff pursuing post-secondary studies, recognizing the sacrifice they make to serve each summer.
Camping ministry has long been important to our association. While our churches collaborate on different initiatives, GSBC remains a key shared ministry—an expression of our belief that together we can accomplish more than any one church could alone.
Over the last twenty years, GSBC has seen major growth in both facilities and programming through vision and planning. A clear site plan enabled the camp to expand its program options, reach a broader demographic, and anticipate infrastructure needs. This vision guided projects such as relocating skill areas, creating a larger games field, building new cabins, adding a horse stable and riding arena, installing a water treatment system, developing a paintball field, and many other upgrades—all aimed at reaching more children and youth with the gospel lived out by staff and volunteers. Ultimately, this same vision made it clear that the next essential step was replacing the original 1958 dining hall and kitchen with a larger, modern facility.
Throughout the year, we host retreats for youth, young adults, and women, helping our churches grow together as disciples of Christ. Many congregations engage in these retreats, summer camps, and family camps as opportunities to connect, grow, and serve. The new dining hall will further extend our season, allowing local churches and groups to use the facilities for an even wider range of activities.
In 2025, we welcomed more overnight campers than ever before. Each year, our budget continues to grow, and we remain grateful for God’s faithful provision. It is a true blessing to see more lives impacted every summer and to witness the continued growth of this ministry.
The new dining hall will significantly increase our seating capacity and allow us to serve more campers effectively across all programs. In addition, it will help reduce the strain on our current restroom and shower facilities. Its improved location enhances visibility and provides greater clarity for new camper families upon arrival. The building will also strengthen camper safety by offering amore accessible and centralized first-aid area, along with better-positioned office space. These are just a few of the many improvements this facility will bring to our camp community.
Looking ahead, we see this building as the foundation for a new season of growth. Our vision includes adding more cabins, expanding year-round facilities, and increasing accessibility so that even more families can experience camp. Above all, we remain committed to trusting God’s direction and moving forward boldly wherever He leads.
