After much prayer and consideration, the season of ministry at Streamside Camp & Conference Center has come to a close. This announcement is made with heavy and grateful hearts as we reflect on the history of this Pennsylvania camp. The camp in Stroudsburg, PA, will no longer be open including 2025 summer camps and events.
What do I do for camp this year?
Campers, retreat groups and donors who appreciated the ministry of Streamside are encouraged to consider other like-missioned camps for their needs in 2025 and beyond.
Camp Sankanac in Spring City, PA, is a short 1.5-hour drive south of Streamside.
Cortland Bible Camp in Pitcher, NY, is approximately two hours north of Streamside.
These organizations are both dedicated to providing life-shaping, biblically sound camp and retreat experiences, like the ones Streamside has provided for decades.
Remembering a Beautiful Season of Ministry at Streamside
God called Bessie Traber to start Bible clubs in Philadelphia in the 1930s. To give the inner-city children more opportunities to be immersed in learning God’s Word, it led to the ministry of Streamside Camp. Bessie Traber’s act of obedience has since grown into worldwide missions.
The serene location of Streamside in Pennsylvania is not a far drive from the city, yet the natural beauty is in stark contrast to the urban environment many campers called home. The Pocono Mountains location provided seasonal, overnight camping opportunities, most of which were originally for children who were being reached by Philadelphia Bible Clubs. After learning about Jesus in Bible clubs, children were able to have a more immersive experience in the seasonal camps at Streamside.
The country verses urban setting wasn’t the only contrast for these young people. Many children came to camp to see walking examples of biblical living in the counselors and ministry leaders. Often, it stood in stark difference to the reality of the child’s home life.
Over more than 80 years, many volunteers, leaders and staff members served faithfully with an emphasis on ministering to children from urban centers like Philadelphia and New York City. At its peak, the camp served up to 12,000 campers each year.
More recently, the camp also offered retreats for local churches and groups. Streamside also became the site of Hispanic ministry to meet the needs of the growing Spanish-speaking population in the surrounding community.
God used Streamside and its people to meet the needs of inner-city kids in a season when Bible club ministries were growing in the Philadelphia region. After more than eight decades, demands and needs have changed, and that season has come to a close.
Streamside Camp will not host campers starting in 2025, and the camp property is expected to be sold within a year. The legacy of the camp continues in the lives of many young people and leaders.
New Seasons of Ministry
At the closing of Streamside, there is grief in seeing it come to an end. There is also a deep gratitude for the work God has done at this place and through His people faithfully serving. Now, in eager anticipation, we are looking to see how God will use the closing of this chapter to lead into the next.
As we trust a God who has a beautiful plan for the ages, we consider how He raises up ministries and willing servants at the exact time needed to accomplish His perfect work. He chooses to use different ministries and methods to meet the needs exactly as He planned for each unique season. We are eager to see where new growth will take place as we accept His invitation and follow His lead.