05 Dec Friends of Bongiorno

2 Minute Read

By George Krebs

We launched Friends of Bongiorno at the THRIVE Conference this past October. What a tremendous time for our leadership. We experienced powerful worship and tremendous teaching from Carolyn Tennant on the five-fold ministry gifts. We also spent some time vision casting for the Bongiorno Conference Center as well as receiving financial commitments from many of our churches and pastors for monthly support. Total monthly support exceeded $3400; what a blessing! Cash offerings to jumpstart recreation options totaled $3598.

As many of you know, we have closed down the golf course and will be using that acreage for ministry purposes. We have a very ambitious list of ministry and recreation options we want to put in place.

• A prayer path with benches & scripture placards that will inspire meditation & prayer
• Two outdoor amphitheaters; one with a stage, power & lighting, another more rustic
• Gathering spaces with campfire pits & benches/chairs
• Frisbee golf and foot golf
• Mountain bike trails and perhaps Quad/ATV trails
• Combat archery field course
• Miniature golf course for children, youth & families
• Human soccer knocker ball
• In the future, a low/high ropes course & perhaps a zip line

We also shared a vision for a new recreation area. Dream with us for a recreation facility. We are working with an architect and this building will replace the current outdoor basketball and tennis courts.

This facility will include…

• Double-sized gym. (2 basketball courts) with 10’ garage doors on both sides for an optional, open air feel
• Snack bar & bistro area: indoor seating opening to an outdoor patio connected to our pool
• Game room much larger than what we now have
• Workout area very similar to what one finds in a hotel
• Indoor climbing wall with auto belays
• Recreation room for indoor adventure sports & team building
• Office space and storage
• Patio deck connecting the pool and recreation building offering three season outdoor seating
• Pool renovations: new concrete lining to prevent leakage
• Making the entire pool a five foot depth for greater usage
• Zero entry at the shallow end
• Bench seats with Jacuzzi jets
• New plumbing, filters & pumps

This will be a blessing not only to our PennDel children, youth and families, but also to other guest groups as well making Bongiorno more marketable.

To become a Friend of Bongiorno means to simply place the Bongiorno Conference Center on your missions budget. Whatever you pledge monthly to missionaries, make that same pledge to Bongiorno. After all, it is here where lifelong callings to Christian service, full-time ministry and even missionaries are solidified.

We at Bongiorno will make a commitment to you…

• To keep you informed multiple times each year as to the life-change happening on our campus
• To provide a support certificate to be displayed in your church
• To hold an annual “Friends” banquet for lead pastors of supporting churches and to individuals who pledge support. (This includes a free night’s stay if needed)
• To extend our appreciation through an end of year resource gift to lead pastors and individuals who are Friends of Bongiorno.
• Our “Friends” as well as every PennDel credential holder is entitled to a free two nights lodging for a personal retreat