Adult Camp

The Naming Project partners with Bay Lake Camp in Deerwood, MN, to hold our summer camp. Bay Lake is located about 115 miles north of the Twin Cities. Campers can meet at a gathering point in the Twin Cities, or meet us directly at Bay Lake Camp.

If you choose to meet us at Bay Lake Camp, we will send driving directions. The camp is on an island, so everyone must ride a pontoon to the island. We ask that you do not arrive too early or late, to minimize the number of crossings the pontoon must make.

If you meet us in the Twin Cities, we will depart our gathering point at 3:00 PM on our first day of camp. If you are flying into Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, please be sure your flight arrives with enough time to get from the airport to the gathering point.

If you want to ride in transportation provided by The Naming Project, there will be a $50 round trip fee. You can drive your own car up, but we encourage carpooling, since parking is limited at the camp. Once again, Bay Lake Camp is on an island, so you will not have access to your vehicles during camp.

Bay Lake Camp occupies the largest island in Bay Lake. The site runs camps and retreats all year long for youth groups, church groups, and civic retreats. The camp underwent major renovations in 2008, resulting in the Red Cedar Lodge and a new and improved dining hall. The Red Cedar Lodge, where we will spend most of our week, has 12 camper bedrooms, a large main room and kitchen, and two fireside lounges. The dining hall has an updated kitchen and serving window, air conditioning, and ample seating around multiple tables. The renovation converted the old dining hall into the Island Café and store. The chapel is a large open building with wooden pews and a rainbow cross on the west side. The camp also has two fields for games and activities, a basketball hoop, the “How Great Thou Art House”, multiple campfire rings, beach, boating area, labyrinth, and several other hidden gems on the island.

We are closer to “glamping” than “roughing it.” Most of us will stay in the Red Cedar Lodge, where many activities will take place. Each bedroom will house 5-6 campers, in bunk beds or double beds. Each room has a private bathroom with shower, two sinks, and climate control in each room. Linens and towels will be available on each bed.

If you want a more rustic experience, you can choose to stay in one of the cabins. Cabins have various sleeping configurations and house various numbers of people. They do not have running water, air conditioning or bathrooms. Campers will use the shower stalls under the dining hall.

If you are even more into communing with nature, bring your own tent! You can pitch it outside the Red Cedar Lodge, use the bathrooms in the lodge, as well as the shower stalls under the dining hall. You will need to provide your own sleeping bag.

We will close with breakfast and worship on Monday morning, with a planned departure by 11:00 AM. The drive back to the Twin Cities takes a little over two hours, so plan any returning flights after 3:00 PM on Monday.

Keep your clothing casual, because this is camp. Plan to not have access to laundry (it’s only four days). The temperature can vary, and the island is typically cooler and breezy, so plan to pack in layers and have some warmer and rain-proof clothes ready. One pair of long pants and long sleeved shirts are good for protecting against mosquitoes (and by the end of the week, have a nice campfire smell).

In addition to your regular toiletries, don’t forget bug spray and sunscreen (we will provide some backup). Bring a Bible, another good book that’s important for you, pen or pencil.

Finally, many campers like to serve lewks for the final dinner and Coffee House Cabaret. So a dressy outfit, drag, or camp chic fashion are fun, but not mandatory. But don’t forget to bring whatever you might need for your act. Poetry, music, dance, story, etc.

Bring some spending money for a few extras at the Island Café, or for incidentals during the ride up and back. Cellphones are allowed, but the service is spotty on the island, and we will ask you to not use them during group activities. Please do not bring large amounts of cash, or valuable watches or jewelry. Additionally, alcohol, non-prescription drugs, weapons, and clothing that depicts drugs, violence, alcohol or graphic sex are not permitted at The Naming Project.

We highly encourage you to participate in all activities offered at camp. After all, it’s why you came. There will be chunks of unstructured time throughout the day, including a large chunk of the afternoon. You can choose from several activities, take a nap, chat with a new friend, or check in back at home.

The Naming Project and Bay Lake will work to accommodate any special needs, including diet, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual listed on the registration form. Please provide all relevant information, so we can plan accordingly. Bay Lake Camp has accessible lodging and bathrooms, and the kitchen can accommodate dietary restrictions.

That being said, Bay Lake Camp is an outdoor camp setting on an island (how many times have we mentioned the island?), with dirt roads, hills, and steps. There are many ways to get around camp, and people can navigate it on a wheelchair. However, it can be something of a challenge.

The camp also has no medical staff on site. While we can treat some minor first-aid injuries, anything more serious will involve transportation to the nearest medical facility, which is about 30 minutes away.

This is a 21+ adult camp, and so we have decided to provide a happy hour during specific times at camp. However, The Naming Project is a ministry, and the focus will not be on drinking, but on growing in faith in a safe community. Beer and wine will be available for a nominal fee in the evening, before and after campfire. We do ask all campers to drink responsibly, and to not disrupt others who do not wish to drink.

Smoking is allowed in designated areas, during free time. Please don’t smoke too close to the buildings or in the woods. You don’t want to be either a litterbug or a fire hazard. Additionally, please move away from other campers, to not bother them with second hand smoke.

At other church camps, you might have heard the phrase, “Boys are blue. Girls are pink. Don’t make purple.” Well, we won’t be saying that, because that phrase erases the reality of LGBTQ people, our lives, and our relationships.

However, when youth ministers and camp directors use this phrase, they are often too embarrassed to say “don’t have sex at church camp.” So we’ll say that. Please refrain from overt and explicit sexual activity at camp. Keep your activities focused on the community being built around the camp, rather than on sexual gratification, even with your spouse or significant other. It will make the camp experience better for you, and for the whole community.

We are working to price The Naming Project Adult Camp both reasonably, and still make sure this is a fundraiser for our youth camp. All the prices below include all activities and events during the week, arts and craft supplies, snacks, and all the meals from dinner on Friday through breakfast on Sunday.

The only other spending money you should need is for items in the Island Café (souvenirs, snacks, fancy coffee drinks), beverages during happy hour, and items in transit.

There is wi-fi and cell service at Bay Lake Camp, but the camp is in a fairly remote area with limited signal. We will ask that you limit phone calls, texting, and browsing to designated times in the schedule. It’s camp. Unplug a bit!