The Camping Project

The Camping Project was publicly announced in June 2022 with a letter from the Chairs of Stewards Trust, CCCNZ, CSC, Lichfield Lands and Hillview Trust, inviting all Camp Boards into a conversation. This letter was the result of several years of discussions around camp sustainability, the growing secularisation of NZ society, and the increased compliance and complexity of running camps. These issues were further highlighted during the Covid pandemic in 2020 which saw many camps struggle to survive.

The invitation was to all Open Brethren Heritage camps, asking them to be part of these important conversations around the future of camping, and to help develop a refreshed national camping vision for the future. Three hui were organised around the country and the project was further driven by a clear ‘Terms of Reference’.

Regenerate hui

In March 2023, 2024 and 2025 we hosted a series of camping hui. These started with the Regenerate hui, held at Silverstream in 2023 – the first time that all camps from the Open Brethren movement had come together to meet and discuss camping.

This hui focused on identifying key issues and determining whether there was a need to explore a new national entity to lead camping into the future.

Over the following 12 months, the project team worked to address the concerns raised by camps nationwide. Drawing on hui feedback, the team developed a new structure comprising three entities.

The first of these, Te Maru Limited, became
a registered charitable company in
November 2023.

Elevating Impact hui

The second hui (also held at Silverstream) was named Elevating Impact. This hui concentrated on what the structure of Te Maru, the Property Trust and the Ministry Co-ops would look like. Input was also given around the operations of Te Maru itself.

Finally, camps were offered the opportunity to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – indicating a desire to work closer with the project team and to investigate integrating with Te Maru. At this point it was clear that ‘the train had left the station’ – the plans had now become reality, and all were are invited to step on board - all whilst the train and the platforms were continuing to be built.

Lives Changed Forever hui

Named after the vision of Te Maru Ltd, Lives Changed Forever, our third and final hui under this structure was held in March 2025.

With three camps now in the group, the ‘train was moving across the countryside,’ bringing opportunities to see lives transformed. This hui invited us to celebrate the past, honour those who served before us and remember that we are custodians of the great ministry we call Christian camping. The Te Maru lead team outlined their future vision and strategy to get us there – addressing the reasons behind the Camping Project’s formation and keeping the Good News of Jesus Christ at the centre.

The interim advisory board

Formed in October 2023, the Interim Advisory Board (IAB) has been a crucial element in the success of the project. Made up of a wide range of leaders from across the country, and all with a heart for seeing Christian camping thrive in this next season – the IAB has provided the necessary governance, given shape to the new entities being formed, wrestled with important issues, and made key decisions along the way. Working groups within the IAB have also given significant amounts of time to the planning of the new entities being formed. We’re encouraged by the depth of experience and genuine heart for ministry that this team has brought to the Camping Project.

The three stranded cord

Developed across the three camping hui and approved by the IAB, the three entities that form the new camping structure are designed to be woven together in a way that keeps them appropriately separate, but working in harmony with one another.

Borrowing the cord of three strands imagery from Ecclesiastes 4, The Big Picture graphic illustrates how we see the three entities.

Timeline

100 years of camping