Success Stories

Welcome to a place of wonder and discovery in Christ (cascades.org). Cascades Camp and Conference Center is located near Yelm,
Washington, in the shadow of Mount Rainier, about a hour and a half from Seattle, Washington, and two hours from Portland, Oregon. Rob Mohrweis, executive director, stated that Cascades is not the church and it’s not meant to replace the church. Cascades is, however, one of the best tools to help young people and their families meet Christ.

Like Covenant Pines Ministries, Cascades was not immune to the impact of Covid, which brought a forced sabbatical for Rob. He draws a
parallel between a farmer who lets a field go for a year. It’s not neglected, but rather is intentionally left alone to grow and develop
nutrients so future crops are stronger. In the midst of Covid, God provided time and space for Rob and the leadership of Cascades to
strategically plan for the future. Through an extremely challenging season, they remained faithful, and emerged healthy with a renewed
identity and goals.

Now their staff are the healthiest they’ve ever been. The 2023 summer season camp numbers were almost at pre-Covid levels. When asked for highlights, Rob says the summer youth and family centers thrived. Spirits were up and the Holy Spirit was moving with rich and full ministry. Although kids are coming back to camp in record numbers, a lack of staffing required wait lists and reduced programming. Those struggles were not unique to Cascades.

Cascades Camp and Conference Center operates 24/7 from Memorial Day through Labor Day. In the off-season, they lean into the
conference center half of their name, primarily hosting weekend retreats and supporting local ministries. The 2023 year marked Rob’s twenty-sixth consecutive summer working at camp. His love for camp is palpable. Based on survey responses, about 35%of attendees make a significant decision for Christ. These statistics, but more importantly the faith journeys they represent, are what keep Rob focused on camp as a powerful tool for ministry.

Rob mentioned that in beginning of Covid, when everyone was struggling, Rollie Persson from NCP was one of the first denominational leaders to offer assistance. NCP was ready to help Cascades purchase properties with ministry and familial nature of camp ministry aligning. Rob said the complexity of property deals never ceases to amaze him. He knew Rollie was intimately aware of the deal which gave him the comfort and confidence to live into the mission God has called Cascades to: supporting the church at large.