News & Updates

See & read about what is going on in the Warm Beach Camp & Conference Center community

The Lights of Christmas turns Twenty!

The year was 1997 and a brand new event opened for the first time at Warm Beach Camp — The Lights of Christmas.

As December arrived, no one quite knew what to expect. The Camp had never done an event like this before. Would anyone come? The idea of a Christmas event at Warm Beach Camp was brand new to people. What was this “lights thing” that the Camp was doing? Boasting a half-million lights and open just 12 nights, the event drew 20,000 people that first year!

20thYearBanner1Now, 20 years later, the question isn’t will anyone come. The question always is, “How many people will attend?” Since The Lights of Christmas began, nearly one million people have attended! Today, this is the largest Christmas festival in the Pacific Northwest. And, for the fourth time, The Lights has been selected as one of the Top 100 Events (see page 38) in all of North America by the American Bus Association, the association of tour bus operators!

There are a few special features this year to help celebrate the 20th year. A new entrance archway with computer-controlled lighting animation will welcome guests. A new gift shop is opening this year in the Starry Night Coffee House to replace Harbor Lights Gifts. There is a new Gingerbread House that is a great backdrop for a photo of your family and friends. The décor is being updated in several locations, and don’t miss the 10-foot-tall elk standing on a hill!

This December, I hope you have an opportunity to come help us celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, and the 20th birthday of The Lights of Christmas.

Quietly Faithful: Remembering Gary Kocher

Throughout Warm Beach Camp’s history, certain individuals have come along who perfectly encapsulate what it is to be a servant of Christ. Gary Kocher was one of those people. He dedicated his life to humbly glorifying God, serving others, and diligently carrying out the work that was entrusted to him. Let us now revisit the impact that Gary has had on Warm Beach Camp (WBC). Gary Kocher was a volunteer youth leader in the Pacific Northwest Conference of the Free ...

A Different Place for Different Needs

If you walk around the Warm Beach Camp (WBC) grounds during a specific week in the spring, there’s a good chance you’ll hear beautiful music pouring out of almost every meeting room. The Northwest Big Band takes over much of the main conference center grounds and floods the space with their sweet melodies during their time at WBC. “It’s so peaceful here,” One of the group’s leaders, Kate Erb, said, “so our participants can focus on their music and their ...

Living at Peace

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9 NLT God blesses us for doing the work of living at peace with ourselves and others. Peace reflects the character of God. A young woman named Skyler shared a video on the You Version Bible App on this verse. She likened the quality of peace as being one thing that shows us as being children of God. She went on to the ...