ABOUT DICKSON VALLEY

About

Dickson Valley Camp & Retreat Center is a Christ-centered ministry committed to providing year-round opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship, and transformation. As a trusted Christian camp nestled in the Midwest, we joyfully serve churches, families, and faith communities across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, specializing in amazing hospitality for retreats and fun and faith filled camping programs for kids.

Year after year, leaders return knowing they will find with excellence, care, and a clear focus on the Gospel. Parents consistently choose Dickson Valley as a place where their children can safely grow, explore, and encounter God in tangible ways. Whether it’s their first campfire or their tenth retreat, every visit nurtures personal faith and lasting memories.

At Dickson Valley, we believe camp is more than a temporary escape- this place is set apart for God’s glory. It is our prayer that everyone who comes to Dickson Valley will encounter Christ and leave knowing His love more fully. We are honored to walk alongside churches and families in the shared mission of raising up a generation that seeks, serves, and follows Jesus.

Statement of Faith

At Dickson Valley Camp & Retreat Center, our ministry is firmly rooted in the eternal truths of God’s Word. We joyfully and unapologetically affirm the historic Christian faith and the essential doctrines of the Gospel, which guide all we do in service to Christ and His Church. We believe:

  • The Holy Scriptures are the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God, as originally given. They are entirely trustworthy and stand as the final authority in all matters of faith, life, and conduct (2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21).

  • There is one true and living God, eternal in nature and perfect in holiness, justice, and love—Creator of all things—who exists in three coequal and coeternal persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19).

  • Jesus Christ is Lord, fully God and fully man, revealed in the flesh. We affirm His miraculous virgin birth, His sinless life, His mighty works, His substitutionary and atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, His ongoing intercession on our behalf, and His promised personal return in power and glory (John 1:1–14; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Acts 1:9–11).

  • Salvation is by grace through faith alone, offered freely to lost and sinful humanity through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It is not earned by works but received by faith in Christ, through the regenerating and renewing work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5).

  • The Holy Spirit indwells all believers, enabling and empowering them to live holy and obedient lives, bear witness to Christ, and serve faithfully in God’s Kingdom (Romans 8:9–14; Galatians 5:22–25; Acts 1:8).

  • The Church is the Body of Christ, composed of all true believers who are united by the Holy Spirit. We affirm the importance of fellowship, worship, teaching, and mission within the global and local Church (1 Corinthians 12:12–13; Ephesians 4:4–6).

  • There will be a bodily resurrection of all people: those who are in Christ to eternal life in the presence of God, and those apart from Him to eternal separation and judgment (John 5:28–29; Revelation 20:11–15).

  • The Christian life is a call to full surrender, lived in joyful obedience to the will of God in Christ, for the glory of His name and the good of His people (Romans 12:1–2; Galatians 2:20).

This statement reflects the foundation of our faith and the heartbeat of our mission—to know Christ, make Him known, and live in the fullness of His truth.

History

In 1971, Homer and Alice Dickson of Yorkville, Illinois, felt led to dedicate their 105-acre farm along the Lower Fox River as a Christian camp—a place where people could encounter God in nature. That same year, God aligned their vision with Ed Oulund, director of Christian Camping International (CCI), who was seeking a home for the organization. The Dickson family deeded their property to CCI, and Dickson Valley was born.

Throughout the 1970s and ’80s, CCI and later Metro Chicago Youth for Christ (YFC) operated summer camps and retreats on the property, while volunteers and donors worked tirelessly to build lodges, facilities, and the foundation of what the camp is today. In 1989, Dickson Valley Ministries assumed direct leadership of the camp, appointing a director and board to carry the vision forward independently.

The following decades brought steady growth. New facilities like Silver Fox Lodge, the Sports Center, and Acorn Lodge (a gift from Yokefellow Ministries in 1988) expanded the camp’s capacity. The 1990s saw further transformation with the creation of the “Lake of the Woods,” upgraded lodging, staff housing, and expanded recreational space—all designed to serve more guests year-round.

Through every season, God’s faithfulness has been evident. What began as a family’s gift of farmland has become a place where thousands of youth and adults have experienced spiritual renewal, Christ-centered community, and the beauty of God’s creation. And we look forward with gratitude and anticipation for all He has yet to do at Dickson Valley Camp & Retreat Center.