Mission statement

Camp Cherith of Western New York's mission is to transform lives, cultivate disciples and train leaders through a Bible-based, Christ-centered outdoor camping program for children and youth.

Statement of Faith

  • We believe in one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; Matthew 28:19).

  • We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man (Matthew 1:18-23).

  • We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, and of supreme and final authority in faith and life (2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

  • We believe that we were created in the image of God; that we sinned, and thereby incurred, not only physical death, but also that spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born in sin, and that this sinful nature is the origin of all sinful acts in thought, word, and deed (Genesis 1:26; Romans 5:12; Isaiah 59:2-4; Romans 6:23).

  • We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice; and that all who believe in him are justified on the grounds of his shed blood (Romans 5:8-9).

  • We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit, and thereby become children of God (John 1:12; Romans 8:9).

  • We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ and his ascension to Heaven, and in his present work as High Priest and advocate (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 4:14-16).

  • We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

  • We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just to everlasting blessedness, and the unjust to everlasting punishment (Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:15; Romans 6:23).

  • We believe in the equal value of all persons by upholding the God-given worth of all human beings, from conception to death, as the unique image-bearers of God. (Gen. 1:27; Psalm 8:3-8, 139:13-16)

  • We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, and that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:26-27.)

  • We believe that God created marriage to be exclusively the union of one man and one woman, and that intimate sexual activity is to occur exclusively within that union. (Genesis 2:18-25, Matthew 19:1-9,Ephesians 5:22-33, Romans 1:18-32, Hebrews 13:4)

  • We believe that we honor God by caring for the world He created. We are to be good and faithful stewards by thoughtfully using and not abusing the earth’s resources (Gen. 1:1-2:3, Deut. 10:14, Psalms 19:1-6, 24:1, Luke 19:40)