Capernwray Harbour Bible Centre is a

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

Bible School & Conference Centre located on

Thetis Island Thetis Island (population: 379) is an island and unincorporated community off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, lying between Vancouver Island, which is to the west across Stuart Channel, and the west from the north tip of Galiano Islan ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada. The Centre was established by a

Capernwray Hall Capernwray Hall is a former country house situated 3 miles east-northeast of Carnforth, Lancashire, England, and is currently used as a Christian Bible school and holiday centre. The house is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as ...

alumnus, Charles Fordham, in 1979. The primary offering is a One-Year Bible School which runs from September to mid-April. During May - August over 4,000 participants are hosted for predominantly Christian-oriented conferences, retreats and Outdoor Education programmes. The primary purpose and ministry of Capernwray Harbour is Christian education. Its goal is to offer students training in Bible study, evangelical outreach,

leadership development Leadership development is the process which helps expand the capacity of individuals to perform in leadership roles within organizations. Leadership roles are those that facilitate execution of an organization's strategy through building alignment ...

, community living, and personal discovery through discipleship. According to school founder Charles Fordham, the mission of Capernwray Harbour is the "training of men and women to be equipped for full-time Christian service, regardless of their occupation," following the ideas expounded by Major W. Ian Thomas.

History

The site of Capernwray Harbour Bible Centre was first settled by Henry Severn in 1886. Despite the school being named for Capernwray Harbour, it is in fact located on the shores of Preedy Harbour. Severn built a log cabin on the property; the subsequent owner, H. Burchell, added Preedy Hall, one of the largest buildings on the Gulf Islands at the time, and home to a store, a chapel, and a ballroom. In 1924 the property was sold to Hans Hunter, who built the Main Hall in 1926 after a fire. In 1979, Charles and Marlene Fordham formed a

Board of Directors A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...

to begin operations for a Bible School on the site, signed a lease to purchase, and opened the school with an inaugural class of 77 students. Current School buildings and facilities include a

gym A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational ins ...

nasium,

lecture hall A lecture hall (or lecture theatre) is a large room used for instruction, typically at a college or university. Unlike a traditional classroom with a capacity normally between one and fifty, the capacity of lecture halls is usually measured i ...

outdoor amphitheatre An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...

climbing tower A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used i ...

, several kilometres of

trails A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...

, and accommodations for 150.

Mission statement

Statement of Faith

The Capernwray Harbour Statement of Faith asserts that God created man in such a way that the presence of God as Creator within a man as creature is imperative to his humanity, and that we as men can do nothing without him. Furthermore, according to the "Regenerative Purpose of God", Christ "rose again from the dead to live his life in us."Fordham, Charle
"Our Mission"
retrieved January, 24, 2023 The Statement of Faith also declares that once one has truly assumed the Christian life, "Christ can then do the work in us as the Father then did the work in Him, and we let all God loose in the world; not, then just the sky, but God Himself is the limit!" Ultimately, according to the Statement of Faith, "Jesus Christ established the fact that our spiritual union with him, as he was in spiritual union with the Father, is the true and ultimate basis of all evangelism, missions and Church planting."

Programmes

One of the principal ideas forwarded by Major Thomas, "simplicity in Christ",The Saving Life of Christ. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House. ©1961 is emphasized in the curriculum at Capernwray Harbour. Students are encouraged to engage in

discipleship In Christianity, disciple primarily refers to a dedicated follower of Jesus. This term is found in the New Testament only in the Gospels and Acts. In the ancient world, a disciple is a follower or adherent of a teacher. Discipleship is not the ...

to enable personal discovery, rather than looking for academic merit in Bible study. Thomas wrote, "If there is any situation from which you are not prepared to step back, in recognition of the total adequacy of Christ who is in you, then you are out of the will of God."

Curriculum

The Capernwray Harbour's Bible School curriculum covers about seventy-five percent of all of the Biblical books. Essential to the Capernwray Harbour approach are the creation of journals, (ungraded summaries of lecture principles), and study projects, presentations which ensure a thorough study of the Bible and the ability to impart teachings to others.

Ventures

A variety of

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...

and recreational programmes are offered to students in the initial autumn weekends of Bible School. These Venture Programme activities are designed to establish relationships between the new students. The programmes are conducted at a variety of regional recreational areas and ecological preserves, such as Carmanah Walbran Park, and the

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is a national park located in British Columbia, Canada, which comprises three separate regions: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail. Its the Pacific Coast Mountains, are characterized ...

Outreach

Outreach programmes for students involve visits to several

elementary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...

First Nations reserves In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the ''Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Monarchy of Canada, Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benef ...

, youth drop-in centres and senior facilities. Additionally, students lead monthly church services in a medium-security prison in nearby

Nanaimo Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "H ...

. Spring break outreach programs have included ministries to Seattle USA, Mexico, Japan, India, Philippines, Israel, and Italy.

Community Life

Capernwray Harbour hosts a variety of

intramural sports Intramural sports are recreational sports organized within a particular institution, usually an educational institution, or a set geographic region. The term, which is chiefly North American, derives from the Latin words ''intra muros'' meaning " ...

, including

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

, floor hockey, and

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

. Students have opportunities to participate in other outdoor adventures such as

climbing wall A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used i ...

activities,

ropes course A ropes course is a challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity which usually consists of high and/or low elements. Low elements take place on the ground or above the ground. High elements are usually constructed in tre ...

challenges, biking and mountain hiking. Students can also organize individual team games in their free time.

Other Capernwray Harbour Programmes

Conferences and Holiday Bible Weeks

Capernwray Harbour hosts several conferences throughout the year, including the Men's Conference, Ladies Conferences, and the Pastors & Ministry Leaders Conference. Retreats are offered for families, church groups, seniors groups, and those wishing for personal getaways. The Holiday Bible Weeks are attended by families and individuals who want to have a Christian vacation experience. Christ-centred devotionals and talks round out a program that includes several

outdoor activity Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity refers to recreation done outside, most commonly in natural settings. The activities that encompass outdoor recreation vary depending on the physical environment they are being carried out in. These activitie ...

options each day. The Holiday Bible Weeks outdoor recreational activities include ocean kayaking,

waterskiing Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a Surface water sports, surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a Cable skiing, cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or ...

Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands are a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia. Etymology The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "Gulf of Georgia," the original term used by George Vancouver in his ma ...

boat tours, trail

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, trout

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

, and

beachcombing Beachcombing is an activity that consists of an individual "combing" (or searching) the beach and the intertidal zone, looking for things of value, interest or utility. A beachcomber is a person who participates in the activity of beachcombing. ...

. Team events such as

challenges and

beach volleyball Beach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two or more players on a sand court divided by a net. Similar to indoor volleyball, the objective of the game is to send the ball over the net and to ground it on the opponent's side of the ...

are available to participants of all ages, from preschool to adult. Facilities include a fully equipped

nasium, five kilometres of beach and forest trails, 32 stations on two challenge courses, and a 14-metre

rappelling Abseiling ( ; ), also known as rappelling ( ; ), is the controlled descent of a steep slope, such as a rock face, by moving down a rope. When abseiling the person descending controls their own movement down the rope, in contrast to low ...

tower. The devotional services are conducted in several meeting areas, which include the gymnasium, the lecture hall, and an

Outdoor Education Programme

The Capernwray Harbour

outdoor education Outdoor education is organized learning that takes place in the outdoors. Outdoor education programs sometimes involve residential or journey wilderness-based experiences in which students participate in a variety of adventurous challenges and out ...

programme takes advantage of many of the same facilities, but is geared toward youth aged 10 to 18. The

focusses on

problem solving Problem solving is the process of achieving a goal by overcoming obstacles, a frequent part of most activities. Problems in need of solutions range from simple personal tasks (e.g. how to turn on an appliance) to complex issues in business an ...

communication skills Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...

leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...

, community, and

teambuilding Team building is a collective term for various types of activities used to enhance social relations and define roles within teams, often involving collaborative tasks. It is distinct from team training, which is designed by a combine of business ...

.Fordham, Chri
"Outdoor Education Programme"
retrieved January 24, 2023

Footnotes

References

Capernwray Harbour Bible School official website
Association for Biblical Higher Education Protestant educational institutions Evangelical parachurch organizations