The Berrien County Council of Churches was born in 1877-1878 from the desire of churchmen of that period to encourage the Christian training of children in the county through the mutual efforts of all churches. Begun as the Berrien County Sunday School Association, its prime mover was E.K. Warren of Three Oaks, who became a world leader and one of the organizers of the International Sunday School Association. Other leading organizers of the Berrien County Sunday School Association were Joel H. Gillette, Niles, George Parsons, Watervliet and Dr. J. D. Greenmayer, Niles. One of the first men to be enlisted in the work in the northern area was Fred Washburn, and in 1890 he was hired by E.K. Warren as Field Secretary of the Association - a position which he held until 1926.

So effective was the B.C.S.S.A. that by 1922 it was acclaimed as the leader in Sunday School work among the 83 Michigan counties; and by the end of 1922, the international headquarters was said to have regarded Berrien County “as the leading scene of activity in the country”.

A new phase of service to the community had been made possible in 1911, when J. N. Klock gave Pottawatomie Park to the Association. This parcel of 30 acres with 1,000 feet of shoreline on Lake Michigan was renamed Camp Warren in honor of E. K. Warren. This site became the headquarters of the Association, and the field secretaries were housed there for a number of years. Around this time, camping activities were conducted at Higman Park for the religious training of children and youth.

Fred Washburn was succeeded as Field Secretary by J. O. Nelson who continued the effective work of maintaining a high level of enthusiasm and strong organizational ties among the county Sunday Schools. When he resigned in 1931, the Depression was beginning to affect the finances. Ralph B. Grove became secretary at a salary of $150 per month and the use of a house at Camp Warren. He stayed only one year and when he left in 1932 the executive board decided “to try to get along for awhile without an Executive Secretary (to) give the treasurer a chance to get caught up on all the indebtedness”.

The work continued with lay leadership until 1940 when J. Kent Sanderson was hired. In 1941 an in-depth study was made by him concerning the problems facing the B.C.S.S.A. as it became evident that more and more churches were getting help in Christian education training and materials from their denominations, so that the county program was tending to duplicate and to compete with the denominational movement. During the next several years the leaders of the B.C.S.S.A. worked toward phasing out many of the activities of the Association and entering into a relationship with a recently organized Berrien County Council of Churches.

Recognizing the changing needs which were developing during World War II, a number of county church people had become interested in “the strengthening unity to be gained through the organization of an active County Council of Churches with a religious and community program”. In April of 1942, 1996 members from 23 churches “with the full approval and support of the B.C.S.S.A.” voted to establish the Berrien County Council of Churches and to adopt the proposed constitution.

The purpose of the new Council, as described in the Articles of Incorporation filed in 1943 were “to promote religious education, and to develop the fourfold life so called: social, physical, mental and spiritual; to encourage the largest possible cooperation among the churches to the end that the Kingdom of God may be advanced”.

During the next few years, while both organizations labored to minister to the religious needs of the community, an interest developed in the merging of the two groups. On August 30, 1946, a special meeting was held by the members of the B.C.S.S.A. for the purpose of combining the activities of that corporation with those of the B.C.C.C. and amending the Articles of Association of the Corporation to consolidate the two groups. In order for the assets and property of the B.C.S.S.A. to be taken over by the merged group, it was necessary for the B.C.C.C. to file a Certificate of Voluntary Dissolution and to transfer its’ assets to the B.C.S.S.A. Then the B.C.S.S.A. filed an Amended Articles of Incorporation assuming the name “The Berrien County Council of Churches” and listing its purposes, et cetera, duplicating those of the original Articles of Incorporation of the B.C.C.C. which had been filed in 1943. A prime motivator in this merger was William H. Bartz.

With the merging of the two organizations, the cooperative Christian work in the county was broadened. While the interest continued in strengthening Christian education and in maintaining Camp Warren as a place for teaching and recreation, there was a developing interest in work among the migrants (which had begun in 1942), in chaplain ministry in the hospitals and in the developing of a community spirit of cooperation in other areas. Both social and racial problems had multiplied after World War II with the changing population in the county and the Council sought to meet the needs.

In 1946, Howard Nagle was hired as Executive Secretary and served until 1949. Emerson O. Bradshaw served as Interim Executive Secretary until the coming of Rev. Walter B. Price, who served from 1950 to 1964.

About 1945 a year-round worker, Rev. Ernest Culpepper, was added to the staff to minister to the needs of the migrant workers. In 1949 a joint program with the Home Mission of North America, directed by Mrs. Ellis Marshburn provided a day care center and vacation church school in the Chapel Hill United Methodist Church at Sodus. Dedicated youth, called “Harvesters” ministered in the camps and other volunteers and part-time staff worked on farms and in schools. In 1959, a Center for Migrant Ministry was built on Hartman Road on property donated by Russell and Betty Handy, who also provided excellent leadership to this work for many years.

One of the unusual forms of ministry the Council engaged in from 1953 to 1970 was the Youth for Understanding Program. Under the dedicated leadership of Valorus and Lillian Kerry, many high school students from Europe were enrolled in local schools and experienced American life with Christian families.

Shortly after the arrival of radio station WHFB in Fairplain, the council began a series of daily spiritual broadcasts in 1947, under the leadership of Radio Committee chairman, Mrs. Lloyd Zoschke, which continued for many years. During the fifties a series of sex education courses taught by Dr. Charles Wittchiebe of Andrews University, were begun for Junior High students and were very popular until his retirement in 1974.

The program at Camp Warren has continued to be of great interest to council members and friends. In recent years, the lodge was renamed in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Valorus Kerry for their many years of service to the camp as volunteers. The Klock Cottage became a year-round retreat center in 1975 through a bequest from Verna Matrau. A program of camping for the handicapped was one of the most rewarding and appreciated efforts and grew from one week in the fifties to five weeks. This was carried on in cooperation with Handicapped Camping, Inc. camping for the underprivileged. A camp program for senior citizens, called JOY (Just Older Youth) Week was a popular addition in 1973.

Another dimension was added to the council when the B.C.C.C. became the sponsor for a 160-unit low-income housing development in cooperation with the American Baptist Management Corporation. Called Homes for B.C. Families, Inc. this federally funded project was dedicated in 1971 and continues to serve the area under its own Board of Directors. Executive Director Edward Goodman came to the B.C.C.C. in 1965, and ably led us during this period of social change in helpful community service. Following his retirement in 1970, Mari O’Keefe, office manager from 1963 to 1977, carried on the administrative work.

Arnold R. Bolin was installed as Executive Director in 1972 and served until late 1985. Under his leadership, the Council expanded its hospital chaplaincy ministry, improved the Camp Warren facilities and expanded camp programming, began the annual CROP Walk for the hungry in cooperation with the Twin City Clergy Association and organized a Peace Task Force. Rev. Kenneth R. Hanby served as interim Executive Director from September 1985 to August 1986.

Through the years the B.C.C.C. has sponsored many worthwhile conferences, seminars, training sessions and workshops. A great celebration was held February 9, 1978, for the 100th birthday of the B.C.C.C. At the 106th Annual Meeting, held October 26, 1983, the organization’s name was officially changed to BERRIEN COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES. Due to increased state regulations, migrant work became no longer possible and the Migrant Center was sold in February 1985.

On November 13, 1986, at the 109th Annual Meeting, delegates voted to continue the organization as a volunteer association without an Executive Director and to continue the operation of Camp Warren.

The office was moved from the Y.W.C.A. in St. Joseph to accommodations at the Peace Temple United Methodist Church in Benton Harbor in early 1987.

In November, 1991, a Benton Harbor Street Ministry with Rev. James E. Atterberry as director was begun. After four years in a rented facility, a building was purchased and renovated in 1995 on Empire Avenue at McAllister Street. The Ministry has many programs which offer help in the name of Jesus Christ for the disadvantaged of the community.

In the late 1990s Camp Warren was closed due to a lack of funds for its operation. Delegates from BCAC member churches voted in July 1997 to sell the Camp to a developer. Due to the sale of some land to the south many years earlier and to lake front erosion, the size of the property had been reduced to 17.96 acres and 507.09 feet of Lake Michigan frontage. The sale was complete in June 1998 and netted $566,323 after all indebtedness and fees were paid. A Camp Warren Endowment Fund was established with the proceeds of the sale of the property with an elected board to oversee investments and distributions from the Fund to worthy charitable (501.3) organizations.

Rev. Ruth M. Lacker, (President 1977 - 1980 and 1987 - 1990)
Condensed from history written for 100th Anniversary, plus more recent events.