Illinois Great Rivers Conference Ministries

In order to continue to connect people with God through outdoor experiences, Little Grassy Camp will continue to operate, host retreat groups, and plan for youth and children church camps in 2025.

Little Grassy Camp is located on the shores of Little Grassy Lake, which is part of the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. On Dec. 5 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that Little Grassy lake will be completely drained starting in December. This is part of a longer-term plan to repair the dam that created Little Grassy Lake. At this time, it’s not clear how long the lake will be drained, but it is clear that swimming, boating, and waterfront camping experiences will be significantly impacted or several seasons. You can learn more about changes to our retreat and camp experiences at www.littlegrassycamp.org

Rev. Nancy Lane, Director of Camping & Retreat Ministries for the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The United Methodist Church, responded to the recent announcement by saying, “The summer of 2025 looks to be a memorable year at Little Grassy Camp and Retreat Center. Brochures highlighting camp offerings and registration details for families, and children entering first – 12th grade will arrive in homes and churches by mid-January. While the draining of Lake Little Grassy will bring temporary change, the Little Grassy staff is excited to explore and offer a front row seat to the anticipated ecosystem changes in our environmental education offerings. Whether one arrives as a summer camper, or as a year round guest who joins us for a retreat, hobby or interest group get-a-way, a family reunion, or in your own RV, we’re confident that Little Grassy Camp and Retreat Center will continue to be a place to connect with people, nature, and Christ in 2025.”

Little Grassy Camp will continue to offer the beauty of its hill-top sites as places of retreat, reflection, and recreation. Our year-round facilities include Masada Retreat Center with motel-style rooms for up to 46 people, Mt. Tabor Lodge with a capacity of 40 people, and Cedar Lodge full-service dining facility. Planning is easy with Little Grassy. Retreats can include everything your group needs to have a successful ministry event; lodging, meeting space, dining, and recreation. Let us know what you are looking for, and we will get back to you with availability and rates for your event. To book a retreat, please get in touch with the camp office at 618-457-6030 or [email protected]

Little Grassy Camp is operated by the Commission on Camping & Retreat Ministries of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The United Methodist Church. The Commission will be meeting and reviewing the impact of the draining of Little Grassy Lake on camp operations and developing a longer-range plan. If you have questions, please reach out to IGRC Coordinator of Camping & Retreat Ministries, Rev. Nancy Lane at [email protected].

Homepage: Little Grassy Camp

Help Our Campers Rest Easy
Give a Camp Mattress this Year!

This Giving Tuesday through Christmas, you can help make a lasting difference in our church campers' comfort and well-being. We're launching a special campaign to replace our mattresses at East Bay Camp and Little Grassy Camp, ensuring every camper gets the restful sleep they need for energetic days of activities and spiritual growth. We hope to raise enough funds through you and your local church’s generosity to provide over a hundred new twin and double sizes mattresses to our camps.

Why Mattresses Matter
Quality sleep is essential for our campers to fully engage in daily activities, build meaningful relationships, and grow in their faith journey. Our mattresses are specially constructed for the rigors of church camp and designed to last through many seasons of robust use. Your donation will directly impact the comfort and rest of countless campers for years to come.

How to Give
Your gift, no matter the size, makes a difference:
$150 provides one twin-size mattress
$225 provides one double-size mattress
$2,000 furnishes an entire cabin with new mattresses
Any amount helps us toward our goal!

Your Impact
Together, we can ensure that future generations of campers have a comfortable place to rest after days filled with adventure, friendship, and spiritual discovery.

Use this link to make your gift today and help our campers dream bigger tomorrow!
https://igrc.brtapp.com/page/donate/mattress-fundraising-campaign
Or contact use directly to consider a larger gift or arrange a conversation about planned giving to support our camps: [email protected] or 309-365-7531.

Reboot Youth Ministry

Reboot Youth Ministry You don't want to miss this. Exciting opportunity to join a cohort to Reboot your youth ministry! IGRC Youth Ministries is partnering with Perkins School of Youth Ministry Reboot is a program designed