Camp Farthest Out (CFO) is an interdenominational Christian fellowship founded in 1930 by Dr. Glenn Clark. His vision for people to go farther out in their walk with Jesus is being fulfilled with hundreds of CFO events around the world today. CFO retreats are held in comfortable accommodations, yet, the elements of the CFO Day remain the same - proven tools for experiencing God in a meaningful way.

I’ll share my personal CFO experience with you. In the summer of 1978 a very dear lady by the name of Hazel Severin invited my 15 year old daughter come to summer camp at Allen’s Park Colorado to provide child care for the families there. Shelley came home changed. I must add that she was a pretty great young woman already but, there was a difference. She was invited back the next year and when we arrived with her on the first day of camp the scene was unbelievable. People arriving were excitedly bursting out of their cars greeting the others already there. People were hugging, laughing, and crying everyone was so happy to be back together, young and old alike. In the summer of 1981 we went as a family and began an adventure that continues today.

I had given my heart to Jesus as a teenager and thought that I was a Christian but I learned that I had a long way to go. At CFO I have learned about God from lay speakers sharing from their hearts about what God had done and was doing in their lives. I learned from pastors of many denominations about the word of God. I came to believe that the Creator of the universe really does love me (and you too) through my participation in CFO.

The CFO ministry has literally saved my life several times. When I messed up my marriage of 27 years to Bonnie, Shelley’s mother my CFO family loved us all through that tumult. The marriage didn’t survive because I was too hard headed to see what forgiveness was really about. I walked away from the Lord for a time. A second marriage ended in divorce because I failed to be the spiritual head of my home.

Devastated, I came crawling back to CFO. When I saw Hazel at our home church (I hadn’t seen her in many years) her first words were “CFO starts next Sunday and there’s room for you.” I know how the prodigal son felt. I hadn’t even thought about CFO. That summer was a time of healing that is hard describe and maybe even harder to understand. I attended two Colorado camps and two California camps and my life was changed again. I studied God’s word, prayed, cried, listened to speaking leaders and listened for God to speak. I went from depressed, suicidal, and convinced that God wanted me to live the rest of life alone to healed, blessed, and confident in God’s infinite love.

I met Alice at California Silver Sierra CFO and while it was not love at first sight though we were mutually interested. She was the council ring Chairperson; we ate several meals together, took an afternoon trip to town and generally got to know each other. She was a widow of several years and was in camp with her three grand children who I did love right away. Alice wasn’t looking for a husband and I was sure that I didn’t need a wife. Camp ended with us sharing email addresses and invitation to visit her if I ever came back to California. I did come back to California that summer for another CFO. At the end of the Central Pines CFO I called Alice and asked if her invitation was still standing. It was and to make a long story short two weeks later we were married. There is a lot more to the story but that is another chapter that is still being written.

At CFO I learned about God’s love, God’s forgiveness, and that in order for my life to be complete I will always keep Christ central in my marriage. To quote Jesus from Matthew 18 “^20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” ^[1] Alice and I agree that Jesus is our center.

So if you are ready learn, heal, love, and play come to California Alliance CFO.

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