Meet The Team
Camp Board Leadership Team
Facilities and Marketing Director
Austin Bancroft
Austin lives on the property at CBH to maintain the property and facilities at CBH. A true handyman with a history in the area, he's focused on connecting with the local community and manages rentals. God brought Austin back to Jehnsen Lake, where he used to spend his summers visiting his grandparents. He has always had a strong drive to continually improve himself and his surroundings and now gets to play a part in bringing people closer to God through their connection with nature.
Chair
Jack Durnbaugh
Jack has been proudly serving on the Board since 2019 and has a long family history at CBH. All his grandparents and his parents were involved with camp in some way or another. Jack and his siblings attended camp growing up. His girls have grown up to appreciate camp through Labor Day weekend retreats and his family has developed a deep sense of connection with camp. They have always loved the quiet respite overlooking the lake from the chapel window.
Vice-Chair
Tim Joseph
Just one year younger than Camp Brethren Heights, Tim deeply cares about this place his parents' generation built with such love and devotion and where he thrived as a camper and at youth retreats. Tim has used his skills in masonry and carpentry to maintain and improve the grounds and buildings at Camp Brethren Heights throughout his life. Most of the stonework around Camp Brethren Heights is his work! Most recently Tim managed the reroofing of the girls' cabins and bathhouse.
Treasurer
Carla Grant
As a retired CPA, Carla uses her skills to ensure that fees and donor contributions are appropriately and carefully applied to the programming and maintenance of facilities.
She started attending camp around 1970 and notes that it was the highlight of every summer of her childhood because of the lasting friendships that began there. Her mom and dad attended camp in the early years, and her children continued the tradition after her. Now, her grandson also loves being a fourth-generation Brethren Heights camper.​ Carla has volunteered as Dean of Bobcat Camp for several years and enjoys working with other staff members to provide spiritual growth and lots of fun for middle school campers.
Secretary
Jenny Deweese
Jenny has belonged to the Church of the Brethren since she was born. She's attended four Brethren churches across Michigan throughout her life, most recently attending Drayton Plains COB while living in Lapeer, where their three children, Russell, Cammy, and Daisy, were born. Eventually, they moved to Jenny's hometown of Hemlock, MI, and started attending The Church in Drive, founded and pastored by Jenny's older brother, Nate Polzin. Jenny has served in multiple capacities at the district level in the MI COB and has always been heavily involved in every church she's attended.
Currently, Jenny is employed by Shield of Faith Ministries in Saginaw, MI as care pastor, which involves managing the office, keeping the books, managing cleaning and grounds volunteers, special ministries such as VBS, Christmas programs, Christmas caroling, etc., and some counseling. She is also a young adult group leader, nursery volunteer, and sings on the worship team. Jenny enjoys Bible study, drama, singing, creative arts, and activities that unite people for a common goal.
Michigan District Church of the Brethren District Executive Minister
Bryl Shaver
Byrl recently retired from being the pastor at Nappanee Church of the Brethren and has been the Church of the Brethren District Executive Minister for a few years. He is the Michigan District Board representative on the CBH Board.