03/17/2026
In 1961, a group of churches believed God could use a mountain to change lives.
When Joseph and Else Falke donated the land that would become Catskill Christian Assembly, that vision finally had a place to grow. Churches from Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and the city came together to build something that didn’t exist yet.
Before there was even a road to the property, men were hauling concrete blocks up the hill by hand. Two at a time. They’d leave before sunrise, work until dark, drive home, and be back at church the next morning.
By the end of that summer, the first building was standing — a dining hall and chapel built by volunteers.
On September 3, 1961, the first service was held at camp.
Thirty-eight people gathered.
Five were baptized in the Schoharie Creek below the camp.
Sixty-five years later, we’re still living in what they prayed for.
What they built.
