10/17/2022
LONG POST WARNING!
Hello Judson Family,
As many of you know the ministry of Judson Retreat was suspended at the end of April 2022, and a Task Force was formed to find ways to generate associational support for Judson with the goal of reopening the retreat center in 2023. Sadly the Task Force came to the realization that the support necessary from the associational churches was not adequate to continue the ministry of Judson Retreat. On October 16, 2022, the Task Force (consisting of people who all loved Judson and wanted to save it) shared its findings with the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge and made a motion to permanently close the retreat center and sell the property. The BAGBR churches voted (not unanimously) to close and sell, with the understanding that they hope to find a like-minded Christian-based group who would like to continue ministry of some kind at the retreat center.
Judson Retreat has been a special place for many people over the last 4+ decades. Hundreds upon hundreds of children, youth, and adults have given their lives to Christ, with many more having surrendered to ministry or missions and to be His disciples wherever they are. Summer staffers have grown in their walk with the Lord, learned valuable lessons about how to lead, how to love, and how to linger in His presence. Countless volunteers have donated their time, money, resources, and skills to further the ministry. Pastors have coveted the peaceful and quiet surroundings as they studied and prepared their sermons or finished their coursework for seminary. Many faces have come and gone through the years serving at Judson, faithfully cooking, cleaning, mowing, and keeping the camp office running. Each of these has fond, long-lasting memories of what Judson has meant to them.
The haunting question for all those who have come before is a simple one; Now what? The answer is not an easy one. Should we be sad? Yes. Should we grieve? I know many have and will, and it is okay to grieve. But above all, we should rejoice! We should rejoice over the lives that have been changed by our Heavenly Father at Judson. We should rejoice over hearts filled with happy memories and lifelong friendships made at Judson. We should rejoice over those who God has called to ministry here at Judson. We should rejoice over those who are serving the Lord all over the world because lives were surrendered to missions at Judson. And above all else I want you to know that even with the Judson Retreat Center facility closing for good, the ministry of Judson Retreat will continue. It will continue because that ministry doesn't belong to Judson, it belongs to the Lord. And those lives that were changed and those who were called, they carry that ministry with them. They carry it into their homes, into their churches, into their communities and around the world. Truly we can say, the sun will never set on the multi-generational impact that the Lord has made in the lives of people here at Judson. It is finished, yet it continues, may the Lord be glorified in His faithful work here through the years.
Thank you for letting the Morris family, and my family play a small role in the ministry of the Lord here at Judson.
Justin Busby
