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Agape Kure Beach Logo

Experience the Spirit...
Christ, Creation, Community!

Providing year-round, "high comfort" retreat facilities
and summer camping programs to all people.

Contact Us:

Agapé † Kure Beach Ministries
1369 Tyler Dewar Lane
Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Agapé office: 919.552.9421
Agapé fax: 919.552.0720

Kure Beach: 910.458.0783


  • Mission
    Statement
  • Year Round
    & Summer Goals

  • Camp Agapé
    Staff

  • Kure Beach
    Staff

summer staff
Agapé † Kure Beach Ministries calls and gathers all people to experience the Spirit through unique, small-group encounters with Christ, in Creation and Community.

 

In fulfillment of our Christ-centered mission we:

  1. Serve as partners with congregations of the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as a vital resource for faith development.
  2. Seek to meet the wholistic needs (emotional, physical, mental & spiritual) of guests by providing quality programs and facilities to meet individual and group needs.
  3. Offer a unique, safe place apart where guests can grow in the Grace of God.
  4. Believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives.
  5. Value creating a safe place for guests to grow in faith.
  6. Believe we can and do "make a difference."
  7. Challenge staff to live as role-models of Christ's example in all aspects of daily life.
  8. Teach creation stewardship in word and action.
  9. Strive to be intentional in building community among guests.
  10. Believe small group ministry is a cornerstone to living as a Christian community.
  11. Foster self-value, and emphasize God-given gifts in individuals.
  12. Seek to develop a Biblically-based sense of responsibility for peace, justice, and our environment.

We are a partner in ministry with the churches of the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
This ministry seeks to serve groups and individuals of all denominations.
Both Camp Agapé and Kure Beach serve the needs of business, education, and community groups.

Our Seven Major Goals for Summer Camp:

  • Building the self esteem and self value of all of our campers
    and peers.
  • To be positive Christian role models for our campers and
    each other.
  • To provide wholistic safety for all campers and staff - physical,
    emotional, mental, and spiritual.
  • To instill a sense of creation stewardship in our campers and
    each other, and to use our resources to the best of
    our abilities.
  • To help build leaders in today's church.
  • To play and sing lots of music.
  • To have fun!


Randy Youngquist-Thurow, AIM
Executive Director, CCD
RandyRandy grew up in Minnesota. He has a BA in Religion & Business Administration from Augustana College and has served full-time in Outdoor Ministries since 1983. In 1993 he finished his Associate in Ministry Program. In 1994 he completed the American Camp Association Certified Camp Director training. Randy joined our ministry in the fall of 1996. 

Mir Youngquist-Thurow
Environmental Education Director
MirMir has been at Agape since 1996 “playing in the woods with kids” of all ages. Originally from Minnesota, she brings a lot of camp and naturalist experience from MN, WI, and PA. She has a passion for helping guests appreciate the wonders of God’s Creation at Agape and at Kure Beach.

Alex Linn
Program Director
Alex LinnAlex is a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts and a recent student at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has been at camp off and on for the past 7 years as a SIT, Support Staff volunteer, Summer Counselor, and Team Leader. He has also worked on the staff of
Imago Dei Village in Wisconsin. Alex lives onsite full time and it’s a good bet you’ll see him and
his dog, Rory, sometime during your visit.
Lauren Thurow
Registrar, Guest Services Coordinator, Program Assistant
Lauren ThurowLauren is an Appalachian State graduate. She majored in psychology with a concentration in human services. Her focus and experience has been in community service and service-learning. Lauren fell in love with Camp Agapé during her first summer as a counselor in 2008. She kept coming back to camp to serve as a Team Leader and Servant Event Coordinator. Lauren can  
help you with anything related to day camp, servant event, confirmation camp, retreats, and more!
Penny Wiard
Marketing, Office Manager
PennyPenny got her start at Agapé hiking the woods as an ACE educator. In 2007 she was hired to work in the office as the Capital Campaign Coordinator. Since then she has taken on some of Agapé's marketing responsibilities. Penny lives in Fuquay with her husband Bob, their two college-aged children (whenever they are home on breaks) and their dog Taffy.
Agapé Part-Time Staff

David Hutzenbuhler - Development Director
Carrie Ritchie - Development Assistant
Nina Lapore - Bookkeeper
Bill Timberlake - Projects Manager
Annie Hutson - Zip-line Coordinator
John Griffin - Site Manager
Danny Garrett - Food Service Manager
Ann Griffin - Food Service Manager
Bernice Prince - Maintenance
Becky Wood - Housekeeper

 

 


Pastor Dan Keck
Ministry Partner

Pastor KeckMy family and I enthusiastically joined the Kure Memorial and Agape † Kure Beach families in October of 2012 after serving as Associate Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Port Clinton, Ohio and Mission Developer at St. John @ The Bay Lutheran Mission at Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio.

I have a passion for people of all ages, especially children and youth, community outreach, inspirational worship, outdoor ministry and youth and adult mission trips. Keep your eyes open when you are in Kure Beach, as you will probably run into me around town spending time with my family, walking on the beach and trying to fish! (I'm open to any advice!)

My wife Chris, who is a teacher by profession, loves kids and walking on the beach. She embraces the challenge of trying to organize our family! One of our family goals is to "explore" all the ice cream shops around Pleasure Island! We have four incredible children! Lindsey is a student at New York University in New York City (she's our city girl!). Colleen, a student at Ashley High School, is on the swim team and has a passion for music. Heather, also a student at Ashley High School and on the swim team, enjoys pole vaulting. Andro, a student at Murray Middle School, loves fishing, golf and most other sports that involve a ball! We are excited about being a part of how God is working in the outdoor ministries of Agape + Kure Beach!

Maureen Tato
Registrar

Maureen TatoMaureen is the new registrar at the Kure Beach Faith Center. She and her husband moved to Charlotte in 1997 from the Niagara Falls, NY area. Hoping for a slower pace of life, they moved to Wilmington in 2005. Maureen became the secretary at Kure Memorial Lutheran Church in 2011 and registrar for the Kure Beach Faith Center in 2012. She can register your group at the Faith Center where they can experience the peace and power of God through our unique ocean front facilities.

Mike Goyne
Site Maintenance
Under construction