Corporate Entity
George F. Harris Foundation, Inc. DBA Covenant Village
Board of Directors
Steven A. Fitzhugh, President sfitz170@comcast.net ww.thehousedc.org www.powermoves.org
Juls R. Wood, Vice-President jwood2@mindspring.com http://reynwood.home.mindspring.com
Arnold E. Ensfield, Founder, Executive Director & Secretary office@covenantvillagecamp.com
Bruce L. Bittenbender, Treasurer bbitten@midlantic.com
George F. Harris
Margaret L. Wiley hiwileys@verizon.net
History
Dr. Richard C. Halverson, the former Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, found Christ as a young man in southern California. For many years, he was actively involved with Forest Home, a Christian Camp and Conference Center. Later on, Dr. Halverson served as pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, MD. As his church grew he longed for a Christian camp and conference center similer to Forest Home that could serve his church's need on the East Coast. His dreaming and searching eventually paid off.
The year was 1971 and insurance businessman George Harris of Wheaton, MD, was looking for a good investment. He found it in 405 acres of woods and farmland in southern Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Together with his wife Fran, they worked to develop the land and renovate the barns and farmhouse.
On April 17, 1977, during a speech by Dr. Halverson at a Forest Home Banquet, God spoke to the hearts of Arnie and Carolyn Ensfield. After hearing Dr. Halverson speak about his desire for a similer camp and conference center on the East Coast, the Ensfields felt led to start such a place. In 1979 they moved to the Washington, D.C., area specifically to develop a conference center for area churches. Covenant Village was soon incorporated with a Board of Directors and began to conduct Christian conferences in hotels until the land and facilities needed for a center could be found. Covenant Village was founded October 29, 1980, with the following Directors: Ritchie Coryell, Brad Davis, Arnie Ensfield, Al Hagen, Sam Hines, Phil Jordan, Paul Miller, and Paul Watson. Dick Halverson provided wise counsel.
Meanwhile, George Harris's farm was losing money. Despite the hard work and time invested, the farmland did not prove to be profitable. Unwilling to sell the land, he established the George F. Harris Foundation in 1985 and donated all of the land to it with the purpose of establishing a summer camp for boys and girls.
In 1986, while George was promoting his ideas for a camp over Christian radio, Harvey Kissinger, an acquaintance of Arnie's, was listening and instantly realized the possibility that Mr. Harris's land could make for Covenant Village . Soon after, a meeting was arranged on the property and later, a merger of the two corporations was formed. Covenant Village Christian Conference Center was formally dedicated to the Lord on May 16, 1987.