This excellent camp is for middle school youth groups to bring students together with their youth leaders. Please note that young people must book through their church.
Here’s what the youth leaders said last year:
“Just wanted to say how great it was to get a week with our middle school students together at camp. It has REALLY blessed us…”
“That week strengthened their relationships, encouraged their friendships, and grew their faith.”
“I spoke with the kids who have been on youth group camp and the individual camp and it was unanimous that youth group camp was their favorite.”
“Can’t wait to sign up for next years Youth Group week!”
Church leaders can click here to register online.
Please read below for answers to some frequently asked questions regarding our Middle School Youth Group Week!
Why are you doing this week?
We believe that God has uniquely situated us in a position to be able to offer a youth group experience for churches in our Diocese that compliments the work that is already going on. We want to work together with you and offer our resources as we seek to raise up a biblically faithful generation, that loves Jesus, leads the church and changes the world.
How will it benefit my group?
We have many middle school students who already come from church youth groups to camp, but do it alone, without their friends from church or their youth leaders. We believe that we can help you and them by having you all come together. If you know of kids who come regularly to camp then why not round them up and bring them together so that you can experience what they experience and be able to use it as a springboard for further spiritual growth when you all get home? You don’t have to bring a large group (although large groups are welcome!), just those who were coming already. You will also probably find that there are young people on the fringes of your group who you can’t get to come to your retreats, but who always come to camp. What a great way to build a strong relationship with them! Last year we had groups as small as 4, and groups who brought over 20.
Who can come?
Any student who will have completed 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade or 8th grade is welcome. Also, your youth group does not have to be Episcopal to attend.
What will we do for fun?
Camp has lots of different activities to offer, from our water sports, sailing and kayaking, to our land based sports, archery, hockey, dodgeball, ultimate, etc. Besides this, we do a bunch of great alternative activities such as low ropes, arts and crafts, campfires, circle games, beach games and more. We also have a few fantastic new activities in line for summer 2010, but more about that at a later date…! Besides all of these things, we have plenty of time to hang out, swim, play basketball, buy snacks at the canteen, etc. We guarantee that your students will find it difficult to be bored!
What kind of teaching content will there be?
Each morning and evening we will gather for some worship and teaching. Our theme this year is Jonah, and we will be looking at the gospel through this book of the Bible each evening. There will definitely be an evangelistic edge to this week, but we will also cater to those students who are further on in their faith, both through our meetings and our afternoon seminars. We also have daily small group and youth group times where you can be with your students in a more intimate setting. Finally, we do daily quiet times where the students are challenged to get into the regular habit of daily prayer and Bible study.
Who will be teaching us?
Our ‘Chaplains’ for the week will be Ken and Julie Moser, experienced youth pastors, writers and gifted speakers from St John’s Shaughnessy, Vancouver. They have spoken at various of our youth retreats here in the Diocese and are incredibly good at teaching the Bible in a fun, highly interactive, and in-depth way. As well as them, our college staff with teaching gifts are used to teach various parts of our program. We find that their testimonies connect incredibly well with our students as they are close in age to them.
What about worship?
Each day we have two times set aside, morning and evening, where we gather for corporate worship. In these times we are led by our excellent staff worship team here at camp. These times incorporate some parts of liturgy and later in the week we share communion together.
When will it begin?
Registration will begin at 1.30pm on the first day, Monday July 19.
When will it end?
It will end on Friday, July 23 at 11am.
Can we miss part of the week to do something else?
No, I’m afraid not. Camp requires that you participate in the whole thing. It’s unfair on others if you don’t. We do recommend though that you might want to consider spending an extra day at the end doing something in the
How many students/leaders can I bring?
We have 128 spaces at camp, so there is plenty of room, although don’t leave it until the last minute to sign up. There is no maximum number, but you must bring a minimum of 4 students. If this is hard, consider partnering with another church as you book.
How many leaders can I bring?
You must have at least one leader of each sex if you are bringing a mixed group. You must also have at least one leader for every 8 students that you bring, and have leaders of each sex if you are bringing a mixed sex group. The good news is that you will receive one free space for a leader for every 8 students that you bring! Leaders must be at least 19 years old, although you are welcome to bring additional student leaders aged 16-18.
Where will we stay?
In our luxurious cabins…okay, they’re not luxurious, but hey, this is camp! What do you expect?! They have everything you need, even air-conditioning! Depending on the size of your group you may share with another group. Each cabin holds ten people, so including yourself and one of our staff members, there are 8 more spots available in a cabin (although we can squeeze one more student in if we really need to).
Are scholarships available?
Yes. For students we have an excellent scholarship program where your church pays a third, St. Christopher pays a third, and the individual pays a third. As the cost of the event is $399, this means that students could come for as little as $133. (In extreme circumstances further assistance may also be available).
What do we need to bring?
A packing list will be available early in the Spring on our website.
Will you come and tell my students why they should come with us?
Of course! Just call us or e-mail us and we will set up a time to come visit your youth group. We also have a bunch of postcards that you can send out to them to help them get excited about this!
What if I have more questions?
Just e-mail Jonathan Bennett at , or call him at (843) 768 1337.
