The Overnight Re-Cap: Our Mini Summer Camp Experience
What an amazing 24 hours we had together! We set our intentions, shared our safety protocol, and hit the ground running!
Our series for this camp time is titled, Created for Connection! In our 3 discussions we focused on connection with God, connection with others, and connection with ourselves!
For our first activity, we went on an epic hike up the mesa to a hidden tree swing! While at the peak of the Mesa we talked about Connection with God and the concept of "Mountaintop Moments"
After sharing the story of The Transfiguration found in Matthew 17:1–8, we talked about these thoughts:
Mountains show up often in the Bible as places where people meet God—Moses on Sinai, Elijah on Horeb, the sermon on the mount, and here in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus on the mountain of Transfiguration. In this story, Jesus brings his closest friends—Peter, James, and John—up a mountain. There, they see him in a new, radiant way. It's a “God moment”—mysterious, beautiful, and a little scary. Mountaintop moments can be literal—like feeling God in nature—or metaphorical—those are moments when everything feels clear and close to the Divine. P even as powerful as that moment was, Jesus didn’t stay on the mountain. He came back down. Why? Because connection with God isn’t just for high-up, holy places—it’s for every day, every valley. Jesus shows us that God is not distant, but near—present on the mountain and in the mess.
After our talk we did some alone journal time with the question, “Describe a time when you felt a sense of awe or wonder. What did it teach you about your relationship with God?”
Next we ate lunch at Your Pie before heading to Lake Mary for some paddle boarding! While at the Lake we talked about Connection with Others and the idea of "Where Living Water Flows", referencing John 4:1–26 — Jesus and the Woman at the Well. Here are some o f the thoughts we shared:
Water is life. It nourishes, cleanses, and connects. In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. She’s an outsider—by gender, by religion, and by her social situation. Yet Jesus doesn't avoid her. He speaks with honesty, kindness, and deep listening.
The well becomes a meeting place—not just for drawing water, but for building connection. Jesus offers her “living water,” a metaphor for love and belonging that never runs dry. What’s radical is how he breaks barriers to form this connection: crossing cultural, religious, and gender boundaries.
To follow Jesus means practicing radical connection, especially with people we’re told not to notice.
After leaving the lake we went to Federated and played for a bit until our taco dinner was ready! After dinner we sat around a fire and made smores. Pastor Charlie came and talked to us about the stars and the universe. He also discussed our 3rd topic of “Connection with Ourselves” referencing Luke 2:8–14 — The Shepherds and the Angels. Here are some of the thoughts shared:
At night, under the stars, the shepherds hear a message that will change the world: "Peace on earth, good will to all." The stars have always been symbols of wonder, guidance, and dreams—Abraham was promised descendants as numerous as the stars; the Magi followed a star to find hope in a manger.
Shepherds were ordinary people—unseen, underpaid, unimportant by society’s standards. But the angels show up for them. Why? Maybe because the divine message of peace begins with being seen and known.
You are already loved. The God who created the stars also created you—with purpose, beauty, and light.
Sometimes connecting with ourselves means turning down the noise and looking up. It means remembering we are enough, even when we don’t feel shiny or strong.
When do you feel most fully “yourself”? What gets in the way of that? Under the stars, the shepherds heard words of peace and joy. What message do you need to hear right now? Write it to yourself.
After an evening of games and glowsticks, we went to bed around midnight and woke up to a delicious breakfast! We are so grateful for this time of connection and growth!