4/21--Easter Camp, Day 1

The day started in Adelaide with Jon and I frantically making sure we had all the tiny details finalized and worked out for the weekend. I had to do some last minute shopping to pick up some things for some games I wanted to play with the kids. Everything went smooth. We picked up all the fresh produce, the meat, the dairy...everything! We arranged to have all the food, sound equipment, and the like put into various vehicles to make its way to the camp (everybody drove themselves). Eventually, I loaded my personal stuff in Steve Crocker's SUV and we drove away. Steve was going to be in charge this first night because Jon and Katie couldn't come up until the next morning (a prior obligation).

The drive up with Steve and Nicole was great. They are just lovely people and I am glad to know them. We found Iced Coffee for $1 too. That was amazing! First time I ever felt I had found a bargain in Adelaide ;-).

We got to camp later that afternoon. We had a quick meal of hot chips (french fries) and met with the owners of the grounds. They ran us through the rules and explanations (you know the drill).

Once most of the people had arrived and moved into their cabins, we brought them together in the main meeting hall for orientation and welcome. Steve ran them through the orientation a bit and then introduced me. Jon had wanted me to give a quick introductory message that evening on what our hopes were for the camp. Our theme for the weekend was "All My Life," centered around Philippians 3:8-11 : "⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."

So for this small message I explained that we were going to look at the why and how we go about giving all our lives for God in light of the fact that he gave all His life for us. I used a bunch of silly stories and jokes to come to that point and really felt like I had hit some sort of a "stride" in talking to youth. It was good! I think it worked as an introduction and to set a tone for the weekend.

After this service, the kids went on a night hike while all the leaders met to discuss their role in the weekend.

The first night was really simple. I would become much busier in the days to come.

In Christ,

Chris