September 30, 2020: High School Seniors, Oklahoma Region

Love letter to camp...
Week Two: Longing for Guidance

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.

To donate to today's camp: Oklahoma Region


https://youtu.be/QSWeFJtK1SM

Scripture Week Two: (From InsideOut, This is Our Prayer)

1 Kings 3:7–15

Lord God, I’m your servant, and you’ve made me king in my father’s place. But I’m very young and know so little about being a leader. And now I must rule your chosen people, even though there are too many of them to count. Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then I will know how to rule your people. If you don’t, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.

God said: Solomon, I’m pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked to live a long time or to be rich. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom to make right decisions. So I’ll make you wiser than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live. I’ll also give you what you didn’t ask for. You’ll be rich and respected as long as you live, and you’ll be greater than any other king. If you obey me and follow my commands, as your father David did, I’ll let you live a long time. Solomon woke up and realized that God had spoken to him in the dream. He went back to Jerusalem and stood in front of the sacred chest, where he offered sacrifices to please the Lord and sacrifices to ask his blessing. Then Solomon gave a feast for his officials.

At Home Videos

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

September 29, 2020, Christina Wilson, Kentucky Region

Love letter to camp...
Week Two: Longing for Guidance

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.

To donate to today's camp: WKDH, Kentucky

Dear WKDH Senior, 

There are no words to describe what you have been through your senior year. This should be a time for your many "lasts" of your high school chapter. Instead you are going through a major first - The Coronavirus Pandemic. 😞

I want you to know that you are loved. Even when times are hard, you are loved. When you feel cheated, you are loved. When you want to scream and cry - you are loved. We love you. You always have your WKDH family who will stand with you and love you.

Through this crazy time, we walk with you. We will be here for you and we will support you. When you feel lost, we will help and guide you the best we can. We are in this together and we will get through this because we are WKDH strong. 😊

Agape

Christina Wilson

Scripture Week Two: (From InsideOut, This is Our Prayer)
1 Kings 3:7–15
Lord God, I’m your servant, and you’ve made me king in my father’s place. But I’m very young and know so little about being a leader. And now I must rule your chosen people, even though there are too many of them to count. Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then I will know how to rule your people. If you don’t, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.

God said: Solomon, I’m pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked to live a long time or to be rich. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom to make right decisions. So I’ll make you wiser than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live. I’ll also give you what you didn’t ask for. You’ll be rich and respected as long as you live, and you’ll be greater than any other king. If you obey me and follow my commands, as your father David did, I’ll let you live a long time. Solomon woke up and realized that God had spoken to him in the dream. He went back to Jerusalem and stood in front of the sacred chest, where he offered sacrifices to please the Lord and sacrifices to ask his blessing. Then Solomon gave a feast for his officials.

At Home Videos

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

September 28, 2020: Courtney Cartwright, North Carolina

Love letter to camp...
Week Two: Longing for Guidance

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.

To donate to today's camp: Caroline, North Carolina

Dearest Camp,

Since I was a nine year old little girl, looking for a place I could just be myself, you have been there for me. You gave me a place that I could be me all the time. You showed me the unconditional love of God through the many counselors, directors, and staff members you put in my life. You gave me strength to be the person God truly planned for me to be. You gave me lifelong friends who have been with me through thick and thin and who I know will always be there. You showed me that I can be a leader and that other valued my ideas and views. You also gave me a place that is always home, no matter how long it has been since I visited you.

I have been blessed to spend close to 15 years and over 52 weeks enjoying your comforts and working to give others the many blessings you gave to me. I pray that you will continue to bless my life and many others for many, many years to come.

With All My Love,

Courtney

Scripture Week Two: (From InsideOut, This is Our Prayer)
1 Kings 3:7–15

Lord God, I’m your servant, and you’ve made me king in my father’s place. But I’m very young and know so little about being a leader. And now I must rule your chosen people, even though there are too many of them to count. Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then I will know how to rule your people. If you don’t, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.

God said: Solomon, I’m pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked to live a long time or to be rich. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom to make right decisions. So I’ll make you wiser than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live. I’ll also give you what you didn’t ask for. You’ll be rich and respected as long as you live, and you’ll be greater than any other king. If you obey me and follow my commands, as your father David did, I’ll let you live a long time. Solomon woke up and realized that God had spoken to him in the dream. He went back to Jerusalem and stood in front of the sacred chest, where he offered sacrifices to please the Lord and sacrifices to ask his blessing. Then Solomon gave a feast for his officials.

At Home Videos

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

September 25. 2020: Kenny Hardway, West Virginia Region

Love letter to camp...
Week One: Longing to Be Invited

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.


To donate to today's camp: In Honor of Camp, West Virginia Region

Dear Camp 

I love you all. As I think about the years I’ve been involved with camp, and the number of youth and counselors whom I’ve shared these life-shaping moments with, I’m overwhelmed. Church Camp & Conference is special. I can’t imagine my life without it. #CampMatters

I wish I knew how many times I’ve heard a senior say on their last night, “I want to come back next year, and every year after that.” I get that feeling. I’ve been blessed with this call to ministry, and by the grace of the church, I’ve been allowed to do that very thing. It breaks my heart that we didn’t get to share that conversation this year. We didn’t get to share those senior banquet speeches. We didn’t share together in that final Consecration service. We didn’t share in that great Agape Love Feast. 

When hearts break—when something is missed so greatly—it’s a sign that we have loved well. It’s a reminder to the church of how important this ministry really is. It’s an affirmation that God is still calling the church to transform hearts and lives with the gospel of great love. It’s our hearts way of telling us that God uses church camp and conference as a sacred vehicle for God’s mission in the world. It’s a painful way to be reminded, that’s for sure. But the cross points to hope beyond the pain. Pain can be given meaning. Suffering can be redeemed. 

Think of the Lord’s Supper we share. This moment where at the same time that Christ urges us to remember the past, he is simultaneously calling us into the future. This faith we share at camp, and around Table, is a faith that is real in the moment and invites us to take the wider view of God, in time. There’s a sacred remembering of the past, the sting of the moment’s pain, but also a promised hope and a reason to continue on. There’s a deepening commitment to the real presence of Christ in the ministry we share, and a collective re-dedication to the work of being made disciples together. Yes, as I reminisce on the memories of years past, I am also encouraged to the hope of years to come, and in it all I feel the very presence of Christ who promises never to leave us. 

Dear Camp, please know that the church loves you and is committed to you. Take heart in knowing that the sting you feel over missing camp may actually be God’s way of showing you love in a new way. Join me in a hopeful re-dedication to the continuing of God’s good work through the church, and through our Camp and Conference ministry together. This ministry is important! It will take us all joining together to see it carry on. Together, we can commit to “next year, and every year after that” so that others can feel the love of God and the church that you now know, in very real and powerful ways. 

We will continue on. Together. In Love.
Rev. Kenny

Scripture Week One: (From InsideOut, This is Our Prayer)
Luke 6:12–16 
About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there. The next morning he called his disciples together and chose twelve of them to be his apostles. One was Simon, and Jesus named him Peter. Another was Andrew, Peter’s brother. There were also James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. The rest of the apostles were Simon, known as the Eager One, Jude, who was the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.


At Home Activities

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

September 24, 2020: Alissa Tribble, Florida Region

Love letter to camp...
Week One: Longing to Be Invited

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.

To donate to today's camp: The Retreat at Silver Springs, Florida

Hello, My name is Alissa Tribble and I have been attending camp at The Retreat since going into 4th grade (I am now finishing 11th grade). I am a member of First Christian Church of Disciples in Jacksonville/Mandarin, of where I first became aware of The

Retreat. 

I don’t remember much from my first years at camp besides my counselor Lexi, Sydney Hoopaugh as my cabin mate, my fear of the monkeys, and the creation of my belief in the blue fire. I have always wanted to be able to immortalize each and every memory created at camp, but I have found I am only able to do so with the pictures we are given at closing worship and the ones we are solely left to remember. 

Every summer, I am able to come to a place where I have fallen drastically in-love with and spend a week with beautiful people I have yet to know and others I’ll never forget. This year, I would be attending CYF Conference for my Junior year (3rd year). Overall, my time at The Retreat has been unforgettable, but my last two years at CYF has been at an all-time high. I have learned so much more about our Father, in heaven and how to maintain my hope and faith within him. Now, everything is growing complicated and is leaving me and many people in my life unsure about what’s to come, regarding COVID-19. 

Recently, I have been immensely struggling with my faith and my overall well-being. Many people in my family have fallen sick and a few that I have held closely to my heart have recently died (none of which impacted by from COVID). Normally, at the end of every school year when we come to camp and begin the week, I and along with everybody else am able to bring ourselves back together and prepare for the rest of our year, and everything to come afterwards; knowing the following year, we can spend another wonderful week at camp. I know you all may not have much control over if camp can still physically go on, but if it is at all possible, we are all desperately pulling for this summer. Almost everybody from this previous summer at CYF has stayed in contact in an ongoing group chat and we talk weekly, if not every day. We have been nonstop talking about all of our memories and our favorite times at camp. For a few people in the group, it is supposed to be their last year at camp as they have graduated high school, others have already had their last. Me and about seven people from said group chat got together last September in Orlando and reminisced as it would more than likely be our last time seeing one another. 

For me, this camp is a place where i feel secure and safer than i have felt anywhere else. In more ways than one, I have fallen in-love with The Retreat and I’ll continue to pray my heart out that it can and will still go on in July. I know you all will have your decision made in a week from today, but I pray if all circumstances fall in place, we can still commemorate this year and come together for a week of worship and gratitude with amazing, beautiful people. I love all of you for creating and maintaining such a magical and peaceful sanctuary for all of us to come to and share. We are all a family. 

Thank you all for what you do. Sincerely, Alissa Tribble, fellow loving camper:)

Scripture Week One: (From InsideOut, This is Our Prayer)
Luke 6:12–16 
About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there. The next morning he called his disciples together and chose twelve of them to be his apostles. One was Simon, and Jesus named him Peter. Another was Andrew, Peter’s brother. There were also James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. The rest of the apostles were Simon, known as the Eager One, Jude, who was the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.


At Home Activities

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

September 23, 2020: Paige Beach Cook, Northern California Region, GYC Adult

Love letter to camp... 
Week One: Longing to Be Invited

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and

relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.

To donate to today's camp: Community of the Great Commission, Northern California

This very week, same time each year, our Christian youth gear up for a week of summer camp...  The excitement of seeing old friends & anticipation of creating new ones, the longing for the unconditional support of their peers, experiences & faith journeys, the sights, smells, sounds of nature & laughter, midnight serenades, magical campfires, obnoxious repetitive tribal chants & the lullabies of crickets.  I will truly miss the lack of sleep,  mosquito bites, questionable food  but most of all... I miss you. Until we meet again my dear humans, be of warrior spirit & of servants heart

Peace Paige Beach Cook

Scripture Week One: (From InsideOut, This is Our Prayer)
Luke 6:12–16
About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there. The next morning he called his disciples together and chose twelve of them to be his apostles. One was Simon, and Jesus named him Peter. Another was Andrew, Peter’s brother. There were also James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. The rest of the apostles were Simon, known as the Eager One, Jude, who was the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.

At Home Activities

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

September 22, 2020: Jordan White - Camp Wakon-Da-Ho, Kentucky

Love letter to camp... 
Week One: Longing to Be Invited

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.

To donate to today's camp: Camp Wakon-Da-Ho, Kentucky

"Life is a very unique thing. In life we live, grow, and find our purpose. Life brings changes within ourselves, our relationships with others, and in our walk with God. For me life is a journey. A journey filled with special people. On that journey we find special places. Places that makes the complexity of life make sense. Wakon-Da-Ho has been a spacial places. Here is why....." https://youtu.be/uK9LTLBOm9E

Scripture Week One: (From InsideOut, This is Our Prayer)
Luke 6:12–16 
About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there. The next morning he called his disciples together and chose twelve of them to be his apostles. One was Simon, and Jesus named him Peter. Another was Andrew, Peter’s brother. There were also James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. The rest of the apostles were Simon, known as the Eager One, Jude, who was the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.

At Home Activities

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

Welcome! Light a Candle with Campers, 2020

Love letter to camp... 
Week One: Longing to Be Invited

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.

To donate: Ministries Across Generations is collecting money to donate to the camping programs that participated in Light a Candle. Please donate here to Ministries Across Generations (memo: Camp/Light a Candle).

(From Rev. Dr. Olivia Bryan Updegrove, Minister for Ministries Across Generations at Disciples Home Missions, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The idea of “Love Letters for Camp” came from the leaders of the Young Adult Commission who were grieving the loss of physical summer camp, alongside their younger friends and older mentors. For many, including me, camp is a sacred and holy space. People who attend church camp regularly are more likely to remain actively faithful as adults.

There are many good and “needs improvement” aspects of camp, but overall it is a place where years of relationships with others and with God have kept me most attuned to the movement of the Spirit in every day life. I have written MANY “love letters” to campers, counselors, directors, church members, and myself.

As I listened to the Youth Sunday sermon a few months ago at one of my former churches as I ran, I began to “ugly” cry at how proud I was of the voices I was hearing. There were four active seniors at that church who I had taken to church camp as 2^nd graders. It has been seven years since I handed them off to another amazing pastor who granted me permission to share my love letter with them.

Ryan, Carli, Kyle, and Tommy (Morgan) – COVID Grads in 2020

I was humbled to baptize you years ago. At that time, I hope you learned that there are many “stops” on a faith journey. Baptism is just one of them. Graduation is one of them. College is one of them. At times these stops may seem like you will never get back on your faith “train,” but my prayer for you is that you do.

At some points in life’s struggles (because there are always struggles), I hope you will remember the communities of faith that love you. I hope you can see the people who sat in the pews around you. I hope you can remember the laughter of mission trips, youth group gatherings, and most importantly mountain top camp experiences. Can you see the cross at the top of that mountain? Depending on which way you go, it makes a difference on how hard it may be to get there. The cross, and what is represents, is always waiting to welcome you at the top of the mountains in life. It is waiting when you have tears, when you have joys, when you need silence, and when you need to hear the echoes of the humans that love you.

For many years, the words of Rev. Susan Gonzales-Dewey ring true, “You are a beloved child of God and beautiful to behold.” Let your beauty shine! Let your heart feel the love! COVID-19 can’t stop it! You can’t stop it! 

If you listen, the cross will call you back to the journey of faith, and if you can’t seem to find it; Find camp… find the cross… and there you may find who God has called you to be amongst crazy 2^nd graders and teenage angst.  It is there that you have helped me find Jesus. Thank you!

Rev. Dr. Olivia

Week Four: Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

(The Message)
Attention, Israel!
God, our God! God the one and only!
Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!
Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

*The view represented in these devotions come from a variety of diverse perspectives. We do not seek to agree but seek to welcome all to the conversation and the table