Another summer of camp has come to an end. Programs have concluded and campers have all gone home. Even our summer staff have said "good-bye for now." All three camps are still and quiet, yet the energy from a Spirit-filled summer still buzzes. I wanted to tell you about something special Crossways has been a part of this year, called The Effective Camp Research Project. Under the umbrella of Vibrant Faith Ministries, The Effective Camp Research Project is seeking to understand the how the week-long Christian summer camp experience affects young people and their faith development. I mean, we know camp has an impact. We KNOW this, like feel-it-in-our-gut know this. The neat thing about this project is that they are taking what we know to be true from our own experience and gathering data - evidence! - to teach us even more. Research began in the summer of 2015 and led researchers to the following observation/jumping-off point: "The Christian summer camp experience directly impacted the participants in empirically recognizable ways, and these impacts extended to their supporting networks." The ECRP also identified five fundamental characteristics of camp:
Reading those characteristics, I personally feel they nailed it. I have valued camp for all of those reasons. Maybe you can identify and recognize the impact and importance of those characteristics as you recall your own experiences of camp. Summer 2016's research was all about testing the impact and longevity of these characteristics and camp's overall effectiveness. This is where Crossways' comes in - we were one of the camps invited to participate in this summer's research! We are very excited to read The ECRP research team's findings when they are released. We'll post an update when it becomes available. In the mean time, we here at Crossways are feeling grateful for being able to have experienced another summer of ministry with children, youth, families, and adults from all over the nation. Yes, nation! We had campers come from as far away as Arizona, and staff from as far away as England, Ireland, and Jamaica. We spent the summer learning about what it means to live our lives as imitators of Christ, in the image of God. As we await The ECRP results we rest assured that the Spirit was moving and working in the lives of everyone who was present at camp this summer. To all our campers, staff, and volunteers, THANK YOU. And check back to see updates about this important research project! To learn more about The Effective Camp Research Project, click on their logo below. Happy camping, Gloria Allhiser, Program & Outreach Director
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Hello campers, Gloria here.
My son and I recently experienced our first week of family camp at Imago Dei Village. We would have brought my husband with us, but vacation time from work for him just wasn't in the cards. So it was just the two of us. On our own. For one week. Away from home. Did I mention my son is 19 months old? And that I was on my own with him for the whole week? Away from home? And that he is 19 months old? (19 months old!) I emphasize all of those points because going into our week of family camp I wasn't sure what to expect. I was really nervous. The whole idea of taking my toddler on a vacation on my own was daunting. My husband and I traveled with our son to Lake Tahoe (California) to visit family back in May - even with a 5:1 adult:toddler ratio the whole experience was exhausting. We returned home feeling that maybe we'd be enjoying "staycations" for the time being. But family camp was on the calendar. We had registered. We were going. And so... with a full car, jogging stroller, booster seat, life jackets, books, bottles, and more, we headed off to camp. It was the best week ever. I never had to cook! My son took 2-3 hour naps every day! I took naps every day! My son slept 10 hours straight each night! I slept all night, too! We went kayaking! We sang songs! He made new baby friends! I made new grown-up friends (and reconnected with old grown-up friends, too)! The wonderful thing about family camp is that kids and adults are able to find time for each other, with each other, and with others. What I mean is that Owen and I were able to spend lots of quality time together - I wasn't stressed over work, I didn't have to cook, etc - but I was also able to spend much-needed quality time with other, older campers - at adult Bible study, over card/board games in the lodge after campfire, etc. Camp staff took such great care of us all week long, I could completely relax and be present. Fully present. I know lots of families enjoy spending time "up north" at the lake/cottage. I have wonderful memories of summer vacations at the cottage on Long Lake in Waupaca. But the neat thing about family camp is that you get to spend the week at the lake with all your meals covered, as much or as little programming as your family needs, with BABYSITTERS available all the time, quality activities, other kids, other adults... I got to meet other parents - other MOMS! - and talk, really talk, about things that matter. I felt like a kid at camp making new friends. Really, that's what I was. And maybe I'm biased (I was the adult Bible study leader) but I really enjoyed adult Bible study time! Family camp was the best, most low-stress, easiest, most enriching/relaxing/renewing, soul-filling trip we have taken as a family (minus Dad). My husband was bummed that he missed out on this year. So bummed, in fact, that he already asked me to add Family Camp 2017 to our google calendar. Done. Why Family Camp? Because Family. Because Camp. Family Camp. Welcome! This is the brand new Crossways Camping Ministries blog. I’m Gloria Allhiser, our Program and Outreach Director, and I will be doing much of the blogging around here with some help and contributions from other people along the way.
Why a blog? Well, I guess it would be too easy to just say, “Every camp is doing it,” though many camps are. A blog is a great way to highlight the different things about camp: programs, people, community partnerships, connections, stories, and more. We’ll be doing our best to post weekly, though we may miss a week here and there for holidays or during extra busy seasons. Here are some post topics you can look forward to:
Again, just a few of the posts you can expect from us as we venture into the wide world of blogging. We are so excited to be able to share more about the ministries, partnerships, and relationships we share with northeast Wisconsin (and beyond). -- Gloria Allhiser Program & Outreach Coordinator |
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