Camping Season has begun!
This week Pastor Seungrok, Mark Fowler and Grant (the intern) have been with the youth at beautiful Camp Egan located just outside Tahlequah in the hills. This is one of my favorite places on earth. The first time that I went to youth camp was the summer before my 7th grade year. It was a life changing experience for me. Some of the “firsts” for me were contemporary music in worship, a FEMALE preacher leading worship and how much fun the ministers seemed to be having. I had never considered that ministers could be fun! I had never realized that girls could grow up and be preachers. Those ministers are people that are still in my life and I am honored to tell them that they planted the first seeds of ministry as vocation for me. I actually had lunch with that female minister at annual conference. As I pray for our youth and their leaders, I know that seeds are being planted in the hearts of our young people.
Next week our 5th and 6th graders head to camp. Then we have parents and children as young as first grade attending the following weekend. Linda Saviers, our Children’s Minister, will be deaning a children’s camp. We have Mission Day Camp here at the church and the Youth will be making bunkbeds for families. It is so wonderful to be back to this crazy summer schedule that we missed so desperately for the last two years. None of these camps would be possible without the dedicated adult volunteers who make them happen. If your heart is being led to make camping possible for a youth or child, please let someone on staff know.
Last night Brittney’s first painting class was a beautiful mix of ages as they created together and bonded over the process. Watch the calendar for the next two opportunities to participate in one of these groups. Brittney and Veronica are also finalizing the details for the Women’s Retreat. It is scheduled for July 15-17th this year to accommodate those who thought August was too late. Our theme is Godly Play and it will be a combination of learning, fun and free time. I am really looking forward to going again this year. My mom and I went together and we both really enjoyed it last time.
Don’t worry men, some of our members and I started talking about a Fall Men’s Rally before the pandemic and I hope that we will be able to finally make this a reality. If this opportunity excites you, please let me know if you would be willing to help us design a rally.
Lastly I had a wonderful time visiting with Greg Leslie in Pastor Talk this week and we reminisced about all the wonderful ways the bell choir led us during the pandemic. Greg and Kay are stepping down after leading the Bell Choir for the last 25 years! We are celebrating this ministry on June 26th and we are calling it “Bells, Bells, Bells.” Here are a few links to those amazing music videos that he created!
the 2021 Bell Christmas concert:
the 2020 Christmas program (with bells in boxes):
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we continue thinking about the power of God’s Holy Spirit at work in our lives!
