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Power UP ! Living in the SpiritInsideOut: Christian Resources for Outdoor MinistriesCopyright and Online Permission StatementCopyright ? 2014 by Chalice Press. Produced for and outlines developed by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) Committee on Outdoor Ministries (COM). Site LicensePurchase of this resource gives license for its use, adaptation, and copying for programmatic use at one outdoor ministry site (hereinafter, “Camp”) for up to one year from purchase. For questions or permission for other uses, contact Chalice Press at 314-231-8500 or permissions@.This site license allows your camp to post this edition of InsideOut resources for up to one year from purchase on a password-protected Web site for the exclusive use of volunteer directors and authorized staff. The password must expire within one year of purchase, and the administrator must change the password immediately upon discovery of unauthorized use. Please e-mail the Web site link for verification to info@.The camp must include the following copyright permission statement on each Web page, posted file, or item of the InsideOut resource:Copyright ?2014 Chalice Press. Used by permission. For use only at [insert camp name and location]. Thank you for your help in this matter and for your willingness to serve in the ministry of camping.Project ManagerCrystal ZinkiewiczCopy EditorsJohn Patrick Carey, Anne KonopkaArt Director/DesignConnie Hui-Chu WangElizabeth WrightCover ImagesBigstockInterior Photographs and Images:Thank you to Calvin Center, Camp Hopewell, Camp Mack, Camp Skyline, Chanco on the James, Clearwater, Ferncliff, Ghost Ranch, Heartland Center, Highlands, Johnsonburg, Montreat, Okiboji, Potosi Pines Camp, PYOCA, Westminster WoodsWritersJill Duffield is the associate pastor for discipleship at Shandon Presbyterian Church. She graduated as a member of Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a bachelor of arts in history and earned her masters of divinity from Union Presbyterian Seminary. She received her doctorate of ministry from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Jill has led retreats for all ages, been a worship leader and Bible study teacher at her presbytery’s camp, and loves to help people connect with scripture. She wrote the daily Biblical and Theological Overviews, the Staff Devotions, and the Spiritual Practices section of the Extra Resources. Jill lives in Columbia, South Carolina, with her husband and three children.Hillary Thurston-Cox is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University and Asbury Theological Seminary, holding degrees in Christian Education and Biblical Literature. She has served as a youth pastor, Christian education director, pastor, preschool and kindergarten teacher, and most recently as the program development director at Lake Louise Christian Camp (a United Methodist affiliate ministry). She has spent every summer since birth at camp either as a camper or leader. She is married to a United Methodist pastor and lives in a parsonage in beautiful Petoskey, Michigan. She and her husband are in the process of adopting, but are learning to parent two Yorkshire terriers in the meantime. Hillary wrote the Daily Guides for Young Children and the Games and Multi-Day Projects sections of the Extra Resources. Christine Gough is a part-time second grade teacher in Corvallis, Oregon, with degrees in recreation and elementary education. She spent over ten years teaching fourth grade in the Bay Area and also served as the program manager at Westminster Woods Presbyterian Camp in Occidental, California, for three years. Christine has a passion for creating engaging, creative, and meaningful environments for children and youth and for being part of the community in the church where her husband serves as head of staff at First Presbyterian Church of Corvallis. Christine blogs at “These Stones” (thesestones.) and is also a contributing writer at Practicing Families. When she’s not juggling the responsibilities of motherhood, she loves to capture everyday life behind a camera, write, try out new recipes, or spend time with friends and family. Christine wrote the Daily Guides for Older Children and the Table Talk and Bookmarks sections of the Extra Resources.Tracey Brown?currently serves as the director for Potosi Pines Camp, a United Methodist camp in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her favorite part of the job is planning and leading?programs for campers. She?especially?enjoys?working with junior high campers and finding ways for all campers to learn leadership skills. Tracey served in youth ministry for sixteen years, during which?she was in leadership for Cal Pac camps in southern California. Tracey has also worked with Girl?Scouts?and YMCA camps over her career. She?grew up in?United Methodist?camping and says that her formative faith milestones were a result of?Christian camping. Tracey wrote the Daily Guides for Younger Youth and the Daily Worship Plans and Science Activities sections of the Extra Resources. Sandy Safford has served as a Christian educator for over twenty years in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She is also a partner for FAITHSENSE Consultants and?is?serving as Lay Pastor for Byers Community Church in Colorado.?Sandy’s degree is actually in environmental education, and after more than ten years in that field she moved into Christian education. Combining both passions, she has volunteered as camp director for fifteen summers at Highlands Presbyterian Camp in Colorado. She spends at least a week each year at?camp?and has two young adult children who grew up at camp. Sandy wrote the Daily Guides for Intergenerational and Family Camps and the Team Builders and Challenges and Nature Activities sections of the Extra Resources. Lara Blackwood Pickrel is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She currently serves as associate minister at First Christian Church in Smithville, Missouri. Over the last fourteen years, youth ministry and outdoor ministry have been an integral part of her call. Lara and her husband, Chuck Pickrel (also a Disciples youth minister), met in 2006 on the way to a youth event, and they have counseled and/or directed camps together every summer since. Together they have two “fur children”: a West Highland white terrier named Shelby and a tortoise shell cat named Hannah. Lara also writes at her blog: . She wrote the Daily Guides for Older Youth, the Arts and Crafts in the Extra Resources, and a new section, Going Deeper, Especially for Older Youth, which is also in the Extra Resources. ContentsWelcome to InsideOut Introducing Your Power Up! Resource Daily Overview for Power Up! Images for Each Day (NEW!) Overview Chart Training Your Staff: More Tools for YouAbout the Scripture: Staff Devotions and How to Use Them for Training (NEW!) Staff Devotions (Handout) About Your Campers: Developmental Characteristics Counselor Training Slides (NEW!) About Learning: Experiential and RelationalDevelopmental Characteristics (Handout) Multiple Intelligences (Handout)Additional Resources for Leaders (NEW!)Connecting with the Camping Community What’s on the InsideOut Website? Biblical and Theological OverviewDaily Guides for Younger ChildrenDaily Guides for Older ChildrenDaily Guides for Younger Youth Daily Guides for Older YouthDaily Guides for Intergenerational or Family CampsExtra Resources for a Great Week at Camp Bookmarks (NEW!) Arts and CraftsGames (expanded!)Nature ActivitiesTeam Builders and Challenges (NEW!)Science ActivitiesTable Talk for Younger and Older CampersSpiritual Practices (NEW!)Multi-Day ProjectsGoing Deeper, Especially for Older Youth (NEW!)Daily Worship PlansDay Camp (Six Weeks of Daily Activities)Tell Us What You Think…Sneak Peek at Next YearWelcome to InsideOutThank you for choosing InsideOut: Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministries as your program resource for outdoor ministry this year. What an exciting and awesome opportunity you have right in the middle of God’s wonderful creation to invite campers to live in the Spirit! As camp directors and counselors, you know that the program resource is only the backdrop to the amazing things God does through the Holy Spirit in the lives of campers and staff at camp. You know that outdoor experiences, love of God’s creation, safe community, and life-long relationship building with God through Jesus Christ are the anchors of Christian education at camp. Our hope is that this resource will be a partner, taking much of the burden of planning off of you and freeing your staff for holy conversation and Spirit-filled experiences. Feel free to mold, shape, and adapt this resource to meet your camp needs.What Is InsideOut?InsideOut is published by Chalice Press and represents their commitment to creating and offering excellent, effective, and economical tools for Christian camps. The goal of these resources is to bring together theological scholarship, experiential learning, biblically grounded teaching and learning experiences, culturally relevant language and illustrations, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility. InsideOut: Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministries is following a four-year rotation of themes: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, and the Church. Power Up! Living in the Spirit is the 2015 edition. InsideOut writers are selected through an application process and are chosen for quality of writing and feet-on-the-ground experience in Christian camps. Read their biographical information above, and you will know you are in good hands. If you are interested in applying for writing for the 2017 edition, please indicate that on the evaluation form on the next-to-last page of this resource.Each volume of InsideOut provides: ?Biblical and Theological Overviews for the theme and for each day?Daily Guides for a full week each for Younger Children, Older Children, Younger Youth, Older Youth, and Intergenerational/Family Camps?Extra Resources, which include additional Arts and Crafts, Games, Science Fun, Table Talk for Younger and Older Campers, Nature Activities, Multi-Day Projects, Daily Worship Plans, plus—NEW this year—Bookmarks, Team Builders and Challenges, Spiritual Practices, and Going Deeper, Especially for Older Youth ?Day Camp plans for a full six weeks?Training Helps, in a variety of formats: video, PowerPoint, plus written guidelines and handouts; NEW this year are the Staff Devotions and How to Use Them ?Artwork for your use to publicize your camp and to create reminders for your campers, as well as the representations of the symbols for each day, which are NEW this yearHow Can I Use the DVD-ROM?By purchasing these materials, you bought a license to use them at a single campsite for the whole summer. You may print the pages from the PDF file, make copies of the files, or open and edit files from the Word files on the DVD-ROM. Do whichever is most helpful for you and your staff! Governing bodies owning more than one camp are expected to purchase a copy of the resource for each site. How Do I Give Feedback?Your comments are valuable and important to the future development of InsideOut. Please email an evaluation of the resource (found at the end of the materials) to info@. Or, mail it to InsideOut, 483 E. Lockwood, Ste. 100, Saint Louis, MO 63119.May the Holy Spirit bless you richly as you power up for this new season of camping! Crys Zinkiewicz, Project ManagerIntroducing Your Power Up! ResourcePower Up! Living in the Spirit is the official InsideOut resource for the 2015 camping season. Here are tips and suggestions for using it well in your outdoor ministry program.Biblical and Theological OverviewBe sure to read the Biblical and Theological material more than once. First, read it all the way through by itself. This reading will help you have the big picture—not just what you are doing, but why! Here’s another opportunity to fall more deeply in love with God, who loves us and empowers us to live faithfully and fully through the Holy Spirit. As your love grows, you will be better equipped to pass on God’s love to your campers.Second, begin your study of each day’s plan by reading again the scripture and the Biblical and Theological Overview for that day. Keep it fresh in your mind and heart as you plan and lead and listen to your campers. No printed material will ever be able to anticipate all of the questions, comments, or opportunities that come in a live discussion with campers. You become the one who helps them see the connections that can draw them closer to God. Which Version?InsideOut resources use the New Revised Standard Version as the primary source of scripture. The NRSV is copyrighted by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. The secondary translation used in this resource is the Common English Bible; those passages will include (CEB) with the reference. This year the CEB version is recommended specifically for Day 2, the story of Pentecost, for the children and Intergenerational groups. The flow of the longer passage is easier for them to follow with the simpler wording of the CEB. On Day 4 the CEB is the recommended text for all age levels. The language around the “selfish desires” is more familiar than that in the NRSV. For the younger groups, the passage is also shortened so that their focus is on the positive, with less emphasis on the contrasting ways of living. FRUIT ALERT: The listing of the fruit of the Spirit in the NRSV includes “generosity,” but the CEB replaces it with “goodness,” which can be confusing to campers if they know the list or if you refer to both versions. Also, if your campers sing “The Fruit of the Spirit (Is Not a Coconut),” which is a fun, stick-in-the-mind song for learning the fruit, it uses “goodness” rather than “generosity.” As a team, talk over how best to handle the difference and minimize any confusion among your campers. Help counselors have a simple and consistent answer for alert and probing campers. One option is to point out that the nine fruit listed are not exclusive but rather representative and encourage campers to see the consistency in the characteristics named. Both “goodness” and “generosity” fit. Then campers can begin to name other characteristics that are compatible with the pattern. The Spirit in the Old TestamentThe Holy Spirit is not a New Testament phenomenon. Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures are references to both God’s Spirit and examples of faithful people who lived by the Spirit. To acknowledge and celebrate the constancy of God the Sustainer throughout all of time, the age-level Daily Plans have incorporated psalms into worship (Express) and some narratives and examples of biblical characters from the Old Testament into various Bible studies (Explore) and learning activities (Experience).Staff Devotions and How to Use (NEW!)InsideOut begins with scripture and builds from that foundation. The Staff Devotions, available this year for the first time, give you a way to more thoroughly ground your staff in the daily scripture. The short devotional writings are specifically for the adults and young adults who are serving as counselors. The devotionals also come with five suggestions each for you as the leader to use with your staff to help them engage with the scripture and the devotional thoughts. If your camp is only one week, feel free to choose the one or two suggestions that best fit your available training time. However, if your camp is multiple weeks, take advantage of different suggestions each week, bringing your staff back to the essential scripture but enabling them to encounter it freshly. One of the wonderful things about Bible study is that, as we have more life experience (yes, even just a week’s worth), we find the Word speaking to us in new ways. So it will be with your staff: A growing person plus the same scripture plus a new entry point almost always leads to more spiritual growth! The suggestions for how to use the devotions give you the catalyst of several new entry points. You decide how to incorporate them as part of your plan for staff training or for helping your staff engage in a spiritual practice that will enrich their lives—and ultimately their campers’. Resident Camp PlansDaily Guides The Daily Guides are by age level:?Younger Children (ages 7 to 9)?Older Children (ages 10 to 12)?Younger Youth (ages 12 to 14)?Older Youth (ages 15 to 18)?Intergenerational/Family Camps (adults and children of all ages, including tips for incorporating preschoolers)Daily Guides for each age level are divided into three sections: Explore, which generally gives you two Bible lesson activities. You may choose to do one or both of them. Experience, which gives you several activities that build on the theme for the day. You will also find activities that help to create community.Express, a guide for daily worship, devotions, and singing. The Extra Resources section on the DVD-ROM also includes worship plans, which will give you additional options.Seven DaysNot every camp is seven days long, but Power Up! provides a week of plans.Day 1 Guides are half-day experiences that introduce the theme.Days 2 through 6 Guides each give a full day’s worth of options for Bible study, learning activities, and worship.Day 7 Guides are half-day closing activities that help you wrap up the theme and send campers home with love and affirmation.If your camp is shorter, then you have choices to make. One option is to review the daily themes and leave out one; another option is to shorten and combine parts of two. Customize Your PlanPower Up! provides you with more activities than you are likely to be able to use—even in a full week of residential camp! Here are a few tips as you plan each day:Explore generally offers two approaches to the Bible study. Look at them both; however, you don’t have to do both, although you certainly may. As you read through the activities in Experience and Express, you will see that many of them also provide campers with an entry into a deeper understanding of the scripture. One factor to take into account as you consider your options for Explore is the designation of the Multiple Intelligences the particular activity uses. Often the first one in Explore uses mostly linguistic or verbal intelligence, whereas the second may push into some of the other ways of understanding, such as spatial or bodily/kinesthetic, for example. All are valid ways of learning, but some may suit your particular group of campers better than others. (For more about Multiple Intelligences, see the discussion in “Training Your Staff” and the “Multiple Intelligences” handout below.)Experience will also give you choices. You do not need to do all of them. Again, consider your group, the Multiple Intelligences, your particular setting, your schedule, your goals, and your own skills and experience as you decide.Also, don’t think that just because the order in the resource puts Explore first that you have to do the Bible study first. On the first day of camp, especially, you will be wise to do some of the community-building activities from Experience before you tackle Bible study. Other days, you may want a wake-up activity before you ask the group to engage with the scripture. The order in which you plan your day is up to you!The listing at the beginning of the Daily Guide, Customize Today’s Plan, is in the order in which the Explore and Experience learning activities are printed. But you have the opportunity to designate your own order. Please do! Here are samples of how you might use this tool. You can simply checkmark those activities you want to do, and even cross out those you choose not to do. Or you can write in times for the various activities, or indicate an order with a number. The tool is yours; use it any way that is helpful to you.Be sure also to consult the Extra Resources section as you are planning your day. The variety of additional activities will help ensure that your campers have a wonderful experience all week long. This year, in addition to the Arts and Crafts, Science Fun, Table Talk for Younger and Older Campers, Nature Activities, Multi-Day Projects, and Daily Worship Plans, you also have some new options: Team Builders and Challenges, Spiritual Practices, Bookmarks, Digging Deeper for Older Youth, and an expanded Games section. Express focuses on worship. Use the ideas “as is” or as a starting point for your own creativity. Be sure to look also at the daily worship plans in the Extra Resources pages. These are rich too, just waiting for you to mine them! The Song Suggestions cover a wide range of possibilities—traditional songs (many familiar to camp settings), hymns, and contemporary Christian music. Some may be new to you. In listing these, we’ve attempted to give you a clue as to their identity. Some titles are the same for different songs! In some cases, we noted the songwriter; in others, the artist. Whatever the designation, you should be able to find a source, especially through the Internet. Some of the songs you will be able to find on YouTube. The versions there give you the advantage of visual imagery and often have the lyrics printed. With the theme of Power Up! Living in the Spirit, your campers will enjoy learning and singing some traditional camp songs, such as “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love,” “Sing When the Spirit Says Sing,” and, yes, “The Fruit of the Spirit (Is Not a Coconut)”!Because music is intellectual property and because as Christians we do not want to steal, even in seemingly harmless ways, pay attention to the issues of copyright. Your camp or denomination will be a helpful source for you to consult. Some will have licenses already, freeing you to pull from a wider range of wonderful musical creativity.Day Camp PlansThe summer resident-camp week-long plans for five age levels mean that Power Up! provides more than 250 activities! Last year we introduced an easy-to-use way to mine that wealth of Bible study, learning activities, and worship helps and use them as an effective resource for the growing number of day camping programs. We encourage you to explore the possibilities. If you are a provider, welcome to more activities and easier planning for six full weeks. If providing day camp is something your team is considering, here is just the help you may be hoping for! Check them out!Enjoy the Power Up! resource. Make it yours! If you have feedback, please let us know. Contact us at info@ or by mail: InsideOut, 483 E. Lockwood, Ste. 100, Saint Louis, MO 63119.CUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will do Explore 3 Mirror, Mirror 5 Mirroring JesusExperience 2 Rhythm Egg Imitator 6 Spirit Says Game Mirror Image Painting 4 Sit Down Circle Sun PrintsExpress 1 Morning Worship 7 Evening Worship 8 Cabin DevotionsCUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will doExplore 8:00 Mirror, Mirror 10:00 Mirroring JesusExperience 2:30 Rhythm Egg Imitator 8:20 Spirit Says Game Mirror Image Painting Sit Down Circle 2:45 Sun PrintsExpress 8:00 Morning Worship 7:30 Evening Worship 9:00 Cabin DevotionsDaily Overview for Power Up! ?Campers will experience Christian community at camp and discover its source—the Holy Spirit! ?They’ll also claim the gift of a new spirit within, bearing fruit, as they choose living in the Spirit for themselves. ?They’ll realize they are never alone—the Holy Spirit empowers them to live with grace and forgiveness, unity and courage, joy and peace.Images for Each Day (NEW!)This year’s Daily Plans all include a powerful image for the day as yet another way of reaching the hearts and minds of campers of all ages. Representations of these symbols are available to you to use as you see the opportunity. See the file Daily Symbols Symbols (ART folder on DVD-ROM menu).Day 1: Peace SignJesus promised the confused disciples his peace and an Advocate. The story of this widely recognized peace sign will help campers see how peace starts with the heart—the kind of peace that Jesus gives. Day 2: Candle with a FlameCampers will quickly make the connection to the joy of countless birthday celebrations—and now to the celebration of Jesus’ promise fulfilled. With the coming of the Holy Spirit, it’s time to celebrate the birthday of the church.Day 3: Mirror“When others look at me, will they see Christ reflected in my life?” That is the question campers will face as they encounter Paul’s encouragement to the Thessalonians to imitate Jesus and the examples of other Christians. Day 4: Various FruitWhat does “living in the Spirit” produce? The fruit of those cumulative, daily decisions is life-giving, wholesome, beautiful. Choosing to live without the Spirit bears fruit that tears apart communities and lives.Day 5: Numeral 1 in a CircleThe cry, “We are #1,” comes from a spirit of “winners” over “losers,” of power over others. In contrast, “We are one,” comes from power up, from the Spirit that unites diversity into community—because of the seven “ones” in today’s scripture. Day 6: Strong Arms LinkedWith the strong clasp of the Spirit, campers will be able to power up to stand up and speak up on behalf of others, to act with courage and love.Day 7: Go-in-peace SignAs Jesus commissioned the disciples, so he commissions the campers, calling them to continue his ministry of grace and forgiveness and equipping them with his peace and the Holy Spirit. They are not alone, and their reminder is just two fingers away!Daily Overview for Power Up! Daily GuideTheme & ImageScriptureFocusCampers WillDay 1 Guide Power Up with the Promise of PeacePeace SignJohn 14:25-27Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Are you ready to receive it??be welcomed with the promise of the Holy Spirit? learn about the Holy Spirit (Advocate, Companion, Comforter, Teacher, Helper)? be introduced to living in the SpiritDay 2 Guide Power Up and Celebrate the SpiritCandle with FlameActs 2:1–18, 22–24, 33YC/IG: Acts 2:1-6Recommend CEB; read more or less as you chooseThe Holy Spirit fills the disciples and empowers them to share the good news in many languages.Through the Holy Spirit, people are empowered to come together and to understand.?celebrate the promise fulfilled?recognize that the gift of the Holy Spirit is available for all? see that the Spirit creates community DO: Convey excitement about a promise; offer comfort—for those who might be afraid. Handle “prophesy” with care; emphasize the inclusive nature of multiple languagesDay 3 Guide Power Up to Imitate ChristMirror 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7People look to example of Jesus and of other Christians to learn how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit.?explore the example of a church in Paul’s time? realize their role as an example, a link in the chain Day 4 Guide Power Up with the Fruit of the SpiritBasket of FruitGalatians 5:16-26YC/IG: Galatians 5:22-23a, 25-26Recommend CEBLiving by the Spirit produces good fruit in our lives.Good fruit affects the whole community positively.? recognize they have choices about how to live? claim the positive results of living by the Spirit AVOID: Emphasizing Law vs. Spirit, except for OY; emphasizing 21b (won’t inherit God’s kingdom)—that may lead to judging othersDay 5 Guide Power Up as One CommunityNumeral 1 in a CircleEphesians 4:1-6Living in the way of the Spirit brings unity to groups, creating community. ?explore ways to put love into practice? understand the Holy Spirit as the source of unity and common purpose within a community even one that has great diversity?feel the sense of oneness and peace that come from unity in the Spirit DO: Emphasize the need for prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit to bring unity and peace, especially to conflict situations and conflict resolution effortsDay 6 GuidePower Up with CourageStrong Arms Linked2 Timothy1:6-7, 13-14Through the Holy Spirit, we have a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline—not of cowardice or timidity. ? recognize the gift of a new spirit within them?know that their role is to hold to sound teaching and guard the treasure within them ? be brave enough to stand up and make a difference at camp and in the world ?be assured that the Holy Spirit is with themDay 7 GuidePower Upfor Peace Wherever You Go Two-FingerGo-in-Peace SignJohn 20:19-23Receiving the Holy Spirit overcomes fears and empowers us for living the way of peace and forgiveness.? recognize that Jesus is commissioning them to continue his work? feel assurance that they are not alone? feel empowered to encounter the world, their families, their friends, and their community with grace and forgiveness?remember camp with joy and peace Training Your Staff: More Tools for YouAbout the Scripture (NEW!) Staff Devotions and How to Use Them for TrainingUltimately, anything that helps staff members grow in their own faith and understanding of the scriptures will also have a positive impact upon campers. You may already be including devotions as part of your staff training, but this new section provides you with both the devotions and with a variety of ways to use them. You get the benefit of ease of use. Your staff benefits also because the devotions take them deeper into the scriptures for each day, consequently encouraging their personal spiritual growth and deepening their knowledge and insight. Staff also grow in their skills as they experience some of the learning activities that they may be expected to use with their campers.Whether training time is at a bare minimum or you have opportunities throughout the camping season, you will find ideas here that will fit your needs.Devotionals are below. Feel free to make copies to hand out.Day 1: The Promise of Peace (John 14:25-27)Suggestions for those leading the devotion:1.Read John 14:25-27 aloud and have a few minutes for silent reflections. Read the passage again and consider three questions. Invite staff to share their answers: ?What caught your attention as the passage was read? ?What insight or sense of God did you experience? ?What question do you want to ask of the passage? 2.Invite everyone to share what they think an advocate does or is. How does this understanding apply (or not) to the Holy Spirit? Ask everyone to think of a visual image for the Advocate. Ask if anyone has an alternate word or a song or hymn that helps capture the concept of the Holy Spirit as our Advocate. 3.If devotions take place in the evening, have an abbreviated examen (you can find instructions for this in the Spiritual Practices section of “Extra Resources”) and ask for everyone who is willing to share the best and worst part of their day. Where there moments of grace? Times when they felt the Advocate at work? 4.Ask for prayer concerns. There may be members of the group who are in particular need of encouragement. Offer to be a representative of the Advocate through praying for one another and helping in ways that you are able. 5.List ways you can advocate for one another, for campers, for the rest of the camp staff, and even for the earth.Day 2: Celebrate the Spirit (Acts 2:1-18, 22-24, 33)Suggestions for those leading the devotion:1.Begin and end your time of devotions by singing the song “Spirit of the Living God, Fall Afresh on Me” (Daniel Iverson). 2.Read the verses as if in a readers’ theatre. Have one reader be the narrator, one the crowd, and one person Peter. As the narrative is read, ask those gathered to consider who they are in the story and why: one of the disciples? a member of the crowd? Peter? What is their response to what they see and hear?3.Consider what languages God uses to speak to people today. What languages does God use with the campers? With you? What “languages” has God given you to use to speak to others? Art? Music? The gift of listening?4.Who are the people at camp—on staff or campers—who need to be invited to be a part of the community? Be aware today of those on the edges or outside of the community, and work to include them in tangible ways. Take a minute and list some of the ways you can practice the radical inclusivity of God made known in this Acts story.5.Respond to the crowd’s question: “What does this mean?” What do you think this story means?Day 3: Imitate Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:4-7)Suggestions for those leading the devotion:1.Read the text using the lectio divina method that can be found in the Spiritual Practices of the “Extra Resources.” 2.Ask staff to consider people they do, or would like to, imitate. Why have they chosen them? What do they most want to imitate? Are their role models people our culture values? Why or why not?3.Consider your own life: your actions, words, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, even the bumper stickers on your car. When others see these things, what pattern is revealed? Is it a pattern that represents you accurately? Are there parts of the pattern you would like to change?4.Take a few minutes to color a mandala. You can print some from this website: . As you color, enter into a time of prayer, asking God to show you ways to imitate Christ in your daily living.5.Think about the patterns of camp. How are the day and week structured? Why? How do the activities, people, and routines of camp make up a pattern that creates an image of Jesus Christ?Day 4: Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26)Suggestions for those leading the devotion:1.Invite one person to read Galatians 5:16-21 and a different person to read Galatians 5:22-26. Talk about the contrast. Look at the CEB, which is the recommendation for use with the campers, but also at the NRSV. Also discuss the before and after of our “extreme makeover,” our rebirth in Christ. 2.Consider Paul’s use of the terms “flesh” (“selfish desires”) and “Spirit.” Does this contrast sound too stark? How do we interpret this separation knowing that Jesus became flesh and lived among us (John 1:14)? How does this fit in with John 3:16, “God so loved the world…”? 3.Paul is trying to describe Christian community, including the behavior of individual Christians, in ways that show it as distinct from the actions of non-Christians. How would we do this in our culture? Should we be distinct? Are all non-Christian values “selfish desires” and opposed to Christian values? What values in our culture and in other religions also bear the fruit of the Spirit? How are we called to live within our global, pluralistic world? 4.Galatians 5:18 reads, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.” As a group, come up with a definition of “freedom” and then a definition of “Christian freedom.” Are there similarities? Differences? If we are no longer subject to the law (presumably Mosaic law as detailed in the Hebrew Scriptures), then are we free to do whatever we want? If not, how are we to decide what is allowed and what is not acceptable for us?5.Make a list of things that build up community and another list of things that break it down. How do these lists relate to the lists in Galatians 5:16-26? How would you describe the community at camp at this point in the week and/or in the summer? Are there “fruit” that could be better demonstrated? If you have a camp covenant, take a few minutes to look over it and see how well you are upholding it.Day 5: One Community (Ephesians 4:1-6)Suggestions for those leading the devotion:1.Open with silent prayer. Allow for a full three minutes of silence and then read Ephesians 4:1-6. After the scripture is read, allow for three more minutes of silence. After three minutes has passed, ask the group what stood out to them in these verses.2.Try the drama class exercise, “Who Are You?” Pair up and sit across from one another. Take turns asking “Who are you?” Ask this at least six times and then talk about your answers. Did any of the answers surprise you? Did you learn anything about the other person? About yourself?3.List all the “ones” in the text. What do they mean to you? Why do they matter? 4.Discuss the difference between “unity” and “uniformity.” How do we demonstrate our unity within great diversity? How do we bear with one another in love when we may have very different interpretations of what it means to be faithful? 5.Does all the emphasis on “oneness” in this Ephesians text make Christians exclusive? Why or why not? How do we include those who do not share our faith? Day 6: Courage (2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14)Suggestions for those leading the devotion:1.Invite volunteers to share how they are feeling at this point in the week and in the summer. Is anyone feeling like the fire of the Spirit needs to be rekindled? After everyone has answered, invite someone to read 2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14. Ask everyone to read in unison verse 7: “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” 2.These verses are marking a major transition in the life of the church and the life of Timothy. Timothy is on the cusp of having much more responsibility. Think about a time in your life that was a major transition. What was it? How were you prepared for it? Were you prepared for it? How was this transition marked or recognized? 3.Paul is sharing his last testament, his final words, with Timothy. Write your own “last testament.” What words would you want to share with those closest to you? 4.This week of camp is about to end. What do you want to be sure you have passed on to the campers? What do you want to make sure you remember from this week? 5.When have you witnessed the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline? When have you demonstrated this kind of courage? Can you think of biblical, historical, or contemporary examples of people who have been courageously empowered to do God’s work in the world? Describe what they did and how they did it. Day 7: Peace Wherever You Go (John 20:19-23)Suggestions for those leading the devotion:1.Begin with a breath prayer (instructions can be found in the “Spiritual Practices” section of the Extra Resources). Breathe in with the words, “Peace be with you.” Slowly breathe out using the words, “I am sending you.” Do this several times.2.Read the passage aloud with two readers, one as the narrator, the other reading the words of Jesus. Allow time for silent reflection following the reading. Ask those gathered to consider a time that was especially chaotic or difficult this week. Invite them to imagine the Risen Jesus entering that scene and speaking the words, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 3.Today’s verses are about the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Where have you seen changes this week or this summer? Have you experienced any transformation? Have you witnessed transformation in campers, members of the staff, in the camp community as a whole? To what do you attribute these changes? 4.If you have a labyrinth at your camp, walk it together. When you arrive at the center, share the ways you have experienced the power, promise, and presence of the Holy Spirit this week or this summer. As you prepare for the journey out of the labyrinth, pray: “Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew.” If you do not have a labyrinth, print off finger labyrinths and do this individually and then discuss the experience as a group. Finger labyrinths can be found at this website: . 5.Jesus gives his disciples the gift of peace. Pass the peace with one another, either shaking hands or with hugs, using the words, “The peace of Christ be with you,” and responding with, “And also with you.” Charge and commission one another with the words from John 20:21-22: Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”Staff DevotionsDay 1: The Promise of Peace (John 14:25-27)? ? ? The first day of each week of camp brings with it both excitement and challenges. Even mid-way through the summer, the first day of each week can feel like starting over. An influx of new campers brings new personalities, new issues, new joys, new concerns, and, in other words, change and unknowns. No matter how many times the Bible story has been read or the ropes course mastered, there will be days throughout the summer when you wonder if you are up to the tasks to which God has called you. You will wonder if you said the right thing. You will regret not having just a little more patience. You may even wonder why you signed on for this! When your reserves are running low and your anxieties are running high, remember John 14:26:“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” You are never alone in this call. The Holy Spirit is present during every conversation. You have an Advocate during every Bible study. You don’t have to worry about being perfect or remembering every staff training and lesson plan, because the Holy Spirit, whether you know it or not, is working through you. That is Jesus’ promise to his disciples in John and to you, his disciples today. There is a gift that comes with that promise: peace.No matter how you are feeling on the first day of each week of camp, remember that Jesus Christ has given you the gift of peace, and that means you do not need to be troubled or afraid. Trust the promise of the Holy Spirit, your Advocate, and embrace the peace of Christ that passes understanding. God has called and equipped you. God will sustain you. ?Day 2: Celebrate the Spirit (Acts 2:1-18, 22-24, 33)? ? ? Day 2 of each week focuses on Pentecost. Sometimes referred to as the birthday of the church, Pentecost marks the time when the Holy Spirit was given to the community of disciples gathered together after Jesus had ascended to heaven. This wild story of wind and flame and word has at its heart God’s work of boundary breaking. God wants to include everyone. Jesus came for everyone. Peter quotes the Old Testament prophet Joel and proclaims: In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18)This promise is fulfilled at Pentecost, and even those on the very fringes of society and the world are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Radical inclusivity, barrier breaching, community building—these are the things God is up to in this story. God reaching out through the love of Jesus Christ to all people, using languages that they can understand—this is the new thing God was doing in Acts and the amazing thing God is still doing. As each week of camp is getting underway, the Holy Spirit is at work doing those very same community-creating things. Be open to speaking God’s word in surprising ways today and be open to hearing it from unexpected people. Who knows where the wind may blow or the flame may rest or the Word may shout? You, too, may be asked—or may ask: What does this mean? ?Day 3: Imitate Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:4-7)? ? ? “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” So goes the line from the fairy tale. Everyone wants to look in the mirror and be affirmed. But for what? For what do we want affirmation? Do we want to be the fairest, or do we want something deeper and more lasting looking back at us from our mirror? Paul affirms the community of Thessalonica not for their physical beauty but for their likeness to the person of Jesus Christ. They are reflections of the image of God because they are practicing their faith even in the most challenging of circumstances. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they are encouraging and upholding one another in love. Others both within and outside of the Christian community can look to them and see Jesus Christ.St. Francis of Assisi is credited with saying, “Preach the gospel always, and, if necessary, use words.” Even though St. Francis was born in the late twelfth century, those words are still relevant. Given that campers and camp staff come from varied backgrounds and have wide-ranging views, how do we preach the gospel with clarity? Perhaps we preach the gospel more through our actions than our words. We imitate Jesus Christ. Today consider how Jesus lived. He ate with people considered to be outsiders, valued those society thought worthless, and stopped whenever he was interrupted. He invited, not coerced. He healed. He prayed. He taught. He rested. How can we imitate Christ and therefore preach the gospel with our actions even more than with our words?Paul reminds the faithful of Thessalonica to remember that the Holy Spirit will enable them to imitate Christ. Paul also tells those early Christians to look to other people of faith and imitate them, all the while encouraging one another and holding each other up no matter how difficult the circumstances. Paul’s words for the people of Thessalonica are words for us too. ?Day 4: Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26)? ? ? Have you ever watched the children’s show Sesame Street? It has a segment that teaches young children to categorize by showing a group of objects and having them pick the one item that does not belong. There is a little song that goes along with it: “One of these things is not like the others; one of these things just doesn’t belong…” Paul is trying to teach a version of this lesson to the Christians of Galatia. In Paul’s case he is attempting to show how Christians are different from the larger culture by which they are surrounded and of which they are a part. Even within that mostly non-Christian society, they are to behave in ways that show how their belief in Jesus Christ matters.Christians are not like the others by virtue of their behaviors—the fruit they bear, which should be evident to all. They are to live by the Spirit (God’s values), not the flesh or selfish desires (those cultural values that are antithetical to God’s values). Paul lists the fruit that is borne when we are made over by Christ. The community of Christ is one filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity (goodness), faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If these are evident, then we can be assured we are living in the Spirit. While the goodness of these qualities is indisputable, actually demonstrating them can be challenging. Thankfully, we are not without help. The Spirit plants the seeds and nurtures the growth of the fruit we are called to bear. ?Day 5: One Community (Ephesians 4:1-6)? ? ? An exercise often done in entry-level drama classes is called, “Who Are You?” People pair up and sit face to face taking turns asking the other, “Who are you?” At first the answers are basic, things like, “I am female,” or, “I am American.” As the question is repeated, it becomes harder to answer. The persons being asked have to dig a little deeper, think a little more, really consider who they are. As they search for the answer over and over again, this exercise in self-examination has the potential to get to the heart of what defines a person’s identity. This text from Ephesians is about that very thing: What is your true, most authentic, core identity?These verses from Ephesians hold that our true identity is grounded in being chosen and called by God. We are defined first by our connection to God and then, through our connection to God, by our connection to one another. We’re all in this together. Like it or not, we are one.The word “one” is repeated and qualified seven times: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all. There is no denying the radical and total bond we are given through Jesus Christ. Sometimes we see this oneness as a great blessing, but, other times, when encumbered by arguments, passionate differences of opinions, and simply clashes of personalities, we see this oneness as a bane—an irritation or even a “curse.” Given that a camp staff spends a lot of time together, the summer can be a time in which we feel intensely both the blessing and bane of being made one community! The challenge is demonstrating our unity in tangible ways even when the bond doesn’t seem all that peace-filled. That’s where the bearing with one another in love is required. It’s late in the week and maybe late in the summer. How are you bearing up in love? ?Day 6: Courage (2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14)? ? ? What do you treasure? What is so valuable to you that you would guard it—guard it with your very life, even? Can you think of something? Paul wants us to remember to guard the treasure of the gift of faith we have been given. Paul wants his beloved apprentice Timothy to know that nothing is more important than holding fast to the word of God he has been taught. If Timothy can hold fast to God’s word, then he will not be shaken no matter what he has to face. Paul is giving his final words of wisdom to Timothy, passing on the mantle of leadership, and reminding Timothy that he has been equipped. Like all those called by God before him, Timothy needs to know this truth: God doesn’t call the equipped, God equips the called. Timothy can take courage, confident that he has been given the Spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.Trusting the promise of God’s ability to give us what we need does not mean, however, that we have no role in preparing ourselves to serve God. We, like Timothy, need to rekindle the gift of God that is within us. We must attempt to guard the treasure of our faith by actively seeking to discern sound teaching from false teaching. We have to be thoughtful in our listening to others and to scripture. We must practice, like an athlete or artist, our craft of Christian discipleship—loving kindness, doing justice, and walking humbly with our God. As this week of camp nears its end, it may be time to rekindle and renew the gifts you’ve been given in order to keep up your courage in the days and weeks ahead. ?Day 7: Peace Wherever You Go (John 20:19-23)? ? ? “Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew…,” an old hymn begins. Each verse that follows begins with the same six words, “Breathe on me, Breath of God…,” followed by a description of transformation that will come from God’s life-giving breath: Hearts will be made pure, love will be received and shared, desires and actions will become united with God’s. This kind of radical, become-like-Christ change comes through the power of the Spirit—the breath—of God. Mourning turns to dancing and grief to joy. Terrified disciples hiding behind locked doors receive the breath of God through the Risen Christ and have peace. They are given the peace of Christ and the Spirit of Christ. They are commissioned to go out into the world and continue Jesus’ work of bringing healing and wholeness through the forgiveness of sin.The breath of God still blows today, no less than at Creation when God brought Adam to life (Genesis 2). God’s transformative breath is at work right now in ways no less dramatic than in Ezekiel when an entire valley of dry bones came back to life (Ezekiel 37). The Risen Christ is still saying, “Peace be with you,” to frightened disciples, enabling them to unlock doors and walk back into the world rejoicing. As you come to the end of this week of camp, remember that Christ is alive and with you. Right now the breath of God is filling you with life anew, and Jesus himself speaks a word of peace. Receive Jesus’ Spirit. Be at peace. Go out into the world forgiven and forgiving. ?About Your CampersDevelopmental CharacteristicsIn addition to being familiar and comfortable with the content of the resource and the scripture, counselors need to understand the campers with whom they will be working. Although campers come from a variety of backgrounds and have different life experiences, some generalizations about the age groups are appropriate and helpful. The developmental characteristics identified through years of research provide insight into the needs and capabilities of campers. This knowledge serves the goals of Christian camping, enabling resource designers, camp leaders, and counselors to create experiences with campers that challenge them to grow individually as persons of faith and to discover the value of group interaction and Christian community. As staff members prepare to lead children and youth, they need to know what is appropriate for each age group. In training, your goals are for staff to: ?Become familiar with the various age-level characteristics, especially for the group(s) they will be with the most;?Identify ways in which those developmental characteristics affect day-to-day interactions with campers;?Understand camp policies and procedures in light of age-appropriateness.Here is a suggested plan for reaching your training goals; modify it as needed:Divide into small groups, giving the Develop?mental Characteristics to each person to put in his or her staff manual or simply to keep. Depending upon your camp set-up, the number of staff, and the time allotted for training, you may choose to assign persons to their small group by a particular age focus or go broadly across age-levels. Groups are to:1.Read through the information, stopping to clarify descriptors that any staff have questions about.2. Choose a descriptor and discuss it, using prompts such as, “What would that look like?” “How would that show up?” “How should we handle that?” “What might we need to avoid?” Consider roleplaying some situations. 3.Make connections, where appropriate, to sample learning activities and to specific camp policies and procedures. For example, seeing that younger children (7–9 years old) have minimal upper body strength, a group assigned to this age group could note how that relates to the camp policy about not having young campers paddle a canoe by themselves or the expectation that counselors will be the ones to pour the campers’ drinks from the large pitchers. 4.Repeat Steps 2 and 3 as time allows.Having the small groups report highlights from their discussion may also be helpful. The Developmental Characteristics handout is on page 21 in PDF file. Feel free to make copies.Counselor Training Slides (NEW!)Look on your Power Up! DVD-Rom for a file called Counselor Training Slides, a new slide presentation related to the handout on Developmental Characteristics. The slides show photos of campers of all ages engaged in some typical camp experiences.Use the slides in conjunction with the handout to help staff translate the concepts from words-on-paper to real campers! Here is a suggested process:Print out slide 5 in the presentation, which gives discussion prompts for the camp photos. After staff have had the opportunity to review the handout, divide them into four groups and assign them either the Physical, Mental, Social, or Spiritual category from the handout, and hand them a copy of the discussion prompts.Go through one slide at a time, giving the groups a few minutes to talk among themselves to identify something—an insight, a question, a possible problem—that the photo suggests. Then have each group report from their assigned perspective. (Be aware that not every slide will relate to all four categories.) Invite further discussion from the group as a whole. Encourage everyone—newbies and pros—to contribute to the conversation. Staff will be learning from one another, gaining greater insight and relating the concepts to their campers! Move on to the next slide. Feel free to skip slides if they do not relate to the age group your staff will be working with or if your time is limited. About LearningExperiential and RelationalThe camp setting provides an environment that promotes experiential as well as relational learning. Faith can come alive through active (experiential) learning that invites each camper to participate as a whole person. Movement, involvement of all the senses, the arts, and a multiplicity of other methods make camps a powerful force in the faith formation of young people.InsideOut resources are committed to experiential learning. Activities are based on the Multiple Intelligences theory of Howard Gardner. Gardner defines “intelligence” as the ability to create problems to solve and then to solve them. Each person has a preferred manner in which to do that best. Gardner has named and described eight different ways in which people express their ability to create and solve problems. See the Multiple Intelligences chart on page 22.Have staff look through the activities in the resource, identify at least one activity for each of the eight different intelligences, and talk about how the activity engages the particular intelligence. The primary Multiple Intelligences for each activity are identified at the end of the activity, along with the list of supplies needed. As staff teams plan the week, encourage them to choose activities among the options that result in several intelligences being included during a camp day. In this way, each camper will find an opportunity to use his or her preferred intelligence, which will lead to greater engagement. Active learning is always more effective than passive learning, which involves just listening or watching.In establishing a relational learning environment, staff members need to consider the roles of both learners and leaders. In such a learning environment, leaders are not “teachers” who have all the answers. Leaders or counselors are facilitators, guides, and encouragers helping the whole group make discoveries. They are also partners and travelers with the learners on the journey of discovery. The learners are full participants in the discovery process, bringing insights and sharing experiences. The following are indicators of such an active, experiential learning environment:?Learning and discovery are taking place.?Leaders are aware of the many ways in which people learn.?Leaders understand that faith formation takes place through the whole camp experience.?Campers and leaders engage in dialogue and practice collaboration.?A spirit of cooperation undergirds the discoveries, and the experiences of each person are valued.Developmental CharacteristicsYounger Children (7–9 Years Old ) Physical Characteristics?minimal upper body strength?mastering bowel control?energetic, but tire easily?developing body coordinationMental Characteristics?concrete, literal thinkers?rule-based morals?short attention spans—learn best through senses and activity?easily frightenedSocial Characteristics?learning to live apart from family and friends?outgoing and loving?prone to hero worship?mirror the behavior and actions they see in adultsSpiritual Characteristics?concrete understanding of God?varying degrees of biblical knowledge?may ask a lot of questions?may only remember the highlightsOlder Children (10–12 Years Old)Physical Characteristics?girls maturing faster than boys?greater self-control when performing motor activities?beginning to develop sexually?high energy, but may complain of being tiredMental Characteristics?beginning stages of abstract thinking?beginning to challenge the answers adults give?strong sense of right and wrong?strive to complete projects and to do them wellSocial Characteristics?learning to live apart from family and friends?boys often relate to others in contests of strength?girls will often develop crushes?boys beginning to relate to girlsSpiritual Characteristics?developing a more personal faith?begin to grasp bigger issues?strong memorizing skills?may start to rebel from what they were first taughtYounger Youth (12–14 Years Old)Physical Characteristics?deepening of male voices?concerned with personal appearance?females begin to menstruate?awkward due to incredible growth spurtsMental Characteristics?idealistic—may come across as negativity?starting to be able to put themselves in another person’s “shoes”?decision-making process focuses on the present?competitiveSocial Characteristics?fear of embarrassment?urgent need to belong?dealing with strong sexual feelings?desire and respect strong adult leadershipSpiritual Characteristics?making their own faith decisions?prefer to discuss issues?may tie their faith into social issues?may question the content of the Bible studyOlder Youth (15–18 Years Old)Physical Characteristics?largest and strongest campers at camp?physical appearance and attributes are a major concern?need privacy?need more sleepMental Characteristics?abstract thinkers?specialization in selected skills?experience strong feelings and emotions?critical of selfSocial Characteristics?urgent need for acceptance or attention?increasing peer pressure to engage in drinking, smoking, drugs, and sex?question authority?able to take on responsibilitySpiritual Characteristics?begin questioning their own salvation?making their own decisions about church attendance?able to carry the whole discussion on their own?struggling with social pressures in light of their faithOutdoor Ministries Program Leadership Manual(Committee on Outdoor Ministries of the National Council of Churches, 2000) Used by permission.Multiple IntelligencesMultiple Intelligences refers to the ability to create problems to solve and to solve those problems. Each of us has a way or ways to do things that suits us best. Here is a brief description of the eight different ways in which people express their ability to create and solve problems. The Multiple Intelligences lists following activities throughout the guide will help you choose activities that will engage your campers.Logical/Mathematical: This intelligence likes to deal with numbers and abstract patterns. Often, this intelligence is referred to as scientific reasoning. These learners like to read, write, and tell stories; play word games; use computers; debate; and write in journals.Intrapersonal: This intelligence is comfortable with self-reflection, thinking about thinking, and spirituality. It involves the knowledge of inner feelings and emotional responses. These learners prefer independent, self-paced study, journal keeping, and individualized projects.Musical:This intelligence is based on an enjoyment of rhythmic and tonal patterns. People with this intelligence enjoy singing, listening to music, and playing musical instruments. They respond to music and group singing.Spatial: The key elements of this intelligence are the sense of sight and the ability to form mental images and pictures in the mind. These learners enjoy drawing, building, designing and creating things, looking at pictures, and playing with machines.Linguistic: This intelligence uses words and language effectively. People with this intelligence enjoy all the possibilities of exploring ideas and concepts. They express realities through words—writing, reading, talking, and listening.Interpersonal:This intelligence responds well to working with others. The people who have this intelligence are able to work cooperatively and have a sense of empathy for the feelings and experiences of others. They enjoy cooperative games, board games, group brainstorming and problem solving, peer coaching, and interpersonal interaction.Bodily/Kinesthetic: This intelligence uses the body to express emotion, and to articulate ideas and concepts. These people learn well through movement, touching, using body language, sports and physical games, drama, dance, using clay, and building projects.Naturalist: This intelligence is attuned to the natural world and uses all senses to enjoy creation. These learners enjoy the study of nature, identifying cultural artifacts, collecting, sorting, and observing variation of objects in nature. Those wishing to learn more about Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory are encouraged to consult Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, by Howard Gardner (New York: Basic Books, 1983).Copyright ? Chalice Press. For use at your camp only.Additional Resources for Leaders (NEW!)Connecting with the Camping Community There’s more to InsideOut than what you have in front of you. For example, have you “liked” InsideOut’s Facebook page? ’s Facebook page links you to the larger InsideOut community, with regular posts about the benefits of camp, news and inspiration from other camps, and a quick way to share your creativity with other camp directors. Connect with camp leaders from across the country, sharing ideas, frustrations, and solutions.Some of the topics are:? Are church camps and conference retreat centers going away?? Is your camp really prepared for tick season?? What are your campers’ morning rituals?? What 5 things should all parents know about today’s camps?See how other camps are using InsideOut materials and show off your own camp’s T-shirt design. What’s on the InsideOut Website? provides you with videos, additional camp activities, planning and training resources, and a variety of flyers and logos that you can customize for your camp’s needs. This is where you can get an early look at next year’s resource?about Church, Community, and Mission.If you want activities beyond what’s available in Power Up! or would like activities that fit in with your campers’ special interests—such as Nature Study and Creation Care or Spiritual Practices—download the free PDF of camp activities.Other free PDFs offer training activities for counselors, tips on setting up your camp and planning your week of fun. Downloadable logos for each year’s theme can help you promote your camp.InsideOut’s Twitter feed,?, provides another way to keep up with InsideOut.Living in the Spiritbiblical and Theological overviewIntroductionPower Up! Living in the Spirit! When campers hear “power up,” they think about turning on an electronic device. They know what it means for a cell phone to have a full charge, and they are rarely far from the power source that keeps them electronically connected. But where does the true, reliable, and never-ending power to live as Christ calls come from? It comes from the Holy Spirit.The materials you have in your hands (or on your screen) will help you lead campers on a powerful journey of discovery. Each day, with each scripture passage, you and your campers will be challenged to plug into the power of the Holy Spirit. You will be charged and ready to live for Christ with energy and passion. The Holy Spirit is described in a variety of ways, from wind to fire, Advocate to Comforter. Jesus promises, through the Holy Spirit, to give disciples the words to say and the ability to understand and remember all that he taught. It is the Holy Spirit who unites believers from every place and time. It is the Holy Spirit who enables Jesus’ followers to bear the fruit of love, joy, kindness, and goodness. The Holy Spirit gives the peace that passes understanding and emboldens disciples of all ages to preach the gospel and spread the good news. In a time characterized by the relentless bombardment of information, perpetual connection to the digital universe, and endless texts, tweets, and instant messages, camp offers an opportunity to unplug in order to connect in new ways with God and others. You are invited to relish the spotty cell reception of camp and delve into seven scripture passages that reveal the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Take hold of these Bible stories and power up with Jesus’ promised, unwavering peace. Power up and celebrate the boundary-breaking, church-creating, wind and fire Spirit that comes at Pentecost. Power up and imitate Christ. Power up and bear the fruit of gentleness and peace, patience and self-control. Power up as one community—called, equipped, and sent. Power up through connecting with those who came before you and by passing on the faith to those who will come after you. Power up with the peace of Christ that is with you wherever you go. Living in the Spirit is the source of that power!The pages ahead may look like any others, but make no mistake, they contain within them great power: the power to transform frightened disciples into bold leaders of the faith, the power to transform strangers into community, the power to transform ordinary people of all ages into extraordinary reflections of Jesus Christ. They contain within them the awesome power of the Holy Spirit. God has called you to lead campers with and to that power, so read on. Power up and live in the Spirit! See the DVD menu for the video “Biblical Overview” for staff training.Biblical and Theological OverviewDay 1Power Up with the Promise of PeaceJohn 14:25-27The StoryJesus is on the cusp of being arrested and crucified; but instead of worrying about what will happen to him, he is worried about what will happen to his friends when he’s gone. As always, Jesus’ concern is directed outward, toward the world God sent him to save. Knowing that his earthly life is coming to an end, Jesus takes his time preparing his disciples to continue his mission after his death. John 14:25-27 summarizes much of Jesus’ promises and encouragement to his disciples then and now. He tells them:?Even when I’m gone you will have a teacher sent from God, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.?I promise you peace in all circumstances.?You need not let your fear overtake you. John 14:25-27 captures some of the key themes of the Gospel of John. It is as if the writer had to condense Jesus’ message down to a text: Have 2 go. Not leaving u alone. Sending help. Be @ peace.The Story’s Context and Background The Gospel of John is markedly different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke in its rich symbolism and the long monologues of Jesus; but here, in these verses, we get a snapshot of the whole gospel, a glimpse that reveals the big picture. Today’s verses are nested within Jesus’ larger final teaching to his disciples. Chapters 13–17 take place in one room with only Jesus and his disciples present. Jesus and the disciples are gathered for the Passover in Jerusalem. Jesus uses every moment of their time together to convey who he is and therefore who they must be also. Jesus does this with words and actions.Jesus begins by washing the disciples’ feet, modeling for them what it means to be a servant leader. Then he tells them: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). This, Jesus says, will show the world that they—that we—are his followers. After giving them his final instructions enacted and spoken, Jesus reassures the disciples with the promise that they will not be left alone because the Holy Spirit will come after he has left. In the chapters that follow, Jesus will tell them that they are his friends and he will pray for them.Here John’s gospel focuses on Jesus’ mission: that he is sent by God to save the world and that salvation comes through his death and resurrection (he has to go), and on Jesus’ promise: I will not abandon or forsake you (he won’t leave them alone). The disciples are assured that they have an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will remind them of all that they already know (help is on the way). Finally, the disciples are given their legacy from Jesus: peace, a sense of well-being in all places and circumstances that enables them to live without fear or anxiety (be at peace).Theological IssuesIn these verses, as Jesus prepares for his death, he lovingly prepares his disciples for the imminent ending of his earthly ministry; and, in so doing, he prepares us too. We live after Jesus’ earthly life and his ascension to heaven, and so we need the assurance of Christ with us no less than the first disciples. So what does Jesus promise?Jesus promises his disciples then and now that they have an Advocate, the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for advocate begins with the prefix “para,” which means “beside” or “from the side” and therefore indicates that no matter where they go or what transpires, Jesus’ followers have God with them. This Advocate, the Holy Spirit, promises to help them, intercede for them, and teach them. It is as if Jesus’ apprentices always have their teacher and mentor ready and waiting to assist when called upon and even before called upon. They are never alone or left unequipped for the work Jesus has called them to do. Like the earliest disciples, we are never without this promised Advocate, and because of that we can be confident and unafraid. We can be sure that we will be taught what we need to know when we are fulfilling Jesus’ call. The writer of Matthew’s gospel put it this way, “Do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:19-20). We are also enabled, through the promised Holy Spirit, to remember Jesus’ words and believe them (John 2:22, 12:16). It is the Spirit that reveals the truth to us and helps us discern the difference between true and false teachings (John 16:13). In other words, faith itself is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Through our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, we are given the gifts that Jesus promises his followers: ?Peace, regardless of circumstance, that is so profound the world cannot understand it;?Courage to speak the truth of God’s reign in the midst of a world often opposed to it;?Power to do more than we ever thought possible; ?Love that is enacted toward friends and enemies alike; ?Self-discipline to refrain from actions that are counter to Christ’s teaching and destructive of the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 John 2:20, 27; John 16:33; 20:19, 21, 26; Colossians 3:15; 2 Timothy 1:7)The promised Advocate that Jesus gives to us is sure and all-encompassing. It could be summed up like this:?We are promised a permanent and unwavering Advocate: our helper, mediator, and intercessor.?Our Advocate guides us, teaches us, anoints us, and speaks through us.?Our Advocate gifts us with peace, courage, power, love, self-discipline, and knowledge.?Our Advocate empowers us to remember Jesus’ words, to believe them, and to live them out in the world.Leader Reflections? ? The challenge of this text is helping campers claim the promise without feeling guilty or unfaithful when they (and we!) inevitably fall short. Be sure to emphasize with your campers that we all experience times of fear and anxiety. That is part of being human! Create a safe environment for honest discussion, acknowledging that we are often not as loving, kind, and peaceful as we would like to be. ? ? Part of the promise is that the Holy Spirit is always at work, helping us to live more faithfully every day. Can you imagine some common camp experiences that might make campers, especially first-time campers, feel afraid? Give them the opportunity to share their fears. Use today’s verses to help ease their anxiety and encourage more experienced campers to share what has helped them when they were afraid.? ? When you read these verses, good questions to consider with campers are, “What prevents us from living in ways that reflect Jesus’ promise to us? When do we lack courage and love, for example, and why?” As you read the scripture with campers, try to help them “translate” words like “advocate” in ways that are more relevant to them. ? ? As you explore this lesson with your campers, help them imagine what Jesus’ peace means for them and for the world. Help them think about what the promise of peace means for people living in homes, communities, or countries where violence is an ever-present reality. How are we to share the gift of Jesus’ peace with others?? ? This week at camp take note of when you feel a sense of the Holy Spirit and share it with your campers. Invite your campers to notice when they feel God close to them. Ask them to be aware of when they feel as if God has given them the words to say or the courage to speak (or the self-discipline to keep quiet). Encourage them to be mindful of those times when they have a deep sense of peace (perhaps around the campfire? rowing in the canoe? during morning worship? while eating together?). Point out to your campers the occasions when they exhibit the fruit of the Spirit: love, kindness, self-control, and then go further and remind them that these are evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in their lives. ? ? It is significant that in today’s passage Jesus is talking to the gathered group of disciples. The Holy Spirit appears in scripture almost exclusively when Jesus’ followers are together. The promised Advocate comes alongside us, and often we feel the presence of the Holy Spirit with and through others. This will certainly be true when we are gathered together with our campers.Day 2Power Up and Celebrate the SpiritActs 2:1-18, 22-24, 33The StoryThe promised Holy Spirit has unquestionably arrived. Jesus’ followers are gathered together for the Jewish religious festival of Pentecost when all of a sudden there come a roaring wind and tongues of fire. The disciples begin to speak in different languages. Imagine coming to worship one morning with a few friends, bowing in prayer, and, out of nowhere, having a thunderstorm descend so violently that the windows rattle and the lights flicker. You glance around and see what appear to be flames resting on the top of each person’s head. You go to speak or scream and have a language you have never spoken come out of your mouth. You listen and hear Spanish, German, Greek, Arabic, Swahili, Bengali, Chinese, and so many other languages coming from the people around you. This story in Acts describes just this kind of scenario. But in Acts the disciples are surrounded by Jewish believers from all over the known world. Those witnessing the disciples are bewildered, and no wonder! They understand what is being spoken and realize that the speakers are Galileans. How can they know their languages? They exclaim, “We can understand them, and they are talking about God’s deeds of power. What is this all about?” Peter is empowered to explain and proclaim. He quotes from the Old Testament prophet Joel and tells all those confused by this wild sound-and-light display that it is about God fulfilling God’s promise. The Holy Spirit has come and a new era of understanding and inclusion has arrived. Peter tells the story of Jesus in two long sentences. He preaches the gospel succinctly and truthfully: Jesus was sent by God and, through God, did deeds of power and wonder among the people. Jesus was crucified and died, but God raised him up because even death has no power over him. The coming of the Holy Spirit fulfills Jesus’ promise, and the disciples are given the words that tell about what God has done for the world through Jesus. Peter’s Spirit-empowered speech moves those who hear to repent and be baptized. The church is born!Peter’s twitter feed reads: @world_Holy Spirit here! We’re speaking your language about Jesus. Hear, believe, join us#promisefulfilled. The retweeting breaks records in the twitterverse. The Story’s Context and Background Today’s story takes place in Jerusalem, where the disciples have gathered for the Festival of Pentecost. Pentecost means “fiftieth day” and was also known as the Festival of Weeks. It was a time for Jews to celebrate the gift of the Law on Mt. Sinai. It was believed that the Ten Commandments were given to the Jewish people fifty days after the exodus from Egypt. This commemoration is the reason devout Jews from every nation had gathered together, including Jesus’ disciples.In Acts 1 the disciples receive their final instructions from the Risen Christ just before he ascends to heaven. Jesus again promises them that the Holy Spirit will come and, when that happens, the disciples will become witnesses to “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.” The disciples will start telling who Jesus is and why he matters right where they are, Jerusalem. However, they won’t stop there. They will keep spreading the Word, the gospel, further and further out, until all the earth knows the salvation story of Jesus.Chapter 1 foreshadows what is coming in our chapter for today. As soon as the Holy Spirit descends with a roar and a flame, the disciples start witnessing, in Jerusalem, to the people present from all the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit is on the loose and, through the first witnesses, the gospel will spread exponentially. The community of Jesus’ followers is about to expand and include all kinds of people who have never before been together.Theological IssuesTwo theological issues to lift up in this rich passage from Acts are 1.Jesus’ promise to the disciples has been fulfilled. God’s promises are trustworthy and sure. 2.Jesus came to save the world, reconciling human beings to God. The community of believers is expanding beyond all human boundaries. First of all, the promise has been fulfilled. Jesus promised his followers that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, would come after he went up to heaven. Acts 2 chronicles the Holy Spirit’s arrival. The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, that Jesus promised his followers just before his death, was to:?Help, teach, and guide the disciples;?Gift them with peace, courage, power, love, and knowledge;?Anoint them and speak through them;?Empower them to remember Jesus’ words and believe. In today’s verses all of those aspects of the Holy Spirit are evident:?The twelve are “taught” languages that they never knew before.?The Spirit speaks through them as they tell of God’s deeds of power.?Peter has the courage and ability to answer the question, “What does this mean?”?The disciples are anointed with wind and fire and made the witnesses Jesus told them they would be.The second theological issue not to be missed is the truth that Jesus was indeed sent to bring salvation to all the world. This small band of twelve has been entrusted with the message not simply for their own sake. They are to preach and teach so that others can receive the gift of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. Along with Jesus’ instructions in Acts 1 about being witnesses starting in Jerusalem and not stopping until those at the ends of the earth know the salvation story, the Pentecost story is a foretaste of all that is to come in the rest of Acts—and in the rest of history!The Holy Spirit is poured out on all, just as the prophet Joel had stated. Not only do the disciples receive the Holy Spirit along with the faith, understanding, and belief the Holy Spirit gives, but also countless others do too. Medes, Parthians, Cretans, and Arabs hear God’s word in ways they can understand. No one is left out from God’s work through Jesus Christ. Leader Reflections? ? As we read the story of Pentecost, it is important to recognize that there are many parts of it we can’t explain. But perhaps explanation is less important than a willingness to enter into the story and imagine what it was like to experience it. This is a good passage to encourage campers to use all their senses as they listen. In this Bible story are vivid descriptions of sounds and sights. Allow campers to paint the scene in their own minds and then to share with others what they saw, heard, and felt.? ? Once they have had an opportunity to hear the story in a fresh way, explore the different characters in the text. Ask campers to consider: What might it have been like to be one of the disciples? Peter? or those in the crowd? Talking about each of these perspectives invites different questions. Invite campers who see themselves as one of the disciples to consider if the promised Holy Spirit came as they expected. If campers envision themselves as Peter, ask them how they would answer the crowd’s question: “What does this mean?” Don’t leave out the crowd. What do they need in order to hear and understand about Jesus? ? ? This reading invites you to talk about what it means to be a witness for Jesus Christ and the importance of God’s ever-expanding community. Who are those who have yet to hear the good news? What language do we need to speak in order for them to understand? If Jesus tells his followers that they will be witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth, where are those places for us? Maybe Jerusalem is this week at camp. Judea could be their home or school, Samaria their community, and the ends of the earth, well, anywhere! Spend some time talking about where those places are and how the Holy Spirit is sending us there. Remind them that they can trust the Holy Spirit to be with them and to give them what they need to be Christ’s witnesses wherever they are.Day 3Power Up to Imitate Christ1 Thessalonians 1:4-7The StoryIf the Web had been around in the apostle Paul’s day, he would have used it. Paul used whatever means of communication were available to him to spread the gospel. When he could not be with people face to face, he wrote letters. Today’s verses come from Paul’s letter to the early Christian community of Thessalonica. After his traditional greeting of grace and peace, Paul tells believers in Thessalonica how thankful he and the other leaders in the faith are for them. He assures them that they are not forgotten. Even though Paul cannot be there in person, he makes it clear that he remains connected to the church at Thessalonica through prayer. The heart of these verses comes with verse 4 when Paul writes, “We know, brothers and sisters…” Paul emphatically lifts up to those hearing the letter that they are chosen by God. How else would they have come to believe the message of Jesus Christ? Further, they experienced Paul and those with him as faithful in the most difficult of circumstances. Not only that, in the midst of persecution the Thessalonians then imitated Paul’s example of faithfulness. And, finally, their faith was so great they themselves converted others through their example.Paul commends the Thessalonians while pointing to the source of their model beliefs and behavior: the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit enabling both Paul and the Thessalonians to be imitators of Jesus Christ.Paul “posts a Facebook status”: Wishing I was in Thessalonica but know my brothers and sisters there are following my example and living like Jesus. Keep it up!The Story’s Context Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is believed to be the oldest document in the New Testament. It is also one of Paul’s most pastoral letters, with his deep concerns for the new converts in Thessalonica coming through, verse after verse. Paul was not able to stay long in Thessalonica. In Acts 17:1-9 we learn some important details about Paul’s quick departure. When Paul and his companions arrived in Thessalonica, they went to the synagogue, which was their normal practice. They preached and shared the gospel. According to the account in Acts, some Jews received the news of Jesus Christ and believed, as did some Greeks. However, other Jews were so offended by Paul’s message that they began to riot. The mob went in search of Paul and Silas; and when they did not find them, they dragged out Jason, the man who had been hosting the apostles. The crowd and the city officials were “thrown into turmoil” by Paul’s evangelism. In the face of this uproar Paul and Silas had to flee Thessalonica, unable to nurture those newly converted to Christianity. Paul was keenly aware that those new to the faith are vulnerable. They might be swayed by false teachings, revert to old ways, or misinterpret the gospel message. Hence, Paul wrote this letter to the new church at Thessalonica. These verses are part of the larger goal of encouraging, instructing, and nurturing this fledgling faith community.BackgroundLetters written in Paul’s day would have been read aloud to all the believers when they were gathered for worship. The church at Thessalonica would have been eager to hear Paul’s words. They were a small, fragile community, and vulnerable to the same persecution that Paul and Silas experienced when they visited the city. Paul’s warm tone of care expresses his sincere desire that this small community continue to thrive despite real and dangerous challenges to their existence. The entirety of the letter expands on the themes present in today’s verses: ?Imitate others who are faithful. Look to Paul and others in the community who are living the faith they have been taught by God. (There is a unique Greek word likely coined by Paul and found only in 1 Thessalonians 4:9 that is translated “the God-taught-ones.” Paul uses this term to describe the faithful of Thessalonica. They are “the God-taught-ones” and therefore should live out what it is they have been taught.)?Remain faithful even in the face of persecution. The phrase “encourage one another” is repeated frequently in the letter. As a minority group in a larger, hostile culture, upholding one another and remaining united are critical.?God’s faithfulness to them is certain. God will not abandon them; and as they imitate Christ, they are promised unity with Christ now and forever in heaven.Paul wants to stress his solidarity with the Thessalonians even though he is absent from them. He shares in their joys and also in their suffering. Paul, in imitating Christ, does not abandon them. They, in imitating Paul, encourage, instruct, and support one another.Theological IssuesThese four verses pack a theological punch. Paul includes several key concepts that are critical for Christians:?Being loved and chosen by God. We are not believers in Jesus by accident.?The role of the Holy Spirit in spreading the gospel and in people accepting it.?The important role of witnesses telling the good news. How are people to believe if they do not hear??Being imitators first of Christ and then of those who faithfully follow him.?Each person’s call to be an example to others of what it looks like to believe and follow Jesus Christ.?The importance of Christian community in learning and growing in faith.In talking about this story with campers, it is important to lift up several of these themes. An awareness of whom we imitate and of what we model for others is central to today’s reading. Paul reminds his hearers that he is always pointing to Jesus. Paul imitates Jesus, and therefore others should imitate him. He also reminds the people of Thessalonica that he does none of this through his own abilities, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, which was given to him by God. There are two words that can shape your discussion with your campers: imitate and example. How do we imitate Christ? What example are we holding up for other Christians and for those who aren’t believers in Jesus Christ? Leader Reflections ? ? In exploring these verses with your campers, you have the advantage of being in a distinctively Christian community at camp. In this small group of Christians, Paul’s themes in his letter to Thessalonica can be modeled. You might ask, “How can we encourage one another while we are here?” Invite campers to give specific examples of when someone has been supportive. Point out that these are examples of faithfulness that we can imitate. ? ? There are several phrases that you can share with campers to get at the idea that we are examples of Christianity to others. Ask them what it means that “you may be the only Bible someone else ever reads.” Or have them consider St. Francis Assisi’s declaration, “Preach the gospel always; when necessary, use words.” ? ? The Greek word that is translated as “example” can also be translated “pattern.” What is the “pattern” of our lives? Talk with your campers about things that have patterns: quilts, puzzles, paintings, rugs. How do all the individual parts make up a whole image? If someone steps back and looks at our lives, what image do they see? ? ? Given your campers’ context, invite them to think about the example they set in social media. In looking at their Facebook page or Instagram what is revealed? How about at yours? Imagine Paul’s selfies. What would he take pictures of and what would he say about them? How would they be representations of Christ to believers in Thessalonica and now? How are ours?? ? Don’t forget the important role of community in all of this. Paul doesn’t go it alone and neither can we. Paul emphasizes the need for fellow Christians to be united, to support, to teach, to encourage, and to love one another. Make sure to talk about how we do these things at camp, through the power of the Holy Spirit! Day 4 Power Up with the Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:16-26The StoryThere is an old saying that goes something like this: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Paul, in these verses addressed to the Galatians, is detailing the evidence of a life in Christ, which should be obvious to everyone we encounter if we are truly living Christian lives. Paul doesn’t bury the headline in today’s story. He starts with the most important instruction: Live by the Spirit. Then he compares and contrasts life in the Spirit versus life in the flesh. The distinctions between these two opposites are clear, and Paul leaves no room for doubt as to which choices followers of Jesus Christ are to make. Paul realizes that, even though the choice is obvious, it is not easy. The pull of wordly, human behaviors, of selfish desires is strong, but he assures the Galatians that the power of the Spirit is stronger.Paul wants to leave no room for ambiguity, so he lists those behaviors that reflect a life under the rule of the world and its values. Then he contrasts those behaviors with the ones that reflect a life lived in Jesus Christ. Paul, like a good parent, teacher, or counselor, makes expectations clear, better enabling those he is instructing to choose the right thing.Paul’s final word in today’s story reminds the Galatians of the most important truth: They belong to Jesus Christ. They have experienced an extreme make-over, a rebirth—the old life has passed away, and a new one has begun. They have been given the gift of God’s Spirit and, therefore, have the freedom to bear fruit that reveals the vine of which they are branches. Paul tweets: @Galatians_b Spirit-filled, not worldly. Bear fruit#love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.The Story’s Context Two words in today’s reading need to be unpacked: flesh and Spirit. This is a compare and contrast text, and it is important to understand what Paul is contrasting. For Paul, “flesh” represents worldly values. The Galatian Christians are a small minority living in the midst of a larger culture with radically different values from those of the Triune God. Then, as now, all kinds of selfish, hurtful, and community-destroying actions take place. Paul wants emphatically to tell believers that they are to have no part of those “desires of the flesh,” those “selfish desires.” Instead and by contrast, Christians are to live a life “by the Spirit.” Notice that “Spirit” is capitalized. It is God’s Spirit, the Advocate and Helper that Jesus promised his disciples, whom they are to follow. A life led by the Spirit is one that reflects God’s values, the very actions that Jesus demonstrated in his earthly ministry: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.Today’s verses take place within Paul’s larger instruction to the Galatians about freedom. He is making it clear that Christians have the ability, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, to choose to live in ways that show forth the love of God. Freedom for Christ’s followers is not about self-gratification or doing whatever they wish. Freedom means being made free to live a life of loving service because they have been made righteous through Jesus Christ. In other words, through the power of the Spirit, they can be the people God has created them to be: good.This entire section of Paul’s letter points back to the very beginning of the epistle, demonstrating what a life in Jesus Christ “who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” looks like (Galatians 1:4).BackgroundPaul’s letter to the Galatians is a pointed one. He is responding to specific problems in the Galatian church. Many of the believers in Galatia were former pagans, people worshiping the numerous gods of the Roman and Greek cultures, which is different from other early Christian communities, which were made up primarily of Jewish Christians who worshiped the one God. When these two very different groups came together, disputes erupted about what was required in order to follow Jesus. Some Jewish Christians contended that Gentiles (non-Jews) needed to first convert to Judaism in order to be Christian. Known as Judiazers, they argued that Gentiles first needed to be circumcised (the sign of being a part of the covenant community in Judaism) and then they could be baptized into the Christian community. In addition, they advocated that the Law of Moses needed to be followed by Christians. This included things such as observing the Sabbath and only eating certain foods.In this letter to the Galatians Paul is unwavering in his teaching that such Jewish requirements were not necessary for Christians. Earlier in the letter he writes, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law and made us one. The only law to which Christians are subject is the law of love.Theological IssuesIn talking with campers about this text, one of the challenges is making sense of what appears to be Paul’s radical dualism between “flesh” (“selfish desires”) and “Spirit.” A cursory reading of today’s verses might leave hearers thinking that Christians need to withdraw from the world and all its sinful behaviors and focus on being “spiritual.” Help campers understand the context and background of Paul’s letter to the Galatians—that Paul is writing to help build up a community that is in the midst of conflict within and dealing with negative influences from the larger culture surrounding it.Paul is listing actions that are hurtful to others and therefore to the community as a whole. It isn’t that Christians shun the world. Jesus became fully human in order to save God’s beloved world. Jesus’ followers are not to reject the very world for which Christ died. They are to be a part of that world, but they are to engage with it in radically different ways because they are followers of Jesus Christ. No longer are they to seek their own pleasure and gain. They are to seek what is best for others. No longer are they to seek power. They are to out-do one another in servant love.It is also critical to talk about the role of choice with your campers. What is the nature of the freedom we have in Christ? If it isn’t to do whatever we want, what is it? God has chosen us and given us the gift of the Spirit to help us live as we are called to live. However, we do have the ability to make choices, beginning with the decision to follow Christ. Discuss with campers the importance of making choices that reflect the One we follow and the impact those choices have on individuals and on the greater community. Leader Reflections? ? Actions do speak louder than words, and sometimes our actions speak so loudly people can’t hear what we are saying about Jesus. Invite campers to give examples of when someone’s behavior drowned out what they were saying. Recent surveys have revealed that many young people are turned off by Christianity because they perceive it to be judgmental and exclusive. This perception certainly contrasts with the gospel of Jesus and with Paul’s words in this letter about there being no longer Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free. So what’s going on? Are we being led by the Spirit or are we guided by desires of the flesh?? ? The works of the flesh that Paul lists may seem less obvious to us than they did to Paul’s hearers. Ask campers to think about things in our culture that tear communities apart. Then invite them to name things that build up others and the community. Do the “fruit” of the Spirit they list coincide with the fruit of the Spirit that Paul names? Were any left out? If so, why? Think together with your campers about which fruit are the most challenging for them to bear and then ask them to consider tending those fruit while they are at camp. Covenant to pray for one another and keep each other accountable.? ? Encourage campers to consider the following statement: What we truly believe shapes our daily choices. Then mentally review the choices, big and small, that they made today and ask them what those choices reveal about their beliefs.? ? Ask campers to consider the following question as they make choices the rest of the week at camp: What will I become as a result of this action? ? ? If your campers signed a covenant before coming to camp, review it with them, thinking about the fruit of the Spirit listed in verses 22-23 of today’s reading. Ask, “How have we demonstrated those fruit so far this week? What impact has choosing to be patient, kind, and loving had on our camp community?”On our own, making good choices is not always easy, but with the Holy Spirit we have the power!Day 5Power Up as One Community Ephesians 4:1-6The StoryPaul is a motivational speaker in today’s lesson. He is emphatically calling upon the recipients of this letter to live like who they are: those chosen and called by God. He goes on to tell them what it looks like to live as those called by God. There are outward characteristics that reveal that a person is a follower of Jesus Christ. Those called by God to follow Jesus Christ will exhibit the following traits, especially with their brothers and sisters in Christ. They will be humble, gentle, and patient. They will love one another even when it isn’t easy and when they may not feel very loving. They will work very hard at preserving the unity that has been won through Jesus Christ. That means living peacefully together. Then Paul offers the foundation for such living: They are chosen and called by the one God and Father of us all. That means that we are irrevocably connected to one another. This connection is further demonstrated in the fact that there is one body: the body of Jesus Christ, the church. There is one Spirit: the promised Advocate. There is one hope of our calling—God did not abandon us, but instead chose us. There is one Lord, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord of all. There is one faith, in Christ alone. There is one baptism that marked us as Christ’s own and made us part of the covenant community. All of this is through the one God, the creator and ruler of heaven and earth. With all this inseparable, God-given oneness, we must live in ways that make it evident, treating one another as the brothers and sisters in Christ that we are. Paul, in prison and unable to go to the Ephesians personally, could have sent the following text: Can’t get there. U must live as 1, in luv, b/c of JC. The Story’s Context and BackgroundEphesians 4:1-6 begins the second major part of this letter. This letter is general in that it does not address a specific issue or conflict. Scholars believe that it was meant to be a “circular letter” read to a variety of different churches, not just the church at Ephesus. It was likely written during a time in the early church when Christian communities were starting to divide and fragment. The letter assumes that Jews and Gentiles are together in Christian communities, but even so, the pull of breaking into different groups is strong.The writer of Ephesians wants to reestablish the basis of their life together, which is Jesus Christ, the one Lord who through his death and resurrection has united them as one. The whole of the letter calls the hearers back to that unshakable truth. Following today’s verses, the author makes it clear that unity is not uniformity. There is needed diversity within the one body, the church. Everyone has different gifts, but all are equal and all are called to use them for the purpose of building up the community with love.Theological IssuesWho are you? This is a fundamental question that all of us ask others and ourselves. Today’s verses seek to provide Christians with the answer to that question. This text is about identity. It is also about identity formation, answering the question: What shapes who we are? Or, how do we become who we are meant to be? In answering the first question, the writer of Ephesians says that Christians are those whom Christ has called. But Christians are not only those who have been called (chosen), they are those to whom God has given a second calling. God first reaches out to us in love—claiming, naming, and calling us. Further, an additional calling (a vocation) comes with that claiming: We are to live out our identity in the world in ways that reveal who we are and Whose we are. Today’s text explores the nature of both kinds of callings. These verses have baptismal themes. Often a baptism begins with today’s verses from Ephesians and is followed by these words:Obeying the word of our Lord Jesus, and confident of his promises, we baptize those whom God has called.In baptism God claims us and seals us to show that we belong to God. God frees us from sin and death, uniting us with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection.By water and the Holy Spirit, we are made members of the church, the body of Christ, and joined to Christ’s ministry of love, peace, and justice. (Book of Common Worship, pages 404–405)God has called us, and, even if we are not yet baptized, God is seeking us out in order to claim us. That is the foundation of our identity. We are God’s beloved children. But what about the second question: What makes us who we are? The simple answer is God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, we are also shaped by our daily actions.Ephesians 4:1-6 is an impassioned plea for us to live in ways that reflect our God-given identity. When we live in ways that maintain the unity of the Spirit, we continue to grow in our identity and mature in our faith. We are individually strengthened as the community is strengthened through our loving actions. This is the vocation part of the calling. Being called (chosen) is of the Spirit. Living out our calling (vocation) is of the Spirit too. Neither our identity nor our growing up and into that identity is possible without the gift of the Holy Spirit. However, we are responsible for whether or not we choose to live in ways that reflect our call.Leader Reflections? ? In exploring today’s story with campers it is important to emphasize the practical application of these verses. These are “rubber meets the road” kinds of instructions that get at the heart of what it means to follow Jesus in our day-to-day lives. Things like humility, gentleness, and patience aren’t often traits that our culture values highly. And yet, they are the very qualities that show the world we are the body of Christ. ? ? Take some time to discuss the qualities listed in verses 2 and 3. Ask, “When and how do we demonstrate them? When do we not bear one another in love?” Ask campers to share the ways people divide and separate themselves. Invite them to think about their own schools and youth groups. Ask, “Are people put (or put themselves) in various categories? What are they? Why do we do this so readily?” ? ? Contrast our human tendency to split apart with Paul’s plea for unity. Ask, “How can we live in ways that show we are united and connected?” Talk openly about how unity is not the same as uniformity. Ask, “Are there ways we can disagree and still ‘maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?’ How should Christians handle conflict?” ? ? Given all the connections with baptism in today’s text, you have the opportunity to talk about what baptism means. Acknowledge that not everyone may be baptized at this point, making sure that no one feels lesser because that is his or her situation. You could use the stories of Jesus’ baptism in the gospels as a way to talk about being called and having a calling. ? ? Your campers may be a part of various groups that give them their identity: Boy or Girl Scouts, sports teams, schools. Use these groups as a way to talk about how the people and groups we associate with shape who we are and how we behave. Use their participation in these groups to talk about the church community. Ask, “How are those groups the same as our church community? How are they different?” Some campers may be able to recite the Boy Scout Law or motto. (A Boy Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous…and “Be Prepared!”) Based on today’s reading from Ephesians, what would the “law” and “motto” for Christians be? Day 6Power Up with Courage2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14The StoryToday’s verses from 2 Timothy are written as a last testament, the final words of Paul, an unparalleled leader in the early church, to Timothy, his successor. Knowing that he will likely not see Timothy again, Paul wants to make sure he communicates what matters most. Like a climactic deathbed scene in a movie, everyone is leaning in to hear what Paul will say.Paul writes: Don’t take the gift of faith for granted. Timothy has received this gift of God, the gospel and belief in Jesus Christ, through his mother and grandmother. He has also received this gift of faith through Paul’s mentorship. Paul knows that even with this rich heritage Timothy can’t simply assume it. Faith is a gift from God, but Timothy must continuously receive and nurture that gift.Paul wants to make sure that Timothy recognizes what comes with God’s gift of faith in Jesus Christ. Timothy must work to follow Jesus—but he doesn’t need to rely solely on his own strength. He can be strengthened by his connection to the believers who taught him and to other faithful people around him. He can trust the spirit of power and love and self-discipline that inevitably comes with belief in the gospel. It is of the utmost importance that Timothy cling to the good news of Jesus Christ. If Timothy holds fast to the gospel, he will be equipped with the courage he needs to live it. As if pulling Timothy close to ensure he will hear and know, Paul tells Timothy: “Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us” (2 Timothy 1:13-14). There is nothing more valuable than the Christ, the very word of God, and now, in preparation for when Paul is gone, Timothy is entrusted with guarding the “treasure” and sharing it with others.No doubt Timothy understands that carrying on Paul’s work of evangelism will be challenging. Paul recognizes how awesome this responsibility is. Therefore, he reminds Timothy of the source of his power and help: the unfailing Holy Spirit. Trusting the promise of the Holy Spirit will give Timothy a spirit of courage to do the work God has called him to do.Paul “posts on Timothy’s Facebook wall”: I’ve taught you all I know. It is time for you to take over. Never, ever forget: There is nothing more important than your faith in Jesus. God is all-powerful and loving and that very power and love is in you through the Holy Spirit! You need nothing else! The Story’s ContextOur story in 2 Timothy takes place within a letter written to pass the mantle of leadership on to the next generation of church leaders. It is like parents giving advice to their child leaving for college, or a respected sage giving a graduation speech. Today’s verses are words that mark a significant transition in the lives of Paul and Timothy and in the life of the early church. Paul recognizes that a shift must take place—his student is about to become the teacher.In the chapters following today’s verses, Paul gives Timothy detailed instructions about how to live faithfully. Paul uses several images that are metaphors for being strong in the faith and claiming the spirit of courage within Timothy: Be like a good soldier, fully obedient to your commanding officer. Be like an elite athlete—train hard and play by the rules. Be like a farmer, sowing and tending the seeds, and then you will reap the harvest. Paul ends this list by instructing Timothy to trust that the Lord will help him understand all that Paul has written. Paul goes on to offer “dos” and “don’ts” of faithful living. He warns Timothy of potential threats to the treasure of God’s Word. He offers Timothy a clear charge that he summarizes with, “carry out your ministry fully” (2 Timothy 4:5). Paul, knowing that his time for training Timothy to be a Christian leader is coming to an end, writes what he thinks is critical for Timothy to remember. He then reminds Timothy, and perhaps himself, that the power of the Holy Spirit will take care of the rest. The church is in good hands because, even though the treasure is entrusted to Timothy and to us, ultimately, it is in God’s hands.BackgroundSecond Timothy was written during a time when the early church was experiencing change. Some issues had been settled, but new ones were surfacing. For example, how Gentiles were to be incorporated into the community had been resolved; but how to handle “false teachers” from within the community was hotly debated. Second Timothy is a means of addressing the threat of persons within the body of believers who were teaching something counter to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This background is relevant to us given that we still struggle with how to guard the “treasure” of God’s Word. Then, as now, Christians seek to discern what is acceptable behavior and what isn’t. As new situations arise, people of faith attempt to understand how scripture applies to those new circumstances. The writer of 2 Timothy wants to make sure that the leaders of the church stay true to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Knowing that the pull of other teaching is strong, the writer of 2 Timothy wants to make sure those in positions of leadership rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, whose power working in us is always stronger. Today’s text is a particular genre of scripture called “testament.” Paul, like pillars of the faith before him, is ensuring a successor so that the work of the faith will continue. Like Moses laying hands on Joshua, blessing him and entrusting him with carrying out God’s mission, Paul, through this letter, is passing on the mantle of leadership to Timothy.Theological IssuesThe main theological issue in today’s story is that of remaining true to the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter what the challenge. False teachings can come from the culture that surrounds the church or from within the church community itself. The source of counter-Christian teachings is irrelevant. All that counts for believers is holding fast to the truth that Jesus is Lord of all—and living accordingly. The issue is simply stated but not easily applied. Paul knew that those who remained faithful would suffer for the sake of the gospel, as he had. Paul knew that many false teachings were appealing and much easier to follow than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul knew that Timothy, and all who proclaimed the gospel, would face challenges and times of doubt and hardship—hence his insistence on clinging to the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline that comes from the unshakable Holy Spirit.The letter of 2 Timothy and its call to hold fast to sound teaching, thus guarding the treasure of our faith, is wholly relevant for your campers. Our global, pluralistic, hyper-connected, digital world bombards us with every manner of teaching and idea. Simply sorting through the massive amount of data, let alone discerning its value and relationship to Christian teaching, is a mammoth challenge. How do we use the teachings of Jesus to help us filter all the information that is instantly available to us? Further, how do we then live in ways that demonstrate what we know to be true about God and ourselves? These are no small tasks! That is why it is critical to lift up Paul’s final words to Timothy as a model for us. Claim the promise for yourself and for your campers that the Holy Spirit is within us. Remind your campers, the next generation of leaders in the faith, that they have been given all they need to follow Jesus Christ: the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.Leader Reflections ? ? Since today’s story is a testament in which Paul passes on the responsibilities of leadership to Timothy, consider with campers times when they have marked an important transition. For younger campers it could be when they started school or moved from one grade to the next. Ask them to think about how their parents and teachers prepared them for those next phases of their lives. What were they told about how to act and what was expected of them? Older campers who have been through confirmation or believer’s baptism could think about how that experience relates to today’s text. What new responsibilities come with choosing to unite with the church? How were they recognized as leaders? What gifts were they given and what did those literal gifts symbolize?? ? Some of your campers will no doubt have experienced the death of a loved one. They may know of the final words of someone and want to share them, which is appropriate in light of today’s verses. Recalling such an occurrence can be profound, but also painful. Welcome the campers’ insights, but be mindful of when continuing the talking away from the group setting is appropriate. ? ? The relevance of 2 Timothy for your campers is striking. With all they are exposed to on any given day, today’s story is an opportunity to speak candidly about how not all “teachings” are equal. Your campers are always living in the tension of embracing the diversity of a radically pluralistic culture and holding fast to Christian teachings. Invite campers to talk about this tension. How do we follow Jesus Christ exclusively, without being exclusive of others? ? ? Consider looking at gospel stories in which Jesus encounters those who are outside his circle of followers. Examples would be Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the rich young ruler, Zacchaeus, Jairus (John 3:1-21, John 4, Matthew 19:16-22, Luke 19:1-10, Luke 8:41). Note how Jesus remains steadfast in his message and mission but does not demand that others join him. He is responsive, compassionate, and invitational. What can campers learn from Jesus’ example?? ? Finally, assure campers that they are not alone in sorting out this complexity! God has given them, no less than Paul and Timothy, the spirit of power and love and self-discipline that comes from the Holy Spirit that is within them. This Spirit gives them courage. Explore scenarios when they have felt empowered to say or do something. Perhaps they have stood up for someone being bullied. Maybe they have raised money for charity or participated in a mission trip or service project. Encourage your campers to share how they felt God in those experiences and the ways they demonstrated Jesus’ teachings. Help them recognize the Holy Spirit in those instances. Day 7Power Up for Peace Wherever You GoJohn 20:19-23The StoryJesus has risen! Just as Jesus promised, he was raised by God on the third day and even death cannot contain him. In today’s story the risen Jesus visits his closest friends. It is Sunday evening and the disciples are gathered together behind locked doors. Imagine how traumatized and afraid they must be. Their leader, their friend, has been publically killed. They are without his guidance, his care, his presence. They are afraid that the ones who killed Jesus will now come after them, Jesus’ followers.This is how we find the disciples in today’s story, huddled and hiding, terrified of what might happen next. All of a sudden, into this room of fear and sadness, walks Jesus. Can it possibly be Jesus? Jesus walks into the middle of his anything-but-peace-filled friends and says: “Peace be with you”—better than any tweet, text, or posting. There is nothing they needed more in that moment than the living presence, power, and peace of Christ!Then, so that there is no doubt it really is him, Jesus shows the disciples the wounds in his hands and side. Finally, the disciples rejoice. Jesus really is alive! Alleluia! Now, in the midst of their joy, Jesus again says, “Peace be with you.” This time, along with the gift of peace, he gives them a job to do. He commissions them, saying, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”Jesus gives his friends the gift of his peace and the task of continuing his mission, and he equips them by giving them his very Spirit. Breathing on them with the breath of life he, says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22b-23). They are to continue Jesus’ work of forgiveness and healing; and now, by receiving the Holy Spirit, they have the power to do that work. The Context of the StoryThe story for today is the second of four resurrection appearances of Jesus in John’s gospel. In each of the resurrection appearances Jesus reminds the disciples that his resurrection is a fulfillment of what he promised. Further, Jesus uses this time after his resurrection and before his ascension to heaven to commission and empower his disciples to continue his work in the world. These verses are the beginning of the church, the community of believers led by the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel. The role of the disciples in Jesus’ earthly absence will get repeated in the final resurrection appearance in John. Jesus will tell Peter to feed and tend to Jesus’ sheep. Feeding and tending Jesus’ flock will demonstrate love for Jesus, the Good Shepherd.The resurrection stories in John emphasize the fact that the risen Christ is the same person as the crucified Jesus. Jesus shows his wounds in two of the four stories. Additionally, John wants his readers to know that Jesus is truly alive. He speaks, he walks, he eats with his friends. All of this makes it evident that Jesus’ word is trustworthy and God fulfills God’s promises. BackgroundSome texts from the Old Testament inform today’s story. Jesus breathing on the disciples echoes two stories in the Hebrew scriptures: 1.The Creation story of Genesis 2 when God creates man out of dust and breathes life into him.2.The story of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37 when Ezekiel is instructed to prophesy to the dry bones and God breathes the breath of life into them and they live.Genesis 2:7 reads, “Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed in his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” From the very beginning it is God’s breath that has the power to give life. In Ezekiel 37 the prophet is led to a valley of dry bones. Ezekiel says, “There were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry” (verse 3). God asks him if the bones can live. Ezekiel rightly responds that only God knows the answer to that question. God instructs Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones; and when he does, the bones begin to come to life. God tells him to prophesy to the breath, “Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live” (verse 9b). It is then “they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude” (verse 10b).These two Old Testament stories inform our understanding of today’s story. The breath of God is the breath of life. When God breathes on dust, on dry bones, on weary and fearful disciples, something powerful and life-giving happens. The breath of the Risen Christ gives resurrection life to his disciples; they are “born again” and made ready to do God’s work in the world. Theological IssuesThe main theological issue to address with campers is the truth that the Holy Spirit bestows God’s transformative power. This is at the core of the gospel message. Jesus meets us where we are, but does not leave us there. These verses can be the jumping off point to a discussion of the radical, life-giving nature of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.It is important to get at the desperate situation in which we find the disciples in today’s text. They are absolutely heart-broken and afraid. They have no idea what they will do, where they will go, or how they will live now that Jesus is dead. Linger a little bit with this hopelessness because it is important to recognize the total turnaround that happens when Jesus enters the room.Into hopeless, desperate, life-draining circumstances Jesus enters and gives those he finds peace and power through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Mourning turns to joy. Fear is replaced with peace. Hopelessness is transformed into courage made evident in action. But where does forgiveness fit into this metamorphosis? Of all the things Jesus could say at this pivotal point in the story, why does he give his followers the power to forgive sin? Jesus, through his Holy Spirit-giving breath, passes on to the disciples his mission and the power to do it. This ability to forgive was often what got Jesus in trouble with the religious authorities. They wanted to know who in the world he thought he was. Only God has the power to forgive sin. Well, yes, and Jesus is the Son of God. Now, with the life-giving breath of God given to the disciples, they too have that power.What an awesome thought! Those who have received the Holy Spirit have received the very power of God, including the power of forgiveness. The power of forgiveness allows us to start again, no matter how desperate our past or present circumstances. God’s forgiveness brings life no less than when God breathed on dust or blew through the valley of dry bones. The power to extend God’s forgiveness to others brings life and wholeness no less than when Jesus healed the paralytic and said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5; Matthew 9:2; Luke 5:20), or when he prevented the woman from being stoned and told her, “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11, KJV).Such is the assurance we have with the gift of the Holy Spirit: Our sins are forgiven. We are free to live certain of God’s grace and power, and we are given the life-giving power to forgive others.Leader Reflections? ? Given that this is the last day of camp, it is important to reflect not just on today’s story but also on the entire week of stories, events, and experiences. Since this is a text about transformation, invite campers to talk about how they have changed over the course of their time at camp. Compare how they felt on the first day with how they are feeling now. What will they take away from this week and put into practice at home? At school? In the world? ? ? Many campers will be excited to be going home. For others, the highlight of their year will be their camp experience. Most will likely have a combination of these feelings. Today’s story allows you to assure all of your campers that, no matter how they feel about camp ending or where they go from here, they do not go alone. Assure them that the peace-giving, power-giving, help-giving Holy Spirit goes with them. ? ? In exploring the story for today, give campers a chance to talk about what frightens them. When do they find themselves anxious and maybe even wanting to hide? Does starting something new cause them stress? Are there relationships that are in need of healing? Allow for honest discussion, honoring whatever it is they share. ? ? Ask them what gives them a sense of peace. Invite them to tell about those activities, Bible stories, or people who have helped them experience Christ’s peace this week. Encourage them to remember these things during challenging times after they return home. Remind them they are not alone when they need to stand up for others or for making a difference in the world. ? ? End the week by giving your campers a charge: Receive the Holy Spirit. You are never alone or without help. You have been given power, peace, and courage. Go and live in ways that show the world who and Whose you are! Younger ChildrenDay 1:Power Up with the Promise of PeaceKey Verse: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” —John 14:27Scripture: John 14:25-27Focus: Jesus promises the gift of peace through the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Are you ready to receive it?Connection to Campers: “Do not be afraid.” These words of Jesus will speak directly to many campers on the first day of camp. Many are going from home to sleep-away camp for the first time. The new routines of camp life may seem scary at first. Be upbeat, hopeful, and encouraging today as these fears emerge. Ask campers what kinds of activities they do at home and make connections to what is happening at camp. For example, if a camper says, “At home we say grace before a meal,” say, “At camp we sing our grace together.” Do what you can to make the transition from home to camp as smooth as possible.Leader Notes: Prepare by reading the “Biblical and Theological Overview” for Day 1. This age will have some trouble understanding the Holy Spirit as Advocate. That’s an awfully big word for someone so small. Explain that an advocate is “someone who stands up for you.” Many schools now teach bullying prevention, using this type of language. Making those connections will help campers come to understand today’s scripture reference to the Advocate.CUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will doExplore Learning about the Advocate Peace PledgeExperience Peace Train_ Prayer Path_ Peace Pole_ Spirit of Peace Wind ChimesExpress Evening Worship Cabin Devotions. EXPLORE .Learning about the AdvocateRead today’s scripture aloud. Jesus teaches us that the Advocate will come to give us peace. The word “advocate” will likely not be familiar to your campers. One way to explain is to say that the Advocate is “the one who speaks up for us, the one who leads us to peace.” Encourage campers to tell about occasions when people spoke up for them (or for others they know) when they were in trouble, afraid, or needed encouragement. After a few brief examples, make the connection for the campers that these people are advocates, and one way Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit was as the Advocate, one who speaks up for us and reminds us of what Jesus teaches us.Reread today’s verses, pointing out to campers that, if they have the Holy Spirit’s power, they too can be advocates for others. Use the following situations to help campers understand the role of an advocate. Invite volunteers to act out one or more of these scenes, then ask: “What would an advocate do?”?A friend is being bullied on the playground?A classmate steals from another student’s desk?Your younger sibling is crying in bed because he or she is afraid of the dark After the discussion, close by saying, “The Holy Spirit is a spiritual advocate teaching us about God, calming our fears, and allowing us to feel peace in our hearts. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can live in ways that help others. We can live in ways that are peaceful.”Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: BiblePeace PledgeCreating a more peaceful world is a goal that many people strive toward. Children can understand the need for a world free of fighting and fear. Help them know that God’s Holy Spirit can lead them to peace. Read John 14:27. (“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”) Invite the campers to decorate—using paint, markers, or crayons—a large banner that reads, “Peace Zone.” Introduce today’s symbol, the peace sign, and invite the artists to include it in their decorating. Hang the banner in a prominent place.Ask campers to create a pledge—words they can use—to remind them to be peaceful with one another, working out any problems without resorting to tattling or yelling. Use something simple, such as “I pledge to…” Write out the peace pledge on a large sheet of paper and post it. Have the group recite their pledge. Later, if arguments occur, reference the peace pledge; encourage and help campers to resolve any conflict peacefully.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, LinguisticSupplies: Large banner with “Peace Zone” written on it, markers or crayons (or paints, brushes, and cleanup supplies), large sheet or roll of paper, tape or string for hanging the banner and pledge. EXPERIENCE . Peace TrainOne person is the locomotive and does his or her best imitation of an engine (chugging, piston-turning arms, steam whistle, and so on) around the group in a circle. The engine stops in front of someone and introduces himself or herself and invites that person to join the peace train. That person must respond with his or her name and attach to the locomotive, which chugs off again, this time repeating the name of the new person in chugging-style (“Mary! Mary! Mary! Mary!...) until the train stops at a new person and the pattern repeats. Vary the game by having the engine become the caboose and the next person in the peace train be the engine.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NonePrayer PathOften God’s Holy Spirit speaks to people when they are quiet. When we aren’t distracted, we can focus attention on spiritual thoughts. Help campers overcome their distraction and create a sacred space. This activity will focus on working together on a prayer path. Take a walk around camp to gather objects from nature, being careful to take only inanimate or already-dead things (such as leaves, twigs, and so forth) found on the ground. Once the group has enough materials to define their space, choose a spot that won’t be disturbed by others. Allow campers to use their creativity to create a path for prayer. They might, for example, create a spiral or a circle or weave a path through several trees or other spots of beauty and inspiration. Ask questions such as: “What makes this space special to you? What makes it special to God? How would you explain your special place to a stranger? Once the prayer path is completed to the group’s satisfaction, spend time listening for God’s voice in this special place. Perhaps sing the chorus, “(We are Standing on) Holy Ground,” as a blessing over the path. Invite the campers to come to the prayer path as they choose. Remind everyone that when someone is on the path, others need to respect that as sacred time and a place of peace.Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, Bodily/Kinesthetic, MusicalSupplies: Sticks, rocks, and other objects gathered from naturePeace PoleLeader Notes: Have you seen peace poles in public parks or at churches? They are part of an international movement called “The Peace Pole Project” to visualize and pray for world peace. Each pole is inscribed with the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in multiple languages. They can be found in over a 180 countries around the world. If your camp has a peace pole, take your campers for a walk to see it. Otherwise, browse the Internet for images to print and show to campers.Campers will take a stand for peace by creating painted peace poles and planting them in the ground. Acquire pine stakes from your local lumberyard—one for each camper, if possible. (Or each stake can be shared between two campers. Stand up the stake and invite two campers to work on opposite sides, peacefully, to decorate their peace pole.) Offer a variety of paint supplies and let creativity flow. Direct campers to include today’s symbol, the peace sign, in what they paint.Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Paints, paintbrushes, cleanup supplies, 1 inch x 2 inches x 2 feet untreated standard pine stakesSpirit of Peace Wind ChimesWhat is more peaceful than the sound of wind chimes on the breeze? Help campers make their own nature-inspired chimes using a few simple items found outdoors. Have campers gather fallen sticks that are about 6–12 inches long and some of their favorite rocks or shells from around camp. Feel free also to include items that can be recycled, such as jar lids or small cans. Using recyclable materials creates an opportunity to talk about this important way to care for God’s creation. Find a table where campers can assemble their items into wind chimes, using yarn and glue. (Leader Notes: If using small cans, be safety conscious so no one gets cut on a sharp edge. Also, for safety reasons, it would be wise to punch holes in cans or jar lids in advance.) Help campers by providing the following directions:1.Attach yarn to the center of the stick from which to hang the stick horizontally. 2.Tie several smaller pieces of yarn to the stick that hang from it. 3.Choose the rocks, shells, cans, etc., that will become the chimes. 4.Next, wrap the yarn around these pieces and tie or secure with glue. 5.Allow the glue to dry for a few hours before hanging the chimes. The chimes can accompany campers to evening worship for use during songs.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/kinesthetic, Naturalist, MusicalSupplies: Sticks, rocks, shells, recyclable items such as jar lids or small cans, yarn (or string), glue, tool for punching holes into cans (if used). EXPRESS – Worshiping God Together .Song Suggestions“Holy Ground” (chorus), Geron Davis“Let There Be Peace on Earth,” Hymn“Hymn of Promise,” Natalie Sleeth“I’ve Got Peace Like a River,” Traditional“What a Wonderful World,” Louis Armstrong“One Day,” Matisyahu“Peace Train,” Cat StevensEvening WorshipSing songs that focus on God’s peace. The mood should be one of peaceful reflection and hopeful expectation. Allow campers to bring their “Spirit of Peace” wind chimes to add to the music.Read John 14:25-27 aloud. Every time campers hear the word “peace,” they are to whisper “peace” to a person sitting nearby. Bring out today’s symbol, the peace sign. Say, “Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit was coming to bring peace. Peace has power. Peace brings people together. Peace helps us work through our problems. Peace comforts us when we are afraid.” If possible, play the song “One Day.” Have campers stand up and point to the sky when they hear the phrase “one day.” Or, tell campers that in this litany they will say “one day” to finish what the leader says and, each time they do, they are to stand up and point to the sky:Leader: Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit would come…All: …one day.Leader: The Holy Spirit has come to us all as we look toward…All: …one day.Leader: But we aren’t going to wait around for peace… All: …one day.Leader: We are going to create peace together...All: …one day.Leader: Because one day begins today!After this liturgy, the group will participate in a hands-on prayer for peace using sky lanterns. Present each cabin counselor with a sky lantern and lighter for that cabin group before the worship service. Sky lanterns are a biodegradable alternative to fireworks. They are miniature hot air balloons that float and light up the sky. At this time, prompt campers and counselors to assemble and light each sky lantern. Release them into the night sky and pray for peace. (Leader Note: Be sure to show counselors in advance how to handle the sky lanterns safely.)Play the “One Day” song quietly as campers are dismissed to their cabins, or leave singing one of the other songs listed.Supplies: (Optional: recording and device to play it), one sky lantern and lighter for each cabin, campers’ wind chimes Cabin DevotionsPresent each camper with an art notebook that will include a page for each day of camp. Take a few minutes to allow campers to draw images of what peace looks like to them. Share the drawings with the group. The promise of peace extends to this evening’s rest time. Turn off the lights and allow campers to use flashlights during a time of prayer. Say to them, “If there are problems in your life that need God’s peace, turn on your flashlight and point it to the sky while we pray.” Spend time in prayer, inviting any campers to speak out loud the concerns on their hearts. As you help each camper to bed, read Psalm 4:8, “I will both lie down and sleep in peace; / for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.” Personalize the prayer for each camper by changing the word “I” in the scripture to that camper’s name (for example, “Jamie will both lie down and sleep in peace”). Supplies: Bible; flashlights; art journals for each camper; drawing supplies such as pens, pencils, markers, crayonsYounger ChildrenDay 2:Power Up and Celebrate the SpiritKey Verse: They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak. —Acts 2:4 (CEB)Scripture: Acts 2:1-6 (CEB)Focus: The Holy Spirit comes to the disciples, and they are empowered to speak many languages so that all can understand the message of God’s love. Campers learn that they too have the power to share the good news with others.Connection to Campers: Today is your campers’ first full day at camp. Usually, this day is accompanied by a mood of celebration, a feeling that the fun is just beginning. Harness that energy to help campers connect with the joy of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Have campers dress in red clothing today if possible. Red is a great visual reminder of the Holy Spirit!Leader Notes: To prepare for leading your campers, read through the “Biblical and Theological Overview” for Day 2. As you read and discuss with campers the Holy Spirit, be mindful of the words you use. Try to refrain from using the pronoun “it.” Instead, use the many biblical names, such as Advocate, Comforter, Teacher, Companion, Counselor, Spirit of Jesus, or God’s Spirit. These help younger campers connect with the person of the Holy Spirit rather than a supernatural force that is hard for young minds to comprehend. Also, be careful of the term “Holy Ghost,” which is used in many churches. This image can be scary and confusing, especially for younger campers. If need be, carefully explain that words change meaning over time and that the word “Spirit” is what we will be using this week. Keep the conversation open to questions and focused on the biblical text. For some younger campers, the idea of fire or flames on people’s heads is frightening. If need be, dispel those fears by reminding campers that the disciples were not harmed. This was God’s fire, and it was a special way of showing them they were chosen.CUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will doExplore Campfire Spirit Acting OutExperience Paint the Flames Prayer Flags The Candle That’s Hard to Blow Out Spirit Pinwheels Language of Love Get Ready to CelebrateExpress Morning Worship Evening Worship Cabin Devotions. EXPLORE . Campfire SpiritFind a spot near a campfire or campfire ring if your camp has one. This is great place to tell the story of the Pentecost. Ask campers to share what they like about having a campfire. (Examples: “I like the smell,” or “I like gathering around it with friends.”) If campers seem shy, it might be helpful for leaders to tell what they like best about campfires first. Preface today’s scripture by saying, “The Holy Spirit seems to like fires too. In fact, in the Bible Christians even saw the Spirit in a fire. Let’s read from Acts 2 to hear more.” Introduce the story by reminding the campers that the disciples were waiting for the Advocate that Jesus had promised to send them. Read Acts 2:1-6. Walk the group through the scripture again to make sure they grasp what happened and have a sense of its importance. Ask questions such as these:?Who are the two groups in this story? (They are the disciples and people in the crowd.) ?What do these groups have in common? (They have come for the great religious festival of Pentecost.)?What separates them? (They speak different languages.) ?What does the fact that the crowd could all understand the disciples tell us about God’s Spirit? (The Holy Spirit helps people understand and be together.)?Who do you think the disciples were telling about when they were speaking in other languages? (Jesus is the answer; however, some campers may say “God.” A good way to expand on that is to point out that ultimately the disciples were telling about God’s great love for humanity as shown through Jesus.)Point out that the Holy Spirit helped the disciples “power up”—instead of being afraid and hiding, they were speaking out and showing people God’s love. Multiple Intelligences: LinguisticSupplies: BibleActing OutHelp the campers get into the story a little more by acting it out together. Put together some fun props for this skit, such as red scarves, burlap for clothing, ethnic costumes from other cultures, and so forth, to help campers act out the scripture. Ask: “Who would like to be a disciple? Who would like to be a Jewish visitor to Jerusalem? Who would like to act out the Spirit’s part?” Campers can use their creativity to dress and mimic the actions in the story. Reread the story together as the actions bring life to the words.After the group has acted out the story, spend some time debriefing the activity. Ask:?How do you think the disciples felt when the Spirit came??Did it seem like any of the people knew what was going on? If so, which ones? ?What is your favorite part of the story?Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, LinguisticSupplies: Bible; skit props such as red scarves, ethnic costumes, and clothing of burlap or large shirts and scarves for belts or headdresses. EXPERIENCE . Paint the FlamesIn this exciting project, pinecones are dipped in substances that react with a campfire to turn the flames into beautiful colors. Have campers collect pinecones from off the ground (do not allow them to pick them from trees) and bring them to the dipping place. You will need one bucket for each of the three colors. Pour enough water into each bucket to completely immerse all the campers’ pinecones. Stir in the following colorants (one per bucket): Epsom salts, potassium chloride (a salt substitute found in the spice section), and Borax (sold as 20 Mule Team Borax laundry booster in grocery stores) until nothing more can be dissolved in water. Allow campers to help with set up and stirring. Remember, camp should be hands on, not a spectator sport. Soak the pinecones in their various buckets completely for several minutes. Afterward, place them in the sun to dry for a few hours. Gather them up after they have dried and bring together your group for an evening campfire. Later, at the campfire, remember to keep safety in mind as you do this activity. Keep the group at a safe distance from the fire and carefully allow campers a chance to drop or gently toss their pinecones into the flames. As the flames change color, prompt campers to chant, “Come, Holy Spirit!” See what colors appear. Epsom salts should burn white; Borax will burn a yellowish green; and potassium chloride will burn purple. This activity is a beautiful and meaningful way to remember today’s Bible story.Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: Three buckets, water, Epsom salts, Borax laundry booster, potassium chloride (salt substitute available in the spice aisle), sticks or other utensils for stirring, pinecones, campfire (and a safe, appropriate site for it)Prayer FlagsHow do you pray? In the country of Tibet, people often use prayer flags to help them talk to God. Prayer flags are colorful strips of cloth with a prayer written on them. As a group, discuss what your hopes and prayers are for camp this week. Ask, “What can we pray for together?” Make a list and have each camper decorate a simple prayer flag. Use cut-up triangles of bed sheets to fashion prayer flags. After the flags are created, have a prayer parade through the camp with everyone flying the flags. Designate a place that is frequently visible around camp to display the flags. Remind the group of the scripture and that wind is one way to think about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Tell the group that, as the wind blows through the flags, they can think of God’s Holy Spirit receiving their prayers. At the end of the week, take down the flags and talk together about answers to prayer.Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Bodily/Kinesthetic, LinguisticSupplies: White bed sheets cut ahead of time into pennant-shaped triangles, markers or paints and brushes to decorate and add prayers to the flagsThe Candle That’s Hard to Blow OutPart of today’s lesson is to help campers celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and know the Advocate is always with us. For this activity, refer to today’s symbol, which is the candle. Acquire two candles, one a regular birthday candle and the other a trick candle that keeps burning even when blown out. Light the regular candle. Say, “The Holy Spirit came to the disciples, shown as flames above each person. I wonder if they thought the Spirit would leave them.” Blow out the candle. Ask: “What do you think?” Allow campers time to share their thoughts. Next, light the trick candle. Say, “What the disciples didn’t know was that the Holy Spirit would be with them always.” Ask volunteers to blow out this candle. Give everyone a chance to put out the flame. Say, “The Holy Spirit, our Advocate, our Comforter, is a bright flame inside us that nothing can put out. Jesus promised us and we celebrate that promise coming alive in us. We also celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit as the birthday of the church.”Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, Spatial, LinguisticSupplies: One regular birthday candle, one trick birthday candle that is hard to extinguish, matchesSpirit PinwheelsThe scripture today says the Spirit came to the disciples in the wind. Celebrate the Spirit of Pentecost by making pinwheels that spin in the wind. Assist the campers with these steps. (Leader Note: Mark the squares in advance, or assist the campers to do so before they cut.) 1.Cut a 4-inch x 4-inch square out of a piece of red paper. 2.Draw two diagonal lines from corner to opposite corner. Where the two cross is the center of the paper square. Mark it with a small dot, and surround it with a circle the size of the end of your thumb.3.Cut along each diagonal line toward the center circle. Do not cut into the circle. After the cuts, there will be eight points on the outer edges of the paper.4.Use a hole punch or pin to punch a hole through every other point (for safety, do this for them)—a total of four points. Gently fold—no creases—the holes on the outer edge of the pinwheel to line up with the dot in the center. Those points with the holes will overlap each other and the center dot. 5.Push a pin (again, counselors should do this step for safety) through them to hold everything together (do this for them). 6.Push the pin into the side of a pencil eraser or straw (do this for them). 7.Decorate the handle of the pinwheel with red and orange ribbons. Celebrate the joy of Pentecost by bringing pinwheels to use during music at worship. Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Red paper, rulers, pencils, safety scissors, red or orange push pins, pencils or straws for pinwheel handles, red and orange ribbons Language of LoveLeader Note: Are there any campers in your group who are bilingual? This is an activity in which they can shine. Ask campers: “How do you feel when you can’t understand what other people are saying to you?” Share stories in the group about times when people couldn’t understand each other—perhaps they heard something incorrectly and that caused problems, or perhaps they simply spoke different languages and didn’t know what each other was trying to say. Tell the group that today’s story is about a time when people didn’t understand about Jesus. They came from many different places and spoke different languages. Through God’s gift of the Holy Spirit the disciples were suddenly able to tell about Jesus in those many different languages, and everyone there understood that God loved them! Help campers experience this story through learning how to say, “God loves you,” in languages other than English. If you have any bilingual campers or counselors, allow them to teach the group how to say, “God loves you” in their language. Here are a few examples: In Spanish, it is: “Dios tea ma.” In French it is, “Dieu vous aime.” (Leader Note: You can find many other languages by doing an online search.) Allow campers to each choose a translation to practice. Once campers have memorized their various phrases, try to re-enact Pentecost as a group. Assemble everyone in a circle and at the count of three have each person shout “God loves you” in any language three times in a row. Remind campers that God loves all people—no matter what language they speak! Multiple Intelligences: Intrapersonal, LinguisticSupplies: “God loves you” written in different languages with pronunciation to show campers, tape to hold up the paper if needed Get Ready to CelebrateIf the group will be having cupcakes as part of worship, consider involving them in the preparations. (Leader Note: Be sure to check with the kitchen staff before choosing this activity.)Campers can be involved in mixing and pouring the cupcakes into individual cupcake papers. Whether they do those first steps or someone else does, campers can do the decorating of the cupcakes. Either bring the cupcakes to worship to share later, or talk after decorating about the fact that Christians celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as the birthday of the church. Save the cupcakes to share at worship, or enjoy the treat as a snack after singing “Happy Birthday.” Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: Access to the camp kitchen and/or assistance from kitchen staff to bake the cupcakes, ingredients and equipment for making and decorating cupcakes (Leader Note: Check with the kitchen staff to determine any supplies needed other than what is already on hand.) . EXPRESS – Worshiping God Together .Song Suggestions“The Spirit of the Sovereign God,” Vineyard Music“This Little Light of Mine,” Traditional“Spirit of the Living God,” Hymn“Our God Is an Awesome God,” Rich Mullins“Kum Ba Ya,” Traditional“Sing When the Spirit Says Sing,” African American SpiritualMorning WorshipStart the morning in worship. Explain to campers that you will meet there each morning to start the day right. Begin by singing “Kum Ba Ya” together, noting that this song is a prayer for God’s Spirit to “come by here” today.Psalms are songs of God’s people gathered together. Each morning’s psalm begins the day on an uplifting note. Simply read aloud Psalm 3:3-5, or line it out for the campers to repeat the words.Bring out the campers’ art journals, or give them out if you did not do so the first day. This morning, direct each camper to draw a picture of how he or she imagines the Holy Spirit. If direction is needed, talk about some of the images scripture uses, such as a dove, fire, flame, wind. Allow inspiration to come.Close this reflective time with “Kum Ba Ya.”Supplies: Bible, art journal Day 2, (optional: large piece of paper with Psalm 3:3-5 written on it)Evening WorshipSing several songs that speak to life in the Spirit. Keep the mood one of celebration. Invite campers to bring their pinwheels to express themselves through movement.Read Acts 2:1-6.Bring out today’s symbol: the candle. Say, “Today we celebrate the birthday of the church. When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, the disciples received power from God, power to make the world a better place. God’s Spirit gives us that power too. Let’s power up and celebrate!” Use the phrase, “I’ve got the power!” as a response in the liturgy below.Leader: “The Holy Spirit comes in the wind, telling God’s people…” (response)Leader: “The Holy Spirit comes in the fire, warming hearts to believe…”Leader: “The Holy Spirit comes to God’s children, reminding them no matter what…”Then say, “Tonight we have the power to celebrate God’s gift from heaven. Let’s have a party for God’s Holy Spirit and the birthday of the church.”Bring out cupcakes for the campers. Pass them out and sing together “Happy Birthday” to the church before departing for the evening.Supplies: Bible, enough cupcakes for all the campers, pinwheels if made earlierCabin DevotionsAs campers are settling in for the night, come together for a time of prayer. Ask campers to name one thing they are thankful for that happened over the course of the day. After each person shares, say, “Holy Spirit, we say, ‘Thank you.’”Bedtime routines vary, but reading a book seems to connect many kinds of families. Help campers experience the comfort and familiarity of home by reading a story out loud each evening. A good suggestion for tonight’s reading would be Is God Always With Me? It discusses many questions children may have about God and also has some great illustrations. (Note the picture of children going away to camp on page 8.)Supplies: Is God Always with Me? by Crystal BowmanYounger ChildrenDay 3:Power Up to Imitate ChristKey Verse: And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. —1 Thessalonians 1:6-7Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7Focus: Campers look to the example of Jesus and other Christians to learn how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit.Connection to Campers: Young children are great imitators. In fact, it’s often how they learn to live in the world. They follow around their mom, dad, brothers, or sisters, learning to behave and respond in appropriate ways. This trait can be both positive and negative, depending on the role models they are mirroring. Help your campers choose healthy, loving role models by being one yourself this week.Leader Notes: Prepare for the day’s lesson by reading the “Biblical and Theological Overview” for Day 3. Sometimes following Jesus is hard, especially for new believers and for those struggling through the bumps and bruises of life. Part of growing in faith is realizing that God is with us—no matter what. The Christians in this passage were being persecuted, but the Spirit led them into deeper discipleship as they followed in Christ’s footsteps. Role models are important, and Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of faith.CUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will doExplore Mirror, Mirror Mirroring JesusExperience Rhythm Egg Imitator Spirit Says Game Mirror Image Painting Sit Down Circle Sun PrintsExpress Morning Worship Evening Worship Cabin Devotions. EXPLORE .Mirror, MirrorRead aloud 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7. Return to the word “imitators,” inviting the campers to describe or explain what it might mean. Point out that a mirror, today’s symbol, is a reflection, an imitation of what the eyes see, and that Paul was writing to the people in the Thessalonian church to remind them that they were to be imitators of the Lord, who is Jesus Christ, and also to look to other Christians to see the good that was worthy to imitate. Introduce the group to the game Mirror, Mirror. Pair off campers into partners facing each other. Tell each to imitate the partner just as if looking in a mirror. Allow some time for them to be silly together. When they have completed the task, bring the group back to a circle and ask:?How was your partner a good imitator??How were you a good imitator??What makes a good imitator??What does it mean to imitate the Lord, Jesus Christ??How does the Holy Spirit help us to imitate Christ? (If campers have a hard time with this question, remind them that the Holy Spirit is our Advocate, not only standing up for us but also helping us stand up for and do what Jesus would have us do.) Keep your eye out today for how different campers are imitating Jesus, even in small ways. Point out such actions and remind others to look for ways to mirror Jesus. Assure them that the Holy Spirit will help them.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: BibleMirroring JesusRead the scripture, stopping after the first part of verse 6 to ask:?Paul was praising the people in the Thessalonian church because they had become imitators of whom? (the Lord and “us,” referring to Paul and other Christians)?What does that scripture say to us today? (We also are to imitate Jesus and to look to other Christians for what we should do.)Reread verse 6a and finish the passage. Point out that because the Thessalonians, with the help of the Holy Spirit, were faithful even in difficult times of persecution, they became examples that other people imitated, along with Jesus. Give out the pieces of a puzzle. (Leader Note: Choose a puzzle that has the appropriate number of pieces, or select a distinct image from a larger puzzle. Giving out one puzzle piece per person is best, but one or two extras per person can work also.) Ask campers to look only at their own piece—can they tell what the picture on the puzzle is?Have them put the puzzle together. Then ask:?If people wanted to know what the big picture was, would it be easier to tell from just your one piece or from everyone’s together??How clear would the picture be if several of the pieces were missing?Point out that God has chosen them to be imitators of Jesus and other Christians so that they become examples to others. Their “pieces of the puzzle,” the way they live in the Spirit, help other people see Jesus more clearly. Assure the campers that just as one piece is not a complete picture of the whole puzzle, they do not have to be “perfect” imitators of Jesus—that would be impossible because Jesus is so much greater than any human being! But God has given us other Christians, in the church, to help fill in the image of Christ for others to see and follow.Remind campers that Jesus also gave his followers—including them—the Holy Spirit to help them live joyfully as examples, as imitators of the Lord!Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, LinguisticSupplies: Bible, bag with puzzle that has one puzzle piece for each camper and counselor, or slightly more (Leader Note: Do not bring the puzzle box with the picture on it.) . EXPERIENCE . Rhythm Egg ImitatorA rhythm egg is an easy-to-assemble percussion instrument that campers can shake to imitate different musical rhythms. Instruct each camper to choose a plastic egg and fill it halfway with a noisemaker (small pebbles, coarse sand, for example). Have campers snap their egg halves together and seal them with electrical tape. Campers can then shake the eggs to enjoy the sound. Upon completion, remind the group that they are learning how to be imitators of Christ, and imitating means learning to follow along. Play some music and ask campers to imitate the rhythm. Remember to bring rhythm eggs to enhance this evening’s worship music.Multiple Intelligences: Musical Supplies: Hollow plastic eggs; small pebbles or coarse sand; electrical tape; (optional: CD/MP3 player with speakers)Spirit Says GameSpirit Says is a variation of the popular children’s game Simon Says. In this game one player takes the role of “Spirit” and gives instructions (physical tasks such as “wave your right hand”) to the other players, which they should only follow if prefaced with the phrase “Spirit says.” For example, “Spirit says, jump in the air.” Players are eliminated from the game by either following instructions that are not immediately preceded by the trigger phrase or by failing to follow an instruction that does include the phrase “Spirit says.” Point out that it is the ability to listen to instruction and imitate the Spirit’s lead that will determine the winner of the game.The object for the player acting as the Spirit is to get all the other players out as quickly as possible. The winner of the game is usually the last player who has successfully followed all of the directions. Occasionally, the last players may all be eliminated by following a command without “Spirit Says,” which means the Spirit wins the game.Leader Note: Pay attention to your group. Watch for any campers who get “out” and become upset. Try to keep the emotional tenor of the game balanced so that everyone “gets out” but truly “stays in” and has fun. Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Just happy campers!Mirror Image PaintingUse newspaper to cover a table to create an art space. Make sure to have enough white paper for several pieces per camper, as this is a fun art experiment! Ask each camper to take a piece of white paper and paint a picture on one side of it. When satisfied with that painting, he or she is to fold it in half and press both sides together. The paper should be left stuck together for about a minute, and then pulled apart to see what has transferred. Give campers multiple opportunities and lots of time to experiment with shapes and colors to see what their mirror-image creativity forms.Multiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: Newspaper, white paper, paint, paintbrushesSit Down CircleLeader Notes: This fun team builder is a good illustration of “mirroring” behavior. If good group dynamics and trust are present, this activity is great. Be aware, however, of the possibility of having a camper or two for whom being this close to others is uncomfortable or even threatening. In that case choose an alternative activity. Make a circle big enough to include all campers, standing front to back. Tell campers to get as close together as possible while still maintaining the circle. At the count of three, each camper will slowly sit down on the lap of the camper behind them. The result should be a circle of body chairs. If group members don’t listen and follow directions, it won’t work. Should this happen, take the opportunity to teach about following the example you are given, just like today’s theme.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Cooperative campersSun PrintsCollect all types and sizes of nature items, such as rocks and fallen leaves (only those items found already on the ground) for this solar-powered art activity. Place dark-colored construction paper on a flat surface in full sunlight. Arrange your collected items on top of the paper so that they create interesting shapes. Allow the sunlight to fade the construction paper for at least an hour. Remove the collected items later in the day to reveal your sun print.Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, SpatialSupplies: Dark-colored construction paper, natural objects such as rocks, leaves . EXPRESS – Worshiping God Together .Song Suggestions“They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love,” Hymn, Peter Scholtes“Spirit Thing,” Newsboys“Seek Ye First,” Traditional“Hello, My Name Is,” Matthew West“Step by Step,” Rich Mullins“He Who Began a Good Work in You,” Steve Green“Sing Alleluia to the Lord,” Traditional“Shine, Jesus, Shine,” TraditionalMorning WorshipCome together for worship in song. A good chorus for today would be “Step by Step.” Present the story symbol, which is a mirror. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7, drawing the campers’ attention to verses 6 and 7.Say: “The reflection in a mirror tells something about the ones we see there. Facial expressions, for example, can give us a hint about what they truly care about and live for. Does your life mirror the Lord Jesus Christ’s? Do others see in you the kind of joy that comes from living in the Spirit when they look at you?” Invite campers to tell about people in their own lives who mirror the love of Christ for them. Allow time for today’s art journal page, which features a mirror and asks campers to draw a picture of themselves as examples of how to live in the Spirit. Optional: Bring a handheld mirror to use as campers draw self-portraits. (Leader Notes: If campers struggle, use some prompts such as, “How do you show love?” or, “How do you help others?” to help them think of ways they imitate the Lord. Also, be attentive to any campers who incline toward a very negative view of themselves. Do some one-on-one follow-up later, reminding them that the Holy Spirit is there to help people change so that through Jesus Christ they know the joy of living in God’s love.)Supplies: Art journals, pencils, today’s story symbol, (optional: handheld mirror) Evening WorshipSing rounds and call-and-response songs such as “Seek Ye First,” having campers imitate the worship leaders to build on today’s theme. Don’t forget to include the rhythm eggs campers made earlier! Campers should participate in worship, not sit back and watch others.Bring out the story symbol for today, a mirror. Display it prominently. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7. Turn off all lights except campfire and flashlights. Allow campers to point their flashlights at the mirror while singing, “Shine, Jesus, Shine.” Remind campers that each and every one of them is loved and chosen by God. Pass the peace among the group with this greeting, “[Name of Camper], you are loved and chosen by God.” Remind campers that being chosen also means that God has a plan, a mission for each of us. That mission is to imitate Christ, reflecting his love to the world. We don’t go it alone. God’s Spirit is with us helping us complete the work. End worship with “He Who Began a Good Work in You.” Supplies: Bible, mirrorCabin DevotionsThe story symbol today was a mirror. Invite campers to tell about ways they have seen the reflection of Christ today. (They don’t need to name names, but rather they should focus on actions.) Especially if they have negative examples—times someone could have reflected Christ, but did not—remind them that Christ followers aren’t perfect, but they try to set good examples. Pray for each person by name that he or she might become a mirror reflecting Christ to a world in need. Read aloud the book You Are Special. This great story, featuring wooden characters called the Wemmicks, is about looking to God for our worth.Supplies: Mirror, You Are Special by Max LucadoYounger ChildrenDay 4:Power Up with the Fruit of the SpiritKey Verses: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. —Galatians 5:22-23a (CEB)Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23a, 25-26 (CEB)Focus: Living in the Spirit produces good fruit in our lives. Good fruit affects the whole community positively.Connection to Campers: The most difficult spiritual fruit to understand and live out at this age is self-control. Young children are still learning their limits. Camp will push these boundaries, and campers will push right back. Provide them tools to move toward self-control, such as breathing through frustration, counting to ten before reacting, and taking a short walk (within sight) to cool off. Your camp will reap the benefits of peace by teaching these strategies.Leader Notes: Prepare for the day’s lesson by reading the “Biblical and Theological Overview” for Day 4. So often the Christian life is understood by what believers are not allowed to do. That emphasis leads to legalism and judgment. Help campers move beyond these misconceptions by focusing on the things all Christians can do to make the world a better place. The beauty of today’s passage is that it explores the wonderful characteristics of vibrant faith. Today is an opportunity to celebrate the life-giving gifts of the Holy Spirit. If possible, use the translation from the Common English Bible (CEB) today. Be aware of the “goodness”/”generosity” issue. (See Fruit Alert on page 6.)CUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will doExplore Taste and See Go and PickExperience Fruit (of-the-Spirit) Basket Upset Fruit Rocks Plant Good Seeds Community Tree Your Fruit Is Showing Preparing the Worship BasketExpress Morning Worship Evening Worship Cabin Devotions. EXPLORE .Taste and SeeDiscuss with campers: “What is your favorite fruit? Why do you like it?” God’s word teaches that following Jesus is like growing good fruit in our lives. People will “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8) because of the way we live. Read aloud Galatians 5:22-23a, 25-26. Bring some grapes in a bag for a snack to continue the discussion. Don’t allow campers to see what you have inside. Say: “I have a snack to share with you inside my bag. We will eat it after you figure out what kind of fruit it is.” Tell campers they have to use their senses to find the answer. Allow them to smell, touch, and even listen to the closed bag. If campers still can’t figure it out, have them close or cover their eyes with a blindfold and taste the fruit. Say: “This is a grape because it feels, smells, tastes, sounds, and looks like a grape. No other fruit is exactly like a grape. In the same way, Christians should be as easy to identify because of how they live. They should imitate Jesus so that others will see him too. We can do so with the help of the Holy Spirit.”Enjoy the snack. Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: Bible, bag (one that cannot be seen through) with a bunch of grapes inside, (optional: blindfold)Go and PickLeader Note: If your camp has a garden, wild berries or a berry patch, or fruit trees, this activity is for you (but only if you have permission from the proper camp authorities). Much of the Bible references farm life to lead to spiritual insight. Use the natural environment to bring the fruit of the Spirit to life by taking your group to pick berries (or any fruit or vegetable that is in season during camp). Afterward, gather to read Galatians 55:22-23a. Ask:?Why do you think God’s Word calls these characteristics “fruit”??How do you know when fruit is ripe? ?How does a spiritual fruit become ripe??How does fruit grow? What helps it grow??How does a Christian grow? What helps a Christian grow??If you had to choose an actual fruit to represent each gift, which would you choose? Why? (For example, love could be a raspberry because it is red like a heart.)As the discussion comes to a close, remind campers that God loves seeing the fruit of the Spirit in all Christians, no matter their age. Even young children can grow good fruit in their lives. Ask individuals to choose one particular fruit from the scripture that they want to grow in this week.Leader Note: From time to time throughout the week, ask campers individually what fruit they have chosen and encourage them as they grow their fruit with the help of the Holy Spirit. Watch what God will do.Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, Bodily/Kinesthetic, InterpersonalSupplies: Berry-picking patch, camp garden, or trees to pick fruit . EXPERIENCE .Fruit (of-the-Spirit) Basket Upset Make a circle of chairs with enough seats for all but one of the group members. Tell campers that you are going to play Fruit (of-the-Spirit) Basket Upset. In this game they will be using the names of some of the good fruit that Jesus wants them to grow in their lives! Assign each camper one of the fruits from Galatians (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). Instead of trying to assign all of the fruit of the Spirit, make sure that there are at least two of each fruit used (two loves, two joys, and so on), even if some fruit is left out. If you have an odd-numbered group, you may have three of one fruit. Ask campers to practice saying their fruit out loud a few times so that they can remember what theirs is. Invite campers to sit in the chairs. The group member left without a chair will start off in the middle of the circle. Whoever is in the middle wants to get a chair, so he or she should say the name of one of the fruit of the Spirit. The campers who have been assigned that fruit must get up and move around the outside of the circle, trying to find another chair, as the person from the middle tries to get to one of the vacated seats ahead of them. Whoever is left without a seat is then in the middle and should say the name of another fruit. Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: ChairsFruit Rocks Invite campers to collect rocks of all shapes and sizes for an art project. Find a table or spread a tarp on the ground to do some painting. Provide lots of “fruity” colors to inspire creativity. Challenge campers to use paint to create the most lifelike fruits. Allow the paint to dry. Bring the rocks to evening worship where they will be used in a tree planting ceremony.Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, SpatialSupplies: Rocks, paints, paintbrushes, table or tarp, cleanup suppliesPlant Good SeedsTurn your campers into junior farmers in this planting activity. Gather all supplies and bring the group to a table or tarp to begin planting. Fill cups with soil, place seeds just below the surface, and cover with topsoil. Water the seeds and then place them in a sunny spot, such as a window sill in the cabin. Check back all week to water and note any growth. You can even measure and record growth if you have science-oriented campers who would enjoy charting the changes. As the group plants and as they check on the development, talk informally about the fruit of the Spirit they are nurturing and growing in themselves this week at camp. Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, Logical/Mathematical, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Paper cups, soil, bean or grass seed, potting soil, access to water, table or tarp (Leader Note: If using bean seeds, soak them first to encourage faster sprouting.)Community TreeDiscuss with campers where various fruits grow. Point out that buds, seed pods such as acorns, and even leaves are the “fruit” of trees—just as much as is an apple or a peach, for example. Take a short walk together to collect fallen seedpods and leaves from off the ground. Bring the group together to make a community tree using the items gathered. A community tree is like a family tree, except that it includes people who are connected but who may not be related by blood. This element is important to emphasize because of the diversity of today’s families and the varied life experiences of campers. On a large piece of paper, outline a tree, and invite campers to glue on the leaves and seedpods. Campers can then tell stories of special people in their lives and add their names to the community tree. Then switch the focus to the campers, saying: “The Holy Spirit uses special people in our lives to help us know and grow good fruit, and we are also part of the tree.” Prompt the campers to add their names. Point out that when they are loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, gentle, faithful, generous (or good), and self-controlled, the whole community grows stronger, the tree gets bigger, and they grow closer to God.Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, Spatial Supplies: Leaves, acorns and other seedpods, large sheet of paper, markers, glueYour Fruit Is ShowingHelp campers identify and encourage one another to pursue good fruit in their lives by playing an on-going spy game. (Leader Note: Ahead of time, make the cutouts—your choice of fruit.) Ask each camper to decorate a paper cutout of a fruit. Using a hole punch, make a small hole in each fruit and have each camper loop enough yarn through his or her fruit to make a necklace. The campers will then be on the lookout for others who are demonstrating a fruit of the Spirit. If they catch another camper or leader showing good fruit, they will give their necklace to that person. All day the focus will be on good attitudes and behavior. Remember, what you focus on, you get more of!An option is to give campers some stickers (or small clip clothespins as counters) to give away instead. Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, InterpersonalSupplies: Enough paper cutouts of a fruit shape for one per camper, yarn, markers, (optional: stickers or small clip clothespins) Preparing the Worship BasketLook ahead to the Evening Worship plan in Express. Note that campers will be bringing representations of fruit to put in the basket. These could be some of the “fruit rocks” or the fruit necklaces from the activities above. Or invite the campers to use their creativity to make different types of fruit, which they can label as various fruit of the Spirit.Provide a variety of supplies, a good place to work, and some encouragement. That’s a good recipe for making fruit! As campers are working, compliment them as they display generosity, kindness, self-control, patience, and peacefulness, for example, among themselves.Collect their creations and bring them to worship.Multiple Intelligences: Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, SpatialSupplies: A variety of art and craft materials, safety scissors, markers, and glue. EXPRESS – Worshiping God Together .Song Suggestions“The Fruit of the Spirit (Is Not a Coconut),” Traditional“I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N,” Traditional“I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Down in My Heart,” Traditional “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” African American Spiritual“The River Is Here” (chorus), Vineyard Music“The Trees of the Field,” Steffi Geiser Rubin and Stuart DauermannMorning WorshipWelcome campers this morning by teaching them how to greet the day. Greet the sun, saying, “Good morning sun!” Greet the earth, saying, “Good morning earth!” Add other greetings: “Good morning God,” “Good morning, Holy Spirit.” Have children chime in with other greetings. Finally, greet each camper individually.Read or line out for the campers to repeat Psalm 1:3: “They are like trees planted by streams of water, / which yield their fruit in its season, / and their leaves do not wither. / In all that they do, they prosper.” Tell the campers that today, just like the trees in the psalm, they will be focused on planting good things in their lives. Ask campers to close their eyes and imagine what it would be like to be a tree. As they take a quiet moment to imagine this, bring out the art journals. Tell campers to draw on today’s art page what they imagined.Learn the song, “The Trees of the Field,” which is based on Isaiah 55:12.Supplies: Bible, art journals, pencils, markers, crayons, (optional: large paper with Psalm 1:1a, 2a, and 3 written on it)Evening WorshipLeader Notes: Place a large basket in the worship space. Choose several campers beforehand to fill the basket during worship with items that represent fruit of the Spirit. These could be the fruit necklaces they created or simple representations of any piece of fruit labeled as various fruit of the Spirit (for example, “Love”). Be creative in making visuals of the fruit of the Spirit. Don’t forget to bring along some of the fruit rocks made earlier in the day. To plant a tree (or bush), get approval in advance.Sing songs that emphasize the gifts of living in the Spirit. The mood should be one of expectation, of waiting to see what the Spirit can do. Display today’s symbol. While a volunteer is reading the Galatians passage, invite your helpers to come forward to fill the basket. Afterward, say: “We have offered good fruit to God today through kind words, actions, and attitudes—enough to fill this whole basket. Now we have a gift to offer the camp. We are going to plant a tree to celebrate all the good fruit God is growing in our lives.” Have some helpers dig a hole, plant the seedling, and water it. Invite campers to place their fruit rocks around the base of the tree. As campers individually come forward, help them make a circle around the tree with rocks. As each rock is added repeat, “God, plant good fruit in us.” Close with “The Trees of the Field.”Supplies: Bible, large basket, various representations of fruit of the Spirit made in earlier activities, seedling, water, watering can, shovels or spades, fruit rocks from “Fruit Rocks” activityCabin DevotionsInvite each person to share a favorite thing from the day. Give everyone a chance to speak, even those who are reluctant at first. It may take extra time for introverted campers to speak up. Read aloud The Giving Tree, which is a beautiful parable of God’s love. Remind each camper that, just like the tree in the story, God is longing to spend time with us. Close with popcorn prayer.Supplies: The Giving Tree by Shel SilversteinYounger ChildrenDay 5:Power Up as One CommunityKey Verses: There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. —Ephesians 4:4-6Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6Focus: Living in the way of the Spirit brings unity to groups, creating community.Connection to Campers: Young children know what it means to be part of a group. They are involved in clubs, sports teams, and classrooms. They may not yet understand that community means more than just showing up. It means contributing toward a goal, working together, and listening. Help them to understand that Spirit-filled individuals contribute to the well-being of the whole group.Leader Notes: Review the “Biblical and Theological Overview” for Day 5. Today’s scripture presents some unique challenges in working with young children. We live in a diverse world where individuality is celebrated. Remember that unity is not uniformity, requiring everyone to act and think the same. Unity can mean finding your place within the group, finding your gifts within the body of Christ, or finding your seat at God’s banquet table. Encourage campers to think about the church as God’s family. As such, we are all unique, but we share the same family name—Christian.CUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will doExplore Join the Club The Most Important ThingsExperience Unity Circles Lift Me Up Cabin Flags Back Ball Bandana Tie DyeExpress Morning Worship Evening Worship Cabin Devotions. EXPLORE . Join the ClubMany campers will belong to clubs like Scouts or Awana back home, which have mottos, uniforms, flags, and badges that are symbols of belonging. Help campers understand the church’s symbols of belonging found in churches or among Christians (crosses, cross pendants, bumper stickers on cars with the name of a church or a fish symbol, pictures of doves or dove pins, for example). Find out from them what clubs or organizations they belong to or know about. Then ask:?How do you know if someone else belongs to your club??Are there special things that you do with these groups that don’t happen anywhere else??Is there a motto for your club??How is the church like a club??How is it different?Read today’s scripture, Ephesians 4:1-6. Stop briefly after verse 3 and point out the similarity between the characteristics Paul encourages the Ephesians to have and the fruit of the Spirit that the campers are focused on. Then turn to verses 4-6. Ask what word they heard repeated (“one”). Review the list of “ones” and point out that these are the things that bring us together as the church. Using this scripture as a guide, ask campers to come up with a Christian motto. Write it out on a large sheet of paper and display it for all to see.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, LinguisticSupplies: Bible, large sheet of paper, markers, tape to hang the mottoThe Most Important ThingsMake a sharing circle with your campers. Ask: “What are the most important things in your life?” Allow each person time to think and to answer. Some answers will be silly; some will be insightful. Say: “Today’s scripture from Ephesians tells us what the most important things are to the church.” Read Ephesians 4:1-6 aloud. Afterward, ask campers to choose what the most important things are from this reading. If they seem lost, read the text again and tell them to focus on the word “one.” These are the things that bring Christians around the world together, making us all one family. Today we will focus on what brings us together, not what sets us apart. Multiple Intelligences: LinguisticSupplies: Bible. EXPERIENCE .Unity CirclesGrab a Hula Hoop for this fun teambuilding game. Place the Hula Hoop on the ground. Explain to campers that they must work together to figure out a way that everyone in the group can fit inside the circle. There can be no feet outside the boundaries of the hoop. Allow brainstorming and experimenting, but don’t give pointers. Remind the group that learning to work together and solve problems is a part of being united in Christ through the Holy Spirit. After the group has mastered this task, make things more challenging. Arrange campers in a circle holding hands. The group has now made a chain with their bodies that the Hula Hoop must travel around. Campers can move up and down to help one another move the hoop, but they must not let go of hands. The activity is over when the hoop travels all the way around the circle to the starting point. Affirm them for the ways they worked together.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: Hula HoopLift Me UpBeing united in Christ means that we carry one another through difficult times. We lift each other up with prayer and encouragement. This activity will have campers literally lifting each other up as a visual reminder of the power of unity. Ask for a volunteer to lie flat on the ground while being encircled by the remaining campers. Tell the campers they are creating a prayer circle, a picture of what happens when Christians help one another. Have each camper bend down and slide both hands under the person in the center of the circle, grasping the hands of the person opposite. For safety, check that all have a firm grip. Tell them they will lift together at your count of three. Ask the volunteer in the middle to relax, close his or her eyes, and pray for any needs in his or her life. Lead the team in a prayer also for the person’s needs. Then signal them to lift the camper up off the ground, literally lifting up the person as they continue in silent prayer. Once they reach shoulder level, the team will cheer: “We lift your prayers to God.” Continue this with every camper who is willing. Leader Notes: If your camp has a trust-fall platform, this would be an appropriate time to use it to further enhance this lesson. Make safety a priority, and consult with camp staff before using any onsite facilities.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, InterpersonalSupplies: (optional: trust-fall platform)Cabin FlagsEvery cabin at camp has a distinct identity. Celebrate this by creating a cabin flag to fly this week. Ahead of time, cut a two-foot by three-foot section out of an old sheet. Discuss as a group what sets your cabin apart. What does your cabin love? What is important to the cabin mates? Give everyone some paper and pencils to sketch out ideas for the flag. Be sure to include a motto and a picture, just like flags around the world. Consider also adding today’s symbol, the numeral 1 in a circle.Invite the campers to use art supplies to decorate the section of sheet, turning it into your cabin flag. Help campers work together to create a unified flag to celebrate cabin life. Then, display the flag for all to see. Cabin flags will be used in evening worship, so be sure to take it with you tonight.Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, InterpersonalSupplies: White material cut to two feet by three feet, markers, paint, puff paint, paper, pencils, means of displaying flagBack BallTry this game to encourage your campers to communicate and work together. Use masking tape to create start and finish lines that are at least 40 feet apart. Split the group into teams of two. Give each pair a ball. The ball is placed between the backs of each pair of players. No hands may be used. Players must run or walk to the finish line without dropping their ball. If their ball is dropped, that team must return to the beginning and start over. Congratulate the winning team with a high five. Afterward, debrief: ?What made the challenge hard? ?What did the winning team do well? ?How does this game teach us to work together??How does it connect with today’s scripture? (one goal) Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Enough balls for a one-ball-to-two-camper ratio, open space of more than 40 feet, masking tapeBandana Tie DyeTeach your campers about unity and diversity with this classic camp craft. Acquire white bandanas and multiple colors of dye. Prepare the dye as indicated by the directions on the box. Make sure there are several colors from which to choose. Have campers use the rubber bands in various places to bunch up the fabric before dipping their bandana. Provide plastic gloves, and perhaps even cheap plastic aprons, to keep the mess to a minimum. Encourage each camper to create a unique creation. With a marker, put each camper’s initials in a corner of his or her bandana.Hang the bandanas to dry for the day. Wear them the rest of the week to remember that, even though we are all different, our differences can come together to create beautiful things.Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: White bandanas, fabric dye, rubber bands, buckets, markers, plastic gloves (optional: plastic aprons) . EXPRESS – Worshiping God Together .Song Suggestions“Jesus Loves the Little Children,” Traditional“One Bread, One Body,” Hymn“They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love,” Hymn, Peter Scholtes“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” Traditional“Make Us One,” Carol CymbalaMorning WorshipAt the prayer place, teach campers the song, “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.” Display today’s symbol, the numeral 1 in a circle, which is to remind us of our unity—being one in the Holy Spirit. Read Psalm 133:1 (CEB): “Look how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one!” At camp, cabin groups live together like families. Ask: ?How has this cabin group been like a family? ?What has been good and pleasing about our time together? ?How is the group different from your family at home? ?What can we do today that would make us more like a family?Bring out the art journals and drawing supplies. Ask campers to draw pictures of their camp families. Afterward, ask for volunteers to share their artwork and tell about the members of their camp family. You may be surprised who is included!Supplies: Art journals, pencils, crayons, pensEvening WorshipLook to today’s song suggestions and sing about Christian community and oneness in the Spirit. Campers may wave their cabin flags in time to the music.Display the “1” symbol alongside communion elements. Say, “Tonight we come together as one. I will read Ephesians 4:4-6 and you will help me. Every time you hear the word ‘one,’ raise one finger to the sky and say ‘one!’” After the reading, point out that the greatest sign of Christian unity is celebrating the Lord’s Supper together. You can either simply refer to the elements or actually celebrate communion together. Conclude with singing, “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love,” as the entire camp gathers in a circle around the communion table.Supplies: Bible, today’s symbol, communion elementsCabin DevotionsContinue the emphasis of being one body in Christ by reading aloud The Sneetches, which highlights the truth that, no matter what a person looks like, we are all the same inside. During prayer time, focus on the positive things each camper brings to the group. Invite campers to give thanks for something good about another person during popcorn prayer. Supplies: The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss Younger ChildrenDay 6:Power Up with CourageKey Verse: For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. —2 Timothy 1:7Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14Focus: Through the Spirit, we have a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline—not of fear or cowardice.Connection to Campers: When young children come to camp, they bring fear along. They may be scared of the dark, strange animals, unfamiliar people, or simply just a new environment. Sometimes the best way to overcome fear is to name it aloud. When you see campers come up against fears, encourage them by saying, “It’s not easy. Keep trying. You can do it.” Overcoming fear is a lifelong journey, but leaders can give campers a leg up by challenging them to try new things and encouraging them to trust others for support. For an extra fun factor, make today superhero day and have campers dress as their favorite superheroes at the evening meal.Leader Notes: Prepare for the day’s lesson by reading the “Biblical and Theological Overview” for Day 6. Resist the temptation to teach that having fear is bad. Everyone—even grown-ups—has fears. Instead, focus on overcoming fear with the power, love, and self-discipline that come from the Holy Spirit. Living a courageous life does not mean living without fear, but rather living beyond it.CUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will doExplore The Big Three Courage to…Experience Fly Away Fear Fire Invisible Obstacle Course Four-Cord Bracelet What I Want You to Remember Nature Treasure Hunt Express Morning Worship Evening Worship Cabin Devotions. EXPLORE .The Big ThreeRead aloud today’s key verse, 2 Timothy 1:7. Ask campers to listen for “The Big Three” as you read. “The Big Three” means the three most important things that the Holy Spirit gives us to help us stand up to fear. Give campers a pencil and three pieces of paper on which they are to write, each on a separate sheet, “Love,” “Power,” and, “Self-discipline.” Ask them to illustrate each word. (Leader Note: You may need to make sure younger campers understand what self-discipline means; the CEB uses the term “self-control,” which may help give campers a fuller understanding of the word.) After the illustrations are finished, brainstorm some real-life situations in which campers may need the Holy Spirit to help them with “The Big Three.” For example, a boy needs a good grade on a test to be able to play on his baseball team. Which one of “The Big Three” can he ask the Holy Spirit to help him with? Ask campers to hold up the signs they created earlier to vote for the answer (self-discipline to study for the test). Work through several examples until campers understand better how love, power, and self-discipline can help them live a life of faith.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, LinguisticSupplies: Bible, three sheets of paper for each camper, pencilsCourage to…The theme today is courage. Dig into what courage means. Ask: ?What does courage mean to you? ?What would the opposite of it be? (cowardly, timid, fearful, unable to act)?Can you give an example of someone who is courageous??How have you been courageous at home? At school? At camp?Read aloud the scripture (2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14). Return to verse 7 to emphasize it. Point out that the Spirit, which God gives, is the opposite of being cowardly; it is courage, which is made up of power, love, and self-discipline. Tell the group that today they will celebrate Random Acts of Courage (RAC). Explain to campers that, when they see someone trying something for the first time or working hard at something that is difficult, they are to say to that person, “Take Courage.” Let’s see how the Holy Spirit teaches campers how to be courageous today! Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, LinguisticSupplies: Bible. EXPERIENCE .“Fly Away Fear” FireSometimes in order to overcome a fear, we have to let it go. Use “Wish Paper” to help campers understand how the Holy Spirit frees us from fear. Wish Paper is a specially designed paper that burns down and then flies away. (Leader Note: To see how it works, go to .) Caution campers to be careful, as this activity involves fire. Next, tell them each to think of a fear that he or she wishes would go away. Have each camper choose a piece of Wish Paper to represent that fear and shape the paper into a tube and place it on the Wish Platform Card. Have an adult light the top edge of the tube for each camper. Campers can watch it burn down into a small, beautiful flame. At the last moment, the fear magically lifts off the platform and rises to the heavens! Remind campers that the experience is like the Holy Spirit lifting their fear away.Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Wish Paper (available at or ), Wish Platform Card (included in Wish Paper kit), a lighter, a bucket of water nearby for safety Invisible Obstacle CourseThe invisible obstacle course game is an opportunity to learn to overcome fears, even ones that can’t be seen. Select a volunteer to begin the activity. Ultimately, each person in the group will create an imaginary element in an obstacle course, with group members crawling, jumping, running, and helping one another through the obstacles they encounter. After each person’s element is enacted, leadership changes and another member of the group describes his or her obstacle and helps the members of the group navigate over, under, or around it. (Leader Note: If you see a camper having trouble coming up with an idea for an element or struggling with a challenge, remind him or her to “take courage.”) In the game, the group will encounter a variety of obstacles (for example, jumping on an invisible trampoline or climbing over an invisible stone wall, or kayaking in an invisible lake full of icebergs). They will experience creativity and leadership, and, most importantly, the campers will increase their readiness to face their fears with confidence! Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, InterpersonalSupplies: NoneFour-Cord Bracelet Leader Note: If you are not familiar with the square-knot pattern, be sure to practice doing it in advance. Remind the campers that the Holy Spirit gives us power, love, and self-discipline to help us overcome fear. This four-cord bracelet will help them remember to have courage in scary situations. Visual instructions are available at of time, cut enough pieces of twine or colored yarn into 72-inch pieces so that each camper will have two.1.Show campers how to put the four ends together and tie them in a knot. Their pieces will form one circle. 2.Holding the knot in one hand, campers are to pull their circle to form a line; then they can cut the end opposite the knot. Now they now have four pieces tied together at the knot. (Leader Note: Having two different colors of yarn makes the remaining steps easier.) 3.Have each camper bring the right cord under the two center cords and over the right cord and pull as if starting to tie a shoe. 4.The next step is to make the second knot. The left cord (which was the right cord in Step 2) goes over the center cords and under the left cord.5.The right cord (which was the left cord in Step 3) goes under the center cords and over the left cord. Pull again as if you were tying your shoe. Repeat steps three and four to the desired length. Help the campers tie their bracelets on as their reminders.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: Twine or various colors of yarn, scissorsWhat I Want You to RememberLeader Note: Some of your campers may need help with writing. They are at the early literacy level. Give direction and remember they can always draw pictures to complete this task. The scripture for today is a letter Paul wrote to Timothy, who lived far away. This letter can be considered part of the apostle Paul’s “faith legacy” to Timothy. Paul was in jail facing the death penalty. He wanted to tell Timothy what he had found important about following Jesus Christ, about living in the Spirit. Help campers each to think about what they would want to tell someone they love, who lives far away, about what is important to them about living in the Spirit. Ask: “What words would you like to send to those you love who are far away? What thoughts and feelings would you want those you love the most to remember from you?” Have campers spread out to work silently on their letters for a few minutes. Come back together and invite campers to share their work with the group.Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic, Logical/MathematicalSupplies: Paper and pens/pencilsNature Treasure HuntThe Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:14 to “Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.” One of the most precious treasures that God has given humanity is the natural world. In this activity, campers will be hands-on with nature, exploring its wonderful treasures. Give small groups a list such as these suggestions, which come from :?Find something round.?Jump like a frog, growl like a bear, and flap your wings like a bird. ?Find something really smooth.?Discover evidence that an animal has been here.?Find something that smells good—or bad!?Listen for a bird. What else can you hear??Find a place where an animal would be happy. ?Count how many different colors you see.?Find something that moves.?Dig into the ground with your hands or flip over a rock or log. What can you find? Remind campers that all of these things are treasures that God would have us protect. Talk about ways each of us can protect God’s world. Think of ways your camp protects God’s world.Leader Note: Remind campers to put natural things back where they find them. That is one way to care for the treasure of the natural world, which God has given us.Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: A copy of the list for each small group, nature trail if available. EXPRESS – Worshiping God Together .Song Suggestions“Steal My Show,” Toby Mac“He Has Made Me Glad,” Leona Von Brethorst“Shine, Jesus, Shine,” Graham Kendrick“I Love You, Lord,” Laurie Klein“Father, I Adore You,” Terrye Coelho“Pass It On,” Kurt Kaiser“Lean on Me” (chorus especially), Bill WithersMorning WorshipBegin this morning in joyful worship of the Lord. Teach campers the song “He Has Made Me Glad.” Read aloud Psalm 27:13-14 or line it out for the children to repeat. Say: “Today we will be learning about how the Holy Spirit gives us courage to overcome fear. The story symbol is strong arms linked to show courage. This helps us remember that we are never alone; even when we are afraid, the Holy Spirit is with us.Pass out the art journals and invite each camper to draw a picture of someone showing courage. After the drawings are complete, ask volunteers to share whom they chose and why. Tell them that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, anyone can be courageous.Supplies: Bible, art journals, drawing utensils, (optional: large paper with words of Psalm 27:13-14 on it)Evening WorshipCome together in song. Tonight’s focus is that the Holy Spirit gives courage in every situation. Display the story symbol—the image of strong arms linked, representing courage.Use the story of Daniel in the lion’s den from Daniel 6:16-23 to create a spontaneous melodrama. Choose a Daniel, a king, lions, an angel, and servants from camp staff and allow them to really ham it up. Be sure to give an introduction to the story. After the skit is over, ask campers who the hero of this story is. Remind them that the Holy Spirit gave Daniel courage to face the lions. The Holy Spirit is a hero!Choose a camp staffer to be the “Holy Spirit Hero,” who is out of sight until this point in worship. Dress him or her all in red, with a cape. The “Holy Spirit Hero” will come out and read 2 Timothy 1:7 and lead the camp in the following litany, with large cue cards raised, with the campers’ responses, at the appropriate times:Leader: God did not give us…All: …a spirit of fear.Leader: God gave us…All: …love!Leader: God gave us…All: …power!Leader: God gave us…All: …self-discipline!Leader: God gave us the Holy Spirit.All: The Holy Spirit—our hero.Leader: So that, through the Spirit, we can all be heroes.All: We are all heroes!Supplies: Bible, costumes for those acting out the Daniel story (lions, king, Daniel, etc.), red costume with cape for the Holy Spirit Hero, litany responses written large on cue cards for the campers to read as a group Cabin DevotionsEven in small things, campers can learn to rely on the Holy Spirit, enabling them to be courageous. To encourage campers to try new things, read aloud Green Eggs and Ham to end the day. At prayer time, ask campers to name at least one thing they have done this week for the first time. Remind them that even trying new things takes courage. Give thanks for the presence of the Holy Spirit, helping campers be courageous this week. After prompting campers to pray over situations back home that may require courage to work through, spend some time in silent prayer. Supplies: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss Younger ChildrenDay 7:Power Up for Peace Wherever You GoKey Verses: Jesus said to [the disciples] again, “Peace be with you…” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” —John 20:21a, 22 (CEB)Scripture: John 20:19-23Focus: Receiving the Holy Spirit overcomes fears and empowers us for living the way of peace.Connection to Campers: This is the last day of camp. Some may be excited to get home to see family, while others may dread leaving camp, knowing they will return home to tough family situations. The truth of the Christian faith is that we will all face hard times, but the peace of Jesus is there no matter what happens. Send campers home with great memories but also with God’s peace, so they know they are not alone. Leader Notes: Read through the “Biblical and Theological Overview” for Day 7. “Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart” (Anonymous). Be inspired by these words as you have had the experience of living them out this week!CUSTOMIZE TODAY’S PLAN: Choose what you will doExplore Breath of the SpiritExperience Praise Tag Peaceful Bodies Mission Peace-ableExpress Morning Worship. EXPLORE .Breath of the SpiritRead John 20:21-23a. Tell the campers Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on the disciples, but they can’t see the Spirit—not with their eyes anyway. Ask:?How do we know that the Spirit is there? ?What other ways can you think of to know God is always with us besides using our eyes? (sense of peace, being able to forgive others) After the discussion, offer each camper a balloon. Instruct campers to blow air into their balloons until about half full, and then to hold the balloons closed. Don’t have them tie the balloons! Ask campers to gently release some air from the balloons. Ask the following questions:?What happens when the air is let out? Can you see the air??Remind campers of the five senses. Which senses could experience the air? ?How is this like the breath of the Holy Spirit?Point out that some things we just can’t see, but we know they’re there anyway—like the air in the balloon. Conclude the discussion by saying, “God’s Spirit is like the air inside the balloon. It fills us up and, even though we can’t see it, we can know the Advocate is working in our hearts and lives. When we are full of the Spirit, we can be peacemakers in the world.”Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, SpatialSupplies: One balloon for each camper. EXPERIENCE .Praise TagIn this variation of freeze tag, choose one camper to be “it” while the rest get chased and tagged. Persons who get tagged must immediately sit down. They can only be allowed back in the game if the following happens: another player touches them and the person seated “praises” or give a compliment to the person helping him or her back in the game. Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NonePeaceful BodiesIn this activity, camper bodies are “sculpted” on the ground to make shapes that represent this week’s theme or other biblical images. (Leader Note: Be sure to have a camera nearby to catch these great photo opportunities!) Start out with the peace sign from Day 1. Choose one camper to be the “sculptor.” Have all other campers lie on the ground, moving under the directorship of the sculptor until their bodies form a peace sign. Then, for the next shape, a new camper gets to be the sculptor. Here are some other great shapes to try: heart, circle (unity), smiley face, cross, star. If the group is particularly competitive, do this activity in two groups and see who can form the shape first. See if your campers can spell out the camp name by working with a few other groups. Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Creative campers Mission Peace-ableJesus sends his disciples out with a mission of peace. What mission peace-able can campers do before leaving camp to carry on the work? Here are some ideas: walk through the camp and pick up any trash they find, write thank you notes to camp directors and staff, water the garden, or tidy up the chapel. Have campers brainstorm and vote on a mission to complete before they leave camp today. Remind them that Jesus has the same kind of mission in mind for them when they get home. Explore some ideas as to how they can continue to carry out a mission of peace.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Garbage bags or other supplies, depending on what mission campers choose . EXPRESS – Worshiping God Together .Song Suggestions“Let There Be Peace on Earth,” Hymn“What a Wonderful World,” Louis Armstrong“More Precious Than Silver,” Lynn De Shazo“Sing Alleluia to the Lord,” Linda StassenMorning WorshipSing “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Show the group today’s story symbol, which is the two-finger go-in-peace sign. Encourage campers to greet one another with the peace sign, saying, “Peace be with you today.” Read or line out Psalm 85:8 for the campers to repeat. If you have time, come up with a series of hand gestures to interpret the text. Pass out art journals; challenge campers with the question, “How can I take peace home with me?” Allow time for campers to draw their thoughts and talk about how peace goes out from camp to everyday life.Optional: For an extended worship time today, read aloud The Lorax. Discuss with campers that God wants each of us to take care of the world that God created. “Unless” is an important word to take from this reading: unless we care…, unless we do something…Close by asking campers to name their favorite thing that happened at camp this week, and something they want to do at home with the Holy Spirit’s help to show they are living in the Spirit. Offer a simple thank you prayer after each camper shares. Supplies: Bible, art journals, pencils, markers, and crayons (optional: large paper with Psalm 85:8 written out on it, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss)Art journal for day 1Power Up with the Promise of PeaceScripture: John 14:25-27Jesus promises the gift of peace through the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Are you ready to receive it?Draw a picture of something that makes you think of peace or feel peaceful:Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for giving me your peace so that I do not need to be afraid. Amen.Art journal for day 2Power Up and Celebrate the SpiritScripture: Acts 2:1-6The Holy Spirit empowers the disciples to speak many languages so that all can understand the message of God’s love. You too have the power to share God’s love with others. Draw a picture of how you imagine the Holy Spirit: Prayer: Dear God, thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to help me to show others your wonderful love. Amen. Art journal for day 3Power Up to Imitate ChristScripture: 1 ThessaloniansLook to the example of Jesus and other Christians to learn how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. What kind of example will you be to others? Draw a picture of what others see when they look to you as an example of how to live in the Spirit. How do you show love? How do you help others?Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to be a good example to my family and friends as I try to be like Jesus. Amen. Art journal for day 4Power Up with the Fruit of the SpiritScripture: Galatians 5:22-23a, 25-26Living in the Spirit produces good fruit in your life. Good fruit affects the whole community positively.Imagine what it would be like to be a wonderful tree that bears good fruit. How does good fruit help others? Draw your ideas:Prayer: Dear God, I want my life to be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Help me to live in ways that grow the fruit of Spirit. Amen. Art journal for day 5Power Up as One CommunityScripture: Ephesians 4:1-6Living in the way of the Spirit brings people together as one, creating community and a sense of family.Draw a picture of your “camp family.” What helps all of you be one community? Prayer: Dear God, help us not to exclude people but to bring them into your circle where we all can feel the love of being part of your big family. Guide us in your way, always. Amen.Art journal for day 6Power Up with CourageScripture: 2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you can be courageous. You are never alone. Even when you are afraid, the Holy Spirit is with you! Draw a picture of someone showing courage:Prayer: Holy Spirit, please walk with me. Help me to feel your presence and your power, especially when I need to be brave. AmenArt journal for day 7Power Up for Peace Wherever You GoScripture: John 20:19-23With the Holy Spirit you have the power to live the way of peace. Draw one way or one place or one situation you especially want to take peace home with you. How would you live the way of peace that Jesus invites you to?The Prayer of Saint Francis: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace...” Amen.ExtraBookmarks (NEW!)Power Up With the Promise of PeaceJesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. God promises the same Spirit to us! Are you ready to receive it?John 14:25-27Prayer: God, please remind me that through the Holy Spirit, you have given me peace. Do not let my heart be troubled or afraid. Help me to remember that your Spirit is always with me.A text from Jesus: Have 2 go. Not leaving u alone. Sending help. Be @ peace.Power Up and Celebrate the SpiritJust as with the disciples, the Holy Spirit fills?us?and gives us power to share the good news in many amazing and creative?ways! Through the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to come together and to understand.Acts 2:1-18, 22-24, 33 Prayer: God of Love, breathe new life into me today. Fill me with your Spirit, so that I may celebrate your love.Peter’s Twitter feed: @world_Holy Spirit is here! We’re speaking your language about Jesus. Hear, believe, join us #promisefulfilled.Power Up To Imitate ChristWe are not left to figure out how to follow God on our own. We can look to the example of Jesus and of other Christians to learn about how to live and be filled with joy. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7Prayer: Holy Spirit, remind me that I am God’s beloved. Fill me with the truth that I am chosen and loved. With your help, Holy Spirit, help me to give back your love to everyone I meet.Paul’s Facebook status: Wishing I was in Thessalonica—but I know you are following my example and living like Jesus. Keep it up!Power Up With the Fruit of the SpiritWe have choices about how we live everyday. When we choose to live by the Spirit, good fruit is produced in our lives and can impact others positively!Galatians 5:16-26Prayer: God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, grow love in my heart. Fill me with peace, patience, and kindness as a way to share your love with others. Help me to be generous, self-controlled, and gentle even when it is tough to do. Holy Spirit, may I respond in faithfulness to you. Amen.Paul tweets: @Galatians_b Spirit-filled, not fleshly. Bear fruit. #love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.Power Up as One CommunityDo you feel it? Do you feel the love of your community, family, and friends? As we live in the way of the Spirit, we can experience unity and connection in new, exciting, and hopeful ways.Ephesians 4:1-6Prayer: Holy Spirit, bind us together as one, reminding us of the power found in community. Bring us to a place of peace and unity, even when times are hard and we disagree. May we be rooted and connected in you. Help us to be humble, gentle, patient, and loving toward one another. Paul, in prison and unable to go to the Ephesians personally, sends the following text: Can’t get there. U must live as 1, in luv, b/c of JC.Power Up with CourageThe Spirit empowers you to be brave, to stand up and make a difference!2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14Prayer: God, I sometimes feel like I can’t do what I know Jesus would want me to. Help me to let go of my fears and be brave. Help me to have courage and make a difference. Thank you for the presence and power of your Holy Spirit.Paul posts on Timothy’s Facebook wall: I’ve taught you all I know. It is time for you to take over. Never, ever forget: There is nothing more important than your faith in Jesus. God is all-powerful and loving and that very power and love is in you through the Holy Spirit! You need nothing else!Power Up for Peace Wherever You GoThe Spirit gives you power to live the way of peace and forgiveness. You are not alone as you encounter your family, friends, community, and the world. God’s peace is with you through the Spirit!John 20:19-23Prayer: God, help me say, “Here I am! Send me!” Remind me, Lord, that the Holy Spirit sends me out into the world and also walks with me even when I am afraid. Guide me, Spirit of Life, to accept your call to serve others in whatever way I can. Text from Jesus: U do not go alone! The Holy Spirit will help u and give u power and love to face whatever is ahead. Go in peace! ExtraArts and CraftsMelted Fire CrayonsRemove the paper from crayons and break crayons into small pieces. Fill muffin cups halfway full with a mixture of crayon pieces. Place muffin pans in a 250 degree oven and wait for crayons to melt. (Depending upon the mixture of brands used, crayon pieces will melt at varying speeds—be patient).Once the crayons have completely melted, use pot holders to remove tins from oven and place on a heat-safe surface. Use toothpicks to swirl the colors together and then allow the crayons to cool. Because the crayon material contracts as it cools, your “melted fire” crayons will pop out of the muffin tins relatively easily once they are completely cool. Use the crayons for projects at camp, or send them home as a reminder of camp and the Holy Spirit.Multiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: A variety of crayons in shades of red/yellow/orange (use old broken crayons instead of purchasing new ones!), mini muffin pans, toothpicks, potholders, oven pre-heated to 250 degreesBubble Wands Using wire cutters, cut wire into 16-inch pieces (one piece per camper). Help campers twist one end of the wire into a circle (the larger the circle, the bigger the bubbles!). Use pliers to fasten the circle together.Invite campers to select 10–15 beads that they want to have on their bubble-wand handle. Have campers thread beads onto the wire handle in whatever order they prefer. Help campers to fasten off the end of the handle using pliers, and remove any excess wire with wire cutters.Pour bubble soap solution into a few plastic bowls, and let campers try out their wands!Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Wire, wire cutters/pliers, medium-to-large plastic and/or glass beads, bubble soap solution, plastic bowlsPaper Plate DoveCut paper plate into three long strips (the two outside pieces will become the wings, and the middle will be the body of the dove). After cutting the wings free, on the back of the paper plate, draw the dove’s head, body, and tail as one piece from the remaining middle section. After you cut the head/body/tail section out, when you flip it over, the marker lines won’t show.Tape the wings like a bird in flight so that they spread out from the back of the head/body/tail combo piece. Use markers to color eyes, a beak, and legs on the head/body/tail piece of the dove. The finished dove should resemble the bird found in this picture ().Older campers may add on to this craft. For them, provide these additional directions:Use yellow construction paper to cut out flame-shaped pieces. On each flame, write a fruit of the Spirit. Then, using yarn and a single-hole punch, attach each flame from the bottom of the dove’s wings so that they dangle below the dove. Multiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: Plain white paper plates, scissors, tape, markers, (optional: yellow construction paper, single-hole punch, yarn)Spirit StonesAllow campers to choose their own stone(s) from a pile or while on a nature walk. Make sure stones are relatively smooth and clean. Brush or wash off dirt. Using paints and markers, campers can do one or more of the following:?Decorate a stone for each of the nine fruit of the Spirit or for one or two fruit they specifically want to work on. ?Decorate a stone in a way that reminds them of the Holy Spirit.?Decorate a stone for each of the days of camp (using the symbols for the day, which can be found on the bookmarks).?Decorate stones with the various names for the Holy Spirit.Allow stones to dry completely before campers take them to their cabins.Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, SpatialSupplies: Smooth stones (purchased or found around your camp), permanent markers, paints, paint brushesFruit of the Spirit Prayer BeadsCampers can create special strands of prayer beads to remind them of the fruit of the Spirit. These beads can be worn as bracelets, attached to backpacks, used as bookmarks, or made into keychains. Regardless of format, the beads can be used during worship at camp and are a great way to take home one of the lessons from the week! Explain that you are making prayer beads that represent each of the nine fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23. Each color bead represents a different fruit:red = loveyellow = joyblue = peacepurple = patiencegreen = kindnessorange = goodness gold = faithfulnesswhite = gentlenesssilver = self-controlInvite campers to choose the kind of bead set they would like to make: bracelet, backpack tag, bookmark, or keychain. Help them to cut a piece of leather cord or plastic lanyard that is an appropriate length for their selection.Campers can simply slide beads onto the cord and knot both ends, or place knots between each bead for a fancier look. When campers are finished creating their bead sets, encourage them to use the beads when they pray, asking God to help them develop each of these spiritual fruits in their own lives.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: Plastic pony beads in nine different colors, leather cord or plastic lanyard, (optional: metal keychain loops or clips to attach to backpacks)Wind ChimesWind chimes are another great object that can be used to demonstrate the movement of wind and the movement of the Holy Spirit. Prior to working on your wind chimes, take campers on a nature walk and encourage them to gather from the ground twigs, stones, shells, and other objects from nature that they want to use on their chimes. After the nature walk, have each camper gather his or her found objects into a pile on the work surface. Provide every camper with a wire hanger and explain that the hanger is the base for a set of wind chimes. Using string and yarn, string beads and found objects onto several separate strands. Attach each strand of items to a different spot on the hanger.When campers are done creating (and cleaning up the work area), head outside. Hang wind chimes on a tree branch or other outdoor spot and wait for the wind to begin making unique music!Multiple Intelligences: Naturalist, MusicalSupplies: Yarn or string, scissors, wire clothes hangers, a variety of colorful glass beads, found objects from natureOrigami Fruit (Instructions for Origami Fruit see All-in-One PowerUP PDF file on page 246)This craft activity involves folding brightly colored paper into a variety of fruit shapes.Using the origami patterns included on page 246, or other patterns found for free online at websites such as , helps campers learn how to turn paper into fruit. Make these shapes just for fun, or campers can write camp notes/“warm fuzzies” and put them in key places for others to find. They may also give them to other campers as an affirmation for showing a fruit of the Spirit in some way. Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Bodily/Kinesthetic Supplies: Copies of origami patterns, colored paper, pens or markers, scissors and rulers for cutting the paper into squares (if need be)ExtraGames (Expanded!)Name GamesI’m Going to a Party (Day 2)To learn the names of the campers, have them form a circle. Model the pattern: “My name is_________. I’m going to a party and I’ll be (taking/doing/enjoying...) ______________.” The next person needs to repeat either all the patterns of the previous campers (or the previous five) before adding his or her own. After one round, have everyone shift places and challenge the campers to recall the names of the others. Remind everyone that this week’s theme is about celebration! Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic, Bodily/Kinesthetic Supplies: NoneLima Y Limón (Lime and Lemon) (Day 2 or 4)Here’s a fun game for getting to know names on a day that celebrates the Holy Spirit bringing diverse people together in understanding despite their language differences. It’s also a good get-acquainted game for fruit of the Spirit. Have the group stand or sit in a circle with the “Fruit Picker” at the center. When he or she points to someone and says “Lima,” that person must say the name of the person on the left before the Fruit Picker counts to ten in English or Spanish (or Korean for those who do Tae Kwon Do or any other language of their choice). If the Fruit Picker says, “Limón,” the person indicated must name the one sitting to the right before the count of ten. If the person indicated fails, then he or she becomes the Fruit Picker. For added challenge, shorten the count to five after several rounds of ten.Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic, Bodily/Kinesthetic Supplies: NoneNames in Rhythm (Day 3)Have campers sit in a circle. Start a beat by having everyone slap their thighs (once), clap their hands (once), and snap their fingers (one, two). Once the four-beat rhythm is going, go around the circle with each person saying his or her name on the snaps. Depending upon the number of syllables in the name, the player can say the name fast (AnnaLisa), draw it out (Will-ill), or fit it to the beat (Ev-an), for example. To vary the challenge, speed up the rhythm, or have one person in the center point to different campers, and the group must say the name in rhythm.Multiple Intelligences: MusicalSupplies: NonePick a Pack (Day 4)Invite the group to sit in a circle. Place an empty basket in the center of the circle. Tell the campers that they will be talking about the fruit of the Spirit. Explain that as they go around the circle, each person will tell his or her first name and also a fruit—something that grows on a tree, bush, plant, or in the ground and can be picked and eaten. (Nuts, flowers, and vegetables may also count, if you wish, because they are technically fruit of the plant.) Challenge the campers to pick something that also starts with the first letter of their name. (My name is Quentin and I pick quince.) Give that person a big “Woo hoo,” but recognize that not everyone will be familiar with a fruit that goes with his or her initial. Perhaps the group can help think of one. Do another round and challenge campers to identify two (or more) other campers by name and tell what fruit they picked. After persons have been picked, the next camper must name different people in the circle—until everyone has been identified at least once.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal Supplies: BasketToss Up! (Day 5)In a circle have campers toss a ball to different people. Each time the thrower must state his or her name. After everyone has had a turn, change the rules. This time the thrower must state the name of the person intended as the receiver. Then yell “Toss up!” and everyone must switch places and play again. If the group is large, work in multiple circles. At the “Toss up!” have the circles intermingle, with some people staying and some moving to form the new circle.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: One or more balls (soccer, volleyball, or similar size)Line Up! (Day 5)This simple game is a fun way to get acquainted and find points of commonality!Challenge the group to line up in birth-date order. Once they are in line, have them create groups of three from the persons next to them and introduce themselves, telling their name and at least one other thing about themselves, which can be related to the particular challenge.Repeat the pattern with two or three more challenges, such as lining up by grade, favorite color, number of pets, number of siblings, number of years coming to camp.In a circle have each person say his or her name, and ask for two volunteers to tell one thing they learned about that person.Multiple Intelligences: Logical/Mathematical, InterpersonalSupplies: NoneSing Your Name (Day 6)Form a circle. Tell the group they will introduce themselves by singing, rapping, or chanting their names. Acknowledge that being creative can be a bit scary when “performing” in front of people, but assure everyone that no one will be making fun or putting anyone down. There may be some laughter, but it’s not “laughing at...” but “laughing with...”—having fun together. As the leader, be primed to go first. Then encourage volunteers. Have everyone cheer the effort by repeating the name—either singing the same tune or just chanting the name. If someone is still reticent, ask another camper who has already sung to make up a song for the reluctant one. Song tunes can just be names or can include a short rhyme. Multiple Intelligences: MusicalSupplies: NoneI Have Never (Day 6)Have the group sit in a circle with one chair fewer than there are players. Ask the group to introduce themselves to their neighbors, giving their name to the person on their right and to the one on the left. The one in the middle has to give his or her name and also a true statement that begins, “I have never....” For example, “I’m Lucy and I have never been horseback riding.” Everyone in the circle who also has never done that simply stay seated. But any campers who have ridden a horse have to get up and run for an empty seat, trying to beat out the one in the middle. Have everyone make introductions again to their new neighbors. The one without a chair starts another round, stating his or her name and giving another “I have never...” statement.Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NoneTheme GamesWalk This Way (Day 3)Take a hike and be playful with a purpose. As campers are enjoying nature, from time to time, yell out “Walk this way!” The camper in the lead then creates a fun way of walking the trail (hopping, giant steps, walking and turning, and so on), which everyone else must imitate. Lead campers switch after their turn. A counselor will need to monitor the trail to both start and stop the time of walking this way. As the hike nears the end, take time to talk about the importance of choosing carefully the ones we will imitate in our lives. Point campers to Jesus as the one we can follow in complete trust, no matter how challenging the journey.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, Spatial Supplies: Hiking trailDo This...and This...and This... (Day 3)Have campers sit or stand in a circle. Designate a leader who starts an action, such as waving a hand, which everyone then imitates. Then the next person in the circle adds another action, continuing the first as well. Again everyone must do both. Continue around the circle until everyone has added an action or the whole group collapses in laughter! For large groups, divide into smaller circles.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NoneContagious (Day 3)Have campers sit in a circle. One player says “Ha”; the next, “Ha, Ha,” and so on around the circle with each person adding a “Ha.” The catch is no one must laugh. If they do, the group starts over. Point out that laughter is contagious and choosing to be among positive, Spirit-filled friends and role models makes life more joyful.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NonePaper Bag Drama (Day 5)Divide into smaller groups of three to five persons. Give each group a bag of six unrelated objects. Each team is to work together to create one story or skit that uses all the items. As they present their “drama,” they need to have each person on the team involved in some way. Give the teams about 15 minutes to prepare.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Linguistic, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Paper bags (one for each team) filled with odds and ends of items—natural or manufacturedYurt Circle (Day 5)A yurt is a tent used by Mongolian nomads. It is held in place by the equilibrium of the roof and walls pushing against each other.Have campers form a circle and count off “In” or “Out.” The group has to have an even number, so a leader can participate or not, depending upon the need.Everyone stands shoulder-to-shoulder facing the center and grabs a hand of the person on either side. On the count of three the “Ins” lean toward the center and the “Outs” lean back, all the while keeping their feet in the starting place and simply supporting one another with their held hands. For a second level challenge, on the count of three, switch to “Outs” leaning inward and “Ins” leaning outward. The third level is to switch in rhythm. The community is one!Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NoneSpaghetti Confetti (Day 5)Have campers stand in a close circle and take the hand of two other campers across the circle—not the person next to them. Then challenge the group to work together to untangle their spaghetti mess. No one is to let go of anyone’s hand until the circle is reformed and the group is one again. Then have everyone throw up their arms and wiggle their fingers like falling confetti until their hands are all down.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NoneGuarding the Treasure (Day 6)A ball is the “treasure.” One player is designated as “Timothy.” Everyone else is trying to take the treasure away without being tagged by Timothy, who can stand over or circle around the treasure to keep watch and prevent it being kicked away. If a player succeeds in kicking the treasure away, the crowd follows, doing their best to keep Timothy from recapturing the treasure. If Timothy tags the one who has the treasure, then the tagged player becomes the new Timothy and the game starts again. No one is to touch the treasure with hands.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: A ball (soccer, football, volleyball) Games Just for FunGot It! This game of tag has a twist. “It” is required to hold one hand on the place where he or she was tagged and still run after the others to tag a new “It,” who then has to hold a hand to his or her tagged spot and so on.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NoneElbow TagThis version of tag is mostly just fun, but it is also a game in which players are “safe” when they aren’t alone.Head outside to a large, flat, open area. Explain to campers that they will be playing a special game of tag. Invite them to pair up, with each pair joined together by linking arms at the elbows. (Each person should still have a free arm.) Select one pair and split them up, naming one person “runner” and the other “It.”Instruct the linked pairs to spread out across the open area. The person who is “runner” must run up to a pair and link arms with one member of the pair before being tagged by the person who is “It.” When this linking happens, the other member of the pair must leave the grouping. That person becomes the “runner” and must link with a different pair before being tagged by “It.” If the person who is “It” succeeds in tagging the runner before he or she links with a pair, the runner becomes “It,” and the former “It” becomes the runner.When you are finished, take some breathing time and remind campers that with the Holy Spirit they are never alone and, when trouble chases after them—when they are sad, hurt, scared, or disappointed—they can “link up” with the Spirit through prayer.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NoneMonkey-Crab RelayCreate two or more teams of at least four players. Set a start line and a finish line. On “Go!” the first player in each team moves forward, like a monkey, on all fours racing to the finish line. When they cross the line, the second players then race toward the finish on all fours, only backwards, like a crab. Players alternate until the first team has all members across the line.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: NoneSpirit HandsA game of quick reflexes and passing on the Spirit, Spirit Hands works well as an ice breaker or just a way to use up energy. This action-packed game uses two groups of human conductors, which mimics how the Holy Spirit can move through a community. Having at least ten people makes the game exciting! First, form two teams of equal size, facing each other. Instruct campers to hold hands with the persons next to them until two long human chains are formed. Put a tennis ball on top of a chair at the end of the two lines.The first person at the front of each line is to watch the referee. All other players will be silent and close their eyes to avoid seeing the coin toss. For each round, the referee will flip the coin, with only the designated players allowed to see it. Whenever the coin comes up as “heads,” the two people at the front of the line must as quickly as possible squeeze the hand of the next person, who in turn squeezes the next, and so on to “pass the Spirit.” As the “Spirit” travels down the line of campers, the goal is to be the first team to grab the tennis ball on the chair. When the last person in line feels his or her hand squeezed, that person is to try to grab the ball before last player in the other line.If heads was flipped and a team successfully grabs the ball first, that team wins a point.?On the other hand, if the team grabs the ball but tails was flipped, then the point goes to the other team.?After each coin flip, wait several seconds and then flip again. For a short game, the winner is the first team to score 10?points.?If you have more time, increase the number of points needed to win.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: chair (or other stand), coin to toss, and tennis ballSpirit Pulse A fun table game, Spirit Pulse can be played on the floor as well. This is an excellent activity to entertain campers while waiting for meals and so forth. Begin with a circle of players seated, each with one hand flat on a tabletop. The game leader begins the pulse by pointing out the direction the pulse will travel (to the right or to the left) and then raising the hand (while the wrist stays connected to the table) and slapping the table once. The Spirit Pulse moves in the direction indicated, and the next person continues by slapping the table once, as the pulse continues to travel around the table.At any point, a player can slap the table once or twice. If a camper slaps once, the pulse continues in the same direction. If a camper slaps twice, the pulse reverses direction and goes the other way around. If any campers around the table lift even a single finger when it is not their turn, they will lose use of that hand for the rest of the round. Play continues until approximately half of the group has been eliminated, and then players move up to the next higher level of challenge.Round One: Campers place just one hand on the table.Round Two: Campers use both hands, side-by-side.Round Three: Campers use both hands, but cross them (to form an X) so that all right hands are on the left, and all left hands are on the right.Round Four: Campers use both hands, but reach outward so that their right hand crosses over the left hand of the person on their right, and their left hand crosses over the right hand of the person on their left, forming an “X” with the partner on each side.Round Five: Campers revert to the starting positions in Round Two (two hands, side-by-side), but an additional technique is allowed. If a player slaps the table with a fist, the pulse jumps over the next hand in that direction. If he or she makes a fist and double-slaps the table, the pulse reverses direction and skips a hand in the new direction.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, InterpersonalSupplies: (Optional: table and chairs)Human FoosballA fun and wacky game based on the popular table game, Human Foosball can be played in a large open field or indoor gym space. It is played by an even number of campers—the more the better. Campers are in two teams, each protecting their soccer goal and trying to score in their opponent’s goal. The two teams each divide into “lines” of four players, representing Foosball paddles. A length of rope will connect each line of four player/paddles, who hold on to the rope with both hands and face the same direction the game is played. At no time during play are hands to come off the rope. Only feet may be used to move the soccer ball around the field. Depending on the number of players, each team can have up to four lines/rope sections (three in the field and one in the goal). Campers holding the rope may only move together in a lateral direction, right to left or left to right, while trying the kick the ball into the goal. The game begins when the referee blows a whistle and rolls the soccer ball onto the field. When a goal is scored, the referee restarts action by rolling the ball back into play. The game ends after one team scores ten goals (or whatever number you set). Bonus fun: Make the game come to life by dressing each team in opposing colors!Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, InterpersonalSupplies: Open space, two soccer goals, soccer ball, eight 15-foot-long durable rope sectionsNight BallNothing is more fun at camp than playing with friends under the stars! This game is simple and fun. Every camper gets a glow stick on string to wear around his or her neck. Tape a couple glow sticks to the dodge balls or purchase a glow-in-the-dark ball, and use glow-in-the-dark spray paint to mark the out-of-bounds lines and the center line. Then play glow-in-the-dark Dodgeball.The referee should have a flashlight to make sure the rules are being observed. Play fun music on speakers to complete the “techno” feel.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: A glow stick for each camper, glow-in-the-dark ball, or additional glow sticks attached to the ball, glow-in-the-dark spray paint to make boundary lines, flashlight for the refereeShadow TagA fun, no-prep game for sunny days! Choose a camper to be “it.” The object of the game is to try to tag the shadow of other players by stepping on it. When a camper’s shadow gets stepped on, he or she is “frozen” until another camper steps on it.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: A sunny day and space to runExtraNature ActivitiesLeaf Hunt RelayDivide campers into several teams (at least two). First, ask campers to collect leaves from each of a number of different kinds of trees and plants, which they need to name for everyone on the team. They also need to report the names of their sources (the trees and plants) to the leader of the game.Teams need to bring back leaves that have already fallen to the ground, not stripping them off of living plants. They may compare the leaves on the ground with those that are on the tree or plant to see if they are the same. An alternative is to make crayon rubbings or to write the tree name on paper. The groups need to collect as many leaves fallen from each tree and plant as there are teams. (If four teams, collect four leaves from each different tree.) (Leader Note: Know your poisonous plants and do not collect even fallen leaves of poison ivy, poison oak, and so forth.) Once the leaves have been collected, for each team make a leaf pile containing one leaf from the various trees or plants and place these piles each at a set distance in front of the respective lined-up team. The leader calls the name of a tree or plant (or holds up a leaf) and then says, “Go.” At the signal, the first camper in each line runs to the designated pile of leaves, finds the leaf from the tree named (or leaf shown) and holds it up. A point is awarded for each leaf correctly identified. The player or leader returns the leaves to the piles and shuffles the piles carefully so as to not break apart the dry leaves. Then the next player from each team can have a turn.Adaptations: Make the activity a speed relay. Or, instead of collecting leaves, prepare slips of paper with the name of the plant or trees, or make crayon rubbings of leaves to replace the actual leaves.Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: Leaves collected from the ground from various plants and trees, paper and pencils if writing down the kind of plant and tree instead, or crayons and paper for rubbingsTouchy Feely BoxesInvite campers to take turns reaching into four prepared boxes and touching the three items in each box. Remind them to leave the items in each box and to keep quiet about what they discover so the next camper enjoys the mystery. Once everyone has touched the items in all four boxes, discuss:?Was it easy to learn what the item really was? If no, why? ?Was it easy or hard to learn by only feeling by your hands? Tell the group that now they are to try to find the place where the items from each box came from. Begin your walk or hike according to where your campers suggest they might find the places. Encourage them to stay on trails but don’t direct them. Let them lead one another as they learn where the trees with the three different kinds of leaves are and where the trees that the fruit, seeds, or sticks come from; where the evergreens are; where the rocks and objects might have come from. Only give hints if needed. The match doesn’t need to be the exact spot or tree to count. At each stop where they think the items came from, open the box and compare to see if they are correct. If they are, leave the item there, back in its “place.” Discuss:How easy was it to discover the places that the items came from naturally?Say: “God gives us an amazing variety of plants and trees as part of creation. The Holy Spirit guides us in taking care of all the parts of God’s creation. Power up!”Leader Note: Be sure to remind campers before collecting anything natural that we do not harm God’s creation by picking, breaking, or tearing anything alive; and we return our items back to nature once we are finished with them.Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: Four shoeboxes with a hole big enough for a hand cut out of each lid, or four rectangular tissue boxes; natural objects to touch from around camp for the boxes: Box 1: three different leaves (jagged/smooth edges, small/large), Box 2: three different rocks (smooth/jagged, small/large, river rock), Box 3: three different objects (nut or fruit, stick, seed pod), Box 4: three evergreen parts (pinecone, evergreen branch, pine needles, tree bark)Making PaperCampers can build a frame screen or use one already created in the making of their recycled paper. Begin by collecting various discarded papers: newsprint, cardboard cartons, notebook paper, envelopes, even bits of colored paper.Tear sheets of discarded papers into small pieces less than two inches in diameter, and put the pieces into a large plastic tub.Add water and laundry starch in proportions of one tablespoon of starch per cup of water to the torn paper. Beat the mixture with an egg beater or use an old blender until the pulp is the consistency of a very light gravy.Dip the frame screen sideways into the pulp mixture until the screen is completely coated with a light layer of pulp. Drain the excess water solution into the tub.Remove the four tacks holding the screen in place; remove the frame and lay the pulp on the screen on a folded-up towel and roll a smooth plastic cup like a rolling pin over the pulp to press out additional water.Turn the screen over onto a dry place on the folded towel and remove the screen from the pulp; roll again to remove more moisture from the pulp.Lay a piece of paper on top of the pulp and transfer the “paper pulp” from the towel onto the piece of paper. Lay the paper flat in a sunny place to dry. Once dry, the recycled paper may be trimmed and written on with marker or pen. Invite campers to write a prayer for another camper and deliver it on the last day of camp.Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: One frame screen per camper (easily made from a used wooden picture frame [about 8 x10 inches or smaller] without glass and backing, or from wooden molding cut and nailed into a rectangle frame; fine-mesh screen cut to frame’s outside dimensions, four thumb tacks to hold screen in place), various discarded papers to tear up, plastic tub, water, laundry starch, measuring cup, tablespoon, used bath towels (one per camper), sheets of paper for transferring and dryingNatural ArtAhead of time, collect a variety of colors of paint chip cards from a store that carries paint—various greens, browns, tans, and some pinks, oranges, and yellows. Each camper needs a collection of several colors of paint chips. Take the campers on a short hike and ask them to match objects in nature with the selections of color that they have. Invite campers to collect a few items that match their colors if they are items lying on the ground and not living plants, trees, or animals. Remind campers not to pick flowers or leaves, but instead remember the matches they found to the color chips. Talk about the variety of colors in God’s creation and how just by looking around us we realize so much art—God’s art—surrounds us every day.Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: Several paint chip cards of various colors—browns, greens, tans, some pinks, yellow, and oranges—per camper or pair of campersA Little Piece of God’s CreationPair up campers and give each duo four craft sticks and four pieces of 12-inch long string. Show the group how to prepare a “fence” (tie one string to one craft stick at the top; tie a second craft stick to the other end of the string, and continue until all four are tied together so that when the craft sticks are pushed into the ground they draw the strings taut and form a “fence” that defines a one-foot square (approximately). Invite campers to find spots outside to set up their fences. They then have about five minutes to explore their square area and inventory everything within the boundary of the string. Have them estimate how many grasses or plants, insects passing through, pebbles, sticks, leaves, pine needles, or dead materials are in the square. Have them write down or draw the items inside their square on sheets of paper. Encourage campers to look for the variety of items and identify the different items as they are able. Gather the group and have each pair share what they discovered in their sample square. Discuss similarities and differences between what the pairs of campers found. Point out that each sample represents a tiny piece of God’s creation and together, all the samples within a larger area represent the variety of God’s creation, even in a limited space. Share a prayer together that gives praise for God’s amazing and diverse creation.Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: Four craft sticks plus four 12-inch long strings for each pair of campers, sheets of paper on a clipboard or cardboard (one per pair) for recording, writing utensilExtraTeam Builders and Challenges (NEW!)Leader Notes: These types of experiences can be fantastic learning opportunities, but they often require an extra measure of vigilance to assure safety. Think about both physical safety and emotional safety. Coming from an overly competitive world focused on winning, some campers may initially be very hesitant to try something so new. Keep the atmosphere one of encouragement—both from the leaders and from the other campers. Campers learning to encourage one another is one of the benefits of such challenges and also a hallmark of living in Christian community, guided by the Spirit.Several of these challenges have been captured on video and can be found on YouTube. However, camp staff would benefit from trying them first before being responsible for campers.Power Grid (The Path/Maze/Gridlock Low Challenge) Campers will experience both solving a problem and being “in” the problem as they deal with trial-and-error problem solving and stepping into the unknown.Leader Notes: Lay out a grid on the ground, inside or outside [if outside, use a flat area]. The size of the grid can vary with the size of your group, but should be at least eight squares by eight squares. The larger the grid, the more challenging the activity. Create a secret “safe” path through the grid and record it on a piece of paper. Graph paper works well. Keep the paper with the solution to yourself. Have the path begin on one edge of the grid and finish on the opposite end, moving, square-to-square, right or left or forward—no diagonals. You’ll need to pay close attention to every move and keep track of the moves on the “solution paper” you made before the activity.Tell campers that God through the Holy Spirit has chosen a path for us, the right way to go, but we don’t always know what is right; sometimes we need the Spirit to guide us and get us on the right path. Say that on the grid before them is a one-way path through the grid. Only one person at a time is allowed on the grid, but all the campers will need to cross it. When a camper is on the grid, that camper may continue as long as he or she stays on the “right” path (your secret path). If a camper steps off the path in a wrong direction, then he or she must leave the grid, and the next person can begin trying to discover the right path. (It’s fun to sound a buzzer or bicycle horn whenever a person steps off the path.)Everyone in the group must attempt the grid before anyone can try it a second time. The activity ends when the complete path is discovered and everyone in the group has gone through the grid. Afterward, discuss: ?What was the easiest part of this challenge??What was the most difficult part??Did you develop a system??How did you decide which directions to try??How did campers outside the grid help the camper inside the grid??Was advice listened to? If not, why??The Holy Spirit is God’s guidance system (God’s “GPS”), helping us find our way, following the right path, which is God’s will. How did this challenge reflect letting the power of the Holy Spirit guide us on a daily basis in our paths of life?Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Tape or chalk, drawn squares, sheets of black paper, or wood tiles used to create at least an eight square by eight square grid; graph paper, pencilCommunity of Power(Magic Carpet Low Challenge)Lay out the community “map” (also known as a tarp, blanket, or sheet).Have all the campers stand on it, not touching anything but the map.The challenge is to turn over the community map without anyone stepping off or touching the ground.Leader Notes: “Piggybacking” may be allowed, but not sitting on shoulders or stacking more than two high. Walk around to make sure no one gets into an unsafe position.Afterward, discuss: ?As a community grows, personal space grows smaller, just as in this activity. How did your group respond to the diminishing space in this activity? ?What worked well in your problem solving?Variation: After the challenge is completed, fold the map in half and challenge the campers to complete it with a smaller community map to begin with.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: A tarp, blanket, or sheet large enough for the whole group to stand on; open, level spacePower Up! (Acid River/Indiana Jones Crossing Team Builder)Leader Notes: In advance, using markers such as paper plates, create a pattern similar to the illustration. The degree of challenge can be increased or decreased based on the number and placement of markers. Tell the campers they must all cross the “gap” by only stepping on the plates. (Leader Note: If you want to increase the drama, make up a creative story about the “dangers” of falling into the “gap.”) All the plates are available. However, once a plate is “fully weighted” (with a camper on it, not just a rock or a shoe), it must stay fully weighted or else it disintegrates. (The leader takes it away.) (see graphic All-in-One PowerUP PDF file on page 257)Afterward, discuss: ?What went well as the community worked together to complete the challenge??How was every person included in the solution of the challenge??How might you have completed the challenge faster or in a different way??Working together as the body of Christ in community lets the Spirit strengthen the community; consequently, each part of the body is individually stronger. Where did you see the Spirit at work in this challenge? Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Thirty space markers (paper plates, bandanas, carpet squares, or any other items on which a camper can safely stand) Rope Star Team BuilderThis is a fun way to energize campers and get them problem solving and moving together.Tie a long rope into a circle.Have campers grab onto the outside of the rope, with them evenly distributed all the way around.The first part of the challenge is for the group to form a five-pointed star (the way they learned to draw a star back in elementary school using one continuous line) without letting go of the rope.After campers have created the star, have them reverse the procedure to get back into a circle.Afterward, discuss:?What was easiest? Most difficult? ?What worked well as a team? What needs to improve as a team? ?How does the Holy Spirit guide us to follow God’s will? ?What skills from this team builder are similar to powering up with the Holy Spirit? (listening, willingness to be led)Variations: Have all but one of the campers wear blindfolds; the one camper with sight doesn’t hold the rope, but rather leads with voice to help guide blindfolded campers to move. Or, only allow one camper to talk; the rest must stay silent—a challenge for listening skills. Choose other shapes to create—figure 8, trapezoid, and so on.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: A long length of rope in an open space, (optional: blindfolds for variation) Spirit Rings Team BuilderPlace a plastic disposable cup on the ground. Set the center of the “Spirit Ring” on top of the cup, with all the strings stretched out on the ground around it. Balance the tennis ball on the ring on top of the cup.(see graphic All-in-One PowerUP PDF file on page 258)Working together, six or eight campers must lift the Spirit Ring, which is holding the tennis ball, by the strings and carry it around a series of obstacles, then return and replace the ball atop the cup.Campers can touch only the ends of the strings with one hand. Once a camper picks up a string, he or she can’t switch the hand holding it.The tennis ball can touch only the ring. No one can wrap it onto the ring with the strings. If the ball drops, the group must start over.Afterward, discuss:?How difficult is it to first pick up the object? ?How many attempts did it take? ?How did you manage to go around narrow or low obstacles??What needed to happen for each team to be successful? ?How does this experience reflect the Holy Spirit working among us to make things better?Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: One “Spirit Ring”—a two-inch wide ring of duct tape with a number of strings attached (usually six to eight strings per ring), one tennis ball, one plastic drink cup (Solo brand works well), various obstacles as challenges Community Challenge(Mountain Tops/Unfinished Bridge Low Challenge)At first campers may think this task is impossible. With a little thought and cooperation, they can figure out a solution.(see graphic All-in-One PowerUP PDF file on page 258)Campers will be presented with three platforms, representing three “mountain peaks” of different sizes spaced out on the ground, and two boards, which serve as their “bridges.”Using only the two boards/bridges given, all the campers must move from the first platform/mountain to the last without either the boards or themselves touching the ground because that means they will have fallen into the imaginary “abyss.”Neither board by itself can reach the other platforms, and one board is significantly shorter than the other. (Leader Note: The solution involves the boards being supported by campers sitting on at least one-third of the board lying flat on the platform [see the illustration], and the campers individually crossing by walking from one supported board to the other.) Afterward, discuss: ?What made this challenge easy? What made it difficult? ?What was key to solving this challenge? (working together in community, listening to one another, being one team in community)Leader Note: Be sure the campers are careful as they pass boards back and forth. Do not allow jumping from platform to platform, or using planks as diving boards. Stop unsafe behavior before anyone tries it. Spotters are needed while campers are crossing on boards.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Three platforms—2 feet by 2 feet, 3 feet by 3 feet, and 5 feet by 5 feet—each three to five inches off the ground; two 2-inch by 6-inch planks—one 8-feet long, one 5-feet longFruit of the Spirit Swing Challenge(Nitro Swing/Nitro Crossing Low-Challenge)This activity uses the Nitro Swing/Nitro Crossing element found at many low-challenge course facilities.Gather the campers at the swing site. They must find a way to get all the campers across the “swamp” (or “river”), along with each of the fruit of the Spirit without dropping the fruit. Fruit may be held in pockets or tucked in clothing—only one piece of fruit per camper unless there are fewer than nine campers, in which case two may be carried at a time.Start with the rope hanging in the middle. Make the campers figure out how to get the rope. Or, swing the rope to the first camper who will be crossing, but remind the group they do not get any other “free swings.”Once a camper swings across the “swamp,” he or she must land on a wood tile or hula hoop. After campers have landed, they may move to another tile or hoop around the “landing” pad. They must, however, keep both feet within a tile or hoop, which can be shared. Otherwise campers “fall” into the “swamp.” Each camper takes a turn swinging across, swinging the rope back across to the next camper, until all the campers have crossed the “swamp” and are standing within a tile or hoop. They must also continue to hold their fruit. The fruit cannot be exchanged with another person; it must stay with the camper who carried it over the swamp. If someone touches the “swamp,” or a fruit is dropped, the whole group has to start over.Encourage campers to name the fruit of the Spirit before crossing, and have all the campers suggest examples of that fruit.Afterward, discuss: ?What was easiest in this challenge? What was hardest??Who stepped up to be a leader??How were any of the fruit of the Spirit actually applied as you worked this challenge?Leader Note: Do not tie a loop in the rope or allow campers to wrap the rope around their hands, fingers, or wrists. Never allow feet to get higher than a person’s waist.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Bodily/KinestheticSupplies: Nitro Swing/Nitro Crossing element (professionally constructed), fake fruits for each of the fruit of the Spirit, “landing pads in the swamp”—several hula hoops or wooden tiles (enough to safely the hold total number of campers but not too many)ExtraScience ActivitiesPhases of the Moon Chocolate sandwich cookies provide a great way to see how well campers can match a moon phase name with a moon phase appearance.What to do:1.Demonstrate the proper way to slowly twist the cookie to maximize the amount of frosting on one side when you separate the halves. (Leader Note: Practice this yourself—some sacrifices have to be made.)2.Give campers each a cookie and have them twist the halves open. Hopefully, most of the frosting will be on one side or the other. Campers can always transfer frosting if needed. (Leader Note: Be aware of food allergies.)3.Give campers access to one or more copies of a “phases of the moon” handout. 4. Allow campers to choose the phase they would like to create, omitting “full moon,” which is too easy.5.Recreate the given phase in frosting!Connection to camp: Consider doing this activity at a campfire and compare the cookie moons to the real moon that night. Leader Note: Once campers have made their moon phases, encourage them to eat up!Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: One for each camper—a chocolate sandwich cookie with white frosting, phases of the moon—new, crescent, half, gibbous, full—handout (available from the Internet), a craft stick or other tool for scraping the frostingColorful Bubble SnakesHave the campers follow these directions:1.Cut the bottom of a water bottle off. (Leader Note: Do this step, and step 2 in advance unless you are working with older youth and have impressed upon them the need for safety.)2.Next, cut apart a sock, using pieces of it to cover the bottom of the bottle.3.Use duct tape to secure the sock around bottle.?Leave no holes for air to escape.4.Pour some dish soap into a shallow container; dilute with a little bit of water and gently mix. 5.Dip the sock-covered end of the bubble blower into the solution; remove from the solution and gently blow through the mouth of the bottle.6.Place a few drops of the food coloring onto the sock-covered end. Gently blow again.(Leader Note: This activity will be messy! Warn campers that food coloring may stain clothes. Remind them also to blow out and not suck in so they don’t get a mouthful of soap.) Connection to the theme: Point out to the campers that their breath created the bubble snakes. Ask campers where God’s breath (the Holy Spirit) has created something new. Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: A pre-cut plastic water bottle and a piece of a sock for each camper, duct tape, dish soap (Dawn or Joy brands work best), water, food coloring, pie tin or other shallow dish for soap and water solutionSidewalk PaintWhat to do:1.In a bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Mix until smooth. 2.Add a few drops of food coloring. 3.Make a few batches of different colors. 4.Use paintbrushes, foam paint rollers, or sponges to paint the sidewalk.5.Invite campers to paint, including symbols of the Holy Spirit (flame, dove, wind) or the story symbols from the various days of camp.(Leader Note: Test your surface to make sure the food color will not stain.)Connection to the theme: Symbols of the SpiritMultiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: For each batch—one bowl, 1/4 cup of cornstarch, 1/2 cup water, some food coloring (different color for each batch); measuring cups; paintbrushes, foam paint rollers, or sponges; sidewalk to “paint”; clean-up supplies Window PaintWhat to do:1.Mix together equal parts dish washing liquid and washable liquid paint until it’s a creamy consistency. 2.Use paintbrushes to create on windows.3.Clean windows with moist paper towels.(Leader Note: You may want to test first for staining.) Connection to theme: Ask campers to paint the “Power Up” symbols for each day in the windows.Multiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: Dish soap, washable powered tempera paint in a variety of colors, large bowl, measuring cups, brushes for each camper, paper towels and water for cleaning upKool DoughWhat to do:1.Mix first four ingredients in the “Supplies” (flour, salt, powdered drink mix, cream of tartar) in large bowl. 2.Carefully add boiling water and oil. (Leader Note: Only counselors should do this step.)3.Stir with fork until cooled, then mix with hands until well combined. 4.Place on wax paper; knead until no longer sticky, adding additional flour one teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. (Leader Notes: Store in refrigerator in an airtight container. Cover surfaces when using to prevent staining. This recipe will create enough for four to five campers to have a fist-sized ball.)Connection to theme: Ask campers to sculpt the fruit of the Spirit with their dough.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: 1? cups flour, ? cup salt, one packet powdered unsweetened drink mix, one tablespoon of cream of tartar, one cup boiling water, 1? tablespoons oil, wax or parchment paper, teaspoon, additional flour (as needed), airtight containersHover CraftWhat to do:1.Cover the center hole of a CD with tape and poke about six holes in the tape with a pushpin. This step will slow down the flow of air and allow the hovercraft to hover longer. 2.Use the hot glue gun to glue the cap to the center of the CD or DVD disc. Create a good seal to keep air from escaping. (Leader Note: Consider doing this part ahead of time, or have a counselor do it.)3.Blow up the balloon all the way and pinch the neck of it to hold in the air. Don’t tie it.4.Make sure the pull top on the cap is closed and fit the neck of the balloon over the pop-up portion of the cap. This step is easier with two people helping each other. 5.When ready, simply put the craft on a smooth surface and pull the balloon-covered top open.Connection to theme: The power of the air from the balloon lifts the disk so it can float. Ask: “How can the power of the Holy Spirit lift us up so we can be different?”To make this activity an experiment, ask campers to try different things in order to answer these questions:?Does the size of the balloon affect the CD’s ability to hover??Does a different surface work better for hovering? (wooden table, plastic table, the dirt…) ?Do larger or smaller discs make better hovercrafts?Multiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: For each camper—an old CD or DVD disc, tape (either scotch or masking), pushpin, nine-inch balloon, and a “pull to open” type cap from a liquid soap bottle or water bottle; hot glue and glue gun Chicken NoisemakersWhat to do:Leader Notes: Counselors should use a nail to carefully punch a hole in the center of the bottom of the cups ahead of time. Do not let campers take these to worship or other quiet activities.1.Cut a piece of yarn about 20 inches long.2.Tie one end of the yarn to the middle of a paper clip.3.Push the other end of the yarn through the hole in the cup and pull it through so the paper clip is on the bottom of the cup, keeping the yarn from going all the way though the cup.4.Cut a piece of paper towel about the size of a dollar bill, then fold it once and get it damp in the water.5.Hold the cup firmly in one hand, upside down, the string hanging down. Wrap the damp paper towel around the string near the mouth of the cup. While you squeeze the string with the paper towel, pull down in short jerks so that the paper towel tightly slides along the string. It may take a few tries, but if all goes well— you hear a chicken!Connection to theme: Use noisemakers on the day of celebration (Day 2) to help create a “joyful” noise for God!To make this activity an experiment, challenge campers to try different things in order to answer these questions:?What types of string or yarn make the loudest sound? Which ones make the quietest??Does the size of the cup affect the volume of the sound??Try materials other than a paper towel to see if that affects the volume of the sound.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic Supplies: For each camper—a plastic drinking cup, yarn or cotton string (nylon string will not work well), one paper clip, paper towel, and scissors; a nail (counselor-use only); bowl of waterExtra Table Talk—Younger and Older Children and IntergenerationalUse these questions to prompt theme-related discussion at meal times. They could also be used during down times, between activities, or as time fillers as well. Feel free to use one question or all of them. If the discussion takes a different turn, be open to that and allow the campers to be creative and explore the ideas. Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic Supplies: Copies of the question of the day for each tableDay 1: Power Up with the Promise of Peace?What was a memorable gift you received? Who gave it to you? Describe it. ?How are you feeling about coming to camp this week? What are you excited about? What are you feeling nervous about??When is a time that you felt peaceful? Where were you? What do you think helped you feel that sense of peace?Day 2: Power Up and Celebrate the Spirit?As we talk about Pentecost, known as the birthday of the church, what was a memorable birthday for you? What did you do to celebrate? Who was there? Why was it special??What are some special birthday traditions you do every year on your birthday??What do you like about having a campfire? How does it remind you of Pentecost? Day 3: Power Up to Imitate Christ?Describe your favorite teacher. Why did you like being in his or her classroom? What special things did that teacher do in the classroom? Special projects? Field trips? What about that teacher would you like to imitate or mirror? How was he or she an example for you? ?How do you like to learn? Do you enjoy reading? Listening? Doing something with your hands? Creating a project? Watching someone else? ?If you could choose anyone to be like, whom would you choose? What would you want to do together with that person if you had a whole day ahead of you?Day 4: Power Up with the Fruit of the Spirit?What is your favorite fruit? Why do you like it??How does fruit grow? What helps it grow??What are some things you want to “grow” in your life? Getting better at reading? Improving your speed on math facts? Being more loving to your brother or sister? Who could help you work on getting better and growing in these areas?Day 5: Power Up as One Community?What are some groups that you belong to? Why do you like being part of that group? (Your classroom? Girl/Boy Scouts? Church group? Neighborhood friends?)?Tell about a time when you felt like you belonged. Who was there? Where were you??What is hard about working with others? ?What is easier to accomplish when working with a group of people? Why?Day 6: Power Up with Courage?Tell about a time when you were scared. What were you doing? How did you move forward even though you were nervous??Have you seen someone else (real or fictional) show courage? Who was it? What did that person do? Do you think you could have done the same thing? ?Who or what helps you be brave??What are some ways you can make a difference in your family? With your friends? At school? In your community? Day 7: Power Up for Peace Wherever You Go?What is the first thing you want to do when you get home? ?What is one memory you take home with you from this week at camp? ?Where is one place you hope to feel God’s peace when you go home? ?Tell about a time you had to choose between helping someone and doing something else. What did you decide to do? Was it an easy or a tough decision? Extra Table Talk—Younger and Older YouthUse these questions to prompt theme-related discussion at meal times. They could also be used during down times, between activities, or as time fillers as well. Feel free to use one question or all of them. If the discussion takes a different turn, be open to that and allow the campers to be creative and explore the ideas. Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic Supplies: Copies of the question of the day for each tableDay 1: Power Up with the Promise of Peace? What was a memorable gift that you received? Who gave it to you? Describe it. ? Who are some special people in your life who have stood up or spoken up for you or been “advocates” for your best, reminding you who you are? ? How are you feeling about coming to camp this week? What are you excited about? What are you feeling nervous about?? What does peace mean to you?Day 2: Power Up and Celebrate the Spirit? When you think about the Holy Spirit, what comes to your mind?? Why do you think fire is a symbol for the Holy Spirit?? Where would you like to see the Holy Spirit bring change in the world today?? When have you experienced the Holy Spirit giving you power to act and move? Day 3: Power Up to Imitate Christ? Who is a role model in your life? Who is someone you look up to?? How do you learn best? ? Which teachers have been the most influential in your life? Whom would you like to be more like?? If you could choose anyone to be your mentor, whom would you choose and why?Day 4: Power Up with the Fruit of the Spirit? When you think about the fruit of the Spirit, which one(s) come most naturally to you? (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity/goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control)? Which fruit are the most challenging for you?? Where is one place you hope to bear a fruit of the Spirit once you return home? How about here at camp?Day 5: Power Up as One Community? Tell about a time you experienced being part of a community and felt a sense of belonging.? How did that community change your daily life? In what ways are you a better person because of your community?? What are some challenges of living in a community and working with others?Day 6: Power Up with Courage? What does it mean to be courageous?? How does the Holy Spirit enable us to be more courageous?? What is an area in which you experience fear? Where would you like to see the Holy Spirit give you courage in your day-to-day life?Day 7: Power Up for Peace Wherever You Go? As you leave camp today, how do you think you will live your life differently? ? What have you learned about the Holy Spirit this week?? How has your view or understanding of the Holy Spirit changed because of your week at camp?? What is one place or way you would hope God’s peace would be present through you?Extra Table Talk—Younger and Older YouthThese are fun questions for helping campers connect with one another.Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal Supplies: Copies of the question of the day for each tableQuestion 1If you were given lots of money, what would you spend it on? Would you save some? If you had to use your money for a trip, where would you go? Whom would you take with you?Question 2Have you ever had something happen to you that seemed bad at that moment, but turned out for the best? Share about what you learned from the experience.Question 3What is your favorite day of the week? Month of the year? Holiday? Why are these choices your favorites? Does your family or school do something special that has become a tradition you look forward to? Tell about one example.Question 4Do you know how you got your name? Or what your name means? If you could rename yourself, would you? If so, what name would you choose?Question 5What is a memorable book you read during the last year? Why did you like it? What characters or situations did you relate to?Question 6What is the most daring or courageous thing you have ever done? Would you bungee jump? If you could learn to do anything, what would you choose?Question 7If you could make one thing go away for a day, what would it be and why? What if you could add something? What would you like to include for one day?Question 8Where is the farthest you have been from home? Do you like to travel or do you prefer to stay closer to home? Why? Question 9If you could meet any fictional character, whom would you choose? Why? Similarly, do you have a hero, living or dead, you would like to meet? Who is the person, and what would you want to talk about with your hero? How would you spend time with him or her?Question 10When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you pass the time? Would you spend the time indoors or outside?Extra Spiritual Practices (NEW!)Lectio Divina (Any Day)This way of reading and listening to scripture allows for time for reflection. Invite campers to find a comfortable place to sit; ask them to close their eyes. 1.As you read the chosen scripture passage for the first time, ask campers to imagine the scene: Who are the characters? What is the setting? How does it look, sound, smell? 2.After a minute or two of silence, prepare to read the same passage a second time. This time, ask campers to listen for the meaning of the story. Invite them to ask questions of the text: What does this story tell me about God? If I were in the story, who would I be? 3.For the third reading of the text, invite campers to listen and pay attention to their emotional responses. What feelings surface as the scripture is read? Share those feelings with God in prayer. 4.For the fourth and final reading, ask campers to enter into a time of receptive prayer, waiting for whatever God brings. Offer a word of thanks to God. Have campers to open their eyes, and ask them about the experience. Allow them time to share what they imagined, what they felt, what they asked, and what word they received from God.Multiple Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: BibleBreath Prayer(Day 1: Power Up with the Promise of Peace)The breath prayer is a simple way of praying that can be done anywhere. First, invite campers to choose a brief phrase or sentence on which to focus. Some scriptural examples are, “Be still…and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10), “The joy of the Lord…is [my] strength” (Nehemiah 8:10), or, “The Lord is my shepherd…I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Other examples are, “Holy Spirit...fill me,” or, “Give me strength...O Christ.” They may use one of these or choose something else that speaks to them.Once they have corporately or individually chosen a phrase, encourage them to simply breathe in deeply, silently saying the first part of the phrase, and then slowly breathe out, silently saying the second part of the phrase. They may also say the phrase aloud or even sing or chant it. Have them repeat this for several minutes, and encourage them to use the breath prayer throughout the day as they find the need of God’s peace and presence. Multiple Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: None Finger Labyrinth (Day 2: Power Up to Imitate Christ)Print off a finger labyrinth for each camper from the website , and invite campers to use the labyrinths to help focus them in prayer. Tell them that the path inward is a time to clear the mind, ask a question of God, or make a prayer request. Once they have reached the center, they are to pause to listen and receive a word from God. Then, as they start the journey outward, invite them to give thanks to God as they prepare to go out to serve God. There are many additional activities, including instructions for how to draw finger labyrinths or make one to walk outdoors at this site: Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: Printed finger labyrinths—one for each camperFeasting Together(Day 2: Power up and Celebrate the Spirit)Have a small-group gratitude party to celebrate the campers’ time at camp. Invite campers to bring whatever they have to share. Decorate with things they can find around camp: leaves, rocks, etc. (but only things found already on the ground—no picking of living things, such as flowers). Invite campers to share their best camp experiences. Ask them each to tell something he or she appreciates about each person in the group. Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, NaturalistSupplies: Items collected Examen(Day 3: Power Up to Imitate Christ, and Day 4: Power Up with the Fruit of the Spirit) Examen is a form of prayer that enables us to review our day or our week and see where we felt God most present, where we were most Christlike, and where we were not. The following instructions are adapted from the Presbyterian Church (USA) website () Use them to instruct your campers:Preparation:Put your feet flat on the floor, and take a few deep breaths. As you breathe in, imagine that you are inhaling God’s love as you would a pleasant smell. Feel the sensation of this great Love moving through you. As you exhale, imagine that your breath cooperates with the Holy Spirit so that God’s love is all around you. With the Holy Spirit as your guide, look at your life, especially in light of God’s loving care for you.Examen:Review the events of your life over the past week. Look for moments of grace—times when you were given a “second chance,” an opportunity for a “do-over,” which you probably didn’t deserve but that was kind to you. How was grace a part of the words or actions each time? Rest in gratitude. Receive life again from the memory of each grace-filled moment.Allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart as you recall moments in which you sensed the absence of grace. When were you least able to give and receive love this week? Ask yourself what was said or done in that moment that made it so troublesome. Simply “be” with whatever you feel without trying to change or fix it in any way.Take a deep breath and acknowledge God’s love for you—even in the not-so-good parts of what you have thought, said, done, or failed to do. Give thanks to God for granting this self-awareness and examination of conscience. Consider where God is calling you to grow in this. Form your prayers of confession, petition, and praise. Accept the gift of God’s relentless tenderness.Multiple Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: NoneActs of Service(Days 3, 4, 5)Ask the camp director if there are ways the campers can be of service. Are there areas that need to be cleaned? Thank-you notes that need to be written to churches that provide scholarships? Bulletin boards that could use a new look? Be sure to talk about how service is one way we live out our faith. Additionally, it is a way of sharing our gifts and building community.Multiple Intelligences: InterpersonalSupplies: Dependent upon the area of service chosenPraying in Color(Day 4: Power Up with the Fruit of the Spirit)Give campers these instructions:Read the passage for Day 4, Galatians 5:16-26. Draw a shape and write one of the fruit of the Spirit in the shape or near it. Do this for as many of the fruit as you like. Add details if you like. Add color. As you look at what you’ve drawn, let the images lead you to a time of reflection. Which fruit do you find the most difficult to “grow” in your life? Which one would you like to focus on today or this week at camp? Are there people you know who exhibit the fruit you’ve drawn? If so, give thanks for them and for their example. Post your drawing somewhere where you will be able to see it throughout the week. Add to it as you feel moved to do so.(Adapted from Sybil MacBeth’s book, Praying in Color Kids’ Edition)Multiple Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: Bibles, paper, colored markers or pencilsSimple Hospitality(Day 5: Power Up as One Community)Have one camp group welcome the rest of camp to the dining hall. If possible, have one group serve another group their meal and then clear the table for them afterward. Take turns, having different groups serve one another over the course of the week. Multiple Intelligences: InterpersonalSupplies: NoneCamp Prayer Walk(Days 5, 6, and 7)Plan a walk around the camp, stopping at various places to pray. If you have time, set up prayer stations at several spots with special items, and with instructions written out to be read by a volunteer or leader. For example, 1.Arrange shells near the lake or swimming pool, and read about Jesus’ baptism. Give thanks that your sins are forgiven through Christ. 2.Stop at the campfire site and read the passage from Acts 2 that talks about tongues of fire resting on each of the disciples. Ask that God would fan the flames of your faith and let your light shine brightly in the world. 3.Stop at the ropes course or other team-building area and ask God to help knit the community together. Pray that campers will be encouraging of one another. 4.Do trust falls or another physical activity that demonstrates the need for one another. 5.Go to the area where campers are dropped off and/or picked up and pray for all the campers who’ve already been to camp or who are yet to arrive. 6.Walk to the administration building and have index cards and pencils there so that campers can write out a prayer or blessing to give to members of the camp staff.Multiple Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: Dependent upon sites chosen and connections suggestedAnointing Service(Day 7: Power Up for Peace Wherever You Go)This ritual is a simple way of marking an ending and beginning. In scripture, those who were set aside for a holy purpose were anointed as a sign of being marked by God and sealed with the Holy Spirit. The preparation to return home after a week away at camp provides an opportunity to remind campers that they are being sent home as Christ’s witnesses in their daily world. Read John 20:19-23 and then invite each camper to come forward. Using oil or water, make the sign of the cross on each camper’s forehead and say, “Jesus says: ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’” After everyone has been anointed, close with prayer.Multiple Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: Bible, anointing oil, flask or bowlExtra Multi-Day ProjectsFree-to-Fly Butterfly ReleaseButterflies have long been considered signs of new life and spiritual growth among Christians. Harness this understanding and teach campers important lessons about creation care with a multi-day butterfly project. Take your campers into the woods to gather chrysalises on branches. Do not remove them from the branch as the disruption will cause damage that can kill the butterflies. If there are no butterflies native to your area, purchase a live butterfly kit from a local or an online store, such as Insect Lore’s Live Butterfly Garden. (Leader Note: Follow the directions on the kit, especially about the timing; you may need to start this project a week or so before camp to have the butterflies appear in time for these campers.) If possible, allow campers to help set up the mesh tent filled with caterpillars. Place a display nearby about the lifecycle of the butterfly and some spiritual lessons inspired by it, such as, “Butterflies remind us of Jesus’ resurrection,” or “God turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.” In the same area, place a large piece of poster board to allow campers to make observations or write their thoughts about the butterflies. Perhaps even include tools, such as magnifying glasses, to aid with butterfly research. If you follow directions, and timing is right, the butterflies should mature during the camp week. On the last day of camp or when the majority of the butterflies have emerged, hold a butterfly release ceremony as a symbol of new life in the Holy Spirit.Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: Live butterfly garden kit, poster board, markers, display of butterfly facts and of spiritual lessons, (optional: magnifying glasses)Bring New Life to CampChecking first with camp staff, choose a space around camp that needs a little sprucing up. Invite campers to participate in bringing new life to the camp with painting, cleaning, raking, planting, or whatever needs the camp may have. This investment will instill a sense of ownership and a stake in the future of the camp. Each cabin can pitch in an hour during the week. Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, SpatialSupplies: Materials (such as paint, rakes, safety equipment, clean-up supplies) needed for the chosen projectPlant (or Maintain) a Camp GardenThe Holy Spirit brings new life in Christ. A tangible picture of that new life is present in gardening. Plant some easy-to-grow vegetables and allow campers to see the work of God in planting and growing. The hardiest plant to begin with would be beans, but tomatoes, peppers, and even potatoes would work too. Encourage campers to water their plot each day, chart growth over time, and keep the area weed-free. If there is a particularly successful crop, why not incorporate it into a meal during the summer for another group of your campers? Multiple Intelligences: NaturalistSupplies: Cleared land for garden, raised bed, or pots for planting; seeds or starter plants; water, watering cans; digging supplies such as shovels, spades, trowelsPenny HarvestSend out a letter before camp announcing a Penny Harvest. Instruct campers each to bring 100 pennies for the camp challenge. Have extra pennies on hand for last-minute dollar exchanges with parents at registration, in case they have forgotten.Choose three or four local charities that would appeal to campers (usually charities involving children, youth, animals, or nature). During the week, spotlight a charity each day and ask campers to contribute some of their pennies in jars to each charity. At the end of the week, count the pennies and announce to campers how much was raised for each project. Applaud campers for supporting God’s work in the world.Multiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: Letters to campers before camp to bring pennies for the harvest, charities chosen for the jars, labeled jars to collect pennies, additional pennies on hand (just in case)Wall of EncouragementCreate an environment of encouragement by adding a wall of encouragement to a main camping area. Campers and counselors are then invited to write kind and uplifting words about others all week long. There are lots of creative ways to do this. One way is to choose an outside wall or large piece of wood to paint with chalkboard paint and add chalk for campers to use. A more affordable option would be to find an indoor space to hang large sheets or a roll of paper and use markers. To have the most impact, make sure this is displayed somewhere that campers will see it multiple times each day. Multiple Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: Large sheets or a roll of paper, markers, and tape; or chalkboard (or a wall painted with chalkboard paint) and sidewalk chalk Food Pantry ChallengeSupport a local food pantry by encouraging campers to bring along a canned food donation to be dropped off during camp registration. Send out a welcome-to-camp letter with instructions to bring donations. If the food pantry has any brochures or even statistics you can incorporate into the letter, send those along too.Have a team of campers stack the cans in a creative way that stresses the difference a community can make by contributing to a common goal. Keep the display up and let campers know that if they forgot to bring canned goods at registration, they can ask their parents to bring something with them to add at pick-up at the end of camp. Your local pantry will be grateful, and your campers will learn a valuable lesson about giving. Multiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: Letters to campers before camp to bring canned goods, donation box at registration to collect donationsExtra Going Deeper, Especially for Older Youth (NEW!)During the week you may discover that your group flies through activities and wants or needs to dig a little deeper. If this is the case, consider the following discussion topics:Day 1The Holy Who? (Names for the Holy Spirit) The Holy Spirit can be difficult to grasp. For starters, what do we call the Spirit? To refer to the Spirit as “it” seems too impersonal, yet “he” or “she” doesn’t feel quite right either. Let campers know that many a theologian has struggled with this very issue. Often, the best solution Christians can find is to use names that refer to the work of the Spirit—those things that the Holy Spirit is “up to” in the world: Comforter, Sustainer, Inspirer, Helper, Advocate… These names, along with others, help us to better understand the Holy Spirit while honoring the mystery that seems to be another part of the Spirit’s nature. Invite campers to discuss the following questions:?Who or what do you think the Spirit is??How do you refer to the Holy Spirit? What names or pronouns seem most appropriate to you, and why??What do you think the Spirit is “up to” in the world or in your own life?Context Matters (What is going on with the disciples?)Explain to campers that often, in order to get a clearer understanding and appreciation for what is going on in a scripture, you have to look back in the text to see what has come before, and sometimes ahead to see what is coming. Looking back and looking ahead help paint a clearer picture of where you are in the “present” of the passage. The placement of this “present” in relationship to other elements of the text is often referred to as “context.” In order to understand the context of John 14, it is helpful to look back to John 13 and forward to John 18. Invite campers to look at those chapters. Then ask questions such as:?Where does today’s text fall in the timeline of Jesus’ life and ministry? ?Where are Jesus and the disciples when this piece of the story takes place? ?How do you think the disciples felt when they heard these words from Jesus? Why?Day 2Context Matters (Why are the disciples in Jerusalem?)In order to get a clearer sense of the events leading up to the Pentecost story, invite campers to look back to the first chapter of Acts. Ask questions such as:?Why are the disciples in Jerusalem??What have they been doing prior to this moment??Why is this moment important??Would it be appropriate to rename Acts 2 “Jesus baptizes the disciples”? Why or why not?Day 3Context Matters (Persecution)The text for today (1 Thessalonians 1:4-7) refers to persecution that could have hindered the Christ-followers of Thessalonica from becoming imitators of Christ. Invite campers to read a bit further (through Thessalonians 3:5) to get a few more clues about the types of persecution that Christ-followers around the Roman Empire were subjected to at the time. Remind campers that, at various points, Paul himself faced significant persecution and was imprisoned for his work in spreading the gospel from city to city. Ask questions such as:?What “counts” as genuine persecution? Is there a difference between being inconvenienced and being persecuted? Give some examples of each. ?Would it change the way you lived your faith if you were being persecuted? If no, why not? If yes, how??Why do you think Christianity might be seen as threatening in a system like the Roman Empire??Imagine that you are one of the new Christ-followers in Thessalonica. How would it feel to hear the words of Paul’s letter to you for the very first time? ?Are Christians persecuted today? (According to , January 14, 2014, the World Watch List from Open Doors International keeps a list of 50 nations where Christians face persecution today. The top ten were North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Pakistan, Iran, and Yemen. New to the list was the Central African Republic (#16), where the strife between Muslims and Christians escalated along religious affiliation lines and quickly displaced more than one million people. [].)Day 4Context Matters (The Law versus Freedom)More often than not, the fruit of the Spirit are taught on their own, without any connection to the text from which they are plucked. But in context, we discover that these spiritual fruit are brought up within a larger discussion of freedom. At the beginning of Galatians 5, Paul asserts that in Christ we are set free for something, and that something is freedom! Invite campers to read all of Galatians 5, and then discuss the following questions:?What is the difference between being freed from something and being freed for something??What is the Law to which Paul refers? (Leader Note: Be careful to discuss Jewish Law in ways that do not demonize or dehumanize Jewish people and the Jewish faith. Discuss it in terms of broadening people’s understanding of how to live faithfully rather than in terms of “replacing” a “restrictive” set of laws. Remember, Jesus regularly referenced the Law and said that instead of coming to replace the Law, he came to fulfill it [Matthew 5:17].) ?How does choosing to live in the Spirit give us freedom??What does freedom have to do with the fruit of the Spirit?That’s Quite a ListInvite campers to spend some time in closer examination of the negative behaviors (“selfish desires”—CEB version) listed in Galatians 5:16-26. You may also wish to use both the CEB and the NRSV to help campers see patterns and variations of the list. Discuss:?Are these behaviors that are still considered taboo today? Which, if any, have achieved greater acceptance among Christians? ?In what ways is each of these selfish? ?What kinds of consequences often result from indulging these “selfish desires”? ?What other behaviors would you add to the list? Why? How do they fit the criteria that seem to be underlying the choices of behaviors already on the list in the scripture?Leader Note: Do your best not to shy away from topics that may make you uncomfortable. If a camper asks you a question to which you don’t have an answer, be honest. Say, “I don’t know,” or “I’m not sure how I feel about that,” and then do your best to find an answer. Time spent honestly discussing tough topics helps youth to see that there is room within the church for their questions!Day 5Context Matters (Jews and Gentiles)Among the primary issues present in this letter to the Ephesians are the differences between Jewish Christ-followers and Gentile Christ-followers. Explain to campers that a Gentile is anyone who is not Jewish, and that this distinction was the source of much conflict in the early church. Some leaders of the Christ movement thought that converts first had to become Jews before they could truly be Christ-followers, while other leaders thought that there should be no distinction made between Jews and Gentiles. The author of this letter (scholars are not of one mind when it comes to authorship: some believe Paul wrote this letter, while others believe it is the work of another author) believes that Jews and Gentiles who follow Christ are equally a part of the same body. Invite campers to read Ephesians 2–4 and then discuss the following questions:?What does the author seem most concerned with in this letter??Why might the author write the words found in Ephesians 4:1-6? Does it sound like people are already getting along, or does it sound like there is conflict present in the church??What can we learn about diversity from this letter? About the church? About community?Conflict ResolutionUnfortunately, Christians have a bad reputation when it comes to conflict. We are known for our internal battles, for the ways that Christians fight one another over issues large and small. Many campers have likely experienced some of this conflict within their own congregations or between churches of different denominations, traditions, or chosen emphases. Invite campers to discuss church conflict by asking questions such as:?Have you experienced conflict within the church? If so, what did that conflict look like??Why do you think Christians argue with one another so much? Are those arguments important or unimportant??What effect, if any, does church conflict have on our witness to the world? Does church conflict change how people outside of the church think about Christianity? If so, how??Based upon your reading of the Ephesians text, how should we go about dealing with conflict in our churches?Day 6 Context Matters (Parting Advice) Second Timothy can be interpreted as a letter written by one who knows he is going to die. While scholars disagree on the authorship of this letter (Is it Paul, or someone writing as Paul?), the authorship does not change the content: Paul suspects that his time on earth will soon be over, and he wants to give some final advice and encouragement to his student and colleague, Timothy. Share this context with campers and then encourage them to read 2 Timothy 1 with that knowledge in the background. Invite them to discuss questions such as:?Does it change how you read this if you know that the words were intended as final advice from a teacher who will likely die soon? If so, how does it affect your understanding??If you were Timothy, how would this parting advice make you feel??What other observations can you make about the text now that you have more context?Fear versus CourageIn the 2 Timothy text, the author sets up a dichotomy of fear versus courage. Invite campers to brainstorm definitions for both fear and courage. Then propose the following definitions and invite campers to discuss the ways that they experience both of these states of mind or heart in their day-to-day lives:Fear = following the crowdCourage = following your heart, following the SpiritDay 7Context Matters (Resurrection) Today’s text is rooted firmly within the disciples’ experiences of Jesus’ resurrection. Invite campers to read all of John 20 so that they can hear John’s account of the resurrection and the encounters with Jesus that immediately followed. Then discuss the following:?Which individuals got to interact with Jesus after the resurrection? How did each of them respond to him??Why do you suppose that the disciples were fearful and locked in a house??Imagine that you are one of the disciples. What would you think and feel if someone told you that Jesus, whom you knew to be dead, was actually resurrected and talking to people? ?Keeping in mind what the disciples had just experienced, how do you think it might have felt to hear Jesus speak the words recounted in John 20:19-23??With those words, would you feel empowered to go out and begin sharing the good news with others? Would the message and experience help you move from fear to a sense of calling? Why or why not?General TopicsSpiritual But Not ReligiousIn today’s culture, we often hear individuals describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” In fact, you may have youth in your group who identify with this label. Invite youth to discuss this topic with questions such as:?What does it mean to be spiritual but not religious??Do you identify with this label? Why or why not? ?Do you think that being religious (attending church, being active in a community of faith, participating in organized worship and liturgy and other religious activities) is important? Why or why not??If you really can experience God powerfully in nature, in silence, and by yourself (and you can!), then why would you want to be part of a religious community??Why did God give us the church? What good is it to have the church? Is it still needed? Spiritual GiftsIt is difficult to talk about the Holy Spirit without also talking about spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are listed in Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11; and 1 Peter 4:11. They include things such as prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy, wisdom, and administration. Chances are good that many of your students have already taken a “spiritual gifts inventory” or “spiritual gifts test,” which many congregations use to help members discern their own spiritual gifts. If you have campers who have not taken one of these tests and you have Internet access (on your phone or elsewhere at camp), give those campers an opportunity to take the Spiritual Gifts Test for Youth found at . After all the campers have had a chance to discover some of their gifts, invite them to discuss the ways that they can use those gifts within the context of the church as well as within the context of their daily lives. Or introduce and discuss the topic; and then, after camp is over, send an email with the link to your campers. Invite them to take the inventory and email back to you what they discovered. This conversation allows you to continue the relationship you have begun at camp and to affirm the continuing growth that comes from living in the Spirit.For all of these activities—Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic, InterpersonalSupplies: Bibles (It’s often helpful for older youth to have access to more than one translation.)Extra Daily Worship Plans Campers in LeadershipConsider assigning worship leadership to a different group of campers each day. They would then be responsible for planning and executing the worship service. What better way to teach leadership skills than to let them lead! Especially for any scripture reading, leading of the Call to Worship or lining out of the psalm, or giving a talk, encourage the camper-leaders to practice so they are comfortable “up front” and effective as worship leaders. Of course, you will want to adapt and modify the suggestions as your team, worship space, tradition, and schedule allow.Multiple Intelligences: InterpersonalSupplies: Bibles, copies of the day’s worship plan, pens or pencilsVisuals for WorshipVisual representations of the lessons can be great ways to help your campers internalize the message. Each day’s plan has suggested visuals, but let your imagination play as you consider your own spaces, places, and supplies. Review also the symbols from the age-level Daily Plans. How might they be incorporated? Some of the age levels may have made representations in their Explore or Experience activities and can bring them to add to worship.Be creative in the set up of your space; consider the light (especially for evening worship), the energy, and the scenery. Making the most of these elements will take some time and preparation but will be worth the effort. Multiple Intelligences: SpatialSupplies: Suggested imagery, including the days’ symbols, items as determined by the plannersScriptureSelect strong readers, either from among the worship team or other volunteers or staff. Encourage the readers to practice reading aloud before worship.For the psalms, consider ways of having the campers do more than simply hear them read. For example, a leader (possibly a worship team camper) can read aloud one phrase or line at a time and have the campers repeat it. This style is called lining-out. Another option is for volunteers on the worship team to do interpretive dance or to create motions for the campers to imitate. Setting the words to music and teaching the song to the campers to sing is also a possibility. Be creative.The Old Testament scriptures are listed before the key passage, which is from the New Testament. However, you may move the psalm to another point, such as part of the Gathering or in the Responding section—whatever seems to fit the flow of the day’s worship.Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic, potentially Bodily/Kinesthetic, Musical, SpatialSupplies: BibleClosing Prayer A “season of prayer” is the suggested closing for each day. The format is for a leader to start the prayer and then to open it up to the campers. The leader should invite campers to pray out loud if they feel so moved, or to pray quietly in their hearts. Each day, a different designated person should close after an appropriate amount of time. You may want to encourage leaders to fill in if campers don’t respond at first. This type of prayer provides the campers an opportunity to pray out loud in a nonthreatening way. It will be even more effective if it is done at night, when the darkness provides more “safety” to pray out loud. Participation may start slowly, but by the end of the week you may need extra time for all the prayers. Remind counselors to be listening to those around them; if they hear any prayers that need follow-up, they should be prepared to help that camper as they can or indicate the need to another appropriate leader. Multiple Intelligences: IntrapersonalSupplies: NoneSkits for WorshipSome of the days include a skit suggestion for worship. Outlines, rather than full scripts, are provided. The idea is for the campers (with staff guidance) to come up with the full plan. It will help if you ask a group of campers to plan and practice the skit in advance, earlier in the day. They will need time to prepare and polish their ideas. The skits should be planned and rehearsed, but can be improvised rather than scripted. The more the campers get into the planning, the better the skit—and their experience—will be. Costumes and props will add to the drama. The skits don’t have to be serious, but should stick to the message of the day. Encourage the campers to be creative and have fun.Below are a few examples of possible skits. Feel free to copy and cut apart the skits. Give the instructions to the skit team for that day.Multiple Intelligences: Bodily/Kinesthetic, InterpersonalSupplies: Costumes and props as determined by each skit teamCamper ResponseThe worship plan for each day includes an activity for the campers to participate in to help emphasize the message. These will require some preparation and set up. Multiple Intelligences: Depending upon the specific activitySupplies: As needed for the particular responseDay 7 ALERTBe sure to read the worship plan for Day 7 early. Two ideas there will require advance work: 1) taking photographs all week long and 2) identifying campers who are “aging out” of your camp and who can share with the group their thoughts.Skit for Day 1: “Find Peace with Jesus”A “Jesus” character holds a paper that says “Peace.” One at a time, other characters enter complaining about how busy they are; how stressed they are about school; or how anxious they are about family, money, or world issues, for example. Each time, Jesus tries to offer his peace, but all the characters ignore him and continue to obsess over their problems. Finally, one character accepts the peace from Jesus, relaxes, and walks off stage sharing with Jesus his or her concerns. Skit for Day 2: “Eyewitness Reaction”A group of eyewitnesses react to the Pentecost story in a variety of ways. One is overwhelmed and can’t believe what he or she saw. One tries to find “logical” explanations for all that happened. One wants to run out and tell everyone he or she knows about God’s love. One wants to hush up the whole thing for fear of seeming crazy.The resolution is that, no matter what the reaction to the Holy Spirit, people are changed. We face the questions of how we will react and what difference our reactions will make in our lives.Skit for Day 3: “WWJD”Character 1 encounters someone crying. Character 1 views the scene for a moment as an offstage voice reads Matthew 5:4. Character 1 then moves to the upset person and offers comfort.Character 2 encounters a person anxious and stressing about life’s problems, worried about how things will turn out. Character 2 views the scene for a moment as an offstage voice reads John 14:27. Character 2 then moves in and helps bring peace to the situation.Character 3 encounters a group making fun of and judging someone for what she is wearing or how she is acting. Character 3 views the scene for a moment as an offstage voice reads John 8:7-11. Character 3 then moves in to stop the verbal abusers.Skit for Day 6: “The Holy Spirit Gives Us What We Need”Campers stand on stage in a line; each states a concern (examples below). After each speaks, the “Holy Spirit” character brings that person what he or she needs to make a difference. Here are some examples; feel free to come up with other ideas:Character 1: “I know kids who feel lonely and left out.” The Holy Spirit character brings a sign that says: “Courage to be a friend to the friendless.”Character 2: “I know kids who are struggling with difficult life choices.” The Holy Spirit character brings a sign that says: “Courage to be a listening ear.”Character 3: “I know kids who are hungry.” The Holy Spirit character brings a sign that says: “Courage to organize a food drive.”Character 4: “I know there are those who don’t know God’s love.” The Holy Spirit character brings a sign that says: “Courage to share my faith.”Worship for Day 1: Power Up with the Promise of PeacePreparationVisuals: Hang as many peace signs and peace quotes around your space as you can. Check with age-level leaders also. Some groups may have made peace signs, which they can contribute to the display for worship. Here are additional ways of making peace signs: ?Use a pool noodle duct-taped in a circle with cut pieces of another noodle for the center lines. ?Make a grapevine wreath and add twigs for the center part.?Use a paper plate for the base, and add craft sticks for the center lines. For additional visual impact at an evening worship, wrap lights around the peace signs.Suggested peace quotes:“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is not noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” —Anonymous“Peace is not something you wish for. It’s something you make, something you are, and something you give away.” —John Lennon“Peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Christ.” —Sheila Walsh“Don’t let others pull you into their storm. Pull them into your peace.” —Kimberly Jones“Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” —Wayne W. Dyer“When we put our problems in God’s hands, God puts peace in our hearts.” —Anonymous“Even in the most peaceful surroundings, the angry heart finds quarrel. Even in the most quarrelsome surroundings, the grateful heart finds peace.” —Doe Zantamata“Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—in peace because they trust in you.”—Isaiah 26:3 Message: 1.Day 1 Skit Suggestion: “Find Peace with Jesus.” A “Jesus” character holds a paper that says “Peace.” One at a time, other characters enter complaining about how busy they are; how stressed they are about school; or how anxious they are about family, money, or world issues. Each time, Jesus tries to offer his peace, but all the characters ignore him and continue to obsess over their problems. Finally, one character accepts the peace from Jesus, relaxes, and walks off stage sharing with Jesus his or her concerns. 2.The story of Sadako and the thousand paper cranes is available on the Internet. It is also in the children’s book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.Camper Response: Provide origami paper, cut and ready to be folded into paper cranes. Directions are available online or in the children’s book. Provide tables for supplies and for workspaces. (Leader Note: Have counselors and worship team members practice making the cranes so they are ready to assist campers.) GatheringCall to Worship: This will be a call and response. The leader, who can be a camper with strong reading skills, will speak out strongly; and campers will respond enthusiastically with, “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!” For this first worship, the leader may need to teach the pattern and give campers a practice round. The pattern is consistent every day.Leader: “Be with us this day, Lord.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “Be with us in our play, exploration, and learning.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “May we feel you close, so that we can power up with the promise of peace!”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Song: “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” or another choice from the Song Suggestions list or your own camp tradition.Opening Prayer: Before the prayer, invite the group to sit in silence for a few moments to experience the peace of their surroundings. Then pray: “Lord, thank you for this special place of peace. As we live together as your community at camp this week, help us to be instruments of your peace. Help us each to be patient and kind as we experience what it is to live in the Spirit, through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.”ProclaimingScripture: Psalm 51:10 (see notes in “Worship Plans”), John 14:25-27 Message: 1.Skit for Day 1: “Find Peace with Jesus” 2.Tell or read the story of Sadako and the thousand paper cranes.RespondingCamper Response: Have tables with supplies ready for each camper to fold a paper crane. Younger campers may need help. Hang the cranes around your worship space or have campers take them home.Song: Sing “Peace Like a River,” or choose from the Song Suggestions list or your own tradition.Closing: A season of prayerWorship for Day 2: Power Up and Celebrate the SpiritPreparationVisuals: Place Sterno or other “liquid heat” cans in terracotta pots and cover tops with rocks, leaving the wick exposed. Light these to represent the tongues of flames. (Leader Note: Use these only with permission, and be sure they are closely supervised.) Hang blue and white streamers from your space to represent the wind. For added effect, turn on a small fan or two to get the streamers moving. Message: Day 2 Skit Suggestion: “Eyewitness Reaction.” A group of eyewitnesses react to the Pentecost story in a variety of ways. One is overwhelmed and can’t believe what he or she saw. One tries to find “logical” explanations for all that happened. One wants to run out and tell everyone he or she knows about God’s love. One wants to hush up the whole thing for fear of seeming crazy. The resolution is that, no matter what the reaction to the Holy Spirit, people are changed. We face the questions of how we will react and what difference our reactions will make in our lives.Camper Response: During the response time, campers will be given an opportunity to make a windsock. To make a windsock, use construction paper cut in half long way. Have campers decorate one half with Holy Spirit symbols: dove, flames, wind, and so forth. Staple or glue the half into a circle. Staple or glue 12-to-24-inch long, colorful streamers around the bottom of the construction-paper circle. Add a piece of yarn at the top for hanging. Hang the windsocks in your worship space for the rest of the camp. Observe how the wind moves though them. The materials needed are construction paper, stapler or glue, streamers, scissors, yarn, markers, crayons.GatheringCall to Worship: Leader: “Be with us this day, Lord.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “Be with us in our play, exploration, and learning.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “May we feel your Holy Spirit all around us as we power up and celebrate the Spirit!”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Song: “I Will Celebrate!” (Paul Baloche) or another choice from the Song Suggestions list or your own camp tradition.Opening Prayer: “Lord, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Open our hearts and minds as we learn today, and help us to feel your breath on us as we explore today. Be with us as we celebrate that gift today and always. Amen.”ProclaimingScripture: Psalm 31:5; Acts 2:1-18, 22-24, 33 Message: Skit for Day 2: “Eyewitness Reaction” Responding Camper Response: Invite campers to the tables of supplies to make a windsock. Hang windsocks in a common area of camp.Song: “Father, Long Before Creation” (Chinese, translated by Francis P. Jones) or choose from the Song Suggestions list or your own tradition.Closing: A season of prayerWorship for Day 3: Power Up to Imitate ChristPreparationVisual: Hang or place large mirrors all around the worship space. Have tables covered in small mirrors, with enough for one per camper. (Small craft mirrors will work.) Message: 1.A leader should be ready to talk of a time when he or she tried to imitate someone he or she looked up to, telling about how that was either a success or failure and tying the experience in with the idea of following Christ as the one campers should be trying to emulate. 2.Day 3 Skit Suggestion: “WWJD”Character 1 encounters someone crying. Character 1 views the scene for a moment as an offstage voice reads Matthew 5:4. Character 1 then moves to the upset person and offers comfort.Character 2 encounters a person anxious and stressing about life’s problems, worried about how things will turn out. Character 2 views scene for a moment as an offstage voice reads John 14:27. Character 2 then moves in and helps bring peace to the situation.Character 3 encounters a group making fun of and judging someone for what she is wearing or how she is acting. Character 3 views the scene for a moment as an offstage voice reads John 8:7-11. Character 3 then moves in to stop the verbal abusers.Camper Response: On the tables, have fine-line markers or paint pens and a mirror for each camper. (Small craft mirrors will work.)GatheringCall to Worship: Leader: “Be with us this day, Lord.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “Be with us in our play, exploration, and learning.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “May we grow closer to you so that we can be imitators of you!”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Song: “Change My Heart, O God” or other choice from the Song Suggestions list or your own camp tradition.Opening Prayer: “Lord, thank you for the example you gave us in Jesus. Through your Holy Spirit, help us to know Jesus more and more so that all our actions will reflect him. Amen.”ProclaimingScripture: Psalm 143:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7Message: 1.Leader talk on whom to imitate 2.Skit for Day 3: “WWJD”RespondingCamper Response: Invite campers to the tables of mirrors; have them stand around and look into the mirrors. Ask campers to silently consider these questions: ?What do you see in these mirrors? ?What does God see? ?What does the world see? ?How can you be a reflection of God?Invite each camper to pick up a mirror and with the fine-line markers write: “[His or her own name] is a reflection of God.” Campers should take their mirrors home with them and keep them where they will see them often so that they will remember to be that reflection everywhere they go. Song: “Every Move I Make” or choose from the Song Suggestions list or your own tradition.Closing: A season of prayerWorship for Day 4: Power Up with the Fruit of the SpiritPreparationVisuals: Using nine fruit with a skin you won’t eat (watermelon, cantaloupe, orange, banana, honeydew, grapefruit…), write each of the nine fruit of the Spirit on them. (By using this kind of fruit you can write on them but still eat them later. Otherwise, tape pieces of paper [each with a word on it, and one per fruit] on the fruit.) Arrange fruit in a basket or other artful display on your altar space. As always, be aware of campers’ food allergies.Scripture: The psalm has the pronoun “they” in it, referring generally to “all living things.” Consider substituting the noun phrase for the reading in order for the meaning to be clearer. For the New Testament reading, decide whether to read the full passage or only verses 22-23a, 25-26. A key consideration is who is in the audience. The shorter passage is what the younger children have been studying. Message: Two or three leaders should each be prepared to tell about a time when he or she practiced one or more of the fruit of the Spirit and saw how it was helpful to him or her or others. The leaders should also tell where they have seen campers displaying the fruit of the Spirit through the week at camp.Camper Response: Set up “Fruit Stations” beforehand. For each station completed, the camper earns two or three colored beads. At the end of worship, each camper will add the nine beads collected to a length of leather cord to create a bracelet, a reminder of the nine fruit of the Spirit, to take home.Assign staff to run each station and help campers as they progress. Younger campers will need more help. Staff should give clues and make sure all are successful.Station 1: Have the campers decode the words. Either give them a printed handout of just the puzzles or display them on a poster board. Campers can work in groups or individually. Supply a Bible. Give out two beads at this station. If your group is using “generosity” rather than “goodness” as a fruit, be sure to adjust the puzzle.PuzzleAnswer and SolutionOLEVLove: Opposite letter of the alphabet (A=Z, B=Y…)KPZJoy: next letter in alphabetECAEPPeace: spelled backwards16, 1, 20, 9, 5, 14, 3, 5Patience: number reflects letter (A=1, B=2…)JHMCMDRRKindness: previous letter in alphabetMake a mirror image of GoodnessGoodness: mirror imageStation 2: Ask each camper to think of someone in his or her life that camper has seen display all nine fruit of the Spirit. If a camper cannot think of someone he or she knows, ask that camper to name someone famous who has displayed all nine fruit (Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, for example). Talk about what living the fruit of the Spirit looks like, and ask campers how they think their chosen persons can be so “fruitful.” Use a fine-line permanent marker to write the first initial of the camper’s person on one of the colored beads for this station so that will serve as a reminder. Give out two beads.Station 3: Ask campers to name familiar Bible stories and then to identify the various fruit displayed in those stories. Ask if any can come up with real-life stories in which they saw one or more fruit displayed. Give out two beads.Station 4: Ask campers to think about which three of the fruit they have the most trouble living in their own lives. Talk about ways they can strengthen those fruit every day. Remind them that the Holy Spirit is their helper and guide. Give out three beads. Use a fine-line marker or paint pen to mark each of these three beads with a large dot to remind campers to keep working on these fruit.GatheringCall to Worship:Leader: “Be with us this day, Lord.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “Be with us in our play, exploration, and learning.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “May we grow in the Holy Spirit so that we can power up with the fruit of the Spirit!”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Song: “Trading My Sorrows” (Darrell Evans) or another choice from the Song Suggestions list or your own camp tradition.Opening Prayer: “Lord, thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to live in each of us. Help us to display all the wonderful fruit of the Spirit, so that we are living testaments to you and your love. Amen.”ProclaimingScripture: Psalm 104:30; Galatians 5:16-26 Message: (You may want to keep this short, as the camper response is longer.) Leaders should briefly tell of places in their lives where they have practiced the fruit of the Spirit. They are also to identify times during camp when they have seen campers display the fruit of the Spirit. RespondingCamper Response: Divide campers into four groups and invite them to rotate through the “Fruit Stations” you have prepared around your worship space. Finish by helping campers make their reminder bracelets. Point out that wearing the bracelet is a bit like recognizing that the Holy Spirit is always with us, reminding us of all that Jesus taught us and helping us to live in the Spirit. Song: “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart” or choose from the Song Suggestions list or your own tradition.Closing: A season of prayerWorship for Day 5: Power Up as One CommunityPreparationVisuals: If your camp did the “We’re One” activity from the younger youth section, use those group posters to create one camp poster to be displayed.Message: 1.A leader or a volunteer camper from the worship team needs to be prepared to tell about a time when he or she asked for and received the support of a Christian community (camp, church, other supportive group). The message should emphasize the power of having a Christian community. 2.Have a table with several Scrabble games on it. Display the letters face up, so campers can easily choose. Campers will be asked to create words using the tiles. (An alternative is to have a long roll of paper and markers for the campers to write words or draw pictures.)Camper Response: Each camper will be asked to place a thumbprint on a “branch of a tree.” You will need an illustration of a tree trunk and branches, drawn ahead of time on a poster board. This needs to be large enough to have room for a thumbprint from everyone in your camp. Provide stamp pads of green, brown, red, or yellow and fine-line markers. (If you have the ability, the tree could be painted on a canvas for a more permanent display.)GatheringCall to Worship:Leader: “Be with us this day, Lord.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “Be with us in our play, exploration, and learning.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “May we grow closer to you so that we can power up as one community!”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Song: “We Are a Rainbow” or another choice from the Song Suggestions list or your own camp tradition.Opening Prayer: “Lord, thank you for our camp. Thank you for making us one family this week. Help us to remember this feeling of community and connection long after camp is done. Amen.”ProclaimingScripture: Psalm 51:11; Ephesians 4:1-6Message: 1.A leader tells about a time when he or she needed and received the support of a community. 2.Campers contribute words that remind them of what it means to be part of the camp family. Have them come up by cabin groups while other campers are singing.RespondingCamper Response: Invite campers to come forward to the altar where the poster board of the tree is displayed. Each camper is to use the inkpad to add a thumbprint to the tree as a “leaf.” Have each camper write his or her name over or by the thumbprint. Talk about how each individual camper has left a unique mark on this camp. Point out that each thumbprint “leaf” makes up a part of the whole tree, just as each camper makes up a part of the camp. Emphasize that each individual is unique, but we are all part of the bigger picture and connected to one another. Song: “We Are the Family of God” (Jon Byron) or choose from the Song Suggestions list or your own tradition.Closing: A season of prayerWorship for Day 6: Power Up with CouragePreparationVisuals: On large cardboard boxes paint words of courage. Display them all around your space. (Suggestions include: stand fast, stand up, speak up, brave, spunk, resolution, guts, heart, boldness, fearless, backbone, fortitude, etc.) Message:1.Supplies for an anointing service (oil and leaders ready to pray with each camper).2.Day 6 Skit Suggestion: “The Holy Spirit Gives Us What We Need”Camper Response: Provide paper and pen or pencil for each camper and baskets to collect responses in. If possible, play a recording of the song “Brave” by Sara Bareilles.GatheringCall to Worship: Leader: “Be with us this day, Lord.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “Be with us in our play, exploration, and learning.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “May we know you so well we will always have courage!”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Song: “Beloved (1 John 4:7-8)” or other choice from the Song Suggestions list or your own camp tradition.Opening Prayer: “Lord, as we begin to think about what comes after camp, help us to find the courage to take what we have learned and make a difference in our world. We know the world can sometimes be a dark place; help us to be the light that makes a difference wherever we go. Amen.”ProclaimingScripture: Psalm 139:7-10; 2 Timothy 1:6-7, 13-14 Message: Take this opportunity to invite campers to commit to or deepen their commitment to following Jesus, knowing that the Holy Spirit will be with them in their journey as Christians.If it is appropriate in your faith tradition, anoint each camper with a laying on of hands, empowering the campers to have the courage to rely on the Holy Spirit to help them be reflections of Christ in their world.Have a group ready to present the skit for Day 6. Responding Camper Response: Have campers write down where they see needs in their world and how they can do something to make it better. Remind campers these can be big plans or just small and simple things. Collect papers in an offering basket and bring them to the altar. Have a leader say a prayer over them and ask God to give the campers the courage to follow through. Song: Listen to “Brave” (Sara Bareilles), or choose a song to sing from the Song Suggestions list or your own tradition.Closing: A season of prayerWorship for Day 7: Power Up for Peace Wherever You GoPreparationVisuals: Hang pictures from your week of camp all around. You could have some projected and running on a loop from a computer. Ask counselors to make posters with their parting words of wisdom for the campers. (“I pray you will never forget the feeling of this week,” “You have touched my life,” “I hope you have been blessed,” “Remember the Holy Spirit is always with you.”) Display these all around the space. Message: Campers who are “aging out” of your program should be asked to share with the group what they have learned and how they will be different when they get home. You will want to prepare the campers days in advance so they will have time to think of what they would like to say.Camper Response: Share in Holy Communion in the tradition of your faith.GatheringCall to Worship: Leader: “Be with us this day, Lord.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “Be with us in our play, exploration, and learning.”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Leader: “May we always feel your peace wherever we are!”Campers: “Holy Spirit, help us to power up!”Song: “Here I Am, Lord,” or another choice from the Song Suggestions list or your own camp tradition.Opening Prayer: “Lord, thank you for the amazing week we have had. We thank you for this time as a family, as a community centered in your love. As we begin to think about going home, help us to find the courage to take what we have learned and make a difference in our world. Amen.”ProclaimingScripture: Psalm 51:12; John 20:19-23 Message: One at a time, invite the campers who are aging out of this program to come and share what they have learned and how they will take it home with them. (If campers cannot or will not share, counselors could speak.) Responding Camper Response: Have campers take communion in the manner the tradition of your faith dictates. Song: “Bind Us Together” or choose from the Song Suggestions list or your own tradition.Closing: A season of prayerTell Us What You Think…Each year an Editorial Advisory Team convenes to dream and create a theme and outline for upcoming editions of InsideOut. Their starting point is answering the question, How can this resource serve camps most effectively? To answer that question, we want to hear from you. Please complete the following survey and e-mail or snail mail it to the address below. 1. What role does a program resource play in your camp experience?2. How much or little is the theme expressed at camp?3. Describe your experience with Power Up! 4. What changes or updates would you like to see in the future?5. How can InsideOut serve your camp most effectively?_______________________________Your name_______________________________Your e-mail addressMay we contact you for research or testing new materials? ____ yes _____ noAre you interested in applying to write for the new camping materials? ____ yes _____ no? E-mail to info@. Or, mail it to InsideOut483 E Lockwood Ste 100, Saint Louis, MO 63119“Power Up!” is part of a four-year cycle of camp resources developed for InsideOut Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministries. Themes include:? ? ?God the Creator“All Things New: Look What God Is Doing!”? ? ?Jesus the Christ“Get Real: Finding Your True Self in Jesus”? ? ?The Holy Spirit Working within UsPower Up! Living in the Spirit? ? ?The Church in the World (available fall 2015) “Fearless Faith”Sneak Peek at next yearFearless Faith What does it mean to be a part of a Christian community? How can the church be a resource that gives campers confidence and courage? Campers will explore how they themselves are a part of the Church and what that means about how we relate to one another and the world. Watch how the strength of Christian community casts out fear and replaces it with hope! ................
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