“Father, we praise You for this day and this weather! We praise You for life! I praise You for all these children and all their parents. It is so beautiful and we praise You for all of their special, loving friends and for everyone who is helping to raise these kids, Father. We praise You for those who love these children. I pray that You bring even more here. May all of these children have more and more adults watching after them and helping them and leading them. I pray that the children hear the voices of their parents and their Counselors and Junior Assistants and leaders…that they listen up for that more than anything else and learn to listen for Your voice. I pray for these characteristics. I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ…because they are Your characteristics God…that we have more and more of them. I pray for safety for this year. I pray, God, for a focus from the Counselors on down through every Camper. I pray that You are honored more than ever and that You are glorified more than ever. May we have the characteristics of Jesus Christ, and may this brotherhood grow tight. May these children grow tight. May they learn more about each other. May they know each other more than they know their computer games. May they love Your Kingdom and Your Church and take care of it. And all this we pray in Jesus’ most Holy Name, Amen!” – Prayer led by Gwen Shamblin at our Summer Day Camp Kickoff – Sunday, May 26th 2013
With those powerful words and MANY MORE shared in an opening address given by Gwen, our Remnant Fellowship Day Camp officially “kicked off” for the Summer! This time of year is one of the MOST FUN seasons that we have here in this Church each year. So much growth and bonding and refining takes place…not just with you Youth Campers but also with us as adults and parents. When your children are with other Godly young people and supervised by such loving, caring adults, you cannot begin to say THANK YOU enough! GOD truly surrounds the members of this Church with so much love and fellowship…and it is GENUINE. Families WANT to be together. The children don’t argue and fuss and fight. They LOVE playing with each other and learning together. And Gwen’s Spirit-led charge and theme for the Summer is, indeed, centered on the Day Campers and the entire Church focusing on the “characteristics of Christ.” Gwen will be at the Day Camp devotionals regularly, and her main focus for the Summer will be on the qualities of LOVE expressed in I Corinthians 13. Beyond that, our Camp T-shirt is a bright red color…FILLED with words that describe our Lord, the Son of GOD – Jesus Christ. Check out this list of amazing qualities…ALL of which we plan to have even MORE of as the Summer progresses: loyal, good, peaceful, zealous, perfect, truthful, compassionate, forgiving, joyful, bold, trustworthy, gentle, persevering, pure, kind, loving, Godly, holy, courageous, humble, obedient, wise, courteous, thankful, patient, content, grateful, responsible, generous, selfless, encouraging, righteous, servant, temperate, honest, focused, reverent, faithful, fair, and submissive. WOW! Now THAT is a list worth going for 100 percent!
Our Day Camp Kickoff also featured our Day Campers learning which “Tribes” or “Teams” they will be on for the Summer. And as has been our tradition in past years, we are identifying these Teams using the twelve Tribes of Israel – Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. EVERY single Camper had his or her name called as they moved to the Stage to stand with their Tribe. The memories of this Summer’s activities and events…and most importantly, what we LEARN and APPLY to our lives with the characteristics of Christ…will serve our Youth well as the move back into their schooling in the Fall. We do not take these Day Camp sessions lightly. While there are LOTS of fun games and activities and life lessons learned, the POINT of this Camp is for our precious children…and the entire Church in the process…to be MORE Christ-like as these three months progress. Praise GOD for the Remnant Fellowship Summer Day Camp experience! If you are visiting us via our websites, through Weigh Down classes, and/or via our local Assemblies or webcasts, stay close! You’ll see, hear, and read about our Day Camp updates throughout the Summer…and you’ll be BLOWN AWAY at the maturity, growth, and spiritual depth of these young people. They truly are making, as Gwen has taught about for so long now, the CONNECTION with GOD! Their prayers are being answered as they listen to and obey their parents, teachers, and Counselors. What a blessing! You truly cannot put a pricetag on getting to raise your children in this message. What is it worth to put your children in a position to hear the TRUTH on a daily basis? What is it worth to surround them with other Godly children and families? GOD is doing something very powerful here, and we look forward to sharing more and more about the “characteristics of Christ” and how we are applying them as the Summer progresses!
1 Comment
Thank you Gwen for your beautiful prayer and your charge to the children (all of us) of to love others as you love yourself.