Hey Parents! Technology and a couple other variables are challenging - so I'm going with what works - good old fashioned text updates. Here are the things to know for camps this year:

Location: We are headed to Cross Oak Camp in St. Mary's, Ohio. It is roughly an hour away and is poised to provide a fun, healthy and safe environment for our students to engage in all the things that God has in store for us.

Dates: Middle School Camp (current 5th-7th Grade students) - June 20-24; High School Camp (current 8th-12th Grade students) - June 24-28

Registration Opens: Wednesday, April 15 - Costs will be indicated on the registration form.

Notes from our Goals of Camp:

• GET AWAY: As usual, we are getting away from our normal routine and location so that we can have the fullest camp experience possible. This is the reason that we prohibit phones while at camp. This is for the benefit of students. You can email geoff@hopemc.org if you'd like to talk about this. However, phones that are found at camp are confiscated until the end of camp - so keep them at home. This part is new: With only being an hour away, it will be tempting to want to pull students out at different times for different activities. This is just not what's best for students or camp. Students will be permitted one arrival and one departure. However, we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE clearing the week out so that the fullness of camp can be experienced by students. These arrangements MUST be made ahead of time with HopeStudents Staff. Email Geoff@hopemc.org with questions.
• CONNECT WITH GOD: We have a number of things planned to intentionally place students in environments where they have space to connect, personally with the Lord. From Time Alone With God experiences to significant moments of worship, to messages that come from the heart of our leaders, to sharing times that encourage each other - God always shows up at camp in ways we can't always expect and we always get to celebrate.
• CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER: By being on our own this year, we will have greater and more intentional times to connect together in small groups, but also as a youth group. Times of sharing in cabin groups AND in the larger youth group will be available to students with greater opportunities for those relationships to be able to go deeper as we spend more time together throughout the week. Everything we do will have an intentional community building element to it and we cannot wait to see how this amplifies relationships in our groups.
• HAVE A TON OF FUN: We have some fun stuff coming that we are releasing to students on Wednesday - but we are so stoked to make memories with these fun elements all week long. It's going to be a week students won't soon forget.

SPEAKERS/WORSHIP: This year, our team is bringing the messages and diving into a theme of ANCHORED out of Hebrews 7. Worship is being led by Tyler David for Middle School and Jake Burkle & Friends for High School. We are excited to come expectantly and intentionally as we dig into content designed for our students.

STAFF: We are excited to welcome many of our small group leaders, student ministry alumni, and vetted adults to help us pull off camp. From nurses to activity staff, and small group leaders to band members, many Hope Church people are going to be present and helping lead the way.

FINANCIAL NOTES: Hope Church is committed and generous to make a way for kids to get to camp. A generous stipend will be applied to each registration. Additionally, transportation (provided by Royal Excursion) is subsidized by those funds as well. Families with 3+ students or kids will also receive a discount. At the end of the day, we want every student to get to camp and will make things work to see that happen.

I'll send you another update on Wednesday when the registration opens after youth group - but it's safe to say, God is cooking up a bunch of great things for us as we get ready for Middle School and High School Camp.