Best Launch Camp EVER!

God is SO good all the time! This year's LAUNCH camp far exceeded my expectations! What a year for God to move in our young people. For the first time in seven years, we decided to host a camp for our kids only, instead of inviting other churches. Although we had some visitors, it was mostly our kids, and every single one of them got rocked...including the visitors and first-timers! The camp theme, "All Things New", I believe was and is a prophetic proclaimation for the season our church is in. Everything about camp was new. New location, some new kids, new games, new friends, new move of the Holy Spirit, new variety of speakers, new memories, new encounters! There's no way to really describe or photograph the move of God in the young people, but it the change is evident on a weekly basis. The church is moving in a newness and I, for one, have not "breathed" this clearly or lightly for a very long time. I feel as if I've been running for years with these heavy loads, that I must have thought were helping me, but have only hindered my race. I can run so much faster now (spiritually, not naturally speaking!) God spoke to me and through me at camp...unbelievable! I found myself saying and doing things I never thought would be possible...and it wasn't without the move of the Holy Spirit there. I love Jesus! He always knows what's best for us...even when it hurts. And I love Him so much more because of that! From the inside out, I've truly been changed! Here are a few of the cazillion pictures I have from camp.

THE CAMP:

THE STAGE:

Cheese designed brand new logos and decorations for us!

THE STORE:

THE SPEAKERS:

Sean Smith

Pastor Mike Nortune

Pastor Jon Jon

I missed pictures, but we also had Jeff Rostocil, Pastor Abby Blankenship, and Pastora Elana speak to us throughout camp.


THE GAMES:
The camp was split into two teams: Cow vs. Chicken (or rather, pollo loco). Here is some of the competition between teams. Moooooooooooooo!

Scavenger Hunt
Moooooooooooooooooo!

Quite possibly the funniest game I have ever watched! Counselors battled each other from opposite teams wearing panty-hose-with-a-tennis-ball-on-the-end. Swinging heads covered in panty-hose...stinkin' hilarious! Here's Pastor Jon Jon & Stuart.
Off they go!

And this is probably the grossest game we've ever played (seriously worse than PB feet!) It still makes me shiver. Two teams race, one person at a time, to bob for live goldfish! Sick....and it gets worse. After each pair of opposing team members is done "bobbing" for the fish, the fish are put back in the big container---saliva, dead fish, live fish, and anything else that fell in the water for the next person to "bob" on! And so the game continues. I think some people ended up swallowing live fish, on purpose, for extra teams points. But to be honest, I had to leave the room before that!
Team cheers

After an exhausting three games of Capture the Flag on the beach, everyone crowds in for a picnic lunch. I missed the action pictures, but it was so much fun!

I love youth ministry!
THE THEME DINNERS:

Bling-Bling Night


Hollywood/Celebrity Night:

"Lindsay Lohan & Paris Hilton"

Fandango Hosts

"Holly Golightly"

Spelling Bee Night:

THE GOOD TIMES:


The entire pastoral unit
I have two words for you: Brandon's stupid! (This is not the first time he's done this...)


Jim wearing his wife's bathing suit!
My bro wearing a nasty wig!

Me and my sis

I am no longer a slave to
...my past
...my failures,
...my insecurities,
...my boring christianity,
... my fears,
...my culture

Because MY GOD MAKES ALL THINGS NEW! (Rev 21:5)