It is hard to believe that our 2023 summer season has already ended! God blessed us in more ways than we could have imagined and moved in such significant ways over the past month. We’ve now had a few days since campers left to begin reflecting on the summer, and we wanted to share some of the highlights from a fantastic season.
For the second year, we welcomed our ASCEND Team as our leadership training program and staff for much of the summer. This team of young people served so faithfully—going above and beyond to put God, Camp, and the kids they were counseling first. The group bonded immediately and worked together with levels of communication and teamwork that were impressive to see. It was a joy to work alongside them!
Our programming began with two weeks of Day Camp. It is always incredible to watch our youngest campers interact with the world around them. They are filled with excitement and curiosity, which extends into everything they do. They went canoeing, went on hikes, played games, and learned so much about their Creator!
Junior Camp was one of the absolute highlights of the summer at Pine Brook. Eighty-five campers brought so much energy to the week as we learned about the Fruit of the Spirit. These kids went a little deeper into the Word, and we watched many campers give their lives over to Jesus.
Teen Camp closed out the summer on a powerful note. We welcomed Pastor Rex Bell and his family to Camp as our speaker for the week, and God used him to connect with our teens in a big way. Our worship services and evening messages saw our teens engaging with their faith and desiring even more. They focused, they asked questions, and they accepted God. At the end of the week, Pastor Rex baptized three of our teens in the pond.
We had such amazing, selfless volunteers throughout the whole summer. So many members of our Camp family, from many generations of it, give time to bless Camp.
Overall, Summer 2023 is one we will remember for a long time! So much time, planning, and prayer go into preparing for the summer. What a blessing to have a summer like this one! And now, it’s time to catch up on some rest!