Youth Retreat a Blast
The first retreat of the new school year took place at camp over Columbus Day weekend. Seven youth showed up from around MATE to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and wonderful weather. While numbers were low, the energy level was not. Making use of the abnormally high temperatures, we were able to participate in a couple of low ropes elements and enjoy a friendly game of kickball. The camp also got some much needed attention as a few small cleanup projects were able to be completed to begin preparation for the winter months. After the sunset, classic camp games (like spoons) and stories filled the mess hall with laughter.
The topic for the weekend was relationships - our relationships with friends and our relationship with God. Friday night we spent discussing what makes a good friend. We looked at Jesus as our example and used 1John 3:16, among other passages, to highlight that we are suppose to go the extra mile to be friends with people who we might not get along with, might be new, or just not currently friends with. Saturday and Sunday turned our attention to our relationship with God. Using a NOOMA video (Rhythm), we discussed where we find God in our daily lives. We look for God in our troubled times but often ignore Him during the good times. Perhaps this is why we feel "out of tune" with life? Discussion was led to focus on how to include God in both the good and the bad times in our life and to have that personal relationship with God.
If you are interested in becoming invloved with the next retreat, either by attending or counseling, please contact Jeremy Hamel at 577-6334 or jeremy@missionattheeastward.org. You can also send a comment here.