Beyond Expectations
2025 YOUTH SUMMER CAMP
AUTHOR: JONATHAN SCHEFFRAHN
This year marked a new chapter for Grace Community Church: our first-ever youth summer camp! We teamed up with seven other churches at the nearby Camp Lake Lavon for an affordable experience packed with fun, faith-building, and fellowship.
We brought thirty of our own to camp, and to say it was fun just doesn’t do it justice. Days were a whirlwind of adventure: ziplining, go-karting, archery, banana boating on the lake, bouncing on the blob, and playing games in the “Kool Zone.” We also enjoyed soccer, volleyball, basketball, and so much more. Our opening night kicked off with a silent disco party—a brand-new experience for almost everyone! Other evenings featured skits, dazzling fireworks, a home run derby, and awards.
More Than Just Fun: Building Faith and Identity
Even more important than the fun were the faith-building experiences. The camp’s theme, “AI” (Artificial Identity), explored how God offers us a real identity and purpose. Each morning, students started with personal devotional time and their Bibles, connecting one-on-one with God. We then had group sessions, both as Grace Community Church and with all the churches together, focused on deepening our faith. We’re thrilled that two of our students, Phoebe Iyoke and Alyssa Reyes, were so moved by their camp experience that they chose to be baptized the following Sunday morning!
Forming Lasting Friendships
This week also strengthened our bonds as friends. Jazmine, one of our brave students, signed up for summer camp as her very first youth ministry experience. It was a big leap of faith, as there’s no hiding when you’re with people at camp for days on end. We’re so glad she took that chance, because she truly became part of our church family this week, and we loved having her with us. The fellowship among the students and youth team was genuine, and we hope these connections will last a long time.
We have many more exciting experiences planned for our youth ministry this year. We hope even more students will join us so we can continue to have a lot of fun, grow in our faith, and build closer relationships.
