PYV Summer Camp 2016 (2017) - Day 6

It's getting harder to get started. But the leaders still gathered early in the day to pray together, be informed of the activities of the day, and to encourage each other to finish the camp well. Our assistant convener, Scott, led our devotions today. Thanks Scott for helping us come to this busy day with a reminder of God's goodness to us.

Some of the campers were able to get up early, pack their bags, and still be ready for the pre-breakfast prayer meeting. May their prayers continue to be heard and voiced for many years to come.

After breakfast - pancakes!! - the rest of us quickly packed our bags and then made our way into the sessions room for our morning worship session. It was good today to hear a testimony from someone much younger. Mitch is part of the team doing YouthMETRO and while he is a young man (at least from the perspective of my age) he knows and trusts Jesus.

The sermon from Jared today pointed us to the Passover. While this would have been a truly horrific event for the Egyptians, Jared helped us to see that it was not the fact that some people were Israelites that protected them, but rather that it was those who acted in faith who found themselves safe. In faith they sacrificed a lamb and put the blood on the doorframe. God has redeemed his faithful people.

Through the sermons Jared has helped us all to see that Exodus shows God to be a God:

• who is faithful
• who is holy
• who sends
• who makes himself known
• who is Lord overall
• who redeems. 

Breaking into our study groups gave us the opportunity to discuss again what we had just heard and to see how it applies to our lives.Just as the Israelites put themselves under the blood of the lamb, as God had instructed them to do, we now put ourselves under the blood of Jesus.

The final page of our study group questions made us look back at all we had been discussing over the week and see what the implications are for our own lives:

• If God is faithful, then I will . . .
• If God is holy, then I will . . .
• If God sends, then I will . . .
• If God makes himself known, then I will . . .
• If God is Lord overall, then I will . . .
• And if God redeems, then I will . . .

Good questions to reflect on.

After lunch we had our final session together. This was a chance for us to say 'thanks' to all those who had worked so hard in many roles on camp. There are study leaders, dorm leaders, activity group leaders, (and a large group doing all three!), camp parents, leaders' chaplains, first aid, tech team, musicians, and the executive team. All these people did an amazing job to get everything done, and get it done safely.

Good job Kirsten. (Is she singing?)

I want to give a huge 'THANK YOU' to our convener for Summer Camp, Kirsten Bryant. Kirsten has had a busy year, but she is well organised and was able to lead a great team. This is the second camp she has been convener for, and both of them have been terrific.

Kirsten has a great desire to serve Jesus. If you would like to read more about that, you can follow her blog at Surrendered Dreamer.


Parents came, picked up their tired and excited children, and went home. Leaders worked to finish packing and cleaning while others talked with parents.

And then it was over.

I (eventually) jumped onto my motorbike to begin my ride to Sydney for a conference. But that's another story.