PYV Summer Camp 2017 – Day Three

I know it’s a summer camp, but I am enjoying the cool change that has rolled through the mountains. The rain is pleasant, although it has also meant some very large puddles. 

The day began, as usual, with the leaders meeting together. These meetings begin with a devotional message and over this camp these messages are dealing with different kinds of relationships. On Thursday we heard about family relationships. Today we were challenged on our relationship with our enemies. Acknowledging that we probably don’t have enemies in the normal use of the word, we were still given wisdom on some good ways to react to people who we struggle with.

Please note that this is not in any way a reflection on anything happening on camp.

The enthusiastic noise of a crowded dining room at breakfast is something that can’t be described by typing words on a laptop. (I expect some people have that skill, but they’re not the ones typing.) It is a great sound, particularly if you are having trouble waking up. This may have been me.

From here we made our way to our morning worship session. Today we enjoyed a short video from yesterday’s activities, we sang together, and we were encouraged by a testimony from Hayden. The value of a Christian family was referred to, and also the reality that while many might have that experience, the greater need is Jesus himself.

Pete’s talk for today is titled “The Relationship Revolution”. Here we were allowed to get a vision of one solitary life that changed everything. Pete took us to Mark 10:34-45 to confront us with the experience of the disciples – James and John – and the way they were seeking Jesus to provide whatever they wanted. It’s confronting because it’s like us. A couple of statements that caught my ear are:

Love is an attitude and an action that serves and gives for the good of others.

Salvation is not a reward for the righteous but a gift for the guilty.

These are encouraging and challenging statements. I hope that they will continue to be both of these things to our campers even when they get back home from camp.

Our study groups continued the theme and asked us to consider when we do the same as James and John. A confronting question for us all. Then, looking to Jesus, we were asked if we have accepted Jesus’ life as a ransom for ourselves. Again, a confronting and important question.

Just checking the cards

Lunch was followed by some free activity time. Some took the opportunity to visit the local swimming pool, while others stayed on site. There was another soccer game, some basketball, volleyball, board games, table tennis, and some painting. Everyone was busy with something.

Tonight was, I think, one of the key events of the camp – and the fact that it was raining didn’t get in the way at all. Tonight we separated the boys and girls into different rooms. Here the boys were able to hear wisdom from three of our leaders on issues of identity, relationships, marriage and singleness. There were a number of highlights from this discussion, but a stand out comment for me was this – your long-term friends are not your school friends, but rather your Christian friends. It is with these Christian friends that you have a deeper connection.

Just the boys

We hope that some of these young men are finding their best friends at camp this week, even if they don’t yet know that they will grow to be best friends.

It has been another good and full day at Summer Camp. Thanks for supporting us with your prayers.

PYV Summer Camp 2017 – Day Two

I always approach the first night of any camp wondering if there will be anyone who is so homesick they can’t sleep, or if there will be anyone who is so excited about being there that they can’t sleep either. To the best of my knowledge, neither of these happened. After our radio show with Hayden and Kellie, people made their way to their beds to sleep. Well, mostly anyway.

Regardless of how much sleep anyone did get, everyone was up for breakfast. Before that though, the leaders met for their morning gathering. I know I’ve said it many times, and I’ll probably say it again and again, but I am always impressed with the attitude of the leaders at the PYV camps. They really do give their all for the campers. If you have some from your church at this camp as leaders, please encourage them when you next see them.

Breakfast was great, then we met for our morning worship session. This session included an encouraging testimony from Jess McNabb, our assistant convener. Do the youth at your church get to hear testimonies from others in the church community? I hope they do.

A great group of young people

Pete Sorrenson continued his series on relationship. Yesterday he raised with us the wonderful issue of why we love ‘love’. Today we were confronted with the reality that although we love ‘love’, we all deal with disappointment and heartbreak which makes us wonder what’s gone wrong! Sin has extreme consequences. Our study groups continued to ask questions about this topic looking at Genesis 3 and seeing how it applies to ourselves.

Something I had forgotten, but should have remembered, is that when you open Genesis 3 with a group of teenagers and young adults, it leads to a lot of interesting and unexpected questions.

From here we went into our quiet times. For a lot of teenagers, a habit of daily Bible reading and prayer is not even on their radar, and we are trying to bring it to their mind. This year we are trying something that we hope will be a help with this habit after camp. Each camper has been given a separate note book for their quiet times. Along with the questions and guide for camp use, they are also being given a guide to use in the month after camp too. This is all based on reading through the gospel of Mark. Today I sat with a group of young men working through this, and I was greatly encouraged by what we were all learning in just the opening paragraphs of this gospel.

Through the afternoon we had five workshops happening. You can find more about them here. As I wandered through them all, it was good to see people getting involved in conversations and questions on these significant topics. Our presenters did a great job, and we hope to have recordings of these on the website in the next fortnight.

Some Soccer Fun

Everyone enjoyed some free time and the soccer game had a lot of people involved and enjoying themselves on a summer’s afternoon. Others were inside playing games, or sitting chatting together.

After dinner we had our first activity session – an evening, camp-site sized version of Capture the Flag. Those who enjoy running had a lot to offer their team for this game. If you can run past the outstretched arms of your opponent, you can score. But it’s not easy.

As I type this, it feels like the day has involved a lot of different activities. That might be because it has. Your prayers matter to the success of this camp. Please keep praying for us.

PYV Summer Camp 2017 – Day One

Summer Camp has finally begun, and it feels like a summer camp today. It’s hot and it’s sunny at Rawson Village today, and as the campers are arriving, you can sense the excitement that is building as the numbers slowly increase.

Like all camps, this one begins with a group of leaders getting here early to make sure everything is set up and ready before it’s time to begin. I value the commitment of these leaders who give some extra time to ensure our campers have a camp that is at the highest standard we can provide.

Not all campers arrived on time, which sometimes happens, but today it was certainly not a planned late arrival. The long journey from the west of the state was made longer by some mechanical trouble. So, we want to give a big shout out and thanks to the leaders who kept everything together, and to those who gave up their cars to get the campers here. It’s good to have everyone here.

The afternoon was busy with some introduction activities on the oval, and then an introductory session. This is an important session where we get to introduce the leaders of the camp, to hear our own camp rules, and then to hear from the campsite manager about their own rules. Keep away from the koala! Having a session like this – which is full of stuff that needs to happen – means that when we do meet together for a later session, it is a time for worship and we can focus on that.

From this introductory session we spent some time in our dorm groups. We are aiming to foster solid relationships between the campers, and this was a good way to begin. Some played games, some talked, and all seemed to get involved. Then we went to dinner, which was wonderfully noisy. It is always great to hear people talking together, even if it is hard to hear what someone is saying to you.

Tonight we had our first session of worship and teaching. Listening to Pete Sorrenson talk about relationships is always good and tonight we learned why it is that we love ‘love’. If we have been created by a God who loves, then it makes sense that we would also want love. If we have been created by a God who lives in relationship, then it makes sense that we would also want relationship.

We are off to a good start at PYV Summer Camp 2017. Please continue to pray for us here at Rawson.

Fun on the oval

More oval fun

Let's meet Pete

Worship together

Summer Camp - it takes a bit of work to make it happen

If you've ever been involved with leading a youth camp, you'll know that it takes a fair bit of work and some amazing people to make it happen. Fortunately, PYV has those amazing people and they have been working hard to get things ready for camp.

And, as far as the office is concerned, I think that work has been done.

Thanks Amy, Ash & Jess for the time you've given to get things ready.

It's nearly time for camp.

#pyvsummercamp17 #relationships

Summer Camp 2017 - It's about relationships

On Wednesday next week, December 27, over 200 people will make their way into the Gippsland mountains for the 2017 PYV Summer Camp. This is our "Relationships" camp and we are delighted to have Pete Sorrenson speaking to us on this important topic. But of course this isn't all that is happening over the six days. 

We are also spending time together in study groups where we will explore deeper what the Bible says  about relationships. Our activity groups will help us to put what we learn into action as we build some of those relationships amongst campers.

Amongst that number attending are thirteen YouthMETRO trainees who will be busy during the camp time working through an intensive week of theology and evangelism training. 

Would you support us in prayer over this time please? Please pray for Pete Sorrenson as he speaks to this age group about the basis of our relationships and, most importantly, a relationship with Jesus. Please pray for Matt Deroon and Nate Barbieri as they teach the YouthMETRO trainees. Please pray for Ashleigh Haughey and her team who are working hard to ensure everything is ready for camp. Please pray for the leaders who have given up their time and who pay for the chance to serve these young people. Please pray for the campers, particularly those who are coming to their first PYV camp. 

The Leadership Team for Summer Camp 2017

Finally, please pray that God will glorify himself in the changed hearts and transformed lives of teenagers.

Thank you friends.

Rev Brian Harvey