Sponsor / Youth Director Preparation: Talking the Theme
A Different Point of View: God Comes to Us!
Overview of the Theme
We all have a story of faith to tell. So often, we talk of Faith as where God’s Story and My Story overlap. This is only one part . . . there is more! By grace, God comes to us (all) through the Word and in community. And it is there we find OUR STORY! Our story is rich because it includes God’s Story, My Story, and Your Story.
Together we are the body of Christ; we see others through Christ, as brothers and sisters. What makes this possible? God. Coming to us. In Christ.
This summer, we will explore how God comes to us daily, regardless of who we are, or where we are. Through stories of faith, we will explore how God comes to is and calls us to welcome others into OUR STORY.
Preparing your Kids for the Theme
Here are some ways that you can introduce your kids to the theme :
1. 2 Corinthians 5: 16 – 20
This is the theme verse for the summer, where we receive the invitation for a different point of view (verse 16: “from now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view, even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way.)
Before coming to camp, have a devotion based on this verse. Read through the verse several times as a group (it isn’t the most straight-forward). Break it down by verse. Discuss with the kids what they think the verse means. Ask them, “What does it mean to see others from a different point of view?”
Explain that this is going to be the basis for the summer theme: A Different Point of View: God Comes to US. Based on this verse, ask the kids to brainstorm what kinds of activities they might be doing for the theme? What other stories in the Bible might they use to help develop the theme? If they were in charge of camp, what would they do?
Close in Prayer. Ask God to be with you as you get ready for camp and as you begin to see others from a Different Point of View.
2. Telling Stories
The summer theme is all about telling stories. First, there is God’s Story. In the Bible we read all about God interacting with God’s people. God’s story is full of creation, love, justice, and relationship.
Next, there is My Story. This is the story kids are most used to telling. My story is all about where I am from, the things I like to do, and who I want to be when I grow up. At times my story also includes God—stories of going to church, of seeing God in fellowship with others, or encountering God in creation.
And third, there are Your Stories. Your stories include stories from the bible, stories of missionaries, stories of people living on the street, stories of peers at school . . . in short, stories about everyone but me.
Throughout the week, as a community we will discover that God calls us to be the body of Christ, which means combining God’s Story, My Story, and Your Story into Our Story—the story of God’s people living out God’s calling in God’s creation.
You can prepare campers for this by helping them feel more comfortable with their story. This is as basic as figuring out what it is that they like to do, what makes them different from those around them, what are some of the times they have felt the presence of God, etc. You can go further, though, by getting them comfortable sharing their stories with each other—after all, what’s a good story if you don’t get to tell it.
3. God Comes to Us
The Bible is simply full of stories of God coming to God’s people. What’s more, when we flip open the Bible today, we experience God coming to us through the stories. Simply, God is constantly coming to us, each and every day.
For kids, however, saying that God comes to us seems a bit strange. How many times have we heard, “I can’t see God!?” We are so used to attributing God’s extraordinary presence to everyday occurrences—which is both good and bad. What is means is that we are called to help kids see things from a different point of view.
A great way to help kids see the presence of God is by the ancient prayer practice of Examen—a practice that will be used a lot this summer. Simply, Examen is a time to pause and reflect on the parts of the day where God was present. Examen can be done at any time, anywhere. Each participant takes some time to think through the day, looking for the presence of the Holy—perhaps times of laughter, of happiness, a feeling of connection, or of a moment being special. By doing Examen, we help show kids that these moment are more than just “good moments,” they are times when we feel the presence of God.
As you are brainstorming ways to prepare your kids to come to camp, please let us know if there are ways we can help. Whether it be suggesting activities, clarifying programs for the summer, or getting you excited for your week at camp, we are here as a resource. Just send questions, comments, or suggestions to info@ldoubler.org.
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