One of the joys of my life is spending time with my grandchildren. Another is church camp. They came together last week in a program called “Grand Camp,” where grandparents and grandchildren go to camp together.
The family unit is the cabin group, camp counselors lead the regular camp activities for the kids and all spend time divided by age groups for Bible Study each morning. I was the leader for the adults. As we shared our hopes and dreams for the week, group members expressed their hope that their children would encounter the love of God and Jesus in this beautiful, child-friendly community and that the seeds of faith would be planted in their lives.
About half the children don’t participate in formal Christian Education at church or school. Grandparents have many opportunities to share their faith and love with the kids, and this is a great way to do it while having lots of fun together. In this busy world where faith practices can be squeezed out by so many activities, a week like this can be an incredible gift.
I hoped the week would be one of spiritual renewal for the adults as well as the children, so I asked my group to reflect on what inspires them, fills their hearts with love and renews their spirits. Their answers included spending time in nature, being with others who share their faith and values, and joyful, hope-filled music and worship. Many of you may share their experiences of renewal whether in a formal church setting or not.
Each day we concluded .