Men’s Retreat: 3/1/15
Or final winter retreat of the season was last weekend with the Men’s Retreat. With 114 men, we enjoyed good food, fellowship, and worship together. Saturday’s activities included a music jam session, broomball tournament (congratulations Ravenswood Covenant Church for winning the trophy this year!), cross country skiing, snowshoeing, trap shoot, foosball, ping-pong, and air hockey tournaments, card games and plenty of relaxing in the Dining Hall. The chapel messages were delivered by speaker Michael Vrooman on the topic of conversation with God. Thanks to all who participated! See you next year!
[fsg_gallery id=”110″]One Life Retreat #3 – 2/22/15
Our third and final One Life Retreat of the season wraps up tonight for some and tomorrow morning for others. Youth groups came from Illinois, Wisconsin, and the UP to ski, play broomball, sauna and polar bear dip, tube, snowshoe, dance, eat good food, worship together, and hear the chapel messages delivered from Chicago youth worker Teal Short. This year’s chapel theme has been “Hello My Name is __________,” and has focused on Biblical stories of God renaming his people.
[fsg_gallery id=”108″]Second One Life Retreat Underway and Ge-Che Trail Groomed – 2/15/15
Our second One Life Retreat of the season is underway and going well! After a very windy and cold Saturday, this beautiful (and slightly warmer) Sunday is being spent on the ski hill or tube hill, cross country skiing, and playing broomball.
The Ge-Che Cross Country Ski Trail was just freshly groomed and tracked. Get outside and enjoy the sunshine.
Venture Out, Aug. 4 – 7, Pictured Rocks National Shoreline
It was an intrepid group of women, 11 and 1/2 in all, who took to the trails and waters of Lake Superior for this summer’s adventure. The group gelled together and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. It was awesome to have times of laughter and stories but also moments of deep discussion and sharing about faith issues. Devotions were led by Megan (our mother to be) as well as any member who wanted to tell what God was doing in her life. Each person dedicated this trip to people in their lives who needed prayer. New to this year was a kayaking experience along the sandstone cliffs of Pictured Rocks. Using tandem kayaks, fortunately the day was calm and waves were minimal. Paddling through rock arches and along magnificent cliffs was a unique activity for all. A total of 12 miles was hiked and one thrilling sunset over Superior was witnessed. Thanks to all who came. It was quite the trip!
[fsg_gallery id=”90″]Week 8: Island, August 3-9
The 6th and final week on the Island is off to a wonderful start. Campers engaged in the ropes courses, low elements, and quiet time.
[fsg_gallery id=”84″]Week 7: Island Camp, July 27 – August 2
[fsg_gallery id=”83″]Week 5: Wilderness Week 2, July 13-19
[fsg_gallery id=”81″]Week 5: Explorers & Pathfinders, July 13-19
[fsg_gallery id=”80″]Week 6: Island, July 20-26
[fsg_gallery id=”79″]Week 4: Island July 6-12
The Islanders spent an amazing week in the rustic beauty of camp. They hiked to Ottawa Lake, did high ropes, and had fun on the Mountain Dew Swing. The week was great for spending time in community with each other and God.
[fsg_gallery id=”73″]Westward Backpackers Hit the Road!
Two weeks of challenging and exciting traveling, sharing faith journeys and exploring God’s vast creation together begins today for our Westward Backpack Trip. For the next two days the 10th through 12th grade trippers will be on the road with our guides traveling across the great plains to the mountains and camping along the way. Then 7 days will be spent backpacking the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. Three days on the road will get them back to Covenant Point, with camping stops at natural landmarks along the way. More photos to come after the trip!
Porcupine Mountains Backpacking Trip July 13-19, 2014
We hiked through the Porcupine Mountains for a week with 8 campers. We enjoyed eating lunch next to waterfalls and swimming in lake Superior. Another highlight was skipping rocks on the lake and watching the sunset. We had great weather and a fun time on trail together.
[fsg_gallery id=”78″]Flambeau River Canoe Trip June 29- July 5, 2014
We spent the week floating down the Flambeau River in Wisconsin. The best parts of our week were swimming down the river next to our canoes, eating lunch on the river with each other as we floated down the river, and eating delicious meals and hanging out around campfires every night. We saw God in the river, in the rain, and in each other.
[fsg_gallery id=”76″]Adventures in Leadership 2014 hits the trail!
This week we have 14 students and 5 Central Conference youth workers on Adventures in Leadership, a Central Conference leadership development wilderness backpacking trip for high school students. The week started out with one full day of leadership training and experiences “in base” at Covenant Point, and the two hiking groups hit the trail Tuesday at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. More photos to come after the trip.
Wilderness Week One
The Wilderness Week campers are having a week of learning and discovery. From tadpoles and archery to games and worship, the campers have had a packed and exciting time at camp. There will be more pictures soon, so keep checking in!
[fsg_gallery id=”68″]The Island: Week One
The Island has kicked off its summer with a small group of amazing kids. The low elements, high ropes, and time spent with God in nature all provided a wonderful start to a great week and extraordinary summer. Be sure to come back later for more pictures.
[fsg_gallery id=”67″]Pathfinders & Explorers: Week One
We’re halfway through the first week of Summer 2014: Explorers and Pathfinders! We played the Despicable Me game, dressed up for our rotations, had an opening campfire and shared lots of laughs! Check back for more great pictures from this wonderful week!
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Early Registration Discount – Sign up by March 15
Sign up now for your summer at Covenant Point!
The Early Registration Discount deadline is fast approaching. Register and pay in full by March 15 to save $35!
Application now available for Adventures in Leadership 2014!
Adventures in Leadership is a small-group, wilderness, leadership and discipleship training experience designed for young people in Covenant Churches who are entering grades 10, 11, and 12. This camp is designed to equip students with a Christian leadership framework to assist them in discovering and developing their own leadership style consistent with their God-given abilities and gifts.
More information and applications are available at http://www.cpbc.com/ail/.
Interested students are encouraged to apply soon. Applications must be postmarked by Tuesday, April 15, 2014.
Chuck Frasier Memorial Campaign Chicago Half Marathon Race, 2013
The weekend in Chicago was perfect for seeing the sights of Chicago, hanging out together at various functions, working at the pre-race events, and running in the half marathon on September 8th. Twenty-three people signed up to participate in the race and raise money for the Chuck Frasier Memorial Campaign. Three women ran the 13 miles while others ran the 5K portion of the race. Those running the half marathon were Jessica Bacon, Lynn Mecher, and Sarah Snow.
A BIG thank you to all who worked on pre-race activities, cheered the runners on, and supported through donations. A very special thank you to all runners. It was great to see you there.
At present around $3,500 has been given with more to come. Anyone interested in donating specifically to the race can do so. Enjoy the following photos of this wonderful time together in the big city.
[fsg_gallery id=”13″]2013 ASD Camp
The first ever ASD Camp (Autism Spectrum Disorder) , August 6-10, was a great success for families and staff. There were seven families from the Midwest Conference participating along with a health officer family and speaker of the week, Steve Burger, who is director of adult, children, family inter generational ministries with the Department of Christian Formation. Programming mirrored other family camp weeks offering a wide arrange of activities. Time was spent on the island doing the Tarzan Swing, climbing the high ropes course called Track N Trail, playing big group games like BraveHeart, having time in arts n crafts and waterfront, going to interactive chapel time and singing, and having a prayer of blessing with counselors and staff. Expressions of appreciation and thanksgiving for this week were shared by parents, siblings and staff.
Enjoy some of the comments that were spoken or written from time at ASD camp:
This was a wonderful experience for our WHOLE family! I am so glad the counselors, these young people, got to go beyond their fear of special needs/autism and just see these children for who they all are cherished children of God.
ASD Family camp gave many families permission to try camp and also provide an environment where we did not have to explain our families.
By the end of the week, there was just so much joy. Afterward some of the parents said if the camp is held next year, “We are definitely coming back.”
I think the camp gave people an opportunity to experience something that they wouldn’t otherwise have and to celebrate the gifts that we all are.
I know so many families like ours who need this camp experience!!
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Venture Out Women’s Back Pack Trip 2013
Away we went on an 18 mile walk in the woods and along the waters of Lake Superior at majestic and scenic Pictured Rocks National Shoreline near Munising, MI. This year six women participated–yearly returnees were Julie Bladel and Linda Johnson, second time attender, Sarah Hillabrand, first timer, Joan Fisher, and leaders from Point, Jane Frasier and Megan Nyberg. Despite rain trying to dampen the spirits at various times and cold nights which reduced the bug population, everyone enjoyed the time together and delighted in being a part of this back country area. Meeting a variety of folks on the trail added to the adventure–even the group we had to yell at one night for making too much noise after midnight. Each person especially commented on the devotional times with Megan who shared thoughts on spiritual disciplines. The discussion and prayer time that followed was a blessing as was the time of reflection on the trail or at each night’s camp site.The purpose of Venture Out is to experience time away with a group of women and leave behind the clutter of our daily lives. We all did just that!
[fsg_gallery id=”9″]Blessed with a Committed Summer Staff
This summer, we have a staff of 32 fantastic young leaders on board to serve at Covenant Point. Many of these counselors, program directors, waterfront staff, and trips guides are choosing to say “no” to internships or more income at a job back home in order to lead and grow at camp. The value of serving in a camp setting is something that generations of staff members have known for a long time, and it was affirming to read more about this benefit over “summer internships” in the New York Times:
“[In encouraging my daughter to seek a summer internship] I forced myself to parrot conventional wisdom because there was at least a chance that it was true. But the clinching argument came from my daughter’s impassioned defense of camp counselors, and her outrage that someone glancing at résumés would believe that a 20-year-old [intern] who fetches coffee at Google is more impressive than one who spends days and nights nurturing, teaching, organizing, comforting and inspiring.”
– Dan Flescher, New York Times Blog Find the Full Article Here
To be entrusted with the lives of children, to learn how to function as part of a dynamic and complex community, and to improvise as a leader carrying out our mission as each day unfolds: these are experiences that foster immeasurable growth of all kinds! If you’ve chosen to work at camp at some point in your life, I bet you know what I mean. Thank you for prayerfully supporting this summer’s team of staff members, and their choice to participate in the vital work at Covenant Point.
-Erik Strom,
Camp Director
Covenant Point and Autism Awareness Day
The sixth annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2013. Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique fundraising and awareness-raising events.
At Covenant Point we want to celebrate by announcing our very first ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Family Camp Week a Covenant Point family camp week designed to build community and support among families who have children with autism.
The week will take place August 6-10, 2013, and will cost only $150 per family. The remaining funding is raised through our Annual Triathlon Fundraiser, which brings in annual funds to enable ministry to campers with special needs.
Help us spread the word about this exciting new opportunity! Click Here for More Details on A.S.D. Family Camp
