Remembering

We are a forgetful people.  You can read story after story in the Bible and see the trend...God does something amazing and maybe even miraculous, then God's people forget and do not believe Him to be trustworthy.  But when I reflect on my own life and the times God has shown Himself faithful to me, I forget, too.  As long as I'm here on earth, the battle to remember remains.

We must be intentional in our remembering.  The other week on the kids' S'more cards, after reading Joshua 4:19-24 one of the questions was: “Think about a time that God has been faithful to bring each of you through a difficult or uncertain circumstance.”  "What can you do to remember God's faithfulness?"   Which brings me to this idea that has helped our family.
A few years ago a friend forwarded an article from a Christian magazine with the idea to make a shadow box with different mementos that represent times you've seen God demonstrate his faithfulness to you as a family.  Her Faithfulness Box is really fun, and I love hearing the stories surrounding each symbol.  We started with this, too, but I found it difficult and time consuming to find little things to represent each time.


So we instead use thankfulness rocks now, or "Ebenezer stones". Our stones are not fancy; they're from a bag of river rocks. We simply write a word on the rock with a Sharpie, and that word represents a time we've seen God's faithfulness displayed.  I've tried to place our Ebenezer stones in a prominent place in our home, with the hope we can share God's stories with inquisitive guests.

We go through the rocks as a family every Thanksgiving. Some years we do it right before or right after. It's one of my favorite things we do. I just love adding a new rock.
What things have you done to help remember times God has been faithful to you?

Sara Fowler – Camp Grace Big Group Coach

Are You Smarter Than Your 1st-4th Grader??

This week in Camp Grace, our campers competed in a Genesis review game of “Who Wants to be a Bible Scholar?”  At the end of class, they brought home a bookmark for their continued reading and study, which can also be found online, but there was no S’more Card for this week.  Instead, test your knowledge with these questions and see if you and your camper can answer them all (answers are at the end so you can check).  Did you miss a few more than you thought?  Improve your score and connect with your camper by studying the S’more Card together each week.  Look for the S’more Card at the end of class next week or online.  Let’s all “get some more of God”!

Question 1

We started the year studying about the Trinity.  The Trinity means that God is three persons in one.  He is God the Father, God the Son and _____________________.

A.    God the Creator.

B.     God the Holy Spirit.

C.     God the Big Guy in the Sky.

D.    God the Merciful.

Question 2

God created Adam and Eve to live in the Garden of Eden. He told them they could eat from any tree, except for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan tempted Eve into eating fruit from this tree, and sinning for the first time. What was Satan disguised as?

A. Skunk

B. Seal

C. Salamander

D. Serpent

Question 3

Adam and Eve had two sons, one of whom killed the other out of jealousy and anger. What were their son's names, and who killed whom?

A. Abel and Caleb; Abel killed Caleb

B. Casey and Alex; Alex killed Casey

C. Abel and Cain; Cain killed Abel

D. Joseph and Judah; Joseph killed Judah

Question 4

The world was filled with evil, and God decided to destroy every living thing. He spared Noah and his family because Noah was righteous. God showed Noah and his family grace by saving them. What is grace?

A. Being given something you deserve

B. Getting whatever you want

C. Being given something you don't deserve

D. Being mean to someone else

Question 5

After Noah and his family came off of the ark, what was the first thing Noah did?

A. Built an altar and worshipped himself

B. Built a house for his family

C. Built an altar and worshipped God

D. Built a barn to put the animals in

Question 6

God created us to worship Him. To worship in truth means:

A. To worship in a town called Truth

B. To worship from the heart

C. To take a lie detector test before worshipping

D. To find the old Christian group, Truth, and ask if you can join

Question 7

God appeared to Abram and changed his name to Abraham, which means "Father of many nations," because God promised Abraham many descendants. How old was Abraham when God appeared to him?

A. 77 years old

B. 99 years old

C. 111 years old

D. 44 years old

Question 8

When Abraham and his nephew Lot had to separate ways, they had to decide how to divide the land. How did they make that decision?

A. Abraham was selfless and let Lot choose first, even though he would probably not get what he wanted

B. Abraham chose first because he was older

C. They raced on horses

D. They played paper-rock-scissors

Question 9

When God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham:

A. Laughed and told God, "You must be kidding."

B. Packed up everything, left town, and tried to hide from God

C. Obeyed God's command because he loved and trusted God

D. Asked if he could sacrifice Lot instead

Question 10

Abraham sent his servant to his homeland to find a wife for Isaac. This servant displayed great Godly character in finding Isaac's wife. What was the name of this servant, and what was the name of the wife he found for Isaac?

A. Elliott and Rebekah

B. Eliezer and Rachel

C. Eric and Ruth

D. Eliezer and Rebekah

Question 11

Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons named Jacob and Esau. They were very different from one another, and Jacob was jealous of Esau. What did Jacob trick Esau into giving him?

A. Food

B. Birthright

C. Money

D. House

Question 12

Jacob left his family to live with his Uncle Laban. There he married Laban's daughters, Leah and Rachel, and had 12 children. God told him to return to his homeland, so Jacob obeyed. When he returned and saw Esau, he was humble and bowed to Esau. How did Esau respond?

A. He ran to Jacob and kissed him

B. He ran to Jacob and killed him

C. He turned his back to Jacob

D. He told Jacob to leave and never return

Question 13

After Satan tempted Eve and she sinned for the first time, what happened when God called to Adam and Eve?

 A. They ran up to Him and gave him a hug

 B. They hid from Him

 C. They played tag with Him

 D. They gave Him a piece of fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

                

Question 14

Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy. What happened before Cain killed Abel?

A. God warned Cain not to let sin take control

B. Cain told God he was going to kill Abel

C. Cain was angry and threw a tantrum

D. Abel gave Cain a present

Question 15

When the world had become filled with evil, and God decided to destroy every living thing, He sent a flood to do this. Before he brought the flood, how long did he give the people to confess their sins and repent?

A. 100 years

B. 260 years

C. 120 years

D. 85 years

Question 16

After the flood, the first thing Noah did was worship God. God then made a covenant (promise) to never again destroy all living things with a flood. What did he leave us as the sign of His promise?

A. Clouds

B. Rainbows

C. Waterfalls

D. Earthquakes

Question 17

God told Abram to leave his family and everything behind to go to Canaan. A famine struck Canaan, and Abram was forced to go to Egypt. What did Abram do in Egypt that showed He did not trust in God?

A. Abram lied to the Egyptians and told them he was born in Egypt

B. Abram told his wife Sarai to steal food for them

C. Abram stole food because he was afraid

D. Abram lied to the Egyptians and told the pharaoh his wife Sarai was his sister

Question 18

When Lot was captured, Abram fought the army who had Lot and won. He freed Lot and got back everything that had been taken. Which king blessed Abram after his victory?

A. King of Sodom

B. Melchizedek

C. King of Salem

D. Kedorlaomer

Question 19

God blessed Abraham and Sarah in their old age with a son. They named him Isaac.  What does Isaac's name mean?

A. Sad

B. Funny

C. Laughter

D. Waiting

Question 20

When Abraham sent Eliezer to go to his homeland to look for a wife for Isaac, Eliezer obeyed all of Abraham's commands. Where did he meet Isaac's wife, Rebekah?

A. At a stream

B. In a courtyard

C. On a hill

D. At a well

Answers- 1)B    2)D   3)C   4)C    5)C   6) B   7)B   8)A   9)C   10)D   11) B    12) A  13)B   14)A   15)C   16) B   17) D   18) B   19)C   20) D

Future Women Conference

On November 4th & 5th, we will be hosting the Future Women Conference. We will be providing a language, theology, and practical application for what it looks like to raise the next generation of women. This conference is for anyone who is involved in some capacity with raising girls to learn what it means to reflect God in His image as a women, through the core capacities of nurturing, partnering, and inviting. We encourage all parents, grandparents, teachers, and leaders of girls and young ladies to attend this event.

Register for this event on our Future Women page.

Camp Grace Curriculum

We are 6 weeks into the curriculum in Camp Grace, after having finished our first round of the split-curriculum (you can read more about this here) on August 6th & 7th. We have studied about creation, how God created man and woman in His image, sin entering the world, the consequences of sin that we experience today, and the corrupt nature evident in humanity through Cain and Abel. 

We began our study of Noah in Genesis 6-8 this past weekend. We saw how God was grieved by the evil rebellion His people were living in, and decided to destroy the world through a flood. One man, Noah, found favor with God because he was righteous and followed God. God gave Noah instructions to build an ark for his family and two of every animal to go aboard in order to be saved from the flood. We saw how Noah was obedient in everything God asked of him, and God was faithful to save Noah and his family from His plan to destroy the world. 

This weekend, we will finish the story of Noah to see how Noah responded in worship to God's grace and faithfulness to save him and his family. We will study from Genesis 8:20-22 and 9:12-17, and discuss what it looks like to worship God in spirit and in truth. We were created by God to worship Him with our lives, and we will learn how we can worship Him.

For more information about our Camp Grace curriculum and an outline of our upcoming curriculum, click here.

Camp Grace Curriculum

In Camp Grace, our purpose is to engage elementary-age children through meaningful relationships, creative drama, lively music, and Biblical teaching in order to communicate the message of the Gospel.

Our Camp Grace curriculum is a 2-year character study, going through the Bible from Genesis through Revelation. We have 85 total lessons with several special programming weekends included (such as a Christmas Program, Passover Seder, and several Review Days). The goal is for a child to enter Camp Grace in 1st grade, and assuming he or she stays in Camp Grace through 4th grade, to go through the whole curriculum (all 85 lessons) twice over the course of 4 years. The curriculum has been written by the hands of staff and volunteers over the past 8 years, with several rounds of revising and editing already having taken place.

The most current revision, which has taken place over the past 2 1/2 years, has been to create a 1st and 2nd grade version of the curriculum that is tailored to reach the younger age group in a more engaging way. The curriculum was written at a 4th grade level, and we saw the need to provide a version of each lesson written at a 1st and 2nd grade level. All four grade levels learn the same basic principle and study from the same passage for each lesson, but the 1st and 2nd grade copy of each lesson has simpler content with more hands-on activities, whereas the 3rd and 4th grade copy of each lesson has more in-depth content with more discussion oriented activities. We began teaching this version of the curriculum 2 years ago in August.

We now have 2 more lessons before we finish this round of our curriculum in the 2-year series! This weekend (July 30/31), we will be teaching from Galatians 2:11-16 about our need to confront other believers in sin, and the danger found in hypocrisy. Next weekend will be our final lesson, where we will be teaching from Revelation 20:11-15 and 21:1-4 about the final chapter of God's story; Jesus returns, Satan is defeated once and for all, and God's promise to create a new heaven and new earth for his children that will be free from pain and sorrow.

You can find out more information about Camp Grace on our website.

- Nicky Darling, Elementary Coordinator

Delivering Consequences

While at the 3rd & 4th grade camp at the end of June at Look Up Lodge, I observed some actions and conversations that sparked some ideas! I got to stay in a mainly rising fourth grade girls' cabin. I am going to school for elementary education, so this was a great experience for me to tie into that.

While walking around the camp, I overheard a lot of conversation among even some of the younger girls that was a real reality check for me. Some examples of what I heard were several girls talking about some very secular music and how they were getting access to it. Several of the girls were somewhat bragging about getting on YouTube when their parents weren't home, or sneaking this type of music onto their iPods and hiding it from parents. I felt that I was in a unique position; I felt the girls viewed me not quite as an adult because I am only twenty, but still respected me. With this being said, they were not as cautious to say these things in my presence. I took that opportunity to explain to them why it was wrong to not only listen to those types of artists, but to then hide it from their parents. A good piece of scripture to apply and share in this type of situation is Proverbs 13:1 "A wise child accepts a parent's discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction." Expressing this concept to your child can be extremely beneficial. Also, Proverbs 15:5 states, "Only a fool despises a parent's discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise." This displays the importance of understanding and accepting a parent's discipline.

This past Spring, I took a course on educational psychology at Clemson University by Dr. Brent Igo. The class focused mostly around the way children think, act, react, learn, and how we are to interact and deal with them. A section of the class that I was reminded of when I came upon these issues at camp was the topic of consequences - the different types of consequences and when to use them.

There are four main ways to deliver consequences: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment.

1. Positive reinforcement - giving your child something to increase a behavior. For example, if your daughter has been struggling with her quiet time, you can give her a devotional plan to encourage increasing her quiet times. With this example, you want to try to avoid your child relying too much on you for guidance.
2. Negative reinforcement - taking something away from your child to then increase a behavior. An example of this would be if, like at camp, your child was hiding their music selections from you. You could take away their iPod to increase their obedience towards you.
3. Positive punishment - giving your child something to decrease a behavior. For example, if your son is showing a lack of respect and honor towards his counselor at camp, you can give you child examples of how he should have acted to decrease the bad behavior in return.
4. Negative punishment - taking something away from your child to decrease a behavior. This is probably the form that is most familiar with you. A common example of how this can put into effect would be if your child is disobeying your rules, you in return take away play time or friend opportunities to then decrease the disobedience.

Using these techniques, paired with scripture and supporting your children by being a good example of following Christ, can influence them and what they think more than you may realize. I strongly suggest having more specific and honest conversations with your child about these and other related topics. Also, I feel that giving personal examples when you have struggled with the same problem would be very beneficial. Follow up with ways to fix the problem by pointing your children closer to God through scripture and spiritual context.

Recommended Scripture:

Colossians 3:19-21 "Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged."

Ephesians 6:1-3 "Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 'Honor your father and mother.' This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, 'things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.'"

- Michelle Phillips, Children's Ministry Kairos Intern

Scriptural Basis for Elementary Camp Teaching

Our teaching at 3rd & 4th grade camp a few weekends ago (June 24-26) centered around the theme "Are You 4 Real?" The concept of real relationships with God and with others was fleshed out through the four main sessions - Real Faith, Real Family, Real Friends, and Real Life. You can check out an overview of each session here.

We have had interest in the scriptural basis for the teaching, so below is an overview of each session. Let us know if you have questions, or would like further clarification.

Theme Verse: Colossians 3:3 "For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God."

Session 1: Real Faith

Big Idea - The reason life is hard and frustrating sometimes is because God wants us to need Him and trust Him.

Scripture - Colossians 3:3; Proverbs 3:5-6; John 10:10

Gospel Story - Luke 19:1-10 (story of Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus)

Session 2: Real Family

Big Idea - God placed you in your family on purpose, because He loves you and wants what is best for you.

Scripture - Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:18-23; Acts 17:26

Gospel Story - Luke 2:40-52 (story of Jesus' encounter with His parents)

Session 3: Real Friends

Big Idea - Real friendship doesn't depend on others, it depends on you.

Scripture - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12; Philippians 2:2-5

Gospel Story - Marks 2:1-12 (story of Jesus' encounter with a broken man and his four friends)

Session 4: Real Life

Big Idea - Real life can never be lived in your own strength.

Scripture - Colossians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Gospel Story - Matthew 19:16-26 (story of Jesus' encounter with the rich young man)

Disciplined Parenting

Last weekend, Jeremy Keever taught on Proverbs 3:1-12 about disciplined parenting. He explained that we are given information to help us teach our children about God, which will in turn help lead them towards a transformed life. As parents, we cannot change the hearts of our children and make them love God, but we can provide an environment that models what it looks like to love God. He went on to explain that disciplined parenting has two main components - teaching and correction. We must use all of our resources to move our children towards heart change. We also need to recognize that discipline involves being intentional, verbal, and physical. All believers must discipline themselves to seek a life of godliness, and this trickles down to disciplined parenting in leading children to a life of godliness.

If you missed this teaching or would like to hear it again, check out his sermon below:

Jeremy also gave a list of excellent parenting resources during his sermon, and we have that list for you here:

• Shepherding A Child's Heart - Tedd Tripp
• On Becoming Baby Wise - Ezzo and Bucknam
• Don't Make Me Count To Three! - Ginger Plowman
• Wise Words For Moms - Ginger Plowman
• Age Of Opportunity - Paul Tripp
• Grace-Based Parenting - Tim Kimmel
• Big Truths For Young Hearts - Bruce Ware
• The Jesus Storybook Bible - Sally Lloyd-Jones

We hope these resources will help you as you seek to reach the hearts of your children, and the children in our church community.

Have questions? Know of any other good parenting resources? Leave us a comment!

"Are You 4 Real?" - Recap of Elementary Camp

After your rising fourth and fifth graders returned home from camp last weekend, you are possibly asking yourself “now what?” I feel confident you have heard all about camp - zip-line, swing, and big group games. Besides these things, I hope you have heard from your child about the real relationships and real life they learned about at camp this past weekend. The theme of camp was “Are you 4 real?- Real Faith, Real Family, Real Friends, Real Life.” I feel a recap and overview of what your child was taught at camp will be beneficial for you as a family. By understanding what was taught at camp, you can reflect on these issues and apply them, based on the needs of your family.

On Friday night, Ed Sweeny talked about what it means to have real faith. He introduced the idea on\f how God created us for relationships, but the most important relationship we can have is a relationship with God Himself. Our other relationships mean nothing without this relationship. The truth about our hearts is that we naturally and normally want what we want, and not what God wants. Once we acknowledge our sin, we see our need for a relationship with God.

On Saturday, we talked about one of God’s greatest inventions- family. God has placed your family together for many good reasons. Your family is designed to complement each other for a purpose, and to help each other through hard times. Ed talked about three things your children will learn from you, the parent. First of all, it is the first example they see of authority. This authority provides security, as well as preparation for the rest of their lives. Second of all, they can see God’s love for them through the blessing of parents. Not only that, but they learn how to love by the way you love them! Lastly, they learn responsibility through the role each member of the family plays. Whether it’s feeding the dog, taking out trash, or helping with cleaning, your child will understand what it feels like to be relied on and liable for something getting done. Siblings teach each other way more than you see on the surface! Siblings are normally the first friends your child will have. From this relationship, they learn how to share, how to forgive, and how to love. A family shows each member who they really are.

On Saturday night we talked about the importance of real friends. The making of a real friendship doesn’t rely on the other person, but on us. In a friendship, we are known, heard, and loved. We need friends to disciple us and guide us on issues that we cannot get through alone. 

By tying all of this together on Sunday, we saw how to live a ‘Real Life’ can be achieved. Through a relationship with our Creator, we can achieve real friendships with family, friends, and siblings!

-Caleb Phillips, Children's Ministry Kairos Intern

Elementary Camp at Look Up Lodge

Well, we made it through the weekend for 3rd & 4th grade camp! We had 127 kids and about 40 leaders at Look Up Lodge for the weekend, where we learned about what it looks like to have a real relationship with God and with others. We played games and ate s'mores around a bonfire. We also saw the Exterminators save camp from being destructed and turned into a Boy Band Training Facility by the Bonus Brothers, including a redemptive heart change in both Joe and Bo Bonus. And we enjoyed the beauty of God's creation, nestled up in the mountains. We hope that your child not only had a really fun time, but also experienced God in a fresh way during his or her weekend.

Check out this video from camp, put together by Travis Runion:

Happy Camper?

When sending your child to camp this summer, whether it is to a summer-long camp or to the Camp Grace Summer Camp for a short weekend, there are several issues to contemplate and consider with your child.

All over the United States this summer, there will be around 10 million children attending some sort of organized summer camp; either a music camp, church camp, or sports camp, etc according to the American Camp Association (ACA). No matter what the circumstances, always prepare your child, not only physically, but mentally as well. Around 4% of the 10 million campers going away this summer are currently suffering from Separation Anxiety Syndrome (SEP). SEP usually occurs at “sleep away camps” rather than just day camps. Another 95% of the campers suffer from homesickness, which is completely different than SEP in that homesickness does not interfere with a child’s social ability at camp. Homesickness only causes loneliness and thoughts of home.

Although such a large percentage of campers suffer from these different types of anxiety, there are several solutions that you as a parent can try with your child.

1. Speak with camp directors prior to arriving to camp, so they can come alongside to help your child work through any anxiety or homesickness.
2. Build up your child, encourage, and personally connect with your child to help them see that you understand any anxiety they may have
3. Include your child in the decision to go to camp, and where to go.
4. Help your child understand that worrying about camp is a chance for them to look to God for help and to depend on Him. Philippians 4:6-7 is a good reminder! "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
5. Don’t show your personal sadness in dealing with your child leaving, which can create more anxiety for your child. It is important for you to trust in God through this time as well, especially if it is the first time your child has gone to camp!
6. Try to avoid prolonged good-byes.
7. Avoid constantly reassuring your child. Help them learn on their own that they will be ok because they can depend on God. Remind them of God's sovereignty, that He is always with them, and He will give them comfort if they turn to Him.
8. When you start to see any symptoms of SEP or homesickness, intervene early in reminding your child to trust in God, in order to guarantee the best camp experience for your child.

Since our 3rd & 4th graders are heading out to Summer Camp tomorrow, please consider these tips and more, many of which I read in "Happy Camper" by Kayla Mossien on the Parent Guide News site.

- Michelle Phillips, Children's Ministry Kairos Intern

Serving In Children's Ministry

My husband and I have had the privilege of serving together in our elementary ministry for the last few years. It has been such a blessing to our family. We are encouraged when we see God at work in each other, as we the gifts God has given us on display.

We are better parents because of the volunteers we serve with. We are all diverse in our seasons of life, and it has been a blessing to be able to share wisdom others have shared with us, and to hear stories of those ahead of us. This helps us stay the course and dream of where we're headed with our own children.

We are better leaders because we have been able to serve alongside those giving their lives away in a way that is refreshing and compelling. We've been able to hear stories from other leaders about what God is doing in our body, and how He is transforming our church family to be more like Him.

We are also able to reinforce truths with our elementary-age daughter in a way we could not if we were not a part of the elementary ministry. When we leave the campus, we have a deeper appreciation and understanding of the curriculum and truths taught that day. We are able to encourage her in these truths, and fill in the gaps where she may have missed something. We feel blessed to be equipped to lead her in this way.

Serving in Children's Ministry has been a privilege and a blessing for our family. How has serving impacted your family?

- Sara Fowler

Sara currently serves as the Camp Grace Big Group Drama Coach for the 11:15am service at Pelham Road, and her husband, Stephen, currently serves on the 11:15am drama team for Camp Grace.

Camp Grace Passover Seder

This past weekend, we hosted our 6^th annual Camp Grace Passover Seder presentation at each of our campuses. Our elementary campers and leaders had the opportunity to learn about Passover, how it connects to the Gospel, and take part in a Passover Seder meal.

Our Passover Seder weekend each year is a unique time of learning to worship God more fully through developing a deeper understanding of how the events of the Old Testament point to Jesus. We see that the Bible is not made up of two separate books, the Old Testament and the New Testament, but it is one book revealing God’s story for our world. This is an important fact, especially for elementary-aged children, for us to know in order to grow and mature as followers of Christ.

Passover is celebrated to remember God’s faithfulness to His people, the nation of Israel, by leading them out of slavery from Egypt. In Exodus 12, we see both God’s just nature and His loving grace; at the time of judgment on Egypt, God provided a way for His people, the Israelites, to be saved through obeying His command to sacrifice a lamb and wipe its blood on the frame of their door. In the same way that God provided for His chosen people, He provides a way for us through His Son. Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s wrath and judgment for our sin, as the perfect Lamb who was slain for us so that we can eternal life through faith in Him.

As you see below, the story of the first Passover parallels the story of the Gospel:

Exodus Passover Lamb	Jesus, the Lamb of God
Choose a lamb and bring it into your home on the 10th day of the month.	Palm Sunday: Jesus chose Himself, and willingly came to Jerusalem
Lamb must have no flaw	I Peter: “Jesus is the unblemished Lamb.”  He was innocent and never sinned, and so He could die for our sins.
Kill and put the blood on door fame of your house.  If a home didn’t do this, the firstborn son would be killed.	Jesus' blood pays the price for our sins. We need to “apply” the blood by faith in Him.  If we believe that Jesus is God and died for us, we are protected from judgment and death.
At judgment time, God only looked for and saw the blood of the lamb.  Whoever obeyed in faith, would not be judged.	When I stand at judgment day, God will look for faith, and only see Jesus’ blood, and not my sins.

This annual event is a unique opportunity for our campers to remember and celebrate what God has done for them. It provides a fun environment to taste new or different foods (matzah, parsley, horseradish, cinnamon applesauce, grape juice), and allows them to connect with God as we approach Easter.

We hope your child(ren) enjoyed their experience with the Passover Seder! As you go through your week, be reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made for you, and worship Him for His faithful obedience to the Father. Romans 6:23 reminds us that we do not deserve anything but death for our sin; Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection is our free gift from God to have eternal life. Meditate on your need for Jesus' blood to cover your sin, and celebrate the free gift of life God has offered you!

- Nicky Darling, Elementary Coordinator

Adopt-A-Child Reminder

So far, in our goal of raising $1200 for our Adopt-a-Child initiative, we have raised $741.91.  This coming weekend will be our last weekend to collect money.  If your Camp Grace (1st - 4th grade) child has not yet brought in $2 to contribute, and your preschooler (2's to Kindergarten) has not brought in $1, please make sure to have them bring it.  Remember, if we all do a little, we can have a big impact.

Camp Grace Review Day: Answer Key

We had a Review Day this past weekend in Camp Grace.  We asked the campers questions from what they've been learning over the past few months.  Then, we sent them home with a sample of the questions, so that they could quiz their parents.  If you missed it, here is a list of the questions.  Try your best, and then scroll down on this post for the answers (in red).

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1. What was the first thing Nehemiah did when he learned Jerusalem’s wall and gates were destroyed?

A.  He prayed to God, praising Him, humbling himself and asking God for help.

B.  He immediately went to Jerusalem to see how he could help.

C.  He sent people to rebuild the wall and gates.

D.  He did nothing.

2. Who did God allow Satan to test to see if this person would continue to believe and trust in God no matter what happened?

A.  David

B.  Nehemiah

C. Adam

D.  Job

3. What happened to Daniel after he was thrown in the lion’s den?

A.  God did not take him out of the lion’s den, but God protected Daniel while he was in it.

B.  Daniel was eaten by the lion’s, but God was glorified for Daniel’s faithfulness to Him.

C.  God gave Daniel superhuman strength to fight and kill the lion’s so he would not be eaten.

D.  Daniel escaped from the lion’s den and saved himself.

4. When Jesus was just a baby, Joseph and Mary took him to the temple in obedience to the Old Testament law.  Who was it that recognized Jesus at the temple, and worshiped Him?

A.  Simeon

B.  King Herod

C.  Anna and Simeon

D.  The Magi and King Herod

5. When Jesus was in Capernaum teaching at the house where He was staying, four men brought a friend to be healed by Jesus. What was wrong with their friend, and how did they get him to Jesus?

A.  Their friend had a broken leg, and they carried him through the front door to Jesus.

B.  Their friend was paralyzed and they led him into the house to Jesus.

C.  Their friend was blind and they lowered him through the roof of the house to Jesus.

D.  Their friend was paralyzed and they dug a hole in the roof to lower him down to Jesus.

6. John the Baptist was not like many of the religious leaders of his time, but God still chose to use him to prepare the way for Jesus.  What are some characteristics of John the Baptist?

A.  He ate ants and syrup, dressed in horse hair, and frolicked in fields.

B.  He ate snails and honey, dressed in cat hair, and hiked in the mountains.

C.  He ate snakes and vinegar, dressed in donkey hair, and swam in the ocean.

D.  He ate locusts and honey, dressed in camel hair, and lived in the wilderness.

7. Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights while being tempted by Satan. There were three things Satan told Jesus to do in Matthew 4. What was NOT one of the things Satan told Jesus to do?

A.  Jump off the highest point of the Temple and let the angels protect Him.

B.  Turn stones into loaves of bread so He could eat

C.  Change sand into water so He could drink

D.  Kneel down and worship Satan to gain the world and its glory

How did you do?  Leave a comment and let us know how many you got right.

Camp Grace Review Day Questions

In case your child missed our programming for 1st - 4th graders this past weekend, or if you want to see how well you could have done, here are some questions that were asked during our Review Day.  Check back on Wednesday for the answer key.

 

1. What was the first thing Nehemiah did when he learned Jerusalem’s wall and gates were destroyed?

A.  He prayed to God, praising Him, humbling himself and asking God for help.

B.  He immediately went to Jerusalem to see how he could help.

C.  He sent people to rebuild the wall and gates.

D.  He did nothing.

2. Who did God allow Satan to test to see if this person would continue to believe and trust in God no matter what happened?

A.  David

B.  Nehemiah

C. Adam

D.  Job

3. What happened to Daniel after he was thrown in the lion’s den?

A.  God did not take him out of the lion’s den, but God protected Daniel while he was in it.

B.  Daniel was eaten by the lion’s, but God was glorified for Daniel’s faithfulness to Him.

C.  God gave Daniel superhuman strength to fight and kill the lion’s so he would not be eaten.

D.  Daniel escaped from the lion’s den and saved himself.

4. When Jesus was just a baby, Joseph and Mary took him to the temple in obedience to the Old Testament law.  Who was it that recognized Jesus at the temple, and worshiped Him?

A.  Simeon

B.  King Herod

C.  Anna and Simeon

D.  The Magi and King Herod

5. When Jesus was in Capernaum teaching at the house where He was staying, four men brought a friend to be healed by Jesus. What was wrong with their friend, and how did they get him to Jesus?

A.  Their friend had a broken leg, and they carried him through the front door to Jesus.

B.  Their friend was paralyzed and they led him into the house to Jesus.

C.  Their friend was blind and they lowered him through the roof of the house to Jesus.

D.  Their friend was paralyzed and they dug a hole in the roof to lower him down to Jesus.

6. John the Baptist was not like many of the religious leaders of his time, but God still chose to use him to prepare the way for Jesus.  What are some characteristics of John the Baptist?

A.  He ate ants and syrup, dressed in horse hair, and frolicked in fields.

B.  He ate snails and honey, dressed in cat hair, and hiked in the mountains.

C.  He ate snakes and vinegar, dressed in donkey hair, and swam in the ocean.

D.  He ate locusts and honey, dressed in camel hair, and lived in the wilderness.

7. Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights while being tempted by Satan. There were three things Satan told Jesus to do in Matthew 4. What was NOT one of the things Satan told Jesus to do?

A.  Jump off the highest point of the Temple and let the angels protect Him.

B.  Turn stones into loaves of bread so He could eat

C.  Change sand into water so He could drink

D.  Kneel down and worship Satan to gain the world and its glory