Spring Heights Camp@Home Resources Available Through May 2021

Sabella, age 5, shows her “Five Finger Prayer” from her prayer station activity. Campers learned to pray for different people using their fingers. 1) Thumb -Family and Friends, 2) Pointer Finger- Teachers and Coaches, 3) Middle Finger- Leaders and Pastors, 4) Ring Finger- For those most in need, 5) Pinkie Finger- For yourself.

*Campers ages 5-11 made collages to express gratitude to God. Terance (age 5) is grateful for animals! He loves birds, zebras, and big cats!*

*Nolan, a youth camper, participates in a scavenger hunt.*

*Campers in the children’s age range (5-11) learned how to pray using bubbles. Harlee (age 7) blows bubbles while praying, “Jesus loves me” “Jesus loves the world.”*

Spring Heights Camp and Retreat Center is celebrating a summer unlike any other. Due to the pandemic, traditional summer camp was canceled. However, Spring Heights staff asked the Conference Communication team, specifically Deborah Coble, Cassie Kile, and Abbi Blosser, to help create something new for campers while they were at home during the summer. Our collaborative response became an innovative program called Camp@Home.

The theme for Camp@Home was Prayer (adapted from “This is our Prayer” by Inside Out: Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministries). Campers enjoyed daily devotions, activities, small group zoom calls, and evening campfires. Each camper received a box in the mail before their program week filled with activity instructions, supplies, a small group journal, and a songbook filled with songs for evening campfire time. Campers watched videos on the Spring Heights website and completed various activities like scavenger hunts, making stress balls, and learned many new ways to pray.

We are excited to announce that Camp@Home will remain available online for free until May of 2021! There are two age groups for activities, Children (5-11) and youth (12-18). Some churches are using this material as Sunday School curriculum for the fall.

Camp@Home started July 6 and ran through the month of July. Thanks to the Camp@Home program Spring Heights Camp and Retreat Center ministered to campers in West Virginia, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Minnesota, Iowa, South Carolina, and Kentucky! Seventy-nine percent of campers had never been to Spring Heights Camp before. The camp was able to connect with young people ages 5-18 who would have never come to camp otherwise.

The success of Camp@Home this summer testifies to how God can use the church to reach out in new ways. Spring Heights Camp and Retreat Center gathered a team of gifted and created people together and connected with children and youth throughout the United States. Campers grew as disciples of Jesus Christ by learning new ways to pray by using bubbles, a prayer labyrinth, prayer stations, and crafts. God shows up in powerful ways during summer camp, and Camp@Home was no different.

One of the youth campers said, “Camp at home was an amazing way to connect with God and experience camp while staying safe at home!” An eight-year-old camper said, “It is fun and good to do! The activities were great, and Jesus is important to us.” You can download a “welcome letter” with instructions and a supply list so you can celebrate Camp@Home with your family or church community.

If you have any questions about the program or hosting Camp@Home, please contact Shea James sjames@wvumc.org or Amy Mullins amy@springheights.org for more information.

For details about Camp@Home visit http://springheights.org/camphome/