Trees hold stories.
With each year of growth, a ring is added to the trunk’s diameter. By cutting a cross section, we can look at the rings and learn about the tree’s lifetime—years of drought or abundance, scars from injury or disease. We can look at the silhouette and notice patterns that indicate the presence or absence of neighbors. Is this tree a lone wolf, or part of a forest community?
There are also trees in the Bible that hold powerful stories about God’s love for us. In Genesis, we learn about the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life. Luke 19 tells a story of Jesus speaking to a tree-climbing Zacchaeus, extending God’s love to a wayward man who many considered lost. Each tree in the Bible tells the story of Father God grafting us with love into his family.
At Nature Camp this summer, we will be teaching Bible stories and exploring the trees around our church. Trees provide habitat: from canopies to cambium to roots, we can find birds, insects, moss, and mycelium.
We will busy our hands using the gifts trees offer to learn crucial wilderness skills—making fires, shelters, and wood tools for crafting.
We are so excited to embark on our fourth year of Nature Camp. Our theme this year is Trees, and the stories they tell. Campers will participate in our “opening circle,” learning a memory verse, songs, and a story of the day. They will then disperse in smaller groups into the woods to practice skills and reflect on the story of the morning. At our closing circle, campers are invited to share their own “stories of the day,” and their curiosity and discoveries are celebrated by all.
This year we are offering half-day (9am-12pm) and full day (9am-3pm) camp options, and are already full with 40+ campers and a waiting list.
Please join us in praying for the leaders, helpers, and campers who will be a part of camp this summer (July 14-18). Pray that the children grow closer to God at Nature Camp, and see themselves as part of his big story.