Spring Camp 2023 was an amazing camp!
Run over Labour weekend out at Bridge Valley Adventure Centre, youth from around our diocese came together for worship, games, hang outs and fun – and this year was the biggest we’ve had in a long time! One highlight was having a group from St Christopher’s in Blenheim join us for the first time as well!
A typical day on camp looks like this:
Leaders meet at 7:15am to pray together and prepare for the day ahead (i.e. getting caffeinated) before we all have breakfast together at 8am – with the rugby on at the same time, of course!
After breakfast the day campers turn up and around 9am we have a mainstage session. These sessions are led by our amazing MC team of young people – shout out to Shara Balogh, John Vlaming, Reuben Greenwood, Sam Holmes, Joel Cooper, Hana Wood, and Emily Rodley! This team brought the hype, they held the culture of camp to be an incredibly positive, fun and uplifting environment, and they ran games and led prayers with maturity and mana beyond their years.
The praise and worship is run by the incredible All Saints band, often led by young people. Finally, there’s an awesome message from the amazing Caleb Haurua from Auckland.
After a morning tea break we then go into Tribe Wars – a big wide game where teams compete in slippery tug of war or capture the flag to raise team spirit, before heading into workshops to learn about topics like science and faith, hearing from God, finding your calling and living a supernatural life.
Once we’ve had lunch, the afternoon is a great time to enjoy some of Bridge Valley’s activities like high ropes or the luge. You can also hang out with friends by the pool or play sport on the field. Special shout out to Adam Bone, a young person who did an absolutely incredible job heading up the media for camp! You’ll probably see him around capturing afternoon activities with his camera.
Following dinner we have an evening mainstage session, which often leads into an extended ministry time where many young people stay for a long period of time praising God, praying with each other, being prayed for by leaders, and being ministered to by God. During this time I witnessed many young people having powerful encounters with the Lord, having beautiful, physical reactions to the work of the Holy Spirit, sensing his presence and falling over unprompted with their friends catching them as God did a deep work in their hearts.
We saw young people give their lives to Jesus for the first time, or recommit their lives again. Some were powerfully moved and brought to tears, some knelt in peace at the feet of the Father.
Thank you so much to everyone who supported this camp in some way – financially, prayerfully and physically. It could not have been what it was if not for the army of people who invest in the lives of these young people outside of camp. From youth leaders and volunteers to family, church community and spiritual grandparents, everyone plays a role in developing our young people, culminating in a really positive camp culture where young people can come and encounter God.
"I had an amazing time at Spring Camp connecting with nature, friends and this peaceful supernatural presence."
"There are lots of wonderful people who are so loving and it balances fun and faith nicely. It's a camp you can enjoy even if you're not Christian or just beginning your faith."
"This camp is so amazing. It creates new friendships with others and grows your relationship with God and Jesus."
"It’s a really fun and cool experience. It feels like you're in a big family and you won’t get judged."
"I loved this camp, best weekend ever! Can't wait till next year!"
Please keep these young people (and the now sleepy leaders!) in your prayers as they process the “high” of camp and try to adjust back into “normal” life. May they continue to see God all around them and push deeper into knowledge and love of him each day.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
Spring Camp 2023 was an amazing camp!
Run over Labour weekend out at Bridge Valley Adventure Centre, youth from around our diocese came together for worship, games, hang outs and fun – and this year was the biggest we’ve had in a long time! One highlight was having a group from St Christopher’s in Blenheim join us for the first time as well!
A typical day on camp looks like this:
Leaders meet at 7:15am to pray together and prepare for the day ahead (i.e. getting caffeinated) before we all have breakfast together at 8am – with the rugby on at the same time, of course!
After breakfast the day campers turn up and around 9am we have a mainstage session. These sessions are led by our amazing MC team of young people – shout out to Shara Balogh, John Vlaming, Reuben Greenwood, Sam Holmes, Joel Cooper, Hana Wood, and Emily Rodley! This team brought the hype, they held the culture of camp to be an incredibly positive, fun and uplifting environment, and they ran games and led prayers with maturity and mana beyond their years.
The praise and worship is run by the incredible All Saints band, often led by young people. Finally, there’s an awesome message from the amazing Caleb Haurua from Auckland.
After a morning tea break we then go into Tribe Wars – a big wide game where teams compete in slippery tug of war or capture the flag to raise team spirit, before heading into workshops to learn about topics like science and faith, hearing from God, finding your calling and living a supernatural life.
Once we’ve had lunch, the afternoon is a great time to enjoy some of Bridge Valley’s activities like high ropes or the luge. You can also hang out with friends by the pool or play sport on the field. Special shout out to Adam Bone, a young person who did an absolutely incredible job heading up the media for camp! You’ll probably see him around capturing afternoon activities with his camera.
Following dinner we have an evening mainstage session, which often leads into an extended ministry time where many young people stay for a long period of time praising God, praying with each other, being prayed for by leaders, and being ministered to by God. During this time I witnessed many young people having powerful encounters with the Lord, having beautiful, physical reactions to the work of the Holy Spirit, sensing his presence and falling over unprompted with their friends catching them as God did a deep work in their hearts.
We saw young people give their lives to Jesus for the first time, or recommit their lives again. Some were powerfully moved and brought to tears, some knelt in peace at the feet of the Father.
Thank you so much to everyone who supported this camp in some way – financially, prayerfully and physically. It could not have been what it was if not for the army of people who invest in the lives of these young people outside of camp. From youth leaders and volunteers to family, church community and spiritual grandparents, everyone plays a role in developing our young people, culminating in a really positive camp culture where young people can come and encounter God.
"I had an amazing time at Spring Camp connecting with nature, friends and this peaceful supernatural presence."
"There are lots of wonderful people who are so loving and it balances fun and faith nicely. It's a camp you can enjoy even if you're not Christian or just beginning your faith."
"This camp is so amazing. It creates new friendships with others and grows your relationship with God and Jesus."
"It’s a really fun and cool experience. It feels like you're in a big family and you won’t get judged."
"I loved this camp, best weekend ever! Can't wait till next year!"
Please keep these young people (and the now sleepy leaders!) in your prayers as they process the “high” of camp and try to adjust back into “normal” life. May they continue to see God all around them and push deeper into knowledge and love of him each day.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
