On the afternoon of Saturday, July 25, around sixty young people and staff members gathered in Fredericktown, Missouri, at Pinecrest Camp and Conference Center for the annual Midwest Youth Camp. Attendees arrived from each Midwest church – Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Memphis, Tennessee; St. Louis, Missouri; Van Buren, Arkansas; and Worth, Illinois. Representation from other churches included Portland, Oregon; Athens, Georgia; and Washington DC.

The theme for the youth camp was “Serving God in Every Sense” and focused on the five senses: hearing, vision, touch, taste, and smell. Campers ranged from ages nine to eighteen and were organized into three groups for boys and three groups for girls. Each dorm had lead and assistant counselors who led devotions and participated in activities with campers.

Upon arrival, attendees participated in a welcoming bonfire which included games, singing, testimonies, and a short message from Jeff Downey, the pastor of the St. Louis church. Counselors led their campers in a prayer circle to kick off a time of spiritual growth for the campers. Several continued their prayers in the chapel following the bonfire. The first evening ended with a friendly, camp-wide game of glow-in-the-dark dodgeball in the gym.

Every morning, counselors and staff rose early to participate in a time of devotion and fellowship. Organized activities for students and staff occurred following breakfast. On Sunday morning, activities available were basketball, fishing, and crafts. Following lunch, students met at the chapel for a rally where they sang a few songs and were introduced to the memory verses of the day: Psalm 139:1 and Numbers 23:19. Counselors then held devotional time with their students. The topic for Sunday was “God Sees Me and God Speaks to Me.” Following devotions was free time, allowing campers to go to the gym, swim in the lake, or play mini golf.

Each evening during camp, a chapel service was held. The services consisted of memory verse drills, testimonies, music specials, and singing. The message on Sunday evening was brought by Karen Storey from the Van Buren church. Her text was from John 3:16 and she compelled each person in attendance to leave knowing two things: God loves you and He wants to work in your life. Many were moved by this message, and the Spirit of the Lord was felt throughout the prayer service.

On Monday, activities were water-based, in an effort to beat the triple-digit heat. Slip-and-slide obstacle courses and a camp-wide water balloon fight engaged all ages before the afternoon rally and devotionals. The theme of Monday’s devotion time was “God changes me and God satisfies me.” It was centered around 2 Corinthians 2:15 and Psalm 34:8. The chapel message was given by Rebecca Oyedokun from the St. Louis church. She referenced Luke 15:8-10 and Jeremiah 39:13. The sermon was a call to action, encouraging campers to make “tonight the night” and to avoid putting off their blessings. The prayer service lasted several hours into the night and many were blessed, receiving a touch from the Lord.

The final day of youth camp was on Tuesday and coincided with the evening arrival of attendees of the Midwest camp meeting, which would begin the following day. The days’ events included a game of Human Hungry Hippos in the gym, an obstacle course challenge, and other fun activities. The final devotional was focused on the theme, “God touches me so I can touch others” and the memory verse for the day was John 17:20. The final chapel service was an exciting time of music, testimonies, and fun. The message was brought by Charles Schleicher, the pastor of the Madison church. The focus verse was 2 Corinthians 8:11 and the sermon was a culmination of many of the topics discussed in devotionals and chapel services throughout the youth camp. In the final prayer service, a sweet Spirit was felt and many received blessings.

The Lord mightily blessed all who were in attendance and His presence was felt throughout the camp – during activities, in the dining hall, at devotional times, and in each service. Five campers claimed salvation, three were sanctified, and one received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Many others received assurances and renewed their commitments to the Lord. The blessings received will be cherished throughout the coming year as the attendees return to their home churches having touched the Lord. Thank God for all He has done!