Shawn C. Branch

when i led a week at camp, i wanted to do something different for the wake up call. ringing the bell seemed too ordinary. it started with my first week leading, i rented a sound system and decided that the camp (and surrounding cottagers) should wake up to the 70′s, another week was the 80′s and then the 90′s. eventually the campers, and staff, caught that this was going to happen every morning, so they joined me in the field ‘cutting a rug’.
if i was leading again this summer, i think this would have been a regular:

What a weekend!  When I left for Manna – our youth retreat, my car was full of equipment and supplies, my head was in a million places and my heart was trying to get me focused on what was about to take place.

I was running late (no surprise), arriving about an hour later than I really wanted to get there.  The band arrived slightly before I did and got their van stuck in the snow, and when I walked into the retreat centre, found out that the chapel wasn’t insulated for winter — IE: we weren’t using it.  While the band pushed themselves out, I quickly had rethink how we were going to set everything up with only one building.  Through it all, God prevailed and we were ready to go just as the teens were arriving.

The weekend kicked off with us filling our stomachs, followed by the ‘official’ opening led by Elevate.  (These guys came from Briercrest.  They are incredibly gifted and talented!  They were a huge benefit to the weekend.)  Don Skinner was our speaker, from Turtleford.  He gave excellent words of encouragement for standing up and being prepared for the battle.  Our theme focused on ‘putting on the Gospel armour’ (Ephesians 6).

The whole weekend was more than I expected.  At least 12 teens committed or re-committed their lives to Christ on Saturday.  In between the worship and teaching, there was plenty of time for fellowship – good use of made of the sauna during the free time. 

Thank you to everyone who prayed before and throughout the weekend; to Elevate (you guys rock!); to Jill (thanks for dealing with my insanity); to Don (great words); to the Counselors — what a weekend!  Praise God!

What a weekend!  When I left for Manna – our youth retreat, my car was full of equipment and supplies, my head was in a million places and my heart was trying to get me focused on what was about to take place.

I was running late (no surprise), arriving about an hour later than I really wanted to get there.  The band arrived slightly before I did and got their van stuck in the snow, and when I walked into the retreat centre, found out that the chapel wasn’t insulated for winter — IE: we weren’t using it.  While the band pushed themselves out, I quickly had rethink how we were going to set everything up with only one building.  Through it all, God prevailed and we were ready to go just as the teens were arriving.

The weekend kicked off with us filling our stomachs, followed by the ‘official’ opening led by Elevate.  (These guys came from Briercrest.  They are incredibly gifted and talented!  They were a huge benefit to the weekend.)  Don Skinner was our speaker, from Turtleford.  He gave excellent words of encouragement for standing up and being prepared for the battle.  Our theme focused on ‘putting on the Gospel armour’ (Ephesians 6).

The whole weekend was more than I expected.  At least 12 teens committed or re-committed their lives to Christ on Saturday.  In between the worship and teaching, there was plenty of time for fellowship – good use of made of the sauna during the free time. 

Thank you to everyone who prayed before and throughout the weekend; to Elevate (you guys rock!); to Jill (thanks for dealing with my insanity); to Don (great words); to the Counselors — what a weekend!  Praise God!

Leaving in a few hours for Manna.  Pray for us when you think of it throughout the weekend – for the teens, the speaker, the leaders and the band.