FUGE Recap

          Whether your child went to CentriFuge or M-Fuge, you can rest assured they had an ENCOUNtER with God during the week.  Everything about the camp is designed to bring your student into the presence of God.  Games, worship, service, and everything else your student did during the week was aimed at embracing the truth of the Gospel.
          Let me brag for a moment...First, our students received compliments everywhere we went.  When we checked out of one of the hotels, the staff commented that we had a group of young adults rather than teenagers.  Furthermore, in the PCY groups (paint, construction, yard work), our kids outworked every other group there.  Yes I am biased, but our kids were the hardest workers at camp - no doubt!  Your kids were well behaved and a joy to be around.  Secondly, no church at this camp had the support of volunteers like our Youth Group.  Our adults easily out numbered every church, even churches that brought more students.  The Fuge staff was even impressed that we had brought a caravan of 9 personally owned vehicles.  What is impressive is that this church rallies together to watch God work in the lives of students.
         On August 7th, we will be baptizing some of our students who have accepted Christ this year.  You will also be given the opportunity to hear from the students firsthand about what God is doing in their lives.  Encourage your student to share with you about their week.  Specifically ask them about connecting with the Gospel, God's mission, and how their life will be lived differently after a week of camp.
          One last note...I think one of the spiritual disciplines we often forget is the spiritual discipline of celebration.  The service on August 7th will be a celebration of what God is doing in the lives of students in our church.  Richard Foster puts it this way, "Joy is part of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22).  Often I am inclined to think that joy is the motor, the thing that keeps everything else going.  Without joyous celebration to infuse the other disciplines, we will sooner or later abandon them.  Joy produces energy.  Joy makes us strong."  Our students are energized.  They are poised and strong.  It brings me great joy to serve them alongside of you all.