Senior Ichthus 2017 - It's a Wrap!

Senior Ichthus ran in the first week of July, and it was an amazing week away for both our campers and our leaders. Senior Ichthus this year was a time of new ideas and changes, a place where we wanted to start to explore how we could challenge and engage our high school seniors in new ways. It was also an exciting time of change in the leadership, with Isaac and Mel directing for the first time and bringing their own fresh ideas and experiences to the camp.  What resulted was a week of great fun, great conversations, and a real sense of community full of love and friendship that was built over the week.

We explored the book of Ephesians with the wisdom and guidance of Rev Ian Dredge and Elizabeth Greentree as our Spiritual Directors for the week. And in the week we explored some of the big ideas of Christianity and of being part of the many who follow Christ. Our campers alongside their leaders unpacked the ideas of pre-destination, the power of prayer (does it work? How does it work?), the power and hold of sin, and becoming all that we can be in Christ.

And that was just during the mornings! The afternoons were filled with something different everyday – trampolining, beach visits, messy games, and an opportunity to give back into the local community in Peregian Springs. We don’t just love talking about what God has done for us and what we do as ones who believe in him, we love to go out and do it!

And so we did! By helping four different families with their housework and learning a little bit more about them and hearing their stories. While each different, the simple act of cleaning cars, weeding, and do general cleaning around the home was a blessing for each family in a different way; whether by helping to get a house ready for inspection, doing a general clean after the entire family getting sick, or helping out the family while one of the parents is away doing fly in-fly out work. 

The best part about camp though (for me personally), is the simple joy of getting to know one another, whether it be someone entirely knew, or catching up with a friend that you haven’t caught up with since the last camp. The sense of community and friendship that grew over the week is hard to describe but so easy to remember, and it was in those moments of simple enjoyment that you could see what the Church can be. You bring a group of teenagers together as strangers and see them finish the week as a family. I can’t think of too many more poignant testimonies of the power of Christ’s love for us than that.

Until next year Seniors!

By Erica Skerman (AYCF Camp Co-ordinator)