Sis-Q Seekers Camp

08/01/2022

After a forced 2-year hiatus, we are SO EXCITED to be in the beginning days of the 2022 SisQ Seekers Camp!

We are doing things differently this year, our daily updates will be going out via e-mail. If you would like to receive our daily Camp updates this week, please join our e-mail list by visiting: https://sisqseekerscamp.flocknote.com/news, or by texting SEEK to 84576 and then enter your e-mail address.

And please remember Seekers Camp in your prayers this week that it will be filled with the Blessings of the Holy Spirit!!!

08/03/2019

This morning our last group went to the wildlife education center while the rest of the campers had their last Discovery class, rec. time, and music practice rotations. The Discovery projects only need a few finishing touches before being displayed.
After lunch there were three come-and-go elective options for campers: paddle boats, various crafts, or field games.
After that, all the 8-11 year olds swam together in the camp swim hole while the 12 year olds all got to hike to Marrs Hole, further up river. Staff showed off there with one doing a front flip off a rock into the water and another doing a backflip off a rock into the water. Which is harder to do?
Throughout the week the campers were asked to try to memorize five scriptures relating to our theme of Got a Good Guide? Each camper got points for each verse each day. Once a group hit the required threshold, everyone in their group would get an ice cream treat. All four groups passed this threshold! Eight students successfully recited all verses every day without fail! Every camper said at least one verse.
Camp Pastor Kurt welcomed in the Sabbath by talking about the final rest in the eternal kingdom of God and what that looks like. He read some verses from Revelation and spoke about the things we would no longer need to worry about and the things we will do there with God and His family.
Camp Director Matthew Stucker brought thunderous applause when he closed the fireside service with an announcement that we will all have an opportunity to sleep in tomorrow!!!! Happy Sabbath!

08/02/2019

Camp is passing by quickly! This morning we sent our third group to the wildlife education center. Meanwhile our other three groups progressed through music, field games, and Discovery class. We are almost ready to put our Discovery class project together.
In Bible class, Sean used a map as an illustration of the many ways to get places, however there is only one way when it comes to salvation, Jesus! He also shared some of his testimony of coming to Christ.
In crafts, campers have made compasses, and are currently working on painting letters all correlating to the theme, Got a Good Guide?
Swim time is always a highlight for the campers. With temperatures warming up a bit from earlier in the week it is hot enough to be refreshed by the cold water.
Our evening activity was another camp tradition as we got to use water balloon launchers! New campers didn’t take long to get the hang of it as they sent shots high and far into the Sis-Q fields.
During evening service, Camp Pastor Kurt shared about the difference between magnetic north and true north and how explorers calibrate the difference to not get off track just that little bit. There are many things that point to good things, but only one true way to God, through Christ. Kurt encouraged the campers to read their Bibles to learn more. Campers have also done a great job reciting all the memory verses each day and most groups have hit the threshold to get a special treat.

08/01/2019

This morning our youngest group headed out on their field trip to the wildlife education center. The campers enjoyed seeing some animals native to the Pacific Northwest. These animals are receiving permanent care because of injuries sustained or other life-altering issues.
Meanwhile back at camp, the remaining groups rotated through stations. They looked at several different objects through a microscope in Discovery class. See if you can guess what we were looking at in the pictures besides hair, bamboo, and skin flakes.
Campers continue to pick familiar ways to spend their free time including Bump (also called Knockout) Basketball, 9-Square, and, Annie Over. Many also got a second chance on the paddle boats.
In Bible class, Sean taught the campers about being a good friend according to principles from Proverbs emphasizing the importance of relying on each other. He simulated this trust with a demonstration of stepping on a whole carton of eggs (many eggs didn’t hold up!!!) as well as trust falls.
We had a good worship time at campfire as always. Camp Pastor Kurt began his message by having one blindfolded camper lead another one around the area, with Kurt making sure they didn’t get into any real trouble. This acted out the verse of the day, do you know the scripture reference? He continued to speak on the value of trusting God as a guide for us in life.
To close out the night, two words: MAPLE BARS!!!!!!

07/31/2019

07/31/2019

Today at camp, we got into the meat of the schedule, including the oldest group of campers spending the morning on their field trip to a wildlife education center.
The campers spent a large portion of their free time today playing field games. They continued to focus on 9-Square, got a big game of knockout basketball going, and they discovered a new favorite game. It involves a volleyball pit, a tarp over the net, and a ball. Look at the pictures in this album to see if you can guess the game they are playing. In the afternoon they had a refreshing swim in the Rough and Ready River. In the evening, they also got the chance to use the paddleboats on the pond.
In Bible class, Sean taught the kids about the power of words, demonstrating that words spoken are like toothpaste squeezed out of the tube, they are nearly impossible to put back once they are expressed. So we need to be careful with our words.
Camp Pastor Kurt used a building block toy to make the illustration that the toy doesn’t look like the picture on the box when you open it, you still have to build it and you have to follow the directions to build it correctly. He connected this to the Bible as the authoritative, infallible Word of God for guiding our lives.
As we continue exploring our theme of Got a Good Guide?, we are all in good health and looking forward to the continued blessings of a week together focused on God.

07/30/2019

Day 2 of Seekers Camp has already come and gone. A strong wind out of the south has cleared much of the smoke from the fire giving us a clear view of the mountains by the afternoon. Our 71 campers got their first taste of organized games, crafts, and splashes in the swimming hole today. The younger kids played Birdie on a Perch and other games while the older kids mostly played Capture the Flag led by staff member Carla. We also began our Discovery Class with Kevin, which will progress through a project to be finished by the end of the week.

In continuing to explore our camp theme, Got a Good Guide?, today’s focus was Trust. In Bible Class led by Sean, we discussed the example of Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego during their trial at the burning furnace. During Fireside service by Camp Pastor Kurt campers offered answers to several questions like: What does it mean to trust in God? What qualities of God make him so trustworthy? In what situations in life can we trust him?

07/29/2019

We have all arrived safely despite the fire that caused traffic delays about an hour north of camp. We got registered and played games like 9 square, had dinner, our opening night service and then headed off to bed.

08/05/2018

Day 7:
This marks the end of another great week at camp. We pray that everyone made it home safely or will soon be home. I don’t know about your kids, but mine has a serious case of camp hangover. I suppose that’s a sign of a great week. A big thank you to Matthew and Johanna Stucker for your hard work planning and directing camp as well as to all the staff ministering to campers this week. It is truly a labor of love and we are all grateful for you service. Thank you families for sharing your precious children with us. We hope to see them back next year. Until then, have a blessed year.

08/05/2018

Day 6:
Happy Sabbath!! This marks the last day of camp a bittersweet, but fun day as campers perform their skits/acts, we have baptisms in the river, and get to stay up a little later than usual. We were supposed to sleep in today, but the campers had other ideas. I guess we didn’t wear them out enough last night as the majority of them were awake before the 8:15 wake up bell. We took Camp pictures today which is always a flurry of activity. We had 5 individuals baptized today. There are 4 more that made the decision to accept Jesus as their Savior and will wait until they return home to get baptized. We are excited for all 9 of these kiddos. This afternoon campers performed the songs they had been working on in music as well as the Cabin etc. skits. Each camper was given an award from their councilor that recognized each campers’ personalities or abilities. This event always produces a laugh and it’s fun to see the kids’ creative side. We had our last Fireside tonight and the last Snack Shack. Just a few more lasts to check off of our lists before we depart tomorrow morning. One of the last events is watching a slide show that covered the events of the week. It has been a fun week and we will treasure our moments together. Now is the last dash to clean up camp so that we can all leave early in the morning. Thanks for going on this journey with us, we hope to see your kiddos again next year.

08/04/2018

Day 5:

Today is the start of the list of lasts. This is the last day that a group went to the Redwood, the last day to swim. The last day to practice our songs before the performance tomorrow. This is the last day to say our memory verses to gain a prize reward. The Blue Group, 10-11 year olds, took the trip to the Redwoods today, while the remaining groups continued to make the rounds through Music, Discovery, and Recreation. The favorite games for recreation this week were Annie Over, Capture the Flag, and Sponge Tag. Our schedule this afternoon is different than it has been the past 4 days, in that the kids had the chance to choose which activity they would like to do to fill the time: recreation time, crafting, or paddle boating in the pond. The oldest campers were able to take part in a Camp tradition of taking a hike to and swimming in Mars Hole. The Snack Shack is always one of the most anticipated times of the day and usually has the longest lines. (That may be because the line for meals is generally controlled to keep a steady line). There were 4 individuals who made the decision to accept Jesus as their savior either before or during Camp. At this time there will be 4 individuals getting baptized in the Rough and Ready Creek here at Sis-Q. Praise God for his Grace and Love! Thank you to the Harrisburg Oregon Church for your prayers throughout the day. Tomorrow, our activities will start a little later and campers and staffers alike are looking forward to the extra hour of sleep. Our memory verse today was Psalm 1:6. “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.” The trees today were the Wawona Tree another tree from Seqouia National Park and a Baobab Tree from Africa.