In the July school holidays, kids in Years 4-7 at school from across our association of churches converged on Kiah Ridge for State Kids Camp.
The theme this year was “Stay Connected” based on Jesus’ words about the Vine and the Branches from John 15. The morning sessions included drama, worship, games and a short talk by Mike Hill from Harbourside Church, while the evening sessions saw kids unpacking the Bible through interactive, hands-on activities.
“State Kids Camp is all about creating a peak experience opportunity for kids to come together and connect with each other and with God,” explains Kaye Ryan, Children and Families Ministry Leadership Development Facilitator. Faith development models, as well as recent empirical studies, show that peak experiences – moments of awe, wonder and encounter – are crucial for children’s faith formation. They often play a role in shaping a person’s long-term faith trajectory, and provide a faith anchor they can return to in years to come.
Mandy Gray, the Generations Pastor at Mosaic Baptist Church, has been bringing a group of kids along State Kids Camp for the past two years. “We have seen huge changes in our Kids Ministry and the kids themselves because of State Kids Camp,” says Mandy. “It builds better peer relationships among our kids and leaders, and also gives them an opportunity to experience and develop their own faith in a safe and fun environment.”
Each year, campers at State Kids Camp choose a “Content Creation” elective. This year, each group explored the idea of staying connected and bearing fruit, and then found a way to share what they discovered by creating a stop motion video, a visual art display or a Lego build. “Content creation gives children a way to carry God’s Big Story with them, as they explore the Bible, process what they are discovering and retell that story in their own words,” says Kaye.
Peak experiences can involve “big” exciting activities – and there are plenty of these at SKC – but they can also come in moments of quiet reflection. “Some of the most meaningful moments are when we simply create space to be still and wonder, reflect, and listen – to consider our Creator and his love for us,” explains Louise Bartlett, Team Leader of Children and Families Ministries.
State Kids Camp is also a peak leadership opportunity for junior leaders – high school aged leaders who are already serving within their local church. “We have a strong Junior Leadership program across Mosaic and being part of State Kids Camp has become a vital part of that journey of leadership,” says Mandy. “Our Junior Leaders report that State Kids Camp gives them more confidence in their leadership capacity, and is a great way to develop relationship and leadership skills on a larger scale that we would never be able to accomplish as an individual church.”
State Kids Camp is one way we can partner together to create peak experiences for children and young leaders. To find out more about how the Children and Families Ministries team and provide support to your church, or for ideas you can implement locally, visit https://baptistcfm.org.au/
