Mad Ants Basketball

Posted by Pastor Brown on April 23, 2009

 

Being that confirmation retreat 2009 was my first experience with a confirmation retreat at Praise, I have no other years to compare my experience.  However, I can tell you that if camps in subsequent years go as well as this one did, I’ll be a very happy pastor.  Not only did the event run smoothly and without incident for the nine confirmands and two adult chaperones, but the benefits to the weekend were plentiful and many.  We arrived at Camp Lutherhaven on Friday and stayed until Sunday.  The accommodations they had for us were nothing fancy, but the bunk beds and hot water in the showers were more than I had experienced at other cams in the past.  Therefore, I was quite pleased with the facilities.  This weekend we were joined by several other LCMS Lutheran congregations who were also there for a confirmation retreat.  This gave the event more energy and allowed our confirmands to have their faith strengthened by being encouraged by about seventy others their own age – all of whom were there for the same purpose.  Of course we had a lot of fun and spent a significant amount of time with team-building and cultivating relationships.  However, it wasn’t only fun and games at the retreat.  We all engaged in multiple spiritual events including bible study, daily life application, small group discussions, prayer time, singing, and the youth even created the message for the worship service we had on Sunday.  I came away from the weekend with a greater closeness to both God and the confirmands of Praise.  I was very proud of all of our youth and now feel even stronger than I did before about how blessed I am to be called here to serve such a wonderful group of kids.  To all the confirmands, it’s an honor to be your pastor!