Every year, Encounter is Elevate’s massive Spring retreat. Students take over Warren Willis Camp and make this space their own. They worship, grow closer to God, and develop deeper relationships with one another. Eno’s fill the trees, s’mores are eaten, and Color War 4.0 is happening.
This is a fun time and all, but really the story worth sharing is that this whole weekend is run by students. Ministry staff coordinates and the students create. They have big ideas and a solid follow through, making this weekend an experience students look forward to every year.
We have students planning our massive messy games. They are calculating exactly how much tempura paint and holi powder we will need to make the event memorable. They dream up new ways each year to make something that could become a stale tradition into a vibrant and exciting endeavor.
Students design our t-shirts, invite adults to volunteer, make silly videos explaining our rules and lead daily devotions. There is a common adage that our youth are the church of tomorrow, but that’s just not true. They are the church right now. Through their commitment and passion, Elevate is becoming a vibrant family built on God’s grace, who share a passion for the Word of God, living and serving in the image of Jesus the Christ.