Saint Matthew HSM
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Friday Night
Friday morning began “Dawn Patrol” in Memorial Chapel. After breakfast, morning chapel in Ponderosa, was a time of worship through music and then each church met together for “church time.” Saint Matthew was in Ponderosa Chapel and we spent our time sharing how we encountered God this week and shared communion together.
Friday’s rec. was the “Great Race” which was a series of challenges all around Ponderosa Camp. A cabin of guys from Saint Matthew, General Lee-1, on the Lone Range team, ended up taking first place.
During free time a group of Saint Matthew’s juniors and seniors when on a tour of Hume’s Joshua Wilderness Institute (a learning school/program for students who don’t know what they want to do after high school), a hike up to the Little Brown church, boating on the lake, swimming at the cove, volleyball and a few rousing games of gams & hearts on the deck.
After dinner was the annual Seniors vs. Staff Wiffle Ball game on the Ponderosa Lawn. Friday’s chapel was our last chance to worship together with this year’s band, Love Lite, the awards for rec . and the coveted first place team T-shirt. We also heard Brad Bell’s last challenging message and went up the hill to Victory Circle. At Victory Circle, students shared three words to describe the victories they’ve experienced this week. It’s a powerful and rewarding experience hearing students share how they’ve come to faith, been challenged by God and how they hope to be different people when they head down the mountain tomorrow morning.
Well it’s off to cabins and our last cabin group, tomorrow morning, it’s up early, packing, breakfast and loading the buses for our journey back to the Creek.
~PD et al.
Friday’s rec. was the “Great Race” which was a series of challenges all around Ponderosa Camp. A cabin of guys from Saint Matthew, General Lee-1, on the Lone Range team, ended up taking first place.
During free time a group of Saint Matthew’s juniors and seniors when on a tour of Hume’s Joshua Wilderness Institute (a learning school/program for students who don’t know what they want to do after high school), a hike up to the Little Brown church, boating on the lake, swimming at the cove, volleyball and a few rousing games of gams & hearts on the deck.
After dinner was the annual Seniors vs. Staff Wiffle Ball game on the Ponderosa Lawn. Friday’s chapel was our last chance to worship together with this year’s band, Love Lite, the awards for rec . and the coveted first place team T-shirt. We also heard Brad Bell’s last challenging message and went up the hill to Victory Circle. At Victory Circle, students shared three words to describe the victories they’ve experienced this week. It’s a powerful and rewarding experience hearing students share how they’ve come to faith, been challenged by God and how they hope to be different people when they head down the mountain tomorrow morning.
Well it’s off to cabins and our last cabin group, tomorrow morning, it’s up early, packing, breakfast and loading the buses for our journey back to the Creek.
~PD et al.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday Night
This morning began with early morning worship through music in Ponderosa Chapel then our morning speakers shared about mission opportunities: locally, nationally and globally.
Thursday's recreation was "Super Spirit Day" where students were encouraged to dress up like rhinestone cowboys with bedazzling bling. The rec. games were a series of crazy relay races on the upper lawn.
During afternoon free time, there was an "Evangelism 101" seminar, a basketball tournament in the Ark, the Art Kart on the lawn, along with the boating on the lake, swimming in the pool and card games on the "Hume-N-Beans" deck.
After dinner was the counselor gauntlet (a competition that’s a mixture of American Gladiators & Wipeout) where Saint Matthew was ably represented by Drew Eldred & Daniel Fitterer.
Thursday evening, our speaker, Brad Bell, shared how David was a man after God’s own heart. When David messed up, he was quick to repent; there’s a biblical difference between salvation and sanctification (which means to be set apart…make holy…which is a daily struggle); and we can’t control temptation but we can control what we do with it. At the end of the evening Brad challenged students (who where Christian) to pause and reflect where they’re at and if they needed to reconnect with God to stay behind and spend some time in prayer.
~PD, et al.
Thursday's recreation was "Super Spirit Day" where students were encouraged to dress up like rhinestone cowboys with bedazzling bling. The rec. games were a series of crazy relay races on the upper lawn.
During afternoon free time, there was an "Evangelism 101" seminar, a basketball tournament in the Ark, the Art Kart on the lawn, along with the boating on the lake, swimming in the pool and card games on the "Hume-N-Beans" deck.
After dinner was the counselor gauntlet (a competition that’s a mixture of American Gladiators & Wipeout) where Saint Matthew was ably represented by Drew Eldred & Daniel Fitterer.
Thursday evening, our speaker, Brad Bell, shared how David was a man after God’s own heart. When David messed up, he was quick to repent; there’s a biblical difference between salvation and sanctification (which means to be set apart…make holy…which is a daily struggle); and we can’t control temptation but we can control what we do with it. At the end of the evening Brad challenged students (who where Christian) to pause and reflect where they’re at and if they needed to reconnect with God to stay behind and spend some time in prayer.
~PD, et al.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Wednesday Night
Wednesday morning began with the Hume Lake biathlon, a swim in the lake (~10 laps) and a run around the lake (~3.2 miles). Chris Chequer from Saint Matthew won the swim leg and Ryan Niese also from Saint Matthew won the running leg.
After the biathalon was a time of worship through music and the Wednesday seminars. Students were able to pick from ~6 seminars over 2 different sessions. Some of the seminars were, "Is God #5 in Your Life?", "The Mission Field in the Home", Mission Communities", "Overcoming the Distractions in Life" to name a few.
After lunch we went to the pond and ark for church free time. While there we spent time on the blob, Noah's nightmare, playing basketball, foosball & ping-pong in the ark, and just chilling on the lawn with friends.
Wednesday dinner was split into a Guys Dinner-no shirts, no silverware and lots of manly eating. The Girls Dinner-a time singing and dancing with Carly Cannata from Saint Matthew winning the dance contest.
Wednesday night chapel was on "Submitting to Leadership and Authority" and the evening concluded with the Kajabe finals on the upper lawn and free time around Ponderosa camp.
~PD, et al.
After the biathalon was a time of worship through music and the Wednesday seminars. Students were able to pick from ~6 seminars over 2 different sessions. Some of the seminars were, "Is God #5 in Your Life?", "The Mission Field in the Home", Mission Communities", "Overcoming the Distractions in Life" to name a few.
After lunch we went to the pond and ark for church free time. While there we spent time on the blob, Noah's nightmare, playing basketball, foosball & ping-pong in the ark, and just chilling on the lawn with friends.
Wednesday dinner was split into a Guys Dinner-no shirts, no silverware and lots of manly eating. The Girls Dinner-a time singing and dancing with Carly Cannata from Saint Matthew winning the dance contest.
Wednesday night chapel was on "Submitting to Leadership and Authority" and the evening concluded with the Kajabe finals on the upper lawn and free time around Ponderosa camp.
~PD, et al.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tuesday Night
Tuesday morning began with “Dawn Patrol” a optional time of early morning worship through music in Memorial Chapel. The morning chapel in the Ponderosa Chapel began with an extended worship time and afterwards we met with our lead counselors for a short devotional and solo time exploring this year’s memory verses.
Tuesday’s rec. was the game of Kajabe at 7 different cans.
There were plenty of activities during free time including: a volleyball tournament, a 101 seminar on “How to Study the Bible,” swimming, boating, hiking and playing cards on the Hume-N-Beans deck.
Tuesday’s evening chapel was the gospel message and we had a four Saint Matthew students who stayed behind with our counselors after receiving Christ for the first time . . . which is always a powerful experience to be a part of.
Tuesday evening’s free time included a concert by the year’s worship band on the Hume-N-Bean’s deck, grabbing a late night snack at one of the food venues, playing games or just hanging out, meeting and talking with new friends.
~PD, et al.
Tuesday’s rec. was the game of Kajabe at 7 different cans.
There were plenty of activities during free time including: a volleyball tournament, a 101 seminar on “How to Study the Bible,” swimming, boating, hiking and playing cards on the Hume-N-Beans deck.
Tuesday’s evening chapel was the gospel message and we had a four Saint Matthew students who stayed behind with our counselors after receiving Christ for the first time . . . which is always a powerful experience to be a part of.
Tuesday evening’s free time included a concert by the year’s worship band on the Hume-N-Bean’s deck, grabbing a late night snack at one of the food venues, playing games or just hanging out, meeting and talking with new friends.
~PD, et al.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday Night
This morning at chapel we were introduced to this year’s worship band “Love Lite.” Both the students and adults really liked the band, especially the more familiar worship songs we sang.
After a time of worship through music, we were introduced to this year’s speaker, Brad Bell, from the Well Church in Fresno. After morning chapel we had a “So What Time” with our cabins and went to the first recreation chapel. This year’s camp teams are the “Cliché Cowboys” (grey shirts) and “Viva Banditos (gold shirts).” The camp teams are further divided into 28 sub teams. Because of the size of our church we are on a number of sub teams like: “Shotgun Sally’s, The Lone Rangers, Lonesome Doves, Jolly Ranchers, Nightriding Nannies to name a few. Today was 4-way games at 4 different locations. We competed in games like “What in Tarnation?!, “16 Square up in the Air, Dodjabi, and Barnyard Belly Bumping Bonanza as each team began the quest for the coveted first place rec. t-shirt.
After recreation, was lunch and free time—on the lake, and around camp. A group of 69 took over both the high adventure course times and were challenged by the ropes course through the trees, climbing wall, pampra poles and the 42-foot high screamer.
After dinner was the bike jump into the Lake where 4 Saint Matthew students competed (Kyle Mueller took first place).
After the bike jump was evening chapel—including a time of worship through music and Brad’s bringing the message on 1 Samuel 8.
The students are now in Ponderosa Free time with a Luau Night Swim including a competition belly flop in the pool (Anthony Dossa & Brody O’Brian finished in the top five), volleyball, hanging out with old and new friends and a rousing card game of slap on the “Hume-N-Beans” deck.
Well the evening bell rang so it’s off to cabins, cabin time and bed!!
~PD, et al.
After a time of worship through music, we were introduced to this year’s speaker, Brad Bell, from the Well Church in Fresno. After morning chapel we had a “So What Time” with our cabins and went to the first recreation chapel. This year’s camp teams are the “Cliché Cowboys” (grey shirts) and “Viva Banditos (gold shirts).” The camp teams are further divided into 28 sub teams. Because of the size of our church we are on a number of sub teams like: “Shotgun Sally’s, The Lone Rangers, Lonesome Doves, Jolly Ranchers, Nightriding Nannies to name a few. Today was 4-way games at 4 different locations. We competed in games like “What in Tarnation?!, “16 Square up in the Air, Dodjabi, and Barnyard Belly Bumping Bonanza as each team began the quest for the coveted first place rec. t-shirt.
After recreation, was lunch and free time—on the lake, and around camp. A group of 69 took over both the high adventure course times and were challenged by the ropes course through the trees, climbing wall, pampra poles and the 42-foot high screamer.
After dinner was the bike jump into the Lake where 4 Saint Matthew students competed (Kyle Mueller took first place).
After the bike jump was evening chapel—including a time of worship through music and Brad’s bringing the message on 1 Samuel 8.
The students are now in Ponderosa Free time with a Luau Night Swim including a competition belly flop in the pool (Anthony Dossa & Brody O’Brian finished in the top five), volleyball, hanging out with old and new friends and a rousing card game of slap on the “Hume-N-Beans” deck.
Well the evening bell rang so it’s off to cabins, cabin time and bed!!
~PD, et al.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday Night
Well this year was quite an adventure getting to camp, with a rolling CHP stop to remove a disabled car from 680, one of the three buses overheating an hour away from camp and 1 of the other buses coming to the rescue to bring the remaining campers up to camp. (A pastoral side note . . . we have an amazing group of students who made the best of the situation by spending the time to get to know each other a little better . . . the adults on the bus said that there was minimal complaining and whining ☺ )
The last bus arrived in time for the Wild West opener in the Ponderosa Chapel. After the root-n-tootin opener, Rich Baker, Ponderosa’s camp co-director, opened with a message on this summer’s theme of “All In” looking at the story of David and Saul in 1 Samuel.
After chapel was free time, high adventure and paintball sign-ups and dinner for the last bus.
~PD, et al.
The last bus arrived in time for the Wild West opener in the Ponderosa Chapel. After the root-n-tootin opener, Rich Baker, Ponderosa’s camp co-director, opened with a message on this summer’s theme of “All In” looking at the story of David and Saul in 1 Samuel.
After chapel was free time, high adventure and paintball sign-ups and dinner for the last bus.
~PD, et al.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Hume Lake - Ponderosa Camp
Check-in begins in the Teen Center on Sunday, July 24 at 7:30 am.
You must be on campus before 8:15 am and check-in ends by 8:45 am.
The buses departs at 9 a.m. with or without you.
Leave all cell phones, iPods and electronics at home.
The buses will return to Saint Matthew by 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 30.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
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