In Glorieta Summer Camps

Growing up, I never had the opportunity to attend a summer camp. At the time it was no big deal because I didn't know what I was missing. However, the longer I've been involved with our summer camps, the more I wish I could have enjoyed the camp experience as a child.

The following is a recently published article detailing a mom's wish to provide that summer camp experience for her kids. I hope you'll enjoy it.

When Heather Murry tried to enroll her children in camp at Ridgecrest, there were no spots open. Camp staff suggested she try their newer sister camp in Glorieta, N.M. The mother of five from Belmont Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., said that was divine providence.

"Glorieta boys and girls camps are the jewel of the Southwest – it’s an undiscovered treasure," Heather said. "We wouldn’t trade any camp in the world for this one. It has everything from good, old-fashioned archery and canoeing to worship and quiet times all in one of the most beautiful settings you’ll ever experience."

To read the entire story, please click here.

What about you? Did you have a camp experience growing up? What about your kids? A week or two each summer, at a Christian camp, could have a huge impact on their spiritual growth. If you don't believe me, find someone who's had a "good, old fashioned camp experience" and I'm sure they will tell you the same thing!

Hard to believe, but summer is upon us. Temps are starting heat up, the humidity is becoming a real pain and everyday I see "tweets" (mini posts on Twitter for you non-Twitter folks) from summer staffers arriving at Glorieta or Ridgecrest. All sure signs that summer is here! 

If it's summer, then that also means it's time for summer camp! Later this week our counselors and staff will begin arriving at Camps Ridgecrest and Crestridge to begin a rather intensive (but also fun) 9-10 days of training. This training is critical in ensuring that we provide our campers with a camp experience that is both life-changing and safe. (I'm looking forward to getting over to North Carolina and catching the last couple of days of this training. Who knows, maybe I'll even take a turn on the blob if the lake's not too cold!)

In coming to LifeWay over 8 years ago, the one area of our conference center and camp ministry that I knew very little about was camp. I must admit, my impressions of camp were heavily influenced by movies such as "Meatballs" and "Heavyweights". Imagine my surprise when I learned that not all camps are like those in the movies! During the past several years I've had the opportunity to meet many excellent Christian camping professionals and to hear their heart for the camping ministry. In addition I've heard story after story of life change from folks who have attended our own summer camps.

As a result, I have become a huge proponent of Christian camping and would encourage any parent to seriously consider sending their child to a summer camp. For a parent like me, who had no camp experience growing up, choosing the right camp could be overwhelming. Fortunately there is help online. The American Camp Association (ACA) has an excellent resource article on their website to help parents choose what type of camp to consider. (Click here for the ACA article.) For those parents with a special needs child, I found another article online that you may find helpful. (Click here for the special needs article.) A third resource, to help you locate a camp near you, can be found at FindaChristianCamp.com.

Attending summer camp can be a great opportunity for your child to grow in Christ and learn how to spread their wings away from mom and/or dad. What about it? Will you consider sending your child to camp this summer? It's not too late!

Written by:  Becky Suggs, Glorieta Family Camp Director. 

Family vacations have always been a part of my life.  The question of where we as a family would venture each summer was one eagerly anticipated.  We’ve spent countless days at the beach, waited for hours in the sweltering sun to experience a 30 second thrill on a rollercoaster, and driven more miles than you can imagine to visit places we’ve never been before.  Civil war battlefields?  I think I’ve seen every site east of the Mississippi River, and much to my father’s dismay, each looked exactly the same to his daughters as we rolled our eyes in the back of our van.

One thing I treasure more than anything from these trips is the time spent together as a family.  Whether we were laughing at a bumper sticker on a passing car, counting license plates from different states, singing along to the latest song on the radio, or just simply riding in the car without much conversation, we were together.  As I’ve grown older and started my own family, I long to build this same tradition.

That is why I am so excited to be a part of a new type of vacation offered by LifeWay’s Glorieta Conference Center – Family Camps!  In the summer of 2010, Glorieta will offer two weeklong sessions of family camp designed with one purpose in mind – to grow families!

Imagine the joy of having a programmed vacation at your fingertips!  From dynamic seminar sessions for parents to Bible Study for your children, every individual will have a chance to grow in his or her spiritual walk, as well as be challenged in growth as a family.  Each day will offer activities such as canoeing, horseback riding, kayaking, paintball, archery, hiking, basketball, arts and crafts, and so much more, led by our trained staff.  The afternoons will bring opportunities to spend quality time with your family through our planned adventures, games, and activities.  Themed meal times, optional camp-outs, and exciting evening activities will only add to your fun while here.

Have you ever dined with cowboys or had to catch your dessert in a bowl attached to your head?  Ever wanted to do something your kids never thought they would see you do, like take a ride on a zip line?  What about spending a day on a trail ride, white water rafting, on a train, or at cooking school?  Do you feel the need to spend quality one on one time with your kids in a setting free from distraction (there are no TVs in hotel rooms at Glorieta!)?  Do you desire to have true spiritual conversation with your family, but just don’t know how and when to do it?  That’s what we’re here for – you bring your family, we‘ll take it from there, providing an environment rich in opportunity for growth.

Glorieta Conference Center is located in the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range, just 20 miles east of Santa Fe, New Mexico.  With over 2,000 acres of mountain beauty, Glorieta provides the perfect place for a family getaway and spiritual retreat.  Deluxe accommodations make for a comfortable and relaxing stay.

Glorieta Family Camps are here to enrich, enhance, encourage, and engage the family, your family – we know and value the importance of quality family time.  We invite you to join ours this summer!  (Oh, and by the way – for any of you that can’t seem to take a trip without finding a Civil War battlefield – don’t worry, we’ve actually got one right down the road!)