On June 10th-13th, the RPCA held its annual Youth Camp at the Presbytery’s rural Dixon’s Creek Camp for the first time since 2019. About 25 children ages 12-17 attended, including several friends from outside the RP denomination.
Throughout the weekend, the teenagers were kept busy with mountainous mud walks, a romping relay race, cacophonous campfire songs, a regal royalty theme-dinner, competitive card games, and the new ‘nine-square in the air’, which became a fast favourite.
Joel Blakston, member of the Geelong congregation, addressed the camp’s topic of discernment, explaining to the youth the importance of growing in wisdom as they mature, and encouraging them to seek guidance from the book of Proverbs as well as from more experienced adults in the church.
On Sunday Sana Raja, student at Reformed Theological College in Melbourne, preached at camp on Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones and proclaimed Christ as the only solution to the spiritual death in the world and in our own hearts. In the evening the youth had the opportunity to ask their difficult pressing questions during “ask the pastor” with Andy McCracken of the Frankston congregation.
As the event drew to an end, it was clear that God had answered our prayer that the camp would bring everyone attending closer to God and closer to one another. The youth went home with a renewed excitement for being part of the church family and for seeking continual growth in wisdom and discernment.
Thanks to Joel McCracken for writing this article, and to Josh McEwen, Joel Blakston, and Maria Pockras for the photos. Joel McCracken is a fourth year university student at Geneva College in the United States. He is spending his summer break with his family in Frankston, Australia and enjoyed being a boys’ counselor for Youth Camp 2022.
