Developing disciples at church camps

Posted Jul 26, 2016 in Faith

“This year’s KCO was so much fun!”

“I had such a good time hanging out with my friends at SAYCO!”

These sentiments will be familiar to those whose children attend the Uniting Church SA’s annual SAYCO (South Australian Youth Camp Out) or a KCO (Kids Camp Out) event. But these events are about much more than providing children and teenagers with a weekend of entertainment and socialising. They are genuine and important opportunities for young people to form and develop their faith.

The Christian Venues Association in Australia has studied the importance of church camps in helping to develop faith. Their research indicates that one in 10 people found church camps the most significant activity in helping them to come to faith. This figure rises to three in 10 for young people aged 15-29. Their other data supports the significance of camps in helping Christians to commit to and strengthen their faith.

It is important to keep this in mind when considering the shape of KCO and SAYCO, and the ways young people are led and nurtured at these events.

As has been mentioned in past New Times articles, KCO and SAYCO are undergoing a transition this year. Consultations have been held with members of the Uniting Church SA community to ensure the events continue to cater appropriately to the young people and church communities.

Throughout the consultation process, the importance of KCO and SAYCO as discipleship and formation event was emphasised. The consultation group received strong feedback about the importance of leaders being well-prepared to enable young people to engage fully with the camp programs.

KCO and SAYCO provide numerous opportunities for young people to engage intergenerationally with leaders within their church group. Leaders need to be prepared to answer questions, participate in conversations about faith, engage with small group studies, and help to create opportunities for faith formation. This requires preparation before the camp commences – something that the KCO and SAYCO planning teams are emphasising before this year’s events.

Lorraine Schroder, the Children and Family Ministry Pastor at Adelaide West Uniting Church, has firsthand experience of how important leader preparation prior to events can be.

“About two years ago, some of our KCO small group leaders were determined to help their campers get the most out of the KCO experience,” she recalls. “They decided to do this by extending their small group times and exploring biblical references at every opportunity.

“They also brought along some beads to give to campers every time they finished a Bible study to remind them of the reading. By the end of the camp they each had a bracelet with a series of different beads to remind them of all they learnt.”

On another occasion, a leader from Lorraine’s church prepared ways to help the active young boys in his small group to focus on the tasks at hand.

“I’ve found that if we, as a church community, put in the effort to prepare prior to the event and get to know the children going along then we are able to create a more receptive environment for the campers,” says Lorraine.

“This helps to make camps like KCO more fun and faith-enriching.”

This year, the Uniting Church SA Intergen Team will hold a KCO Dress Rehearsal to help leaders to prepare prior to the event. Held at Adare Uniting Church on Saturday 30 July, this training day will focus on equipping small group leaders to assist young people in their faith development. It will also include an opportunity for leaders to tour the site and acquaint themselves with the program.

“This year, we are continuing to shape the programs of both KCO and SAYCO to be intentionally about discipleship and faith formation,” says Melissa Neumann, a member of the Intergen Team.

“Having leaders prepare before the event is vitally important to ensure young people are able to get as much as possible out of their camping experiences. However, it is equally important to support young people after the events are over – to ensure discipleship growth continues and is woven into the campers’ daily routines.”

Resources for supporting discipleship development and faith formation after the event will be made available for groups involved in the camps.

For more information about KCO or SAYCO please email the Intergen Team at Turn on Javascript!

KCO and SAYCO are both informed by the Intergen Team’s Vision and Key Directions. Read more here.

An article including testimonies from people involved in KCO, SAYCO and other church camps will be published in the August/September edition of New Times, which will be distributed in churches on Sunday 14 August.

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