HEADING DOWN THE RIGHT PATH
Other Opportunities for Youth
CYF: Timeless truth—New generation
Christian Youth Fellowship has been a staple among East Ohio camps for 40 years. During that time, youth have encountered Christ personally through worship, Bible study and Christian community. Countless church leaders have had their lives changed at CYF by the timeless message of God’s love and forgiveness, as well as through personal transformation and a call to service.
For 35 years, CYF was held at Lakeside. Five years ago, the camp’s leadership felt a call to move to Malone University in Canton. This move afforded many new opportunities, while also increasing the cohesiveness of the Christian community that CYF always has developed.
The message of new life in Christ has never changed, but worship expressions within each generation have. Thus, CYF has embarked on a campaign to reflect the next generation of Christian youth, by expressing fully “emergent” worship — experiential, participatory, image-driven, community-based expression of the love of God.
Each worship experience is as dynamic as the Holy Spirit leads, including a live band playing ancient hymns and innovative choruses woven together seamlessly.
As always, CYF is devoted to engaging scripture and wrestling with the difficult questions of what living as a disciple of Christ looks like in the real world.
CYF encourages year-round preparation by supporting a fully interactive, constantly updating web site, mycyf.com. Take a moment and check it out!
CYF has never left the roots that were instrumental in the development of so many faith journeys here in East Ohio. The message has never changed: There is salvation and hope in Christ. God’s call has not changed: The faithful are to bring the good news to everyone in their own language. CYF is devoted to bearing timeless truth to the next generation.
By Joe Burkhardt, associate pastor
North Canton Faith UMC, executive director of CYF
Institute: Worship, fun, fellowship
Lakeside Institute is an East Ohio United Methodist summer camp that is held at Lakeside, Ohio on Lake Erie. Organized by the Ohio State Epworth League in 1915, Institute is a week-long camp that reaches out to youth in 9th grade to age 20.
Those who attend Institute will find a week that is jam-packed with fun, fellowship and adventure. The youth are assigned to small groups where they will spend much time throughout the week. Small group is not only a time of discussion, but also a time for them to get to know and build strong, trusting friendships with the other youth in their group. Lakeside Institute is also blessed with an amazing staff that goes above and beyond to share the love of Jesus Christ with all of the campers. Many staff were campers themselves when they were in school. Come and join us July 19-25. For photos, videos and more information about camp, visit lakesideinstitute.org.
By Rich Boettner and Lori Salyer, Deans
Reach Out: Defines service, leadership
Reach Out is a weeklong camp full of powerful worship, inspiring music, engaging study, service work and meaningful small group time for youth in seventh through 12th grades.
For many campers, their Reach Out week in July at Lakeside is the most important part of their summer. And the highlight of the week is a two-day-long mission trip. The entire camp divides into 10 to 15 small groups, and the groups travel all over the state doing service work.
Some go to MRDD schools and agencies to work with children and adults. Some go to mission centers to sort clothes, shoes, boxes and food. Some groups go to low-income housing blocks and provide Vacation Bible School. All the groups come back inspired and changed.
The youth always talk about how close they become after spending two days working alongside each other. Throughout the week, the work the young people do is commissioned and celebrated.
The other great thing about Reach Out is its model of student leadership and leadership development. Each year seven youth are elected by the campers to plan camp for the coming year. These seven youth and two deans called the Planning Committee meet throughout the year and pick a theme, plan worship and activities, design the T-shirts and coordinate the schedule.
The youth are encouraged and empowered to be leaders at camp. “Other youth see these seven youth and learn so much more about leadership than we can teach them in the local church,” says the Rev. Cindy Theobald, one of the deans for this year’s camp.
Reach Out camp meets this year at Lakeside from July 12 - 18. For more information visit www.reachoutcamp.com. Register for camp at www.eastohiocamps.com.
By Bob Myers, Camps and Retreat Ministries Chairman