Camp Tekoa Life; Talent Show & Closing Worship (Days 5 & 6)

Lane and two super cool counselors.
He's pouting because we told him
to stay here...

So it is two days after closing.  Yeah in a perfect world I would have posted and printed, but a busy weekend and exhaustion proved to take priority.  Nevertheless, I have my closing impressions of my week serving at Camp Tekoa.  We start with Thursday night, and go through Saturday.

We have karaoke before Talent Show
Lane decided to dance with them

*The talent show keeps getting better.  It's every Thursday night, and the acts are more original and fun every year.  Every group does a skit or something (usually very goofy and never goes according to plan), and individual campers or small groups also volunteer.  Some sing, some do gymnastics, some do something weird but cool, but overall everyone who comes up is a champ.  It takes guts to stand in front of 250+ people and be vulnerable and real.  Of course the staff also perform very talents (including yours truly, Star Wars 'cough 'cough), and it's a blast!  It's the perfect length.  Speaking of...


*The talent show has also improved in a practical sense.  Many years ago, Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel" was a big thing.  So a little girl comes up and sings it.  Nice.  (Little girls singing a fav song is common...God love 'em).  Then another little girl a few acts later sings it.  Okay, two's company.  Then another little girl.  Three's a crowd.  Four, oh lord no.  Five, Jesus LET GO OF THE WHEEL!  Today it's different; you pick your song, it's put through the PA system, you have one verse, one chorus, and you are faded out.  The end, yay.  Multiple little girls & one guy look up at the fade out and either say or make the look, "I wasn't finished..."  No matter, everyone applauds, cheers, and it doesn't become a 2 1/2 slog like the Jesus Take the Wheel Year....  Now if you sing a-cappella, well, we hope it doesn't drag.

Here's some of those elementary campers,
playing with Lane of course

*TGIF, sort of.  Friday is bittersweet.  Already campers are starting to feel the end is coming, and for most it sucks.  Saying goodbye to new friends is just hard.  Yeah you have the memories.  Yeah you have social media to keep in touch.  Yeah yeah yeah.  It's a hard day.  The thoughts of home, air conditioning, and improved beds help a lot, but it isn't the same.  No one comes to Camp Tekoa and returns the same.

*Who-da-thunk it, my "deepest" group of campers for Pastor Time turned out to be elementary campers.  Don't get me wrong, the CITs were deep, personal, and vulnerable.  I'll remember it for the rest of my life.  The Survivors with the butterfly on my head were outstanding.  But this is was a new level.  I tell briefly the Creation Story, and here we go.
Camper; "Why would God put the tree in the garden knowing Adam and Eve would eat it?"
Me; "Why does that bother you?"
Camper; "Because it makes it like God made them sin and do the wrong thing.  That's not nice!"
Or,
Camper; "Do other religions know anything about God?  I've read about the Buddhists they seem nice.  I'm not sure we (meaning Christians) know everything."
Or,
Camper; "Does God have to be a boy?"
Or,
Camper; "Are we sure everything in the Bible is true?"
Me; "Why are you asking?"
Camper; "I don't know.  It just seems like, I don't know.  I just wonder sometimes."
Me; "I do too.  Keep wondering.  Let's talk about how the Bible was made..."
It's times like these I wish Pastor Time can be extended past an hour.  Sadly, swimming was next.  It was still AMAZING!"
Also, a footnote, later that day one of the campers, a girl came up to me and said, "I just want you to know, I think you are a very good pastor and I think you're great.  I wanted you to know that."  I asked her name, said thank you, and that I will remember her words for the rest of my life.  And I will.

Lane and Tekoa get along so well

*Watching Lane interact with the campers is so much fun.  He's a cutie and a social butterfly, and gave more high fives than I can count to so many cool campers and cool camp staff, both boys and girls.  I got tickled when campers would ask for hugs.  What he does is to walk into you, you hug him, no hug is returned, and that's it.  Lane rarely hugs anyone except mommy.  Uy.  Assistant Director Jon Isley watched and said, "The perks of being a camp kid."  Yup.

Jerry talking with Will & Lane.

*My wife and I had to say goodbye to Jerry who was Will's one-on-one counselor for Day Camp.  This is more extraordinary than you realize.  Jerry works in the "real world" now, blah, but hearing that Will was coming, he took a week off and VOLUNTEERED to work with Will all week.  There are no words to express our gratitude to this amazing young man.  I will say this; this is just a hint of the amazing sacrificial love that the staff of Camp Tekoa share with every child all summer.  Needless to say, we consider Jerry to be a part of our family (and if you're reading this Jerry, we meant it when we said you are welcome into our home anytime!  We love you, and so does Will!).

*As Camp Tekoa starts closing, all the groups meet for private closing time.  It's a holy time.  One of my favorite times at camp.  You get to see how much the campers have grown and matured as you reflect.

Here is where the slideshow happens.

*Ice Cream & Slideshow is still a big hit!  Considering this was the hottest day of the week, it was extra sweet!

*It is worth noting, at this point of the week, I am very tired of all things Star Wars.  I will take a Star Wars sabbatical.  It might last a week.

Rev. Darren Crotts is one of the most
incredible pastors I've ever known,
whom I am honored to call my friend

*Camp concludes with the Closing Campfire Worship Service.  It's fun, it's goofy, it's sweet, and then it becomes very holy and reverent.  My dear friend Rev. Darren Crotts shared the closing message and it was heartfelt and moving.  I think many got misty-eyed.  I love what he said, "The word for this summer is 'Breathe.'  I am going to add a new word to that, 'Gratitude.'"  Amen to that.

*After campfire is something much cooler.  I won't say what for those who have never been to Tekoa YET, but it's amazing.  It's the one thing I didn't tell Darren about.  Listening to his response to this holy tradition was very cool, "What is, what?  Brad you rascal!"  :)

*Saturday comes, and everyone is dragging.  Campers, pastors, and the staff.  And guess what, they do it again.  And again.  And again and again.  9 times this summer alone, greeting another 250+ campers each week (with Day Camp totals it nears 300).  This is such a holy place.

Will and Jerry, and the Holy Spirit

*How I love the things we do at Camp Tekoa!

*The staff are funny, dedicated, called, and beautiful.
*The campers are brave, wise, life-loving, and beautiful.
*20 years later, and after every year, I am a better person because of Camp Tekoa.

Till next year, and yes I WILL BE BACK, May the Force Be With You.