Winter Youth Retreat 2019 - thoughts

Here are some thoughts from leaders and staff that attended the weekend in February:

At the winter retreat I liked how you the different ways of reading and understanding the Bible were incorporated into the weekend like Florilegium and Havruta, I also liked when we wrote to the veterans. Overall was a good weekend. - JS

Camp Tamarack is a place to rest and recharge. Winter youth retreat is a place to catch up with friends from the summer . I enjoy cooking for the young people . - LJ

Peaceful. In a world that is so busy and distracted by everything, camp is refreshing. I did not charge my phone once because I never 'needed' to be on it. Camp is a reminder for me that I do not 'need' technology in my life. I love quality time with others around me. Camp is a place where quality is a must, even for those who would usually hide behind their phones. There is no stress because you are there with the people. You are not there with the people and the multiple others that you may be texting. Refreshing and peaceful. I appreciate Camp Tamarack for these reasons. We push each other in faith through love, support, and community.  - KO

The biggest thing I enjoy about coming to camp as a leader would be interacting with and getting to know the campers individually to ensure they have a good experience. Watching them also become better friends with each other was another thing I noticed over the weekend, which was also great to witness. Being a leader here also helps me practice valuable leadership skills that are needed to be successful in my career. - CP

From Dust You Came and From Dust You Shall Return

Growing up Baptist, we weren't very liturgical. I think the only way I knew that Lent had started was because for lunch on Fridays at school we would have fish sticks. I didn't like fish sticks so I think I may have fasted without realizing it.

Today is Ash Wed - the 46 days prior Easter. 
The time frame of 40 days and 6 Sundays represents the 40 days Jesus was in the wilderness. It is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the joy that is to come Easter morning. 

Is it a literal fast from food  for a day/time frame or fasting from things we may need to let go that aren't good for us - all the time spent on a video game, sugar, social media, single use plastic, fill in the blank _______. What's interesting to me is this is a personal decision in how I approach Lent. 
There have been times where people have talked about taking something up for Lent. Take up reading a daily devotional, commitment to prayer, volunteering somewhere, giving to charity, fill in the blank _____. 

The whole point of giving up or taking up something is to feel closer to God to find a practice that works for you.

Today I was able to receive ashes at the Region Office from one of our gifted pastors. She started with a prayer and then as she placed the ashes on our foreheads she started with telling us we are beloved. Even though we are dust/dirt/ash, we are beloved by God. 

So are you - maybe you needed to hear that today -   Remember that you are God’s beloved dust, and to God’s beloved dust you shall return. Amen