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The cross looms large over Trout Lake at Camp Wingmann in Avon Park, where many youth-oriented events are held.

New Beginnings is transforming lives in positive ways, bringing youth closer to Christ through prayer, leadership and service.

The spring weekend retreat March 24-26 for middle school youth drew a whopping 70 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to Camp Wingmann in Avon Park. Students participated in a series of discussions, talks, games, videos and skits to examine relationships with friends and peers, siblings, parents, God and Jesus, and the church, according to the Rev. Phyllis Bartle, New Beginnings director and rector of St. Jude’s Episcopal Church, Orange City.

“New Beginnings is about relationships,” Bartle said. “It begins by exploring the students’ relationship with themselves. It is a weekend that welcomes those young people who have no (or limited) relationship with Jesus and moves them to a point that a decision to follow Christ is made before the end of the weekend.

“One of the cool things about New Beginnings is that a student can come over and over, the idea being that the seeds that are planted begin to sprout and grow on subsequent weekends,” Bartle said.

Helping to plant those seeds in March were the Rev. Thomas C. Seitz Jr. of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Lake Wales; Father Deke Miller, Camp Wingmann director; and Bartle. They were part of a 34-person ministry team that included 22 high school leaders and 12 adults.

“Much of the team is made up of high schoolers who serve in various ways,” Bartle said. “These older teens serve as small-group leaders, prayer team, servant team and are part of the music team.

“There are adults too, of course,” Bartle said, “specifically a priest to serve as spiritual director, an emcee, a couple as part of the music group, a nurse, a weekend adviser and a couple of adults in the background area.”

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Adult leaders, from left, Rev. Deke Miller, Rev. Becky Toalster and Rev. Phyllis Bartle, were on hand for last December’s youth event. Bartle and Miller also were on hand for New Beginnings in March

Miller said in an earlier interview that New Beginnings helps youth learn about the basics of faith and who they are in it. “It brings together the kids so they can know more about their faith,” he said.

The ministry’s format of encouraging youths to return for future retreats helps reinforce what they learn and encourages them to grow even closer to Christ. Bartle said most of the attendees are middle schoolers ages 12-15, but New Beginnings also accepts first-time participants who are high school freshmen.

The March retreat “went very smoothly,” Bartle said. “It’s such a wonderful blessing.”

New Beginnings is held twice a year: once in the spring and once in the fall. The next retreat is scheduled for October 6-8 at Camp Wingmann.

For more information, contact Bartle at 386-775-6200.