Youth enjoyed a bonfire with s’mores and an astronomy activity with telescopes during the second night of the 2019 Winter Camp.
More than five dozen youth started the new year in record-setting style at Camp Wingmann, establishing a new attendance record while learning about the Lord at Winter Camp 2019.
Sixty-four youth of various ages turned for the annual event Jan. 4-6 at the spacious retreat in Avon Park, located about 1 ½ hours south of downtown Orlando. A total of 24 volunteers, including kitchen, music, speakers and counselors, helped ensure the camp’s success.
This year’s Winter Camp was amazing,” said Camp Wingmann youth camp director J.J. Joseph. “Our participation was the highest it’s ever been, and we’ve definitely picked up steam.”
Joseph, a former Camp Wingmann camper and counselor who was hired by current Camp Wingmann director, Father Bill Yates, before the start of the 2018 season, said organizers decided to increase the energy and finesse in this year’s camp.
“We brought more energy and finesse to our sessions that allowed for the kids to both have fun while being challenged to live their lives for Jesus,” Joseph said. “At Winter Camp, we try to pack as many summer camp activities into one weekend, so we did both high and low ropes, field sports and relays, Gaga ball, canteen and more.”
The big sports event was Gaga ball, which has become hugely popular at Wingmann. Gaga, a Hebrew word that translates to “touch-touch,” is a spinoff of dodgeball in which players hit the ball at each other with their hands in an effort to strike someone on or below the knee. Competitors are forced to dodge, strike, run and jump during the fast-paced game until there is just one person standing.
“Gaga ball has literally taken over the camp since its introduction this summer,” Joseph said. “The kids just can’t get enough. But I would say that the highlight of the weekend was our night by the bonfire where the kids had s’mores and looked at the stars with some very sophisticated telescopes provided by one of our volunteers. The kids really enjoyed that!”
Campers also learned a lot about the Lord through the Winter Camp theme of “New Year, New Mindset.” The official flyer stated: “The new you requires NEW thinking. A weekend of RENEWAL.”
Joseph said the theme’s verse to remember for the campers was Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Five guest speakers gave talks during the three-day event, including Etienne Doucet, youth director of Grace Bible Church in Sebring who spoke on opening day. The first day of camp on Jan. 4 began with lunch at noon, followed by a staff activity at 12:30 p.m.
The ropes course was one of several popular activities that youth engaged in during this year’s Winter Camp at Camp Wingmann.
A high ropes crash course followed at 1:15 p.m., along with the prep of cabins with water heaters, decoration of posters, and photo backdrop production. Campers then began making posters at 3 p.m. Registration for Yates Hall then ran from 4 to 6 p.m.
Dinner was served at 6:15 p.m. Rules and introductions were discussed at 7:15 p.m., followed by Olympics at 7:30 p.m. Gaga ball with glow-in-the-dark balls was played at 8 p.m. A night canteen followed at 8:15 p.m.
Program #1 in Yates Hall then began with an activity/game at 9 p.m., followed by music at 9:15 p.m. Etienne then gave a talk at 9:25 p.m. According the event flyer, he spoke on “What is the new you mindset?” (All Things New Therefore if any person is [engrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMPC).
Campers then engaged in small group discussion at 9:40 p.m. Compline (Chapel) followed at 10 p.m., then cabin time, devotions and sleep at 10:45 p.m.
On Jan. 5, campers rose early for an 8 a.m. breakfast. Morning prayer in the Chapel followed at 9 a.m. Program #2 then followed in Yates Hall, with an activity/game at 9:30 a.m., and music at 9:45 a.m.
Talk #2 on “You Become What You Think” was then presented at 9:55 a.m. by former assistant director Ashley White. The camp flyer stated: “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 (NIV). “As we learned yesterday, anyone who comes into a relationship with Jesus receives a new heart and must guard it. However, the mind of man must now be renewed daily with the word of God,” White said.
Following the talk, campers broke into small groups for discussion at 10:10 a.m. Camp-wide photos were then taken at the cross at 10:30 a.m. Youth then played kickball at 10:45 a.m. and hit the low ropes at 11:15 a.m. Lunch then was served at noon.
Campers then had cabin time and rest time between 1 and 2 p.m. before hitting the high ropes. Winter Olympics-themed competitions then were held at 4 p.m.
Program #3 at Yates Hall then began with an activity/game at 5 p.m., followed by music at 5:15 p.m., and talk #3 at 5:25 p.m.: “A Renewed Mind Aligns You with the Will of God” by former camp counselor Daniel Buchelle. The camp flyer stated: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 (NKJV).
Small-group discussions followed at 5:40 p.m., and then dinner at 6 p.m. A Riff-Off Battle was held at 7 p.m., followed by a night canteen at 7:30 p.m.
Program #4 at Yates Hall then began with an activity/game at 8 p.m., and music at 8:15 p.m. Talk #4 on “Thoughts Produce Desire à Action” was presented at 8:25 p.m. by former camp counselor Danielle Little.
The camp flyer stated: “So I find it to be a law (rule of action of my being) that when I want to do what is right and good, evil is ever present with me and I am subject to its insistent demands. For I endorse and delight in the Law of God in my inmost self [with my new nature].” Romans 7:21-22 (AMPC).
“The Apostle Paul is writing about the inner struggle we all face in life – the struggle of having a desire to do things we don’t want to do, yet, finding it hard to do the things we know are right,” Little said. “A constant battle rages between the flesh and the spirit. Our born-again spirit desires to commune with God, to pray, praise and worship, but our desires and appetites are constantly bombarded by images on TV, movies, and social media. We have information coming at us from every side and we literally must fight to get quiet times. The spirit man in us has to be fed spiritual food, which comes through worship, prayer, praise and reading our Bibles or other Christian materials in our quiet times. However, the enemy of our souls knows that he cannot touch our spirit because the Holy Spirit lives there; instead, he tries to appeal to our natural senses. He draws us by making things look, sound, feel, taste, and smell nice so we can be drawn away from the reality of what is important, and that is our relationship with God.”
Campers concluded their stay at Winter Camp by attending Holy Eucharist, celebrated by Father Bill Yates.
Youth then broke into small groups for discussion at 8:40 p.m. Campers then did Compline (Chapel) and received T-shirts at 9 p.m. Youth then enjoyed a bonfire with s’mores and an astronomy activity at 10 p.m. Campers then did their devotions and went to sleep at 10:30 p.m.
On the final day, Jan. 6, youth rose at 8:30 a.m. for cabin clean-up. Breakfast was then served at 9 a.m. Campers then engaged in singing before listening to talk #5 at 10 a.m. on “You Are a Thought Away from Change” by former camp counselor Cydney Babione.
The camp flyer stated: “For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].” Philippians 4:8
“Many if not all of us would like change to come to our lives, but if we are honest, we would prefer change to happen with a quick-fix,” Babione said. “However, some issues in our lives can be deep-rooted from years of a flawed belief pattern and the only way change could come is to first change our thought pattern; renewing your mind daily, your life will follow your thoughts.”
Campers then split in small groups for discussion before attending Eucharist in the Chapel. Yates celebrated the Eucharist.
Youth then took time out to write letters to themselves. A Winter Fiesta featuring Gaga Ball, cornhole, football, music, lawn twister, photo booth, basketball and more was held at 11:30 a.m.
Lunch then was held in Yates Hall at 12:30 p.m. Campers then met in Yates Hall at 2 p.m. for their final goodbyes, followed by a parent program. A staff Pow wow to reflect was then held at 2:30 p.m.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CAMP WINGMANN