Summer Camp for Kids!
In-Person, Outdoors, COVID Guidelines Followed
St. Andrew has plenty of outdoor spaces to safely accommodate children and guides for Earth Camp. The restrooms in the building will be used by campers. Information about COVID guidelines for camp can be found at the Oregon Health Authority. Please know that these guidelines are subject to change.
To ensure the best experience for everyone, Earth Camp is limited to 35 campers.
Earth Camp is intended for children entering 1st through 6th grade this fall (2022).
The primary purpose of this camp is to cultivate a deep love of our Earth home and all its inhabitants. Campers will:
- Discover how interconnected we are with all our fellow creatures;
- Learn practical ways we can care for our Earth home; and,
- Have a lot of fun in the process!
We have an excellent team of adult teachers in place who are passionate about cultivating faith in children and caring for our Earth home. High school youth will serve as guides, and our middle school youth will serve as junior guides.
Registration is full. Click here to be put on the wait list.
The Details:
- Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Daily Schedule includes Opening & Closing in small groups, five “stations” each group rotates through each day, and snacks in the morning and the afternoon. The “stations” are Earth Discovery, Earth Story, Earth Challenges, Earth Art, and Earth Care.
- Send a lunch AND a refillable water bottle with your child each day; snacks are provided.
Please challenge yourself to pack lunches as “waste-free” as possible. We will be sharing “waste-free” lunch tips with families; if you have some ideas to share, please do so! - Camp Fee is $50.
- Children must be signed IN AND OUT each day at the Welcome Table. Only authorized adults may pick children up from camp.
- Scholarships are available based upon need. If you ask for a scholarship in the registration process, the Camp Registrar will be in touch.
Daily Themes:
MONDAY: “Consider the Lilies of the Field” (Genesis 1:31a; Matthew 6:28-29)
According to Genesis 1:31a, when God finished creating everything, “God saw everything that [God] had made, and indeed, it was very good.” A more precise translation of the Hebrew would be: God saw everything God had made, and behold, it was exceedingly good. God delighted in the beauty of all God had created. It was, in a sense, love at first sight. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gazes on the lilies of the field and marvels at their beauty. We want to cultivate in our children a deep love of all creatures and a deep appreciation of their beauty. We want them to learn to see all things as God sees them—as beautifully delightful.
TUESDAY: “Discovering All Our Earth Kin” (Psalm 104:10-18)
St. Francis of Assisi defined the relationship of human beings to creation as a sibling relationship. Since all things were created and reconciled through Jesus Christ, it was obvious to St. Francis that we must all be kin. He spoke of both our kinship with other living creatures and our kinship with “non-living” members of creation such as Brother Sun and Sister Moon. The concept of kinship has been far more prominent in indigenous traditions than it has been in Christian traditions. We want our children to come to know how interconnected our well-being is with the well-being of other creatures, our kin.
WEDNESDAY: “Suffering with Our Earth Kin” (Hosea 4:3)
In Hosea 4:3 the prophet asserts that even the land mourns what we human beings have done to our Earth home and so many of its inhabitants. The wild animals, the birds of the air, and even the fish of the sea are perishing. We want our children to share in God’s sadness over the destruction human beings have caused. We want them to know that God’s sadness and our sadness are signs of deep love for all our suffering kin in the creation.
THURSDAY: “God’s Plan for Well-Being” (Jeremiah 29:11)
In Jeremiah 29:11 the Lord assures the people of God in exile: “For surely I know the plans that I have for you . . . plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” “Welfare” is the translation of the Hebrew word shalom. The more common translation of shalom is “peace.” Shalom defines God’s hope for the well-being of our Earth home and all our fellow creatures, our kin. We want our children to come to know how interconnected our well-being is with all life. We cannot love God whom we have not seen apart from a loving relationship with our fellow human beings and our fellow creatures whom we have seen. Creatures that we eat are sacrificing their lives for our sake.
FRIDAY: “Caring for All Our Earth Kin” (Micah 6:8)
In Micah 6:8 the Lord instructs the people of Israel what is good: “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” During Earth Camp we want to cultivate in campers a deep desire to be kind to all our Earth kin and to seek justice for all creatures. Ecojustice reigns when the goodness of each creature is affirmed, the rights of all creatures are respected, all creatures have an opportunity to thrive, and relationships among creatures are as God intended them to be. Wangari Maathai showed how one person can have a major impact on the well-being of our Earth home and all our Earth kin.
Parent/Guardian Permissions, Cancellations, & Refunds
By registering for camp, you acknowledge that you accept the terms listed below:
- As legal guardian, I give permission for the child to attend Earth Camp and participate in all activities unless stated, to be transported off-site during the Camp Session for program and other purposes, and for emergency treatment to be given in case of injury or illness. I agree to cooperate with all regulations and procedures.
- When participating in camp at St. Andrew, the camper may be photographed for print, video, or electronic imaging. I understand that the images may be used in promotional materials, news releases, and other published formats for St. Andrew Lutheran Church unless I prohibit such use in writing.
Cancellations and Refunds:
- I understand that there is a $50 per person cancellation fee.
- In the event of St. Andrew cancelling a camp program due to low enrollment, any monies paid will be refunded.
- In all other circumstance, any monies paid (less any non-refundable, non-transferable deposit) will be refunded only if:
- The camper is placed on a waitlist or if the financial assistance amount requested is not fully granted. A written request for the refund must be submitted and received at St. Andrew Lutheran Church at least three (3) weeks prior to the camper’s first day of camp at office@standrewlutheran.com
- The camper cannot attend due to illness or injury. A letter from a physician must accompany a written request for the refund.
- The camper is sent home from camp due to illness or injury. Refunds are prorated in such cases and will be made only at the written request of the parent/guardian. Written requests must be received no later than thirty (30) days after the camper’s return home.
- Refunds will not be given if the camper leaves early for any other reason.
- I understand the published refund policy and that $50 of the fee is not refundable nor transferable after registration has been confirmed.