What do you get when 250 people, ranging in age from four months to over seventy years, all gather for the purpose of celebrating life as family, community, and the Body of Christ, in a beautiful setting located in the New Hampshire mountains? FAMILY CAMP!

From August 13 to 19, that’s just what happened at Singing Hills Christian Conference Center. H.I.M.’s second annual family camp was at risk of not happening at all when our former site raised the rent significantly, so Singing Hills became an answer to prayer when its availability and our need coincided. Making a tradition-laden event work at a different facility has big challenges, but by God’s grace, the adjustments were made and Family Camp was a vital, growth-producing, memorable, and fun week. “Overall, we had a wonderful time and recognize that the value of Family Camp is in the relationships and worship and family-building much more so than the physical facility,” was the sentiment expressed by one of the family campers.

In a time when most cultural forces are working against families being strengthened and encouraged towards solidarity in Christ, Family Camp is unique in its approach to minister multi-generationally to the family—in the specific sense of nuclear families as well as in the corporate sense of the body of Christ. All camp times of worship, devotions, teaching, and playing contribute to a growing experience of real community, and peer group times allow age-relevant topics to be tackled Biblically and appropriately. Another camper wrote, “The programming for each age group was excellent; the content is appropriate and the time spent on each segment was satisfying, even though we could’ve spent hours talking about it.”

The theme “Fully Committed” (boldly proclaimed on sharp-looking tee-shirts designed by Joyce Kerns) was carried throughout the week in the teaching times as we examined the life of Samuel. Dr. Howard Clark, senior pastor of First Evangelical Church of Memphis, did an excellent job of teaching the adults each morning. “We received more teaching on marriage and family than we have had all year,” said another camper. Howard challenged each parent with scriptural instruction on the importance of their roles as fathers and mothers in carrying out God’s design for families and was well received, even without being politically correct or serving up baby food. Refreshing! While the adults were spending time in small groups and then being taught by Howard, the children—from nursery through high school—were in classes led by a great college staff who love Jesus and love kids. “The staff were phenomenal; they are such positive role models for our children. They give us all hope that you can be a cool, Christian college student.”

Family Camp is a “vacation with a purpose.” The purpose? To equip through good teaching, to provide a context in which to experience community, to encourage one another on the journey to not lose heart or hope, and to have a blast. Fun was certainly a theme of the week. The “Gordon-squared” team (Gordon Becker and Gordon Wong) came through with the ever popular “gaga pits”, carpet ball games, “give and take”, and hockey game, providing “free time” entertainment centers which were enjoyed by all. Though no match for Lake Winnepesaukee, “Pond Mini-Pesaukee” was a hit, thanks to a water trampoline-blob combination that was enjoyed either firsthand or secondhand by anyone near the pond. Nishan Bilazarian holds the “highest launch” award, followed by Caitlin Brown’s unexpectedly high aerial launch. Campers enjoyed hours of delight at the pond and the water slide, whether in the water, hunting frogs around the grassy perimeter of the pond, or relaxing in the general area.

More fun was had at the “Family Freed” Game Show night, which was a very interactive and engaging family night. Square dancing, line dancing, and swing dancing made for another very fun evening, following by star gazing through six large telescopes set up on a grassy field. The Bilazarian family arranged that wonderful event, enjoyed by many campers who viewed God’s creativity in the heavens through powerful lenses. S’mores around the campfire sing the final night under a full moonlit night was “as good as it gets.”

Our final worship time Friday morning reflected the unity in the community that had been growing throughout the week. Passionate worship, led by Billy and Shannon Flippin, sharing, and prayer wrapped up a truly memorable week. Special music was provided by Caitlyn, Zachary, and Brittany Brown, and Paul Friesen led special time of prayer for Erika Gould, who is battling brain cancer. We sang one last rendition of “I am Somebody”, “The Butterfly Song”, “Days of Elijah”, and the memory verse song, and Family Camp 2005 came to a close. “We had a wonderful time. Our family, marriage, and personal relationship with God have been strengthened,” reflected one camper. Another wrote, “We look forward to putting Christ at the center of our family, thanks to the blessings of Family Camp.”

And THAT’s what it’s all about.