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Why winter camp? One of the biggest reasons camp works is that it’s different from normal life. All of the things that you do day in day out: practice, youth group, school; or the things you do even more often: TV, Facebook, endless text messages; are missing from camp. Coming to camp makes room in your schedule for things you may have forgotten you’re built to do: be outside, adventure, build relationships, and understand faith. We won’t miss the opportunity to provide those things to people just because it’s cold outside. Why winter camp? Here are a few of our thoughts:

You’re Stuck Inside All Season

Winter, being sometimes soul-crushingly cold, gives everybody a really good excuse to hunker down under 25 blankets and emerge only when absolutely necessary. You know what happens: months go by and you start to feel that crazy winter cabin fever, you begin to wonder if you’ll ever see dirt again. Layer up, you can conquer the cold. We’ll get the burn barrels going, and plan plenty of activities that are so fun you’ll forget you’re cold at all. You can play outside, party at sessions and eat great meals inside, and we’ll provide warm and cozy lodging so you can rest up comfortably.

Winter is An Adventure

The outside world is covered in ice. Wind chill is at -15, and snow continues to fall. But remember, during winter you can walk (or run, or slide, or tube) on lakes! That cruel snow that slows everything down can be pushed and formed into all kinds of interesting configurations: snowmen, insanely wonderful tube runs, broomball goals on the lake. At winter camp we make an attempt to convert the very things that make winter seem unbearable into instruments of extreme fun!

Memories and Relationships

In 60 years, when you’re sitting on your front porch, surrounded by your many beautiful smiling grandchildren, reminiscing about what it was like way back in your youth-group days, will this winter blend in with all the other winters, or will you have something outrageous to remember? We care a lot about making a memorable experience for all of our guests, something they’ll rave to their friends and family about for years. But the long lasting relationships that start and grow at camp are even more important than the fun activities. Particularly at winter camp, our programming is all designed to give guests opportunities to get to know one another better. Camp builds strong friendships no matter the season.

A Chance to Grow in Faith

In the midst of staging insane activities and providing great ways for friends to be together, we see camp as a perfect opportunity to talk about Christ and life inside the gospel. To that end we bring in excellent speakers and bands for each session of winter camp; and we build truly engaging sessions designed to meet guests where they are, to help them understand and grow, and move them closer to the people of faith they’re made to be.

This is your way to rebel against the pitiless cold of winter: go against your instincts to hibernate and get to winter camp! You’ll get to do crazy, wintery things you can’t do anywhere else. You’ll get to hang out with the friends you already have, and probably make a few new ones. You’ll be challenged in your faith. Give winter camp a try. You won’t regret it.

For more information about Covenant Harbor’s winter camps, take some time to learn about us via our website.

Covenant Harbor is accredited by ACA (American Camp Association) and a member of the CCCA (Christian Camp and Conference Association) organization.

Blog Post by Brad Hutchison