Make a Joyful Noise

Elizabeth Baltus - Registration Coordinator

"Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation." Psalm 95:1

One of my favorite times of the morning is when I get to escape from the office for 30 minutes and go to Camper Worship.  Sometimes I participate in the songs, and other times I just stand in the back and take it all in.  I love the sight of campers and counselors having fun together.  There is something very powerful about hearing a tent full of campers and counselors sing, and even shout, the lyrics to songs that claim truths like "there is no god like Jehovah."

Below are some pictures from today's camper worship, which included not just the Res. Campers, but the Advance Campers, the DTPers, all their counselors and the Unit Leaders.

  

Today at HoneyRock...

By Sarah Gallagher -- Receptionist

...DTP and Advance Camp girls took turns shooting at archery.

 

...the Res Camp girls got back from their wilderness trip.

...staff from Camp Luther came to maneuver the high ropes course.

 

...the lake front was a flurry of activity with swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, and blobbing.

...pieces from the ceramics studio were laid out for campers to collect.

...campers worked on their service project for Solid Rock.

...Res camp boys took a break from biking on one of the trails to be interviewed by Meredith.
 

...Amy, Elliott, and Sarah re-stocked the Beehive.

Blessed by blue skies and sunshine, a fun-filled day was had by all!

Wheaton Passage Begins Today!

Today 63 students begin their Wheaton College journey - the Wilderness Track of the Wheaton Passage program has begun!  Students from all over the country, and world, are making their way to the Wheaton Campus where they will load buses and head up to HoneyRock for 16 days of fun, adventure, challenge, and growth.  We have 9 wilderness track groups that they will be backpacking, sea kayaking, and canoeing all through out the upper Midwest.  What a way to kick off your Wheaton career.  

Please pray for these students and their leaders.  Pray for safety in the midst of their challenges.  We ask that you also pray that this Passage program will be powerful for students as they launch their Wheaton College experience. 

You can read and watch a video about the Wheaton Passage program by clicking here. 

Solid Rock

Elizabeth Baltus-Registration Coordinator and Sarah Gallagher-Receptionist

Last session we had the joy of watching campers and counselors rise early in the morning to participate in Solid Rock (an optional activity consisting of running, swimming, memorization and service). 

For six mornings, we, along with about 70 others woke up before 6:00am to run to the rock and back (1 mile), swim four laps, and work on memorizing 20 verses of Ephesians 1.  While the physical exercise was challenging for some, the Scripture memory challenged others.  It was fun to hear counselors and campers working together to memorize the verses as they ran, encouraging each other to keep going.  While there may have been some tired, yet determined faces, there was little, if any complaining heard. 

Once we finished running, we headed over to the dock.  Nothing quite wakes you like a quick run followed by a short swim in a chilly lake, though some mornings the water was warmer than the air.  Towels lined the fence as campers left shoes and running clothes to do their swim.

During the week as counselors worked on the memory verses with their campers, we also held each other accountable to having the verses memorized.  Those who participate in Solid Rock must also complete one hour of service.  For our service, we helped Scott Eppler (Program Maintenance & Grounds Manager) by loading fire wood into a truck.  During that hour, we continued to memorize and recite Ephesians 1:3-23 to each other.

On the morning of Family Day, Solid Rock participants must recite their memory verses to a Unit Leader in order to complete the challenge.  Those who complete all four components receive a Solid Rock T-shirt, and have their names announced at the Awards Ceremony that night.

It was a privilege to share in this camp experience last session and be a part of this tradition at HoneyRock, especially since as office staff our paths rarely cross those of campers and counselors.

Below are a few pictures of campers, counselors and Unit Leaders from the current session taking part in Solid Rock.

Towels and flip flops await the runners' return.

Campers doing the swim portion of Solid Rock

Rachel Kramer (Unit Leader) participating in Solid Rock.

"In him you were also included when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession -- to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:11-14

Ellen's Story

John Vandervelde - Program Director

WOW!  It's been a few days since we've updated the blog... our sincere apologies. We're back at it now and updates and photos will posted all week.

Last week I got the opportunity to go with our DTP campers to Camp Daniel - a camp for people with mental disabilities - where they served for a day.  What an amazing experience.  Seeing HoneyRocker's jump right in and help out was touching to me, and getting to be a part of this incredible ministry was moving, even though it was just for one day. 

One of the coolest things I experienced during our day at Camp Daniel involved one of our DTP campers - a girl named Ellen.  Ellen is a long time HoneyRocker - this is her 8th summer here in a row.  As a Residential camper and Advance camper Ellen spent a bunch of her activity time in the Craft Shop and got her Basic, Intermediate, and eventually her Master's Award in Crafts.  This is a pretty amazing accomplishment.  When we were at Camp Daniel one of our responsibilities was to run "Crafts" for the afternoon.  Ellen immediately rose to the challenge and took on this role.  She was organized, helpful, a GREAT teacher and even spent about an hour cleaning up after everyone left.  She served EXACTLY like a HoneyRocker who has a Master's Award in crafts should serve. 

It was so neat for me to see Ellen putting her HoneyRock experience into practice by serving in such a meaningful way!

60th Anniversary Celebration Highlights Outdoor Education and Day Camp Programs

Rob Ribbe--Director

There is a wooden engraved sign over the door as you exit the Hemwall Heritage
Center at HoneyRock that says "To God be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done!"  For 60 years God has been doing great things at HoneyRock. 
Anniversaries are a great opportunity to reflect on and name those things.  As
part of the 60th Anniversary Celebration from September 23-26, 2010, we will be
acknowledging God's work in our local Northwoods communities of Three
Lakes and Eagle River.  The Outdoor Education and Day Camp Program ran from
1974 to 2006 under the leadership of Harold Harper, Dick Turner and Paul
Egeland, all professors in the Education Department at Wheaton
College.  This program served approximately 150-200 students from the
community each year and hundreds of Wheaton College Education majors. 
When I am in town wearing a HoneyRock shirt, I am often stopped by my waitress, gas station attendant, or bank checker and told, "I went to Day Camp there!" 
Now, many of those day campers are sending their children
to camp as beneficiaries of the Local Scholarship Program established by
a few faithful donors.  All three of the OE Directors
have committed to attend the 60th Celebration so we can honor them and
acknowledge the impact of the program over the years.  If you were an Outdoor Ed
student or Day Camper at HoneyRock, please come celebrate with
us.

The Anniversary Celebration weekend is open to anyone! 
The weekend is about reconnecting with old HoneyRock friends,
celebrating God's faithfulness over the years, looking ahead with hope
and prayers for God's work in the future, and having some great
HoneyRock fun.  Families with children are welcome.  There will be activities available for all ages led by some
of our college student staff from the summer. 

For more information about the 60th Anniversary Celebration and to see a tentative schedule, click here.  To register for the weekend, click here.  Feel free to email Liz if you have any questions.