Apologies that the blog for Friday is a day late, was going to post as soon as I arrived home, but the bed called my name.

Friday was filled with worship, joy and many, many tears. The campers started with breakfast, then watched a video of the week that was put together by Hailey Vernon (one of the 8th grade campers) After which they went to their cabins to pack up all their belongings.

The Bishop and his wife joined us for the closing Eucharist. The Eucharist began at 9:30 with a procession from the chapel to the main hall. The sermon was given by a representative from each of the cabins that helped to express what word or phrase they felt symbolized their week at camp. Tears accompanied the passing of the peace, then the campers presented their rocks from the week and were anointed with oil. The service ended with a favorite song of the campers.

Once the service was completed the campers were sent back to their cabins to retrieve their belongings and bring them up to the main hall. At the main hall the counselors then gave what word they felt symbolized the week of camp. The campers then ate their final meal of the camp week together and parents arrived to take their kids home.

We thank all of you for your prayers for the week.

We pray that you will help continue to nurture the youth of the church and help them in their spiritual journeys.

(Andrea Jay)

p.s. please return to the blog later as the recipe for communion bread will be posted at a later date.

Thursday at Camp Comeca!!!!1!!!!1!!

Today was the last full day of Camp Comeca 2010:( (Sad-face). But really, it was a great day, just sad that it was the last one. Everything got started off bright and early with a fun breakfast, and the younger campers tie-dyed a bunch of stuff; hopefully all preapproved by the appropriate parental unit (a.k.a: the rents). During this time, some of the older campers went to chapel and learned about three more sacraments. The Seniors did some team building during this time.
A bit later, these roles were switched. Before Supper, many fun activities took place and then the Senior High campers led in some "Minute to Win It" games for the rest of the campers. At this time, the younger kids went up to the cross to do their end of day prayer and then went back to their cabins. The older kids went down to the lakeside for a bonfire, prayer, and reflection. After that, I'm really tired, so I'm not so sure. Lots of people are still awake and doing things while I'm writing this; so you better believe people are making the most out of the time they have left with their new friends.

Your friendly Goofy Goober,
Kyle
(and Sam, Andrea, and Mother Mary are here too, so they are just as responsible for any errors as I am)

HELLO FROM CAMP! This morning was pretty cloudy as the campers read their daily morning devotion. Breakfast was a big hit of delicious biscuits and gravy. After breakfast, junior campers ran to the zip line and archery while a second group participated in their spiritual programs. The senior campers left campus to paint rooms in a local daycare! (Parents...if your seniors bring home a cute little kid, we are SO sorry..but they are really cute)I hear a possible paint fight may have broken out...While the seniors were away, junior campers chowed on a delicious chicken lunch and a looooong rest period began. With the seniors back on campus, all campers were entertained by new workshops including prayer boxes and a lesson on how to make Communion bread. A highlight of the day was the guest speaker from Mac Creek Vineyards, who explained the process of wine making starting from planting the vines to the production of thousands of bottles of wine! As well as the symbolism of wine and grapes to religion. This was such an interesting learning experience for campers AND staff alike. Campers then made their way down to the cove where they swam and raced around on paddle boats. After dinner, campers held the annual TALENT SHOW which consisted of so many amazing talents! There were beautiful voices, interesting skits and lots of laughs!

Say Goodnight Gracie...

Day two is now over! We started the day off with Courtney losing her baby toe nail. After that drama, the thrilling day began for the campers. The junior campers participated in their first spiritual program and discussed the importance of the sacrament of Baptism. An exciting morning filled with ziplines and archery followed. The senior campers discussed the idea of ministry for college students with Sarha who is with the diocese. After a delicious lunch of sloppy joes and tater tots, all campers had a beautiful rest time. The talents of counselors and staff were put to work as campers participated in workshops ranging from kickboxing to learning how to knit! As a group, campers and staff dominated the adventure course of trust and cooperation activities. The 10 foot wall was the highlight of the course! Dinner was a time of much needed rest and nourishment. The senior campers met for their spiritual program while the junior campers swam. To end the day, campers played water volleyball followed by a free for all soaking water balloon extravaganza.

Don't worry, we only lost 2 teeth...(but only baby!)

3courtney

Camp has Begun!!

The staff is ready the campers have arrived and we have began our week of spiritual learning and growing.

Introductions have been made, rules given and our group has started with games, songs and lessons. We shall have a group swim at the end of the day and some cabin time for all to get more acquainted with one another.

We welcome your prayers for the week ahead.

All campers have been given daily devotions prayer cards for morning, noon and night prayers.

One evening prayer is:

Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the Lord, you that stand by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord; the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.

Psalm 134

Are you Packed yet??

Don't forget sunscreen and bug spray. It has been a wet year the the mosquito's are on the hunt!

Remember to bring something white to tie dye.

Ya know who else is going to camp this year??

Kirsten Warren Carrell

(she is the one on the right)

Church: Christ Church in Beatrice

Favorite Camp Moment: Talent show-every year-oh yeah!!

If you could be a part of any moment in the Bible it would be...and why?

I would be part of the birth of Jesus-Kyle and and i would just sit together and be amazed!! I would like to see who was there and what animals were surrounding Jesus. Plus, did Mary really deliver Jesus with no help? I mean, come onnnnnn, there had to be some other people there. Maybe a midwife or someone cuz that would just stink to deliver a baby alone. And I love that the animals are featured in the story(go vegetarian--whoo!)

Sr. Campers...You are going to PAINT THE......CLASSROOM!!!

Sr. campers will be traveling off campus on Wed. to paint classrooms as an outreach community service for a community preschool. Andrea Jay is the returning Sr. Camp director and she has been working with the city organizers of Cozad. When she asked them for a project for Sr. Campers they asked if we could help with some labor.

Bring your paint clothes!!!

Another New face at camp

Church: St. Mark's Pro Cathedral

Favorite thing about camp: This is a tough one because I've always liked camp. I suppose cabin time is always some of the funnest times at camp,since everyone always uses their extra energy at this time. Snack time is always good too because people get to talk about all of the fun they had all day. Of course i like the Eucharist as well, but I would probably say that my favorite time is BREAKFAST. Really, I just mean bacon since there is no way i can afford the kind of bacon i eat at camp.

If you could be a part of any moment in the Bible it would be...and why. There are three moments that i have a hard time choosing between. The first is the birth of Christ because it would be an awesome sight to see the coming of God coming into the world. I then think,though, that Christ had many people around him, and really didn't need an extra. The next i considered is he coming of the women to the empty tomb, where the angel tells then that the living Christ is not here among the dead. But then i think about what he told them, that there was no need to be there, since Christ was/is alive. The moment i finally decided I would want to be part of is Christ in the garden on the night he was taken. The reason for this is that at this time,Christ felt truly completely alone. I just think this moment, above all others, is when Christ could have used the company of anyone;and i can think of nothing more meaningful in life than to hole the hand of the Lord in His most desperate time.

Command Performance!!!!

Kortney Lewis is back this year and ready to "Kick" box.

Church: St. Stephen's Grand Island-although she teaches in Gretna

Favorite Camp Moment: Kickball showdown between 8th grade boys and 8th grade girls back in the day when i went to camp. We may have lost but it was a blast!! Oh and the talent show last year. My cabin did a wonderful performance of "The Birth of a Butterfly".

If you could be any part of any moment in the Bible it would be and why:I would want to be at the last supper for a few reasons 1. I like food and i would want to see what they were eating and B) I think the washing of the feet is the most symbolic and selfless act..It would have been amazing to be there and witness that.

Meet Emily Williams
Church: St. Stephen's Grand Island

Favorite Camp moment: I haven't been to Camp at Camp Comeca but i love all aspects of camping,and i have been involved in Boy Scout Summer Camp, and love the time sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows and making smore's.

I you could be in any part of the Bible what would it be and why?: I would want to be present when Jesus show himself to the disciple after the crucifixion. I think that being present at that point of Jesus coming back from the dead would be amazing.

Camp Comeca Count Down

Camp is just a week away and we are all feverishly talking and planning for the youth of NE. It is not too late if you get in today we can get you registered. Call the Diocese office at 402-341-8683.

I would like to introduce some of the counselors coming to camp this year.

Name: Noelle Ptomey

Church Affiliated with: St. Stephen's Grand Island

Favorite Camp Moment: I love a lot of things about camp! Cabin Time, S'mores, hiking to the cross and crawling up the canoe hill...okay not so much on the hill, but I've been coming to Camp Comeca for many many many many many many...years and there's so much fun I just keep coming back! I have to say that I have always loved the closing Eucharist...I remember one from my own days as a camper out on the grassy field singing Holy Ground and being moved. Last year, the way the kids popped up like water in a puddle saying prayers on top of prayers will be something I hold in my heart a long time!

If you could be a part of any moment in the Bible it would be...and why: Well I don't want to hang with Adam and Eve because she gets blamed for the fall of man...and i don't want to be on the arc with Noah and all the pooping animals...and while i think it would be cool to go with Moses through the parting of the Red Sea and see a burning bush, I have to say I'd really like to be there when Abraham takes his son Isaac to sacrifice and at the last minute God sends a ram to be sacrificed instead of Abraham's beloved son..This scripture is very real and moving for me because it has been my experience that God asks many things of us...most of the time they are not easy and most likely something we'd rather not do..but we follow God, trusting in His wisdom and His mercies. This is a story of faith being carried out with an exceedingly happy ending...