Transformations
II Corinthians 3:18 says “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image (His image) from one degree of glory to another.” Transformations are the essence of the Christian life; our transformed being (II Cor. 5:17); our transformed mind (Rom. 12:1-2); and one day our transformed bodies. (II Cor. 5:1-5)
This year at Bliss Summit we will be teaching many children how God can transform their lives. We will also train them to become God’s agent to transform others. They will be God’s Transformers!
But before any campers show up, this spring there will be many Transformations happening to Bliss Summit Bible Camp. The first and most noticeable transformation is to our teen camps. We added paintball to our program for our retreat groups last year and have had a significant response from unsaved teens. We decided to host a long weekend of it this summer to reach even more teens. Immediately following our paintball camp will be our camping trip to Ives Run, PA where we will sleep in tents, water ski all day, canoe, and study God’s word. Our current facilities here in Bliss are limited and we are looking at running more off site trips to attract teens that would not normally come to a traditional style camp.
There are also several other program changes planned for this spring including: Adding 2 more 4-square courts, 2 more tetherball courts, video projector in the chapel, new digital piano, and a deck off the gameroom/store.
We have also been working hard to Transform the look of the facilities. Specifically to make it look better. These “beautification” projects include junk clean up, metal scraped, landscaping, painting, old buildings torn down, etc. Finally we are re-evaluating our philosophy and approach to ministry. We are committed more than ever to keeping the Bible central. Rather than having “Bible times” during the day we are making the Bible central to all activities. So the Bible is not just one spoke on the wheel of camp but rather camp itself is the spoke and all of the games and other activities will flow from the central hub which is the Word of God.
It says in Deuteronomy 11:18-20 “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates…”
Of course the challenge is to do this without making the camp a monastery! The kids are there to have fun. I want to invite you to be apart of the Transformations happening this summer at Bliss Summit Bible Camp. Please pray for the ministry, consider volunteering, and possibly investing financially in the work. Camp has touched your life now is your chance to touch back.
Old Fashioned Barn Raising
Mark your calendar, May 17th at 9am. Bliss Summit Bible Camp is looking for help in raising a barn! Well okay it’s more of a tractor shed but we still need your help.
This will be a day of family celebration and everyone of all age groups are invited. There will be lots of work projects going on including, but not limited to: construction, cleaning, and landscaping. Bring the kids along too! What kind of family celebration would it be with out the kids? We will have an all day program for them as well.
If you have your own tools you are encouraged to bring them along as well although this is not necessary. Please let us know ahead of time how many your church plans on bringing so we can prep food. The day starts at 9am with a meeting to get everyone headed in the right direction. Lunch will be served at 12:30pm and we will continue till the work is done. For those wishing to stay late dinner will be provided as well.
Wish List
We strive to keep our summer camping fees as low as possible to allow any child the opportunity to come. We do this in large part with your help. Below is a list of items we use a lot of every year. For a complete list visit our Wish List Page.
- Napkins
- Styrofoam plates and bowls
- Individually wrapped toilet paper
- Laundry Detergent
- Applesauce
- Family size Campbells chicken noodle and tomato soup
- Cheerios/Raisin Bran/Rice Krispies
- Ketchup
- 9 Volt Batteries (for smoke detectors)
- Balloons
- Craft Items
- You! We need volunteers
Have something else you think we might need? Give us a call.
Battle of the Youth Groups
Looking for an opportunity to reach out to those teens in your area that will not come to a night of youth group? Invite them out to Bliss for the Battle of the Youth Groups Event on June 7th!
This is an all day paintball event that your kids will love. It is also a great chance for you to contact some of the teens in your area that you just can’t seem to get to come out to a night of youth group.
This will be a day of good food, fellowship, reflection on God, and paintball fun. We welcome first time players and have rental equipment available. Register your teams of 4 and/or 8 players by May 31st. Due to insurance regulations we can only have players age 13 and over. Questions? Call Carl at 585.322.7615 or find all the information you need at:
www.BlissSummit.com/program/paintball/paintball.php
What are you doing this Summer?
“What are you doing this summer?” I’m sure you’ve heard that question several times already this year, and summer is still some distance off. The common answer is “Who knows? Working, I suppose.”
With college weighing on the minds of many teens, earning money is a very important item to consider. Last spring, as a senior in high school, it certainly occupied a lot of my thoughts. I already had two job offers that looked appealing in order to help pay for fall semester.
However, God had different plans. I had originally figured on teaching Bible classes at camp, and working elsewhere for the remainder of the day. Then, the Bliss Summit newsletter came and I read a couple of sentences that changed my ideas. Someone had said—and I paraphrase—“Let’s say a year of college costs $15,000, and the average summer job will earn about $2,000. If you can trust God to be faithful for 13K, can’t you trust Him for the whole 15K?” Granted, the college I would be attending cost about twice that amount, but I knew that God was sending me a distinct message: “Trust me.”
I ended up working for several weeks as a counselor last year, and the experience was far more than rewarding; it changed my perspective on how faithful God really is. God, when referring to tithing, says “Test me in this…and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:10) God wants us to trust him with our time, our finances, and our futures. The future can be a scary thing for us as teenagers, but God promises to take care of those who trust him. Not only that, He will use us in incredible ways to impact the lives of others. Did I think I could be a counselor? Certainly not. I was terrified, but guess what: He was faithful in that as well.
As I write this, I look around my dorm room and smile. God has provided for me in ways more amazing than I could have imagined. Not everyone is being called to work at camp this summer, but if you do trust God wherever you serve, don’t be surprised when He provides. After all, He already knows what you’ll be doing this summer. ~ Mindie P.
Carefully Cut out the slices of bread and put them on the proper places on the maze. There is one important rule: The path you draw from the beginning to end must pass through all the slices of bread TWICE.
"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" John 6:36
PDF Newsletter
Over 1200 people and churches still recieve our print version. See it here now.