Created to be me Camp

Created to be Me Camp:
July 9 - 15, 2006

Cost: $250

Director: Rob Morris

for those who have completed the 8th grade in the summer of 2006.

This camp is for youth who want to learn about Biblical understanding of individuality, sexuality, and relationships. Led by Rev. Rob Morris, the trained counselors will help youth to understand what Christian faith teaches about sexuality. Parents will be communicated with throughout the weeks prior to the camp so they know what the campers will be taught.

Campers arrive Sunday afternoon and leave Saturday morning.

What to bring: comfortable clothes and shoes, bedding for twin-sized bunks, towels and washcloths, swim suits, sun screen, insect repellant, Bible, journal, favorite devotional material.

2931 Laurel Mist Crt. Kingwood, Texas 77345 281-360-3576 clerministries.org

TO: Parents of "Created To Be Me" campers

We want to thank you for enrolling your youth in a one-of-a-kind church camping experience. In 1988 the Central Area in the Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) asked me to design a camp for eighth grade youth who would be entering high school in the fall. This camp was originally known as "Eighter’s" and I designed the camp with the keynote theme of "Spirituality and Sexuality – The Dynamic Duo" and this program is now presented to youth throughout the Southwest Region. This will be our Second "Created To Be Me" camp at Christmount and we are so excited to be bringing the program to North Carolina again.

Because of the subject matter, I feel that it is very important for parents to be informed as to the context of the keynotes, the purpose and objectives for this camp, and the extent of sexuality information that will be imparted to your youth.

Included in this letter you will find the Purpose and Objectives for this sexuality camp, along with an overview of the keynote and workshop presentations. The keynotes and workshops afford us an opportunity to give in-depth presentations on the subjects of God’s plan for sexual intimacy, dating, and accountability, all from a spiritual perspective. A spiritual keynote dealing with the humanity of Jesus and Jesus as a role model, will be delivered every day, with workshops conducted each evening by my husband, Richard, and me that will cover the reproductive anatomy, menstruation, conception, sexual intercourse, sexually transmitted infections, HIV-AIDS, contraception, dating, love and marriage.

We have found that the major concern most parents initially have about the workshops is the presentation about contraception. This apprehension is understandable as most of us have been led to believe that a contraceptive discussion sends a double message when we are telling our youth that God intends them to be abstinent until marriage. The problem that I encountered when I began teaching youth was that youth already "knew" about contraception, they just did not "know the truth" about it. It was heartbreaking to hear the "methods" that uneducated youth resort to in trying to prevent pregnancy. I came to believe that the issue of abortion would never go away until unwanted pregnancies were reduced. That will not happen until sexually-active youth properly use contraceptives when they are having sexual intercourse.

The workshops are built around the theme that God has designed sexual intercourse to be a powerful and wonderful gift to be experienced in a committed marital relationship. Any use of the gift outside of marriage is filled with risks and consequences and we endeavor to make youth very aware of all of the risks and consequences. Youth will participate in loving and moving worship services each evening that will reinforce the theme of the keynotes.

If, after having read this letter and the enclosed material, you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 281/360-3576, or e-mail me at clermin@aol.com You can also check us out on our website, clerministries.org. I would love to visit with you and, hopefully, help you better understand what we are trying to accomplish.

In closing I want to tell you how fortunate I believe your young person is to be able to come together for a week with youth of the same age and explore this subject from a loving and Christian perspective. Youth and staff leave this camp having learned a great deal about themselves, others, and most importantly, how our loving God wants this wonderful gift of sexual intimacy to be enjoyed by us in a committed, loving marital relationship. We ask that you hold all of us in your prayers the week of camp.

PURPOSE

To provide youth who will be entering ninth grade in the fall with factual and spiritual sexuality information that will help them view sexual intimacy as a gift from God intended for the marriage relationship. To enlighten youth to the dangers, risks, and consequences that can occur when God’s gift of sexual intimacy is used outside of marriage.

OBJECTIVES

To impart factual information about the human reproductive anatomies.

To provide accurate information about puberty, menstruation, conception, contraceptives, and sexually transmitted infections-HIV/AIDS.

To enable youth to recognize "dating pitfalls," controlling and/or violent dating relationships, and peer pressure to be sexually active.

To help youth learn to value the uniqueness of being male or female and to learn to appreciate the differences.

To give youth the opportunity to think through and ask questions about sexuality issues, abstinence, dating and love relationships, in an atmosphere of love and acceptance.

To present a loving and forgiving God that has a plan for each of their lives, and to help youth see Jesus as their "role model" for living full, healthy, and exciting lives.

SPIRITUALITY AND SEXUALITY

"THE DYNAMIC DUO"

OVERVIEW OF KEYNOTE ADDRESSES & WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS

SUNDAY EVENING

"ADOLESCENCE - JESUS LEADS THE WAY

Scriptural Focus:

Luke 1:26-38, 2:8-14, 41-52

This keynote sets the stage for looking at the humanity of Jesus so youth can begin to understand that he experienced some of the same things they will be dealing with. We begin by looking at a teenage Mary discovering that she is pregnant with the Messiah. How would a teenage girl react to such news? Her

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parents? Joseph? Why did God choose someone so young? The birth of Jesus and God’s "birth announcement." What was it like for Mary and Joseph to know they would be raising God’s very own son. Jesus’ connection and responsibility to his family, his sacrifice of celibacy and not marrying so that he could fulfill the purpose he was called are highlighted and the fact that God has a special purpose for each of our lives if we will listen for God’s voice and look for guidance.

MONDAY MORNING

"EDEN REVISITED"

Scriptural Focus:

Genesis 1:26-31, 2:18-25, Genesis 3

Keynoter brings the Genesis scriptures to life by "imagining" what it was like in the beginning for these first two human creations of God. What it really meant to be "naked and unashamed" and "to be fruitful and multiply". We look at the equal dominion in the garden and then we move to the fall and the consequences that were suffered as a result of making the wrong decision - choosing their way instead of God’s. Decisions made by youth today "going their own way" are shared and youth are encouraged to look to God for guidance and to understand that God is in their blessings and in their consequences - God always has a plan!

Monday Evening Workshop

"The Marvelous Male" and "The Fabulous Female"

This workshop takes youth through the male and female reproductive anatomy; God’s special gift of sexual intimacy, conception and birth.

TUESDAY MORNING

"WDJD - WHAT DID JESUS DO?"

Scriptural Focus:

Matthew 25:31-40 and Matthew 22:37-39

This keynote looks at the spiritual condition of the United States before and after 9/11. We look at the prosperity that our country enjoyed and our neglect of many of our nation’s problems. This is compared to the time Jesus lived and how he addressed the problems of inequality, poverty, and outcasts. Since Jesus is to be the role model for how we are to live as his followers, this keynote addresses what he actually did in the difficult situations he faced. This keynote addresses the power youth have to make a real difference in the world by the way they treat and interact with their fellow students.

Tuesday Evening Workshop

"Sexual Intimacy & Conception"

"Sexually Transmitted Infections – The Cost of Being Sexually Active"

Presentation on how God's gift of sexual intimacy is to be enjoyed and how conception, multiple births, etc. occur. An in-depth presentation of 10 prominent sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Symptoms, cures, and methods of transmission will be discussed, along with true-life stories of people who have contracted these infections and how it has impacted their lives.

WEDNESDAY MORNING

"THE DATING GAME -

MAKING FRIENDS OR MAKING OUT"

I Corinthians 3:16-20

This keynote explores dating situations and looks at dating pitfalls:

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1) Dating too young

2) One-on-one dating before sixteen

3) High school youth dating junior high youth

4) Forsaking friendships for romantic relationships

5) Spending too much time together alone

6) Drinking and dating - Dangerous combination

7) Date rape or abuse - Violent or controlling relationships

Wednesday Evening Workshop

"The Facts about Contraceptives" and

"How Far is too Far?"

This workshop will give youth an understanding of the concept of contraceptives and how they are utilized in marriage to help couples plan when they have children and how many. The complexity of each method is looked at along with the statistical information as to its effectiveness. Side effects are discussed and youth are lead to understand that there are no contraceptives on the market that are free from risk of pregnancy or infection. Workshop ends with a presentation on Degree of Arousal and how to draw their line on how far they go in a relationship prior to marriage based on what God expects from them.

THURSDAY MORNING

"SEXUAL INTIMACY, THE GIFT WORTH WAITING FOR"

John 8:1-11

Gospel Films video, "Next Time I Fall In Love" will be shown. The video depicts a very realistic portrayal of the struggle that young people deal with in the area of sexual expression. There is a very gentle and loving thread of God’s love woven throughout this video as it reveals the beauty and preciousness of saving the gift of sexual intimacy for marriage. This video does an excellent job of revealing the love parents have for their children and the role God has given them in protecting and guiding their children. Following the video, Keynoter helps youth understand the emotional pain and scarring that can sometimes occur when the gift of sexual intimacy is used outside of marriage. God’s forgiveness and renewal are emphasized throughout this session.

FRIDAY MORNING

"THE DYNAMIC DUO - JESUS AND YOU!"

John 13:1-17

Matthew 26:26-29 and Matthew 27:32-46

We will take an in-depth look at the last few days in the life of Jesus. What were Jesus’ thoughts as they entered Jerusalem and began preparations for his last moments together? We will look at the crucifixion and the total sacrifice that was lived out before us. Not just the loss of life, but the loss of pride and dignity, and the grief of a mother. We will try and feel just a little bit of what those disciples felt when they saw their friend, Jesus, after the resurrection and what the breaking of bread and the drinking from the cup would mean to them after the crucifixion and ascension.

This keynote will close with the promise that the exciting and rich journey that the disciples walked with Jesus is now ours to walk. That same Jesus is still walking into our lives and calling us to follow. As we take communion together we will take it as a family of friends, just like the disciples did, remembering our Savior in total, his humanness and his Godliness.

More information will be available at the site soon.