High Places Church gearing up for summer camps, more

Submitted

Continuing to build on traditions spanning nearly 50 years, High Places Community Church is making preparations for both their Children’s “Mountain Movers” Kid Camp and the annual “Off The Wall” Youth Camp at Big Ridge State Park.

Kid Camp will be held during the evenings of June 22-25, Monday through Thursday, from 5:30 until 8 p.m., in and around the location of their church home, Grove Theater, located at 123 Randolph Road in Oak Ridge.

Pursuing a theme entitled “SEE GOD,” children ages 4 through upcoming grade 5 and grouped by age, will spend their evenings exploring evidences of God’s presence in the earth, water, wind, and fire. In this case, “seeing will be believing” in the sense that God can and will help us to see when we open our minds to the everyday wonders which are always on display in our world. Monday, the group will take a hike from The Grove to A.K. Bissell Park for their fun-filled explorations.

Children can be pre-registered by “getting on the list,” located on the front lobby table in The Grove, or by calling Children’s Pastor Kady Marcotte at (865) 850-3112, or by leaving a message at (865) 425-0501. Kid Camp is free and open to all children who fall within the designated camp age group. Dinner is provided each evening.

Off The Wall Big Ridge Youth Camp will be held the week of July 20-25, Monday through Saturday morning, for students in upcoming grades 6 through 2015 high school graduates. Rustic Big Ridge State Park Group Camp continues to be the summer dream place for many students and staff who return annually to connect and to serve as volunteers. Youth Pastor Chad O’Neal oversees High Places’ Student Ministries, which are supported by a host of experienced leaders each week on Wednesday evenings at Grove Theater.

The 2015 Big Ridge camp theme has drawn initial inspirations from the recently released book series and movie title, “Divergent,” and it is developing into daily themes that will follow what the church knows as High Places’ “Profile.” Just as Facebook and other social media encourage participants to fill in their profile, The High Places’ Profile addresses the simple question of “What spiritual qualities are deemed most important to the lives of youth who have stepped into the realm of High Places, Off The Wall, Student Ministries?”

With a basic mission to “turn on the lights in places that have grown dark,” campers will delve into what this might look like for them in their everyday worlds—beginning in their own lives and homes, and where relationships are of supreme importance.

Pre-Registration for Big Ridge Camp is taking place now by getting on the OTW camp sign-up list. Total cost for the week is $49 and includes all food, lodging, and T-shirts. While a daily snack bar provides free fruits and water, other items are not included in this cost.

There will be lots more action around, before, during, and after these main HPCC events, including with the church at large. Mountain Movers’ have scheduled an overnight at Big Ridge either during or immediately after OTW camp. Following the summer, plans are shaping up to re-start the Sunday Morning “Rotation Children’s Church” concept. Off The Wall continues to at the Grove each Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. and (they) are planning a Florida road trip the weekend of September 11-13, when they will camp, take a swim in the Daytona Beach area as well as in a cool Central Florida fresh water spring, all followed by Disney’s “Night of Joy” bash on that Saturday.

Following a series of late spring and summer highlights, High Places Church is gearing up for October and special guest leader Dennis Miller of Church Development, a mentor and dear friend to founding pastor Martin Fischer since the late 1970s.

High Places’ continues to dream, reimagine with the next generation as they also continue their regular main Sunday meetings which begin at 10:30 a.m. under the continued direction of lead pastor David Allred and a host of volunteers.

From 9:17-10:23 a.m., groups take place prior to the main church time, providing a variety of small group options.

Contact information for any and all events is listed above or can be found on the highplaceschurch.org website.

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