We have had an incredible fall season here at Thousand Pines! We are so thankful for all who came to camp, whether it was for one of our programs, a day-use event, or another type of conference. We are now a few weeks into our Outdoor Education season.
Fall Program Recap
A message from Mike Encoe, Program Director
I hope you had the chance to come up and see some of the fall programs with your very own eyes over the past few months!
We made some significant changes to some of our programs and had the chance to see the Lord move in beautiful ways. This year we introduced Christian performers to our Fall Family Camp. It was incredible to see moms, dads, and kids laugh and learn together, watching musicians, a magician, and a balloon artist. Our Outdoor Education team did a fantastic job running our science show and even put on a survival activity that was the talk of the town.
At Man Camp, we introduced a rite of passage ceremony. Seven guys took their first steps toward being a man of God in their father's or mentor's prayerful arms. Taking communion under the stars with those men, I felt like I had front-row seats to life change. I praise our Lord for his incredible faithfulness to this ministry. In every program, we see people make decisions to follow Jesus for the first time, and people unite around furthering His Kingdom! God has uniquely blessed this place with His presence. I also want to thank you for your faithful support. To those of you who attend, pray for, promote, and give to this ministry, thank you for joining us as we help people to see, know and experience God.
Thousand Pines Outdoor Education Updates
A message from Greg Lewis, Outdoor Education Manager
Greetings TP Family,
We are now in full swing of OE season! In September, we had 2 weeks of staff training. During staff training we explored the woods, became familiar with the academic lessons, and prepared for our favorite pastimes like dance night and skit nights. We even spent time at San Marcos Christian Camp where we enjoyed team building activities and received training on presenting the gospel and sharing our testimony. One of the most rewarding parts of the training was watching our returning staff members display their knowledge and leadership skills amongst their peers. We especially want to acknowledge one of them: Jacob for his wisdom and experience when providing feedback and guidance to new staff as they practiced teaching their lessons. Apply today and join our incredible team!
A message from Michael Ferguson, Outdoor Education Assistant Manager
This Fall so far has been a whirlwind! We finished up two weeks of training culminating in a Spiritual Emphasis trip to San Marcos where we had Mike Encoe (Thousand Pines Program Director) go really in depth with us about what the Gospel is and how it now defines where we go as we minister to the students of SoCal and the rest of the state. We have a much larger team than last year which will allow us all a little more time to rest up for each week, and more time to rest in Him. I'm personally encouraged by the staff's ability to soak up all the information and still be all about recognizing that what we do in Outdoor Ed changes lives, all because we are filled with the Holy Spirit!
Looking Ahead
Starting in January we will start our 6 weeks of Winter Camp. This year's theme is The Hope Game!
"Thousand Pines Winter Camp 2023 will deliver students hope: God's antidote to today's outbreak of depression and anxiety. Hope is that unseen longing in our souls for our beliefs to take place. Join us at Thousand Pines as we enter a "live" studio for expert coverage of The Hope Game! Join the crew and hosts as a member of the audience as we learn more about the hope that God has to offer when life knocks us down. It is our hope that the God of hope would fill every student with joy and peace as they trust Him so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
If you're not already registered for Winter Camp, click here, to learn more and register! You don't want to miss this!
We are looking forward to what God is going to do at Thousand Pines throughout the remainder of 2022, and are praying for what God has in store for 2023! We are looking forward to Winter Camp 2023, and we are praying that everyone who comes to Thousand Pines would have the opportunity to see, know and experience God during their time here. Thank you for your support of Thousand Pines!