Outward

When Trinity Lutheran Church in Pembroke Pines, Florida heard about the Day Camp program at Luther Springs they knew it was something they needed, and something their neighbors needed too. Trinity members Tina Hines and Piper Spencer have been co-directing the day camp for years. “My kids had gone to Luther Springs,” Piper recalls, “so when I learned about day camp, I knew this was something we could do and this is how we could give something back to our community.”

Tina and Piper share that Trinity held a traditional vacation Bible school in the evening for years, but they had started to wonder about hosting a day-time opportunity that would serve young people in their neighborhood. “We have kids nearby whose parents or grandparents have them at home during the summer,” Piper says. “We wanted to see if we could give them a break for a week.”

Tina says the church spread the word about day camp by talking to people in the neighborhood and sharing about the opportunity with co-workers who had children. “I talked to a teacher at the school where I work who told me, ‘You know, my child has been asking questions about God,’” Tina shares. “The mom felt like our day camp was a safe place for her child to speak up and say what he was thinking about. When he came to camp it was amazing to see. He realized there’s something bigger out there he can be a part of.”

While the day camp started as a program for elementary age children, the congregation has developed ways for older children to keep coming back each summer. “We decided to add a middle school program for the kids who were getting older,” Piper says. “We made it a service-oriented experience where the kids do things like work with our native plant garden and clothing ministry. Once they age out of that, they can even come back in high school as volunteers.”

Piper and Tina say part of what makes the day camp at Trinity special is the congregation’s commitment to reach out to children who haven’t been connected to church. “For some of them, they don’t really get to see church much, and some of them don’t see much during the summer at all,” Tina says. “A lot of them would normally be spending their days on electronic devices, but instead they are spending a week filled with things like bible study, crafts, good food, and a nurturing community.”

People at Trinity continue to be energized by hosting the day camp each summer. “We are an outward looking church,” says Piper. “This gives people from our church a way to be a part of it. Everyone can have a role.” This summer Trinity will be hosting the day camp again. “We get a lot out of it,” Tina says. “Seeing the children light up when they are learning and singing and sharing meals is the best part of all.”

Your gifts to NovusWay help congregations reach out into their communities to bring the joy of camp to all. Thank you for your support of this ministry!