“The theme of the week was God’s Power, and that’s what I experienced,” shares Pastor Nyahaley Labor. Pastor Labor serves Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Atlanta, one of three congregations who worked together to host a Lutheroad Day Camp this summer. Nicknamed Camp in the City, the day camp was the creative idea of Pastor Jonathan Hemphill from the Southeastern Synod staff.
“One of my roles in the synod is relating to African Descent congregations,” Pastor Hemphill says. “I noticed that some of these congregations had an opportunity to do more outreach with children. I knew camp is a way to build relationships and form faith, but urban congregations weren’t involved in camp. So, I wondered how we could provide this for kids in the city.”
Soon afterword Pastor Hemphill learned about the day camp program coordinated by Lutheridge and began talking with camp staff about hosting a Lutheroad in Atlanta. After lots of planning and work with the host congregations, volunteers began an extensive sign-up effort, including meeting neighbors and sharing flyers in nearby stores and parks. In all, 30 children participated in the Camp in the City week, along with volunteers from each of the area host congregations – Emmanuel, Atonement Lutheran, and St. Mark Lutheran.
The impact of Camp in the City on the children was inspiring, says Pastor Hemphill. “There was lots of joy seeing kids every day in a safe place where they could just be kids.” Pastor Labor agrees and says the Lutheroad counselors created a nurturing environment where the campers could thrive. “The counselors’ interactions with the kids were great. They were patient and made the kids comfortable. We experienced what camp is all about.”
The week also had a tremendous impact on the host congregations, “It showed these congregations new ways to connect in their neighborhoods,” says Pastor Hemphill, “and gave them a new sense of energy for outreach. Plus, it was so collaborative and helped people think about other ways congregations can come together.”
Pastor Labor and other leaders involved in the week are already looking forward to hosting a day camp next summer. In the meantime, they are soaking in the lessons learned from a wonderful week this summer. “The week at Camp in the City taught me that we are family,” Pastor Labor shares. “We are family, when children from the different congregations come together to put a smile on each other’s faces. We are family when kids hug their counselors, black or white, for comfort. We are family when pastors and volunteers from all three congregations work together. We are family when we come together as God’s children and experience God’s Power!”
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