I came across this video of the story of a young boy asking his father how much he was worth one evening while trying to catch up with some potential counselors on Facebook. If you have not watched this 3-minute video, I would encourage you to do so now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPq2OW-j1uI As I finished watching the […]
Memories shape who we are, inform our decisions, and provide a foundation for how we engage the world. The input that we consume, the relationships that we pursue, and the habits that we acquire shape our character according to Michael Hyatt. In a culture that is flooded with mass marketing, electronic entertainment and social networking, […]
Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head for no apparent reason? Songs get stuck in my head usually after I have heard them on the radio, in a movie, or background noise somewhere. However, lately, I have been thinking about a Christmas song, called Mary Did You Know. In this song, the […]
Dear SFC Family: As most of you know, Slumber Falls is in a transitional period and doing our best to not have our finances impact our summer camp program or be detrimental to having large retreat groups utilize our beautiful camp. We have already made a lot of improvements through private donations for specific goals […]
One of the most heard suggestions and requests by our churches and guests have revolved around better mattresses. We all know that sleep affects our overall health and wellbeing, and sleep helps us with healthy brain functions, emotional wellbeing, physical health, and increases our ability to function throughout the day. Our ability to engage the […]
On my journeys in Africa in during my stint in the Peace Corps, I would often find myself in a local village store in need of supplies. Lined on the make shift shelves would usually contain plastic bags of sugar, rice, loose leaf tea, sometimes dried beans, candles, and a couple notebooks and pencils for […]
In 2005, Richard Louv wrote Last Child in the Woods, a book that looks at the effects of human beings, especially children, lack of time in nature and connecting to the living world. In this work, Louv coins the term Nature Deficit Disorder which examines some of the challenges children and youth face as they […]
When I was a kid, I used to love doing arts and crafts. I would build models of the human body, put together science experiments, or do various crafts whenever I found the time. Oftentimes for birthdays or Christmas, I would receive art sets or project kits. One project that I remember vividly was a […]
A few days ago we experienced a surprise “snow storm” in New Braunfels. Snow covered trees and buildings transformed Slumber Falls into a winter wonderland. For those that have only experienced the camp the summer months, this was a welcomed change. It feels like Christmas is here. The feeling of Christmas is more than the […]
The United Church of Christ has some of the most remarkable camps and outdoor ministries. Last week I was fortunate enough to spend a week with other folks involved with outdoor ministries at Silver Lake Camp in Connecticut for Consult XXI. Consult occurs every two years and focuses on networking, education, and spiritual renewal for […]