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“A love that never ends” Outdoor ministries curriculum, © 2014 Lutheran Outdoor Ministries. May be reproduced for local use. 151

Welcome Welcome to the junior high Bible study curriculum for “A love that never ends.” This Bible study engages campers and their leaders with people who lived before Jesus. Each experienced God’s love in different ways and responded in a way that is important to notice. These people’s stories show campers that God chooses, provides, gives, offers, and sends not only for the people in the Bible, but for those who follow Jesus today. Jesus’ teachings mirror the experiences and lessons learned by Abraham, the nation of Israel, Ruth, Jonah, and Jeremiah. And through Jesus, God’s promises are for us today as well! Jesus says that the greatest commandments, to love God and others, are the most important of all (Mark 12:29-31). From Abra-ham to each camper this summer, the same is true: Love is the most important thing of all! Day 1 focuses on Abraham and God’s covenant with him to be the father of many nations. God chooses Abraham and through Jesus, God chooses us as well—to love another and to love God with our heart, soul, strength, and mind. On Day 2, the Israelites are complaining in the wilderness and God responds through Moses, providing for the physical needs of the people. Jesus promises abun-dant life to those who believe and follow, promis-ing to be the bread of life. Day 3 introduces us to Ruth and her choice to stay loyal to Naomi, choos-ing a life with her mother-in-law instead of going home to her own people. Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan and the command to love one another in tangible and sacrificial ways reminds us that we can be loyal to our friends and family too. On Day 4 we learn about forgiveness through Jonah’s story and his difficulty in loving the peo-ple of Nineveh. Jesus reminds us that we are for-given and should easily and freely forgive others in response. On Day 5 we hear the call of Jere-miah, a young man given the words and mission to love others. With the words and commands of Jesus, we too are sent out to love all people.

Objectives This Bible study will help junior high campers and their leaders: • see the connection between Old Testament sto-

ries and the teachings of Jesus. • experience the promises of God for themselves

as followers of Jesus. • consider ways to be more loving toward God

and others. During each of the Bible studies, campers will experientially consider an Old Testament biblical text as well as a teaching of Jesus in order to gain a better understanding of how we are commanded to love God with our whole selves and to love oth-ers in sacrificial and practical ways. Campers will participate in scripture readings, guided conversa-tions, personal sharing, and independent reflec-tion to help them gain a better understanding of the week’s theme, “A love that never ends.”

The junior high camper Junior high campers are a wonderful part of the camp environment! While many junior high camp weeks can be some of the most trying weeks of the summer, they can also be the most exciting. Junior high campers sign up for camp for a variety of rea-sons. First, you might have junior high campers who are at camp because they love camp. They are the seasoned campers; they have been coming to camp for years and are ready to dive into the pro-gram. Many of your junior high campers may be newcomers at camp to satisfy church or confirma-tion requirements. Although they might not have a lot of excitement for camp at first, they will soon discover camp is an okay place! Because of their various reasons for coming to camp, you will find that junior high campers will exhibit a whole range of interest in different camp activities. Regardless of why the campers are at camp or how interested they might be, the first thing to remem-ber is that every single junior high camper is a

Junior high


blessing and has been called by God to come to camp this week.

Junior high campers come to camp at interest-ing times in their lives. Adolescence is a time of many developmental changes. Physically, men-tally, spiritually, and emotionally, these campers are in a time of transition. Many are asking ques-tions of self-identity that include issues of appear-ance, conformity, acceptance, love, safety, and faith. Externally, many junior high campers will appear to have it all together, seeming overly con-fident and resistant to change. Undoubtedly, things are not always as they appear, for this age is exciting, confusing, and frustrating. Camp can be a safe place to explore the tension between one’s internal feelings and external attitudes. It is important to offer these campers an environment of acceptance, understanding, unconditional love, and safety. They respond enthusiastically to lead-ers who are willing to listen compassionately.

Special hints When engaging junior high campers in Bible study, it is important that you meet them where they are. Show an interest in the campers’ experi-ences in life, and make connections between the biblical texts and these experiences. Work to form trusted relationships in which campers can share thoughts, ideas, insights, and questions. Take time to relate to campers in all aspects of the camp experience: worship, study, meals, and play. By

working first to interact and form a relationship of trust and safety with a camper, you will make greater strides not only in the Bible study, but also in the entire camp experience. During the first night especially, take time to learn your campers’ names, stories about their lives, and other insights so that you can gain a larger perspective on who they are and why they came to camp. The response to this attention will be invaluable throughout the week.

Flexibility is important when working with junior high campers. Know that the campers will have a lot of questions and that Bible study can take some surprising twists and turns. Be pre-pared for this, and know that you do not need to have all the answers. Make sure that tangents to the discussion include all members of the group. Be willing to talk to individual campers about spe-cific concerns outside of group time. Allow camp-ers to take advantage of the fact that you are a safe person of whom they can ask questions and from whom they can glean advice.

Finally, because of the many questions that junior high campers may have, consider placing a question box in your cabin. Have a closed box with a slit on top in which campers can deposit questions anonymously at any time. Throughout the week, during cabin time or devotional time, pull out questions and discuss them with campers.

Most of all . . . have fun!


During the first night, it is important to allow suf-ficient time for campers to get to know one another, and for the counselor to gain an under-standing of each and every camper and what makes them unique. Because young people need to have a sense of safety and belonging before fully participating, it is important that some of these bonds become established during the first night. Take the time to make sure campers know one another’s names and what unifies them as a group.

Take your whole cabin of campers on a tour of camp, so that seasoned and new campers alike can hear about camp and see it at the same time.

Provide paper and markers for campers to make or decorate a name tag for their bed. Encour-age them to write their name clearly and also include words or pictures that describe them and what they like to do.

Practice names with the entire group. Have a goal that everyone knows one another’s names by the end of the first night. Loving one another starts with knowing one another!

Play the following games, which create laugh-ter, camaraderie, and shared experience. This will be the best way to introduce the theme of loving God and others by learning to include one another, know one another, and enjoy one another.

Look down, look up Have campers stand in a circle looking down at the ground. When the counselor/leader says, “Look up,” everyone should look up and directly at someone else in the circle. If two make eye con-tact, then they leave the circle and become part-ners. To make it silly, have the pair yell loudly when eye contact is made. If campers did not make eye contact with someone, then they look down again as directed by the leader for the next round. Continue until everyone in the circle has a partner by continuing to say, “Look down” (every-one looks at the ground), “Look up” (everyone looks at another person in the circle). While camp-ers are with their partners, ask them to answer questions about themselves always starting with

their name. Include other questions like the follow-ing: Where are you from? Is this your first time at camp? How long did it take you to drive here today? What is your favorite subject in school? What sports or activities do you enjoy? Play sev-eral rounds so that campers have a chance to min-gle with a variety of partners.

Do you love your neighbor?Sit in a circle, everyone in a chair. Take away one chair, making that camper “it.” The camper with-out a chair goes up to another camper, and that camper stands up. They then switch places (the “it” camper now has the other camper’s chair) and remain standing face to face. The “it” camper asks, “Do you love your neighbor?” The other camper responds, “Yes, especially those who. . . .” The camper should fill in the blank with something that applies to others in the circle. Those to whom it applies must leave their seat and run to an open chair across from them. They may not move to the seat that is on either side of them. The camper left without a chair is then “it” in the middle and finds another camper to ask the question, “Do you love your neighbor?” The group has three chances to reply, “No” to the question “Do you love your neighbor?” When “No” is the answer, everyone must leave their seat and find another chair. If “No” is replied a fourth time, the game is over.

Ask me, answer meGive each camper two slips of paper with the same number on both slips. Have campers put one of their slips in the middle of the circle. Then ask each camper to choose a different slip so that they now have two slips with two different numbers on them. On the original slip, instruct campers to write a funny (yet appropriate) question on it. On the slip with the new number, instruct them write a funny (yet appropriate) answer to that question. Start with the first number, having the camper with that question read it, followed by the answer of another camper. Continue calling numbers around until all have asked their question and have heard the silly answers.

First night


Make sure each camper has a Bible and a journal for “Daily watch.” Each daily watch consists of a reflection activity, a scripture reading, a brief dis-cussion, and a prayer prompt. These devotions can be used at the beginning of each day to introduce the daily theme or at the close of the day to review the theme.

Day 1: Abraham Word reflectionIn their journals, ask campers to write or draw everything that comes to mind when they hear the word chosen. Give campers 5 minutes (or more) for this solo reflection. If they look stumped or disen-gaged, ask them one of the following questions: (Tip: Ask one at a time with space between ques-tions, and only ask as many as they need.) Think about a time when you were chosen. What was the circumstance? How did it feel? Who chose you? Can you think of anyone in the Bible who was chosen? What was their story? What does chosen mean today?

Scripture reading After campers have had a chance to draw and write about chosen, have volunteers read Genesis 18:19 and Colossians 3:12-13.

Discussion • What does God mean by chosen in the Genesis

verse? (God picked out Abraham for something spe-cial and specific. God had a plan specifically for Abraham.)

• According to this verse, what was Abraham cho-sen to do? (Direct his children and household to keep the way of the Lord, which means to love God.)

• Does it sound like a good thing that Abraham was chosen? (Yes. God had promises for Abraham!)

• And for us today, as God’s chosen people, what characteristics are important for us to have? (Kindness, compassion, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness.)

• What does it mean to “put on” these characteris-tics? Aren’t they just part of who you are? (We can choose to be these things for other people! Choose

to be kind. Act gently and compassionately toward others. These are actions that become our character.)

Prayer prompt Ask campers to think of the characteristic in Colossians 3 that is most difficult for them to emu-late. When prompted, give campers the opportu-nity to ask for God’s help in acting in this way more naturally.

“Thank you, God, for choosing Abraham. Thank you, God, for choosing us. As your chosen people, help us to love you and love others. We don’t always act like we want to; please help us to be more like Jesus. It’s hard for me to be , please help me be more today. Amen.”

Day 2: Israel Word reflection In their journals, ask campers to write or draw everything that comes to mind when they hear the word provide. Give campers 5 minutes (or more) for this solo reflection. If they look stumped or disen-gaged, ask them one of the following questions: (Tip: Ask one at a time with space between ques-tions, and only ask as many as they need.) When has someone provided something for you? Was it something you needed? Where do you see people providing for others at home? In your community? At church? Do you know of any stories in the Bible about God providing?

Scripture reading After campers have had a chance to draw and write about provide, have volunteers read Isaiah 58:6-8 and Acts 2:42-47.

Discussion• These two passages talk about providing in dif-

ferent ways. What differences do you hear? (The Isaiah passage talks about providing for those who are poor and in need; the Acts passage talks about provid-ing for one another in a community.)

• Which do you think is more important? (They are both equally important!)

• How is God providing through both of these passages? (Through generosity, through sharing

Daily watch


with others, through providing community and other people to create the church.)

• What other things does God provide that we can’t see or touch? (Eternal life through Jesus, for-giveness, unconditional love and acceptance.)

Prayer prompt Ask campers to think of one thing that has been provided for them. Invite campers to share this when prompted during the prayer.

“God who provides, thank you for giving us what we need, through your generosity. Thank you for providing forgiveness and the chance to spend eternity with you. We know you provide for us all the time, so please hear our prayers of thanksgiving for the things you have provided to each of us . . . [list items now]. Amen.”

Day 3: Ruth Word reflection In their journals, ask campers to write or draw everything that comes to mind when they hear the word friendship. Give campers 5 minutes (or more) for this solo reflection. If they look stumped or disengaged, ask them one of the following ques-tions: (Tip: Ask one at a time with space between questions, and only ask as many as they need.) What is a true friend? Who is the one friend for whom you are most grateful? Are you a good friend? Who is most thankful that they are friends with you?

Scripture reading After campers have had a chance to draw and write about friendship, have volunteers read Prov-erbs 12:26, Proverbs 18:24, and Proverbs 22:11.

Discussion • What advice does Proverbs give about friend-

ship? (Choose carefully. Someone who speaks nicely and has a grace-filled heart will have friends. A good friend is like a sibling.)

• What advice would you give about friendship? • What would your friendship proverb be?

Prayer prompt Ask campers to close their eyes and think of their friends: good friends and ones that are more chal-lenging. Invite campers to keep their eyes closed and as you pray, to think of each one and thank

God for these friends in their lives. Use the follow-ing prayer.

“God who is a friend to us, we thank you for our friends. Thanks for those friends who are like a brother or sister to us. Thank you for those friends who are more challenging to be friends with. Help us to see how they can teach us some-thing about friendship. As we picture our friends right now, we send you many thanks for these people in our lives. Teach us to be good friends in return. Amen.”

Day 4: Jonah Word reflectionIn their journals, ask campers to write or draw everything that comes to mind when they hear the word forgiveness. Give campers 5 minutes (or more) for this solo reflection. If they look stumped or disengaged, ask them one of the following ques-tions: (Tip: Ask one at a time with space between questions, and only ask as many as they need.) What images come to mind around forgiveness? When have you seen friends or family practice for-giveness? What did you notice? How did it feel to watch it? How about the opposite—witnessing friends or family not forgiving someone? How did that feel?

Scripture reading After campers have had a chance to draw and write about friendship, have volunteers read Mat-thew 26:27-29 and Colossians 3:12-14 (yes, again!).

Discussion • In the Matthew passage, who is speaking, and

what is he talking about? (It’s Jesus talking to the disciples. It’s the Last Supper, and he’s telling them that his death will be the way all their sins will be forgiven.)

• Who is able to forgive us completely for all our sins? (Only God.)

• Why is it important to forgive others like the Colossians passage says? (Because that’s how we say “thank you” to God for forgiving us. We forgive others.)

Prayer prompt Invite campers to think of things they need to be forgiven for, reminding campers that sometimes we need forgiveness for things we do, but other times for things we don’t do. As a prayer of


confession (telling God what we’ve done wrong and asking for forgiveness), lead campers through this silent action prayer. You can either teach it and let campers pray at their own pace or do the actions together, guiding them through it with words.

Squeeze hands tight into fists: Think of the things you need to say sorry about to God.

Open hands, palms up: Give these things over to God; this represents giving them over to God.

Place palms together in front of body, in a prayer position: Thank God for God’s forgiveness. With a grateful heart we know we’re forgiven.

Cup hands together in front of the body: We cup our hands, ready to receive God’s blessings that come through confessing, receiving forgiveness, and changing our ways.

Day 5: Jeremiah Word reflection In their journals, ask campers to write or draw everything that comes to mind when they hear the word send. Give campers 5 minutes (or more) for this solo reflection. If they look stumped or disen-gaged, ask them one of the following questions: (Tip: Ask one at a time with space between ques-tions, and only ask as many as they need.) Also think of it as being sent. What does this mean to you? Have you ever been sent on a mission? Or asked to go do something specific for another per-son? Have you ever been part of a worship service

where a mission or service team was sent out? Do you remember what was said? Why do people get sent?

Scripture reading After campers have had a chance to draw and write about send or being sent, have volunteers read John 20:20-22 and Matthew 28:18-20.

Discussion • These verses describe Jesus sending out his dis-

ciples. What do you think they are being sent out to do? (Tell others about Jesus!)

• Do you think we are sent in this same way? Why or why not? (Yes. . . .)

• We may all have some specific things we are sent to do, but there are things we are all sent to do as followers of Jesus. What are these things? Hint: We’ve talked about them all week! (Tell others about Jesus. Be loving and kind. Care for others, be good friends and loyal family members. Love God.)

Prayer promptAsk a camper if he or she would like to pray. If there aren’t any volunteers, offer a simple prayer like this:

“God of creation, thank you for sending each of us into this world to love you and love others, just as Jesus sent his disciples. As we leave camp today, be with us as we return home and help us remember all that we learned here this week. Amen.”


Focus questionHow does the story of Abraham show us we are called and chosen?

Theme statementGod’s covenant with Abraham encompasses all people, and in response we are to love God.

ObjectivesThis Bible study will help junior high campers and their leaders:• know they are chosen, just as Abraham was. • understand they are part of God’s covenant with

Abraham through Jesus and that we belong to God’s family.

• respond to God’s choice by loving God and others through kindness, humility, and care.

Bible textGenesis 17:1-8 (Covenant with Abraham)

MaterialsBibles, paper, markers, bandanas (or strips of cloth or yarn), props for obstacle course

GatherFamily tree Find a big tree on your site. Talk about the parts of the tree: roots, trunk, branches, leaves, or needles. Ask campers to share what they know about how a tree lives. Why is a tree often used as a metaphor for a family? (Branches represent different generations; all come from one trunk.) Ask campers what they know about their family tree. Talk about God’s family tree. Use paper and markers to draw the tree you’re looking at and have campers trace their own family tree as far back as they know.

As a group, draw another tree to represent God’s family tree, starting with Abraham. See how far campers can go with names toward Jesus. Look at Matthew 1:1-17 for Jesus’ family tree, which starts with Abraham, and see if campers recog-nize any names in Jesus’ genealogy. Tell campers that Abraham was really old when he found out that he was going to be the first of this very long

line of people and that he would be the father of many nations.

What’s the story of your name? Have campers share their full name and tell the story of how they got their name, what it means, or if they were named after anyone. They can share about their first, middle, or last name. If they aren’t sure about any details of their name, then ask them to create a story of how they were named. Give everyone an opportunity to share. Ask the group if they know the story behind your camp’s name. Why are the buildings or the site named what they are? Have them do a little detec-tive work to find out, if no one knows. Tell camp-ers that in today’s story, God changes a man’s name when God chose him. He went from being Abram (which means “father”) to Abraham (which means “father of many”).

WordCovenant means what? Give campers a few minutes to find today’s pas-sage, Genesis 17:1-8, in their Bibles. Ask campers to share what they know about Abraham and his part in the biblical narrative (give direction if campers don’t know). Read Genesis 17:1-8 together. Ask campers to define covenant. (Promise between parties; implies inferior and superior party; each party has an obligation.) Ask campers to share promises they have made and what they signified. Ask campers about promises others have made to them. Were they kept? Was a group covenant made when you arrived at camp? Did you promise anything to your cabin group as part of your time together? Why is your covenant important? Tell campers that some promises are unconditional, meaning the inferior party doesn’t have to do any-thing in return to receive the benefits of the prom-ise. Others are conditional, where the inferior party has to fulfill some obligations in order to stay part of the covenant.

I wonder . . .One way to think about what the Bible is saying is to pose “I wonder” statements in response to a passage. Read Genesis 17:1-8 and then present the

DAY 1: Abraham


following “I wonder” statements. Allow campers time and space to respond. For your first “I won-der” questions, go to a location where you have corporate worship. As you wonder how Abraham felt in this story, give campers a chance to think about being part of a larger community of believ-ers. You can ask the questions one at a time or all at once. Give campers an opportunity to pose their own “I wonder” statements as well. • I wonder if Abraham thought God was crazy.• I wonder if Abraham understood what God was

saying. • I wonder why Abraham fell facedown on the

ground.• I wonder why God waited for Abraham to get so

old before making him a father.

I choose you! Choose two captains from the group of campers. Have team captains take turns choosing team members by using “secret” criteria for each selec-tion, alternating back and forth until everyone is on a team. The two captains can decide the crite-ria, or the counselor can tell them. (For example: choose the person standing farthest away, choose your next teammate based on who is wearing a primary color, etc.). After teams are chosen, sit in a circle and talk about the experience. • How does it feel to be chosen? As the first per-

son or as the last? • Why do you think you were chosen when you

were? • What did it feel like to know there were two

teams? Ask campers to share a time when they were

chosen for something and to share the feelings that went along with that experience. Select another captain from the group, just one this time. Invite the captain to choose until all campers have been selected. How did this experience feel in con-trast to the first time? Discuss the difference in having one team versus two. Read Genesis 17:1-8 together. Consider asking one camper to read God’s words to help them stand out from the rest. Ask a camper to act out Abraham’s response to God’s words. Why do you think he responded in that way?

Jesus quotes the Bible Play “Bible or not” by having campers guess if the sayings below are from the Bible or not.

• You will be a restless wanderer on the earth. (From the Bible: Genesis 4:12.)

• Strike while the iron is hot. (NOT the Bible: an English proverb.)

• To honor an old man is showing respect to God. (NOT the Bible: Muhammad.)

• If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse. (From the Bible: Proverbs 27:14.)

• Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is. (NOT the Bible: a German proverb.)

• It’s hard to fill a cup that’s already full. (NOT the Bible: Avatar.)

• Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. (From the Bible: Song of Solomon 8:7.)

• A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves. (NOT the Bible: Henry Ward Beecher, American clergyman.)

• Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. (From the Bible: Job 1:21.)

• Absence makes the heart grow fonder. (NOT the Bible: Thomas Haynes Bayly, English poet.)

• In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. (From the Bible: Matthew 7:12.)

• A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. (From the Bible: Proverbs 22:1.)

• A king’s time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. (NOT the Bible: The Lion King.)

• Bring me a heifer three years old, a she-goat, three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon. (From the Bible: Gene-sis 15:9.)

• To thine own self be true. (NOT the Bible: William Shakespeare.)

• Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien living in any of your towns and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. (From the Bible: Deuteronomy 14:21.)

• God helps those who help themselves. (NOT the Bible: Benjamin Franklin.) Remark that the way you know what’s in a

book is by reading and studying it. Say, “Did you know that Jesus read the same Old Testament that we do today? As a Jewish child, he would have studied the Torah and would have known it well.”


(The Torah is usually understood as the Law, but it might be more helpful is to think of the Torah as God’s teaching to the Jewish people.) Review the first five books of the Bible, which make up the Torah, and have campers look through their Bibles to identify them as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Have campers read Mark 12:28-31 and decide in small groups why they think Jesus chose those two laws (teachings) as the most important. Have campers find the original verses Jesus quotes, if applicable, for an extra challenge.

SendWrite it on your foreheadsOut of over 600 teachings and laws, Jesus chose Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18 as the most important. Reread Mark 12:28-31 to remember Jesus’ words. The Shema, as the Deuteronomic passage is called, would have been the teaching that all Jewish kids would have known by heart. They said it over and over again, all day long. Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9 to see how the Jewish people were to remember this teaching. Because this is still the greatest commandment and it is important for us to live in response to God, have campers brainstorm ways they can remember this verse today and through the week. Design a sign to put on the doorframe of the cabin. Tie bandanas or strips of cloth (or yarn) around each camper’s forehead for a portion of the day to remind them of the Shema and to love God.

Loving others and God The Great Commandment says to love God with our heart, soul, strength, and mind. The Message, a paraphrased translation of the Bible, says to love God with our passion, prayer, intelligence, and

energy. Split campers into small groups and if pos-sible, draw around campers with chalk to make an outline of their body. If no ground space is avail-able for chalk outlines, use paper. Have campers write ways they can love God with their whole selves. (An example: near their hand outline, write “serving other people.”) Talk about what it could mean to love with our whole selves. How is this different than we often think about serving and loving God? What about loving your neighbor as yourself? What does that mean? How do we do that well? Have campers come up with one way they can love a specific neighbor as themselves at camp or at home. Remind them that this helps us to remember God’s covenant with us, and the fact that we are still living in God’s covenant with Abraham.

Catechism connectionYou shall have no other gods.Create an obstacle course with props or in just your surrounding area. Give campers an opportu-nity to take turns guiding one another through the course, varying the degrees of difficulty with blindfolds, advanced obstacles, etc. Share with campers the culture of the Old Testament and how it promoted many small gods, and a different god for everything (such as water, sun, rain, fertility, harvest, money, war, etc.). Ask campers why this first commandment would be so important in light of that culture and the common worship of all these many gods. How are the other gods like the obstacles in the course? What does this com-mandment do to the obstacles? (This commandment requires people to remove these gods completely, to cre-ate a straight, clear path to God without any other gods to get in the way.)


Focus questionHow does God’s provision for Israel remind us that God still provides?

Theme statementGod has provided for people in the past; God will provide for us.

ObjectivesThis Bible study will help junior high campers and their leaders:• identify how God was faithful to others in the

past. • know that Jesus’ promises are for those who

trust in him. • identify God’s abundance in their lives and live

gratefully in response.

Bible textExodus 17:1-7 (Water in the wilderness)

MaterialsBibles, small slips of paper, pens or pencils, bread (or ingredients for simple bread), container to hold water, paper

Optional: world map

GatherSurvivorWhat do you actually need to survive? Split the group into even teams. Create a dramatic story that campers have been dumped on a deserted island with only a limited amount of supplies. As a team, campers should figure out what they need to survive and how they are going to obtain those items. Give groups time limits or different resources, and inflict illnesses or bug infestations to make their task more challenging. Have camp-ers share their lists. Discuss how this list is differ-ent than what they have at home. Have campers imagine what they could do without in order to survive their daily lives. What would be different than how they live now?

Complainer charades What do you complain about most often? Ask campers to think of things they find themselves

complaining about on a regular basis. Have them write their list, one per slip of paper, so that there are 4-5 slips per camper. Take turns choosing one slip and acting out the complaint. Decide if the actor can use words, sounds, or just motions. Campers try to guess the complaint and/or the sit-uation in which the complaint occurs. Take turns until all campers who wish to play have had a chance and until the slips have all been used. Ask campers why they think people complain. How does complaining help or hurt a situation? Do they know someone who complains more than others? Talk about how a complainer can really affect a group of people—avoid naming people in the group. Ask campers for examples of when they have experienced this before.

WordI wonder . . . If possible, do today’s “I wonder” statements in the dining hall as a reminder to campers that this week there is plenty of food and everyone will go to bed with full stomachs. This isn’t always the case for people around the world. (This may also be the reality for some of your campers, so be aware and sensitive to their situations at home. Point to the abundance this week at camp. Don’t make any assumptions of their abundance after camp.) Read Exodus 17:1-7 and then present the fol-lowing “I wonder” statements. Allow campers time and space to respond. You can ask one question at a time or all at once. Give campers an opportunity to pose their own “I wonder” statements as well. • I wonder what it would have been like to be

Moses in charge of all these people.• I wonder how the people felt wandering around

the desert for so long. • I wonder what Moses was thinking as he went

to hit the rock with his staff. • I wonder if Moses was surprised at God’s

response—and that water actually came from the rock.

Bread of life If available, find water from a natural source. Have campers help fill a small container with

DAY 2: Israel


water. With the help of your kitchen staff, make a batch of simple bread. (If neither is possible, a glass of tap water and slice of bread will work.) Ask campers to share what they think of when they see bread and water. What images come to mind? Have a volunteer read John 6:35-40. Ask campers to share what they think Jesus is saying in this passage. What kind of hunger is he talking about? What kind of thirst? Invite campers to imagine what life would be like if you were never hungry or thirsty again. How would life be differ-ent? What other gifts does Jesus offer in this pas-sage? Allow for campers to drink some water and eat some bread. Pray together a prayer of thanks-giving for Jesus’ gift of bread and water and the abundant life they symbolize.

Note: For a bread recipe: http://www.the simplehomemaker.com/simple-bread-recipe

Looking for abundanceAsk campers, “How would you define abundance? What does abundance look like? When have you experienced abundance?” Take the group on a walk around camp. Campers can also walk in pairs if that works better. Have campers look for something they can find in abundance around your site. After 5-10 minutes, have campers share what they discovered. Read together John 10:1-10, rereading John 10:10 again at the end. Tell campers that Jesus promises life to the fullest: abundant life. What do you think that means? Does it mean we’ll get whatever we want? No, probably not. But it is an invitation. Where do you see invitation in this passage? What does Jesus say is the way to receive abundant life? Have campers take turns inviting one another to Jesus’ abundant life by saying something like, “Jesus invites you to come inside the gate to be protected. He invites you to abundant life.” Give everyone a chance to invite all group members. Remind one another that Jesus offers this abundant life freely to all people.

SendHunger in the worldAn immediate response or raised concern to these promises of God’s abundance is the fact that there are many hungry and thirsty people in the world today. The difficult question is, what about those who are starving and without clean water? Does God offer them abundance as well? Challenge campers to ask another question: Is it God’s

responsibility to create new resources for these people when the resources are already present in the world? According to www.worldhunger.org there is enough food to feed everyone on the planet. It’s just a matter of distributing it fairly to all people. Ask campers what they know about the work of their local food bank, 10,000 Wells, Bread for the World, Lutheran World Relief, World Vision, and other organizations who are working hard to combat these issues of hunger and lack of clean water. If you have access to these resources, print a hunger map or information about what these organizations are doing. Challenge campers to think about how they can get involved at home to be part of these movements that strive to offer abundance to everyone equally. Pray for these organizations and the people leading them. Or use a world map and pray for the countries and areas where hunger is most prevalent, like sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.

Practicing gratitudeNoticing the abundance in our lives comes from practicing gratitude. Give campers the opportu-nity to use a gratitude journal. Ask campers to write down or draw what they were most thank-ful for today, or where they saw God’s abundant gifts today. If possible, continue the practice each night (or at the same time of day) of camp. Remind campers that sometimes it’s challenging, espe-cially at first, to notice God’s gifts during the day, but that it will become easier with practice. Pray a popcorn prayer of gratitude to God, encouraging each camper to use one word of thanks.

Catechism connectionGive us today our daily bread . . . The Fourth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer asks God for our “daily bread.” Read Martin Luther’s answer to the question, “What then does ‘daily bread’ mean?” from the Small Catechism.

Give campers a few minutes to think what daily bread means to them. How would they define it? Challenge them to think beyond the obvious. Encourage campers to write haiku poems about daily bread and the meaning of it. Haiku poems are three lines with five syllables in the first line, seven in the middle line, and five sylla-bles in the last line. Give campers 15-20 minutes to write their haikus and then provide an opportu-nity to share them.


Focus questionHow do Ruth’s actions encourage us to better love others?

Theme statementWe love God by loving others and making sacri-fices for others.

ObjectivesThis Bible study will help junior high campers and their leaders:• know specific examples of biblical people mak-

ing sacrifices for others.• understand that loving others is a way that they

can love God. • have specific ideas about how to love friends

and family in their life.

Bible textRuth 1:1-18 (Ruth and Naomi)

MaterialsBibles, paper, pencil or pen, brown/tan yarn, index cards, markers, ball of yarn

GatherBFF round robin Have each camper find a partner. Invite campers to share with one another about their best friends, giving them one question to discuss (see below) with that partner. After 1-2 minutes, have campers switch partners; then provide a new question for partners to answer. Continue until each camper has had a chance to share with everyone, asking a different question each time. Sample partner ques-tions follow: • What do they like best about their friend? • When did they meet? • What do they like to do together?• How would they describe their best friend?• What is one quality they like best about their

friend? After everyone has rotated through, ask camp-

ers what they noticed about others’ best friends. What did they all have in common? What is

special about the friends they heard about? Why is it important for each of us to have solid and loyal friends in our lives?

Love languages There has been a lot of research that shows people like to be loved in different ways. Do you know how you like to be loved? If you were having a bad day, how would you like someone to cheer you up? If you just received really bad news, what could someone do to best show they cared about you? Give campers a scenario and then ask them to choose how they’d like someone to respond, to make them feel most loved. Assign one area to each question and have campers get up and move to the one they choose. Try it for several scenarios to see if campers have the same response or differ-ent ones. Encourage campers to pay attention to the love languages of their camp friends.

A: Tell you it’s going to be okay, because you are a strong person? (Sharing words of affirmation.)

B: Do one of your chores for you? (Doing an act of service.)

C: Give you a hug? (Giving physical touch.)D: Bring you your favorite soda or treat?

(Giving you gifts.)E: Hang out with you for the afternoon?

(Spending quality time.) Now have campers think of their best friend or

a parent/family member and answer the same questions for that person. Give several scenarios and have campers answer for their friend or fam-ily member. What do they notice? Does their friend or family member like to be loved in the same way or a different way? If campers are not sure how to answer for others, challenge them to ask when they return home to see how they can love others better. Ask campers why it might be important to know how others feel love the most. How could it strengthen their relationships with their friends and family to know this?

WordI wonder . . . Have campers sit in a circle, knee to knee and fac-ing one another. Have them try to look into one

DAY 3: Ruth


another’s eyes and make eye contact for a few sec-onds with each person. (They will giggle and have a hard time making eye contact! However, it’s a good skill to learn.) Encourage campers to think of each person as one they would sacrifice a lot for, especially as you read today’s verses about Ruth and imagine what it felt like to be part of this story. Read Ruth 1:1-18 and then present the fol-lowing “I wonder” statements. Allow campers time and space to respond. You can ask one ques-tion at a time or all at once. Give campers an opportunity to pose their own “I wonder” state-ments as well. • I wonder how the women felt when their hus-

bands all died.• I wonder why Naomi was so insistent that

Orpah and Ruth return to their own families. • I wonder how Naomi felt when Ruth decided

to stay with her instead of going back to her people.

• I wonder how Ruth felt when she made that decision.

Interviews from the street Read the story of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:29-37. Split your campers into even groups of three to four. Using the story from Luke 10, ask campers to create news interviews that capture the events of the day, talking with each of the people involved in the story. If your group is large enough to cover all the characters, assign each group only one person (the priest, the Levite, the Samaritan, the innkeeper) and have them do a more in-depth interview. Their main reporting goal is to find out why the Samaritan helped the beaten man, and the others didn’t bother to stop, choosing to ignore the man. Give groups time to create their news report and then have groups share their interviews with one another. After all groups have had a chance to share their news reports, ask campers to summarize their findings. What was different about the Samaritan? Why was he willing to stop when the others weren’t willing to be bothered? What can we learn from the Samaritan about putting the needs of others in front of ourselves? What about being loyal and loving to our friends and family?

SendSecret friendsHave you ever had someone do something nice for you when you never knew the identity of the giver? Invite campers to share any experiences they have had. Counselors may need to go first to give an example. Around Christmas, often people draw names for a Secret Santa game. As a group, try out “Secret friends” for the day or the rest of the week. Brainstorm together what kinds of actions secret friends could do to put the needs of their secret friend ahead of their own. Encourage campers to think about things they can actually do today or this week. Put all campers names in a hat (or equivalent) and have campers choose a name. Make sure they don’t get their own name. Then set out to care for and bless your secret friend for the day (or however long you decided to keep your friends secret). After your time of being secret friends, find a space to reveal who had whom. Take a few minutes for campers to reflect on the experience and to identify when they noticed their friends’ actions. How did it feel to have someone helping you? Even though you didn’t know who it was? Did the actions of your secret friend inspire you to be more generous to your friend?

Self-sacrifice Give campers 6 strands of brown or tan yarn about 6 inches [15 cm] in length. Leaving about 1 inch [2.5 cm] at the top, tie a knot and then braid the yarn together, three sets of 2 strands, making a thick braid. Ruth gleaned wheat to feed herself and Naomi after she made the choice to stick with her friend. Ruth worked hard to provide and remain loyal to Naomi. (Read Ruth 2 for campers while they braid their wheat.) On an index card, have campers write: “Lord, help me to be a faith-ful and loyal friend.” Ask campers to think of a friend or family member who could use extra love and support. What are three ways you could show love and loyalty to this friend? What does it mean to be a loyal friend? Attach the “wheat” to the card as a reminder of Ruth’s friendship for Naomi and say a prayer for the friends campers encounter. Take time to pray silently or aloud for the friends who need loyal friendship.


Catechism connectionI believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catho-lic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. The Small Catechism says the Holy Spirit, “. . . calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith.”

So, we are united together: our friends, family, this camp community, and all people in one com-mon faith. We are all connected! With a ball of string, play the game “Me too.” One person begins with the ball of yarn and says something true

about himself or herself. (Examples: My favorite color is green. I don’t like broccoli. This is my first time at camp.) If this is true about anyone else in the circle, they say, “Me too.” The person with the yarn passes it to that person. If more than one per-son says, “Me too!” then the yarn goes to every-one. Once all have received the yarn, the person with it last says a new statement that is true. That person will pass it again to everyone who says, “Me too!” Stop when you run out of yarn or when everyone has received the yarn several times. Dis-cuss with the group how this activity demon-strates that we are all united, in one common faith. Reiterate with campers that the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ are what unites us most of all.


Focus questionHow can Jonah teach us to be more forgiving?

Theme statementBecause God forgave us, we should offer forgive-ness freely to others.

ObjectivesThis Bible study will help junior high campers and their leaders:• know that God offers forgiveness to all people.• experience and know that God forgives them. • gain new skills to increase forgiveness toward

others.

Bible textJonah 4:1-11 (Jonah and God)

MaterialsBibles, sidewalk chalk, bucket of water or hose, paper, crayons or markers, printed words of the Lord’s Prayer (preferably a copy showing hand motions)

GatherChalk and water Give campers sidewalk chalk and ask them to draw pictures or words that describe past experi-ences with forgiveness. Their words and drawings can be a memory, current experience, or even a story they’ve heard about forgiveness. Then encourage campers to draw or write about a situa-tion that needs forgiveness or something they need forgiveness for. After giving some time to draw, dump water from a bucket or a hose onto the chalk drawings (make sure you use enough water for all the chalk to wash away). Tell campers that forgiveness washes away all of the wrong. God wipes away all our sin completely. It’s harder for us to forgive like that because we are imperfect and often carry it with us for a while. Ask campers how they felt when their pictures were washed away? (Some campers may be sad, but others glad that their art is gone.) How does it feel to be forgiven by someone? Ask any campers who are comfortable

to share a time when they were forgiven for something.

Extreme forgiveness Read campers the following story:

Mary Johnson had only one child, a son. And in February 1993, a sixteen-year-old teenager named Oshea Israel shot her son to death. Her son was just twenty years old. Israel spent seventeen years in prison for the murder. That time was long and terrible for Ms. Johnson. But despite her heartbreak, she visited Israel in prison, and eventu-ally she forgave him for killing her son. He was released from prison in 2011. As you can imagine, he needed a place to live and a new, fresh start. Ms. John-son put in a good word with the land-lord of her apartment complex and Israel moved into apartment #902. Ms. Johnson lives in apartment #904. Yes, that’s correct. They are next-door neighbors! This reality is only possible through forgiveness.

Ask campers their reaction to this story of extreme forgiveness. Give some time for them to really talk about this situation and how amazing it is for that to take place. Ask campers to imagine how Ms. Johnson managed to not only forgive Israel, but then also help him get his life back on track! Go around the circle and have campers rate how hard they think it was for Ms. Johnson to for-give in this way (1 being “very easy to forgive” and 10 being “very, very difficult to forgive”). Ask campers to give a reason for their chosen rating. Ask campers to consider if they think they’d be able to forgive something like this situation in their own life. (Do not require campers to answer this question, but do allow them a few moments to consider it.)

WordI wonder . . .Find a location with lots of plants for today’s “I wonder” statements. Help campers visualize a

DAY 4: Jonah


plant growing and dying quickly, like God showed Jonah. Remind campers that we can won-der what happened in the story, even though we weren’t there. Read Jonah 4:1-11 and then present the following “I wonder” statements. Allow camp-ers time and space to respond. You can ask one question at a time or all at once. Give campers an opportunity to pose their own “I wonder” state-ments as well. • I wonder how why Jonah was so angry. • I wonder why Jonah was so happy about the

plant. • I wonder how others reacted to Jonah’s attitudes. • I wonder how the people of Nineveh felt to have

God’s forgiveness.

Act it out! Read Jonah 4:1-11. Select campers to play Jonah, the plant, God, the people of Nineveh, and a nar-rator. Give characters time to practice their roles, encouraging them to be as dramatic as possible. Have this group of “players” present the scene for the rest of the group. If desired, switch roles or perform it as an improv skit. Ask campers about what makes this story so humorous to act out. (Jonah’s response seems dramatic; the plant grows and dies; God is almost taunting Jonah while teaching him a lesson about forgiveness.) What lessons does Jonah learn during this exchange with God? (To be more forgiving; that God only gets to judge what happens to people; it’s not Jonah’s job to decide.) What did Jonah want to happen to the city of Nineveh? (For it to be destroyed.) Why? (Jonah didn’t think they deserved a chance.) Discuss how the story might have ended differently if Jonah had decided to forgive more easily or sooner. Have campers write a short scene to portray how God might have interacted with Jonah differently than he did. Compare and con-trast your made-up ending with what you read in Jonah 4:1-11. How could this have been an easier way for Jonah? (He would have celebrated with God; he would have been less angry; he wouldn’t have wanted to die.)

Jesus says . . .When asked by his disciples, Jesus told them how they should pray. Gather your group and read together Luke 11:1-4. What do you notice about Jesus’ prayer? (He addresses God as father, which is a very personal way to talk to God. He praises God first by calling God holy. He asks for daily bread and strength to forgive others.) Break down the lines that

Jesus taught. What do you think each one means? In partners, have campers rewrite each line into their own words and then compare with the group. Also ask campers to share other versions of the Bible that they may have with them and com-pare translations. Below is a translation from the New International Version. Ask campers to share how the different ways of wording the Lord’s Prayer helps them to understand it better.

Father in heaven,Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.Give us each day our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsFor we also forgive everyone Who sins against us.And lead us not into temptation.

SendAt the root of forgiveness Take your group on a walk around your site and find a significantly sized plant (not a tree if possi-ble). Ask campers to share the parts of the plant they can see. (Stalk or trunk, leaves, branches, flow-ers.) Ask them what parts they can’t see. (Roots.)

Looking back to the story of Jonah, what were the reasons Jonah gave for being angry with God for forgiving the people of Nineveh? (Jonah was into getting what one deserves.) What do you think were some of the unspoken reasons that Jonah was mad? (It wasn’t fair. He was still angry about the big fish incident. He didn’t like Nineveh.) Let campers use their imaginations to think of the underlying reasons for Jonah’s reaction. Give campers paper and markers and invite campers draw a plant, both the parts they can see and the roots under-ground. Ask campers to keep this as a reminder that forgiving others isn’t always just about the actions or words from the other person. Often we feel something that makes it hard to forgive. Maybe we are hurt, angry, sad, or confused. Have campers write some of those feelings by the roots. Knowing those feelings and remembering to pay attention to them can help us to forgive the actions of another by naming—and praying about—our feelings.

Lord’s Prayer motions Ask campers to raise their hands if they know the Lord’s Prayer. If your group could be sensitive in regard to answering this question, ask them to


close their eyes and raise their hands. Get a good idea of how well the group may know this prayer already. Have printed copies of the prayer ready for your group to use. Ask campers why it would be important to know this prayer by heart? (Because it’s how Jesus told us to pray. We pray it as a community; it can unite us.) Tell campers you are going to learn (or relearn) this prayer with hand motions. If one camper knows motions already, ask if he or she would be willing to teach his or her version. If campers are creative, have them make up their own motions to the prayer. Have campers take time to practice the prayer, really learning it. It may be beneficial to do another activity and then return to this later. Give campers opportunities during the day to pause and prac-tice. The intention is that campers return home knowing this prayer well. Seek out opportunities to share the prayer with the entire camp commu-nity in worship, at campfire, or even as a meal prayer sometime during the day.

Catechism connectionForgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Read together Matthew 18:21-35. Have campers volunteer to act out different characters in the

story. You’ll need a king/servant’s master, servant #1, wife and children, servant #2, and other ser-vants. Read the passage again, allowing for each person to play her or his part dramatically. Ask campers what they notice about forgiveness in this story. (The servant didn’t forgive after he was forgiven.) What does Jesus mean by forgive “not seven times, but seventy-seven”? Tell campers that some trans-lations of the Bible say that one should forgive sev-enty times seven. Ask campers what seventy times seven equals? (490.) Note that Jesus doesn’t mean to forgive only 490 times. Share with campers that, to the people in Jesus’ time, the number seven rep-resented perfection, completeness, wholeness. Sev-enty times seven would have been heard as practi-cally unlimited, meaning that there shouldn’t be a limit put on the number of times we forgive. Ask the group to come up with ways to describe an infinite number. (Notice the infinity symbol—an 8 laid on its side—in the art for this curriculum.) Be creative and take some time to try to come up with a way to signify the number of times Jesus tells us to forgive. Close your time by saying the Lord’s Prayer together.


Focus questionAm I called as Jeremiah was?

Theme statementWe are called, like Jeremiah, and sent out to love God and others.

ObjectivesThis Bible study will help junior high campers and their leaders:• know they are called to follow God and trust

God with their lives. • learn that being called means loving others as

Jesus commands. • wonder how God is calling them.

Bible textJeremiah 1:4-10 (Jeremiah’s call)

MaterialsBibles, large sheets of paper, blank paper, markers, index cards, clay or modeling dough

GatherBut I’m too young! Ask campers about some things they think teen-agers can do better than adults. What are some things that only adults can do? Ask campers if there are any things they think that they cannot do. Where does that belief come from? Tell camp-ers that throughout history, teenagers have been changing the world every day! Read the following list, one-by-one and have campers guess how old the person was who did it. Form teams for a little friendly competition and see which team gets the most correct answers.

1. Alex Scott started a lemonade stand to help pay for her cancer treatments. It turned into a foun-dation raising over one million dollars for child-hood cancer research. How old was Alex when she made her first pitcher of lemonade? (Answer: Four years old; she died at age eight of cancer, but her foundation still raises money for kids with cancer today.)

2. Ryan Hreljac started Ryan’s Well Foundation to build wells for villages in Africa. They have built over 667 wells in sixteen countries. How old was Ryan when he built his very first well? (Answer: Six years old.)

3. Even before Rosa Parks, an African-American girl, Claudette Colvin, refused to give up her bus seat and challenged the segregated bus law in court, which eventually lead to it being over-turned by the Supreme Court. How old was Claudette when she stood her ground? (Answer: Fifteen years old.)

4. Zach Hunter set out to abolish modern-day slav-ery. He has written three books and launched a campaign to raise money to free people through collecting change. He started a movement to inspire “a generation of abolitionists.” How old was Zach when he set out to change the world? (Answer: Twelve years old.)

5. Katie Staglinao donated her homegrown forty-pound cabbage to a soup kitchen to feed over 275 people. Now she donates thousands of pounds of vegetables a year to feed people in need. How old was Katie when she donated this first vegetable to help another? (Answer: Nine years old.)

6. From the confined space of a hiding place, Anne Frank wrote a diary that changed the world and gave the perspective of what it was like as a Jew-ish teenager trying to live in Nazi Germany. How old was Anne when she went into hiding and began writing? (Answer: Thirteen years old.)Ask campers to share their reaction to the age

and accomplishments of each of these people. How does it feel to know that kids their age and younger have been and are making such a huge dif-ference in the world? Does it feel inspiring? Encourage campers that they too can make a dif-ference in the world!

God forms usGive each camper a lump of clay or modeling dough. Ask them to shape their clay into some-thing that represents them. For example they can create something they like or something unique about them. They can even make a small

DAY 5: Jeremiah


self-portrait sculpture. Allow a few minutes for their creations to develop. Invite campers to share their sculptures with the group when they have finished. Specifically have them share how they think God formed them and gave them unique gifts, interests, and characteristics. Make sure you affirm each camper’s sculpture and the ways they see God’s handiwork in themselves. If a camper gets stuck, ask the group to share how they see God’s creativity in that individual.

WordI wonder . . .For today’s “I wonder” statements, take your group to a location on your site where the sounds are more from nature than from people and camp activity. Give campers a few minutes to just listen without making any other sounds. Remind camp-ers that posing “I wonder” statements allows us to think beyond just the words of the text and imag-ine what it was like to be there, to see what they saw, and feel what they felt. After a moment of lis-tening, read Jeremiah 1:4-10 and then present the following “I wonder” statements. Allow campers time and space to respond. You can pose one at a time or all at once. Give campers an opportunity to present their own “I wonder” statements as well. • I wonder what the word of God sounded like. • I wonder how Jeremiah felt when he heard what

God wanted him to do. • I wonder what it felt like for Jeremiah to have

God touch his mouth.• I wonder how others responded when Jeremiah

told them what he had heard and felt.

What is a prophet? Before reading the scripture passage, ask campers to describe what they imagine a prophet to be. Guide them to this: A prophet is a person who speaks on behalf of God to God’s people. A prophet doesn’t share his or her own words, but instead the words God gives to him or her.

Tell campers that many times a prophet has had the dirty job of telling a group of people that they were not obeying God and would be in trouble if they didn’t change their ways. The message of many prophets was repent! Turn away from your wicked ways and go back to following God. Many times, it was a scary and difficult job to have!

Read Jeremiah 1:4-10 together. What did God say in this passage? (Found in verse 5, verses 7-8, and verses 9-10.) What was Jeremiah’s initial response to God’s call? (I don’t know how! I’m too young.) What do you think God meant by “before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations”? (It meant that Jeremiah was chosen for this job a long time ago, before he was even born. This is what Jeremiah was supposed to do with his life.) Did God think Jeremiah was too young for the big job ahead of him? (No.) How did God give Jeremiah the help and the confidence he needed? (God gave him words to say and touched his lips.)

All are called too! Tell campers that when Jesus came to earth, there was no longer a need for prophets. Jesus filled the role as The Prophet, bringing God’s message of salvation and forgiveness to the whole world. As someone reads John 15:12-17, every time they hear the word love, have campers say it loudly and cross their arms over their chest (or another love-like motion) and every time they hear the word friend, have them put their arms over the shoul-ders of the person sitting next to them (or another friend-like motion). After the passage is read, ask campers how many times they heard the word love (four) and how many times they heard the word friend (three). So how would you summarize Jesus’ words in this passage? Give campers a hint that Jesus starts and ends the passage the same way. That’s usually a clue that what is being said is important.

SendI am loved . . .Have campers find John 15:12-17 in their Bibles. Tell campers that God calls us each individually to use our gifts to serve and bless others, but we are all called, as followers of Jesus to love others. Have campers split up into pairs and walk through the Bible passage line by line. Tell them they are look-ing for phrases that are true about us as followers of Jesus. Tell them to make the phrases personal, creating “I am” statements and then writing them down on their paper. Have campers share what they find. • I am loved. (From verse 12.)• I am God’s friend. (From verse 15.)• I am able to know God through Jesus. (From

verse 15.)


• I am chosen. (From verse 16.)• I am appointed. (From verse 16.)• I am a person who bears fruit. (From verse 16.)Next, have campers make a list of “I will” state-ments that follow these commands of Jesus. • I will love. (From verse 12.)• I will put others ahead of myself. (From verse 13.)• I will obey Jesus. (From verse 14.)• I will bear fruit. (From verse 16.)• I will love others. (From verse 17.)

In their pairs, ask campers to share which of the “I am” statements feels most important for them to remember and why. Then ask campers to share which “I will” statement feels most challenging and why. Give campers an index card and ask them to write both statements they just shared on the cards to take home as reminders of their call to love others.

Friendship circle Have your group stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder. Have campers place their left arm over their right and grab the hand of the person next to them on both sides. You have formed a friendship circle. While standing in this circle, ask campers to share moments when they saw another in the group put someone else first. Ask campers to share times when they saw another camper be a good friend to someone. Ask campers how their group has changed since when they first arrived. What do they want to remember from the week together? (Have campers share their favorite moments.)

Give campers a minute or so to look around the circle again, remembering the faces of the other campers in this group. Encourage them to try eye contact again with everyone in the circle. Have campers make noise, clap, and cheer in celebration of the friendship circle formed this week and encourage them to remember how they served and loved one another at camp. Close in a prayer of thanksgiving for the friendships made and for the ability to practice Jesus’ commands to love others here at camp.

Catechism connectionYour will be done, on earth as in heaven. If your group learned motions to the Lord’s Prayer earlier in the week, practice again a few times so that everyone remembers and know them well. Do the Third Petition (Your will be done, on earth as in heaven) a few times by itself. If you didn’t learn the prayer with motions earlier, then make up motions for this petition now.

Gather the group together in a circle. Remind campers that just as Jeremiah was called to live according to God’s plan for his life, so we are called as well. No matter our age or abilities, we are called to love others and to follow God’s ways. Ask campers the following:• How does a driver know the rules of the road

when driving a car? (Follow the signs and the sig-nal lights.)

• How does one learn what all the signs mean? (Drivers education classes; someone teaches you; even the game “Red light, green light” teaches us about what the signal lights mean.)

• What would happen if drivers didn’t follow the road signs provided? (Accidents, chaos.) God’s plan or God’s will, as the Lord’s Prayer

says, is like the rules of the road. How are they similar? (God’s way creates less chaos, tells us what to do, gives directions and order.) Split campers into groups and invite them to create road signs (instruction signs) that would be “God’s road signs.” Give them time to create several signs if they have multiple ideas. Ask campers to present their road signs to the group. Have them answer the following: Why should this sign be posted? What problem will the sign correct? What would happen if it weren’t posted for people to obey? After all groups have presented, ask campers to share ideas for how we can create these kinds of daily reminders that we should follow and seek God’s will and not our own. Pray together the Lord’s Prayer to close.


Day 1: AbrahamBible textGenesis 17:1-8 (Covenant with Abraham)

GatherInvite campers to talk about the parts of a tree: roots, trunk, branches, leaves, or needles. Why is a tree often used as a metaphor for a family? Encourage campers to talk about their own family trees.

WordHave campers split into two groups to read Gene-sis 17:1-8. Invite one group to focus on God’s part of the covenant. What does God offer Abraham? Invite the other group to focus on Abraham’s part of the covenant. What does Abraham offer to God? Ask campers to share a time when they were cho-sen for something. Ask them to share the feelings that went along with that experience.

SendRead Mark 12:28-31. What are the greatest com-mandments according to Jesus? Discuss what it means to love God, others, and self.

Catechism connectionThe First Commandment

Day 2: IsraelBible textExodus 17:1-7 (Water in the wilderness)

GatherHave campers work in pairs to identify things that they complain about on a regular basis. Have pairs take turns acting out their complaints and see if the group can guess the complaint. Talk about how a complainer can affect a group of people.

WordRead Exodus 17:1-7. Invite campers to discuss the following statements. Talk about how God pro-vides what we need. Ask campers how they would

define abundance. Read John 10:1-10. What do you think Jesus means by abundant life?

SendAsk campers to share where they saw God’s abun-dant gifts today. What are you most grateful for today?

Catechism connectionThe Fourth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer

Day 3: RuthBible textRuth 1:1-18 (Ruth and Naomi)

GatherHave each camper find a partner. Invite campers to share with one another about their best friends. What do you like about that friend? What do you do together? What one quality do you like most about that friend?

WordRead Ruth 1:1-18. Ask campers to discuss what happened in the story and how they think Ruth and Naomi were feeling when Ruth decided to stay with Naomi. What do you think it was like for Ruth to go to a country where she would not be welcome?

SendA tradition during the season of Lent is to give up something. The idea is to eliminate something that pulls one’s focus off of God each day. Ask campers to share any experiences they’ve had with giving something up for Lent. Encourage campers to choose one of their distractions or something else that they would be willing to consider giving up for good, not just for Lent. Make sure it’s some-thing that is challenging, but that they have a chance of sustaining. Discuss the ways this can help them live in the Lenten season all year.

Catechism connectionThe Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed

Junior high take-along


Day 4: JonahBible textJonah 4:1-11 (Jonah and God)

GatherHave campers find something in nature that rep-resents forgiveness. Invite campers to share what they found. What signs of new life and growth do you see in yourself or others? How does it feel to be forgiven by someone?

WordRead Jonah 4:1-11. Ask campers to pay attention to Jonah’s emotions. Why was Jonah so angry? Why was Jonah happy about the plant? Why wasn’t Jonah happy that the people of Nineveh had been spared? How do you think the people of Nineveh changed as a result of being spared?

SendRead together Luke 11:1-4. Invite campers to share what they notice about the prayer Jesus taught. Notice each section of the prayer. How do these sections relate to the story of Jonah?

Catechism connectionThe Fifth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer

Day 5: JeremiahBible textJeremiah 1:4-10 (Jeremiah’s call)

GatherAsk campers about some things they think teen-agers can do better than adults. What are some things that only adults can do? Are there any things campers think that adults cannot do? Where does that belief come from?

WordRead Jeremiah 1:4-10. Take a few minutes to sit and listen to the sounds of nature. Out of the silence ask: “What do you think the word of God sounded like? How did Jeremiah feel when he heard what God wanted him to do? What did it feel like to have God touch Jeremiah’s lips? How did others respond when Jeremiah told them what he heard and felt?”

SendHave campers find John 15:12-17 in their Bibles. Tell campers that God calls us each individually to use our gifts to serve and bless others, but we are all called, as followers of Jesus, to love others. Have campers split up into pairs and walk through the Bible passage line by line. Tell them they are looking for phrases that are true about us as followers of Jesus.

Catechism connectionThe Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer

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