Rock the Castle!

Being assigned a Castle Rock cabin could mean many things.

1. You could have first graders, and their backpacks are probably going to be bigger than they are.
2. You could also have sixth grade girls, and they might pull your hair out in buffalo hunt on Thursday.
3. You will be an expert at every.single.cheer.

Castle Rock is Pine Cove’s Day Camp program, happily hosted at the Towers! From 8:30 AM till 3 PM, (or 5 if they’re staying to “Rock On”) we squeeze in as many activity classes, skits, club songs, Bible study, themed dress-up days, memory verses, and playground time as humanly possible.

At first, it sounds like it could be easier than an overnight Towers cabin, since the kids are not here as long. While the hours are shorter, the challenge to forge a genuine relationship with each camper becomes greater. With six full days of shower times, three times a day eating a meal at a round table, countless games of Ninja and little sally walker, Towers cabins have many more built-in opportunities for intentional conversations.

As a Castle Rock counselor, even more effort is required to get past surface-level interactions. Sure, we want to know how high they got blobbed today by so-and-so, but we also desire to teach every person about the deep love and transforming power of Christ. During a week in Castle Rock, the urgency of the gospel is made especially clear.

Being a counselor for day campers is stretching and exhausting, yet the change of pace is refreshing. It’s encouraging to work so closely with the same small group of staffers all week, whether standing atop the hydroplane tower or writing CQ’s together.

No matter what the assignment for the week is, whether wrangling, work crew-ing, overnight counseling, or c-rock, every day brings the constant reminder to keep the main thing the main thing.

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
-1 Corinthians 3:7-9