Summer Newsletter

Whew! Summer came and went quickly, and we had a blast introducing students to a variety of adventure activities and opportunities to deepen their faith. Many updates were posted on our social media channels (see the icons above to follow us!), and here are some of the major highlights:

• 7 camps, including people from ages 5-73

• Hired 16 summer team members, whose training included Wilderness Medicine, Leave No Trace, Non-Violent Compassionate Communication, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and more

• 141 total campers served

• Many, many campfire and worship songs sung

• Campers got to hike, climb, and backpack around the Cascade Mountains

• Campers and counselors had opportunities to share life stories with one another

• Campers explored a variety of biblical texts, from the Psalms and parables, to biblical models of conflict navigation, and learning to see and name God when we see the Fruits of the Spirit in the world

• Students learned and practice Leave No Trace ethics and how they apply to wild and not-so-wild spaces

Here are just some of the things students had to say about camp this year:

What did you learn about God?

• "That he is everywhere"

• "I learned that God loves us even when we sin."

• "He will always forgive us no matter what"

• "That you can worship him in many ways."

• "That he REALLY DOES love and accept everybody."

• "That God can look different for everyone and God loves us equally no matter what gender or sexuality you are."

• "I learned that god is more forgiving than I thought"

What did you learn about you?

• "I can show kindness to others"

• "That I'm strong and don't worry a lot"

• "That I can show my true self and nobody will make fun of me."

• "I learned that I need to explore more and venture into Creation."

• "I guess kind of I can do hard things"

• "I can do difficult things if I start them."

• "that I can do really challenging"

What did you learn about being a good neighbor?

• "Listening to others when they are talking"

• "Be generous"

• "To be respectful"

• "always help people and offer to help."

• "I learned that I'm calmer and less erratic when I'm enjoying the wonders of nature."

• "I learned to respect people even if they have different opinions or beliefs than you"

• "To be patient is the greatest way to improve my connections to people"

• "I liked being able to communicate and know that I can trust others"

• "that leaving no trace is important for all things"

What did you learn about Creation?

• "We are a part of creation"

• "That nature is hard to take care of"

• "that bugs even if you hate them they're still good"

• "how to whistle with grass"

• "That everything that was created, except mosquitoes, is beautiful & well designed"

• "Everything has a purpose."

• "It's Beautiful"

We are so grateful to the many summer staff and volunteers who helped make this summer happen! There were also a few other big wins, namely, we embarked on mosquito mitigation, which will make next year even more enjoyable than this one! Also, we welcomed a few church groups during the summer for the first time and it was great - so let us know if you're interested in making plans at Tall Timber next summer!

As we wind down the summer, we begin to ramp up serving more guest groups and school groups, we ask that you continue to keep us in your good thoughts and prayers. We pray that all who are a part of the Tall Timber community - both near and far! - would be encouraged to better love God, their selves, their neighbors, and all of Creation. Thanks to those who continue to support us in so many ways, and may God's blessings be upon you all. Cheers!