Encounter at Summer Sanctuary
As a Youth Leader, most of the Jesus encounters I have experienced happened while I was together with young people in God’s presence and this year's Summer Sanctuary - Kerith Youth Summer Camp was held from 28th to 30th of July 2023 at Oakwood residential centre was another true moment of encounter with Jesus.
Summer Sanctuary 2023 had the theme ‘Encounter’ and all activities were designed to empower young people with spiritual tools to build stronger relationships with God through spiritual disciplines and create room for them to encounter Jesus for themselves. The three-day youth camp was balanced with fun and faith-focused activities.
Young people participated in fun games and activities including High Rope, Archery, and Flying Kiwi. They were grouped into two large groups - Red and Blue. While Group Red was participating in the outdoor activities, group Blue met at the sanctuary for Bible Study on Spiritual Disciplines for three hours after which a switch was made between the groups.
They were encouraged to explore the nine spiritual discipline stations of Bible Study, Worship, Prayer, Meditation, Memorizing and reflection on the Word, Fellowship with other Believers, Fasting, Sharing the gospel of Christ with friends and expression of love to God using artistic tools.
A number of the youth themselves provided spiritual leadership during some of the sessions on Saturday morning such as the heart-moving challenge preach by Harry, an awesome poem about total surrender to God’s sovereignty by Bethany and worship led by the youth band.
Saturday night was such a powerful experience that I will never forget. The sanctuary at Oakwood was fully packed with over 50 young people as Jo Philips shared her personal encounter with Jesus. There was a pin drop of silence, and I could sense the power of the Holy Spirit had taken over in that moment.
I looked up and Jo was pouring out her heart to the youth, I could see the eagerness on her face to point everyone in the room towards God’s love for us. I could hear the desperation and passion in her voice to express the heart of the Father to every one of us.
At that very moment, I knew without a doubt that Jesus had walked into the room and I could sense His presence strongly. Then Jo called out for anyone in the room, anyone who was willing and ready to go all in with Jesus. She called out to the young people to step forward and renew their commitments to follow Jesus in deeper and more meaningful ways.
Once again, I lifted my head, to see what was happening, and if any young person needed prayer or support from any of the Youth Leaders, then sudden movements began. First, it was five youths that went out, then ten more joined them and before long, the entire group was moving, going to the front. Many were whimpering, some were crying but most were just down on their knees quietly speaking to Jesus. This was a true Jesus encounter.
The worship team sang the song ‘Make Room’ and as we all worshipped in total surrender to Jesus, Sonia Hopkin, stepped forward and prayed over everyone, breaking chains of addictions and limitations. The night ended with a big praise party with young people and youth leaders giving praise and thanks to God for His love and the glorious encounter of His presence.
On Sunday morning, I woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated in my spirit and it was evident that the young people themselves were all full of the Holy Spirit after the encounter on Saturday night. The camp activities ended with the famous Kerith Youth slip-and-slide fun party outdoors.
In conclusion, Summer Sanctuary is not just a Christian youth camp; it's a transformative experience that empowers young hearts and minds to embrace their faith, build lasting friendships, and find refuge in the sanctuary of God's love. We hope your young person can join us next year!
Blog by Ruth Haruna
Ruth is the Kerith Youth Champion