With just a few weeks before we head to Alaska, our team recently traveled out to Bethel Horizons in Dodgeville for our team overnight retreat. We had perfect weather for a fun and meaningful weekend to grow together as a team, prepare for camp, and continue getting excited for what’s ahead in Alaska!

Planning for camp

While in Alaska, our team will partner with Eaglecrest staff to run a day camp for local students. Throughout the week, our students will lead “skills clubs” and large group games for camp, and they’ve been working hard to plan fun and creative activities that we’re excited to share with students in Sutton.

During the retreat, students had time to finalize their plans, practice presenting and demonstrating, and get feedback from the rest of the team. It was exciting to watch students step into leadership, support one another, and continue growing in confidence as they prepare for camp.

Can we roast it? Yes, we can!

Of course, no overnight retreat would be complete without a campfire.

We spent the evening sharing God sightings, worshipping together, and talking about what to expect in Alaska. We also took it upon ourselves to experiment with what foods could successfully be roasted over a fire. S’mores were an obvious success. What about leftover pizza? 10/10. Roasted bagels and waffles also turned out to be a big hit for breakfast. Roasted gushers received mixed reviews.

Community, Leadership, Spiritual Growth

One of the rhythms we’ll practice in Alaska is spending intentional time with God each morning, so we began that practice together during our retreat. Our pre-trip devotional focused on three themes we’ll continue exploring throughout the trip: community, leadership, and spiritual growth.

We spent time reflecting on what those themes looked like in the life of Jesus and His followers, and thinking about how God may want to grow us through this experience, both individually and as a team.

“It’s a lot higher once you get up there”

We wrapped up the retreat together on the high ropes course and giant swing at Bethel. For many of us, this meant stepping outside of our comfort zones. As one student said, “It’s a lot higher once you get up there.” It was also an opportunity to practice encouraging one another, working together, and trusting our teammates. It was a good reminder that while there will probably be unexpected moments in Alaska, we won’t have to face them alone.

We’re also SO thankful to know we have a team of people supporting and praying for us as well! Thanks for being part of our “pull team” as we head up on this journey!

Next up: time to pack for Alaska! 🙂