Grade 7-8 Retreat

The students in Grade 7-8 recently had a chance to go on a one day retreat.

Their day started with a time of devotions led by Pastor Aaron, focusing on the Goodness of God.

He talked about how many times God told the Israelites to remember how he had saved them from Egypt. He talked about the New Testament and how many times we are reminded of the cross.

In difficult times we need to look back and remember God’s faithfulness. Pastor Aaron shared stories from his own life and difficult times when he needed to remind himself of God’s goodness.

To have a tangible reminder of this message the students painted signs.

They did a team building activity where everyone had to work together to stack the cups with only an elastic band touching the cups. They discussed how it was easiest when everyone worked together and at the same speed, and how the second time was easier than the first. These lessons can apply in life as well.Kate Boles came and did fitness with them. She talked about how we are created uniquely and how we need to take care of ourselves. Having a healthy body is such a gift, and using it actively everyday shows appreciation for that gift and keeps us healthy. Another team building activity took place where one person could see, one could talk and one was blindfolded. Together they were trying to find their team’s ball. They had to communicate to the blindfolded person in a way that would lead them to the ball. They talked about tuning out voices that are not helpful, about the difficulties of not being able to do something (see, speak, talk), and how important communication is within a group. An important component of the day was a time of reflection, where students wrote down their takeaways from devotions, team building activity and fitness, and wrote goals for the year. They played yard games, chased cats, laughed, ate smores, made memories, and built community!