Every part of the Vineyard movement in the US is feeling the change as the re-drawing of our regions takes effect. And even here at Camp Vineyard, we feel the shift. In some ways, this couldn’t come at a better time for us – we have plans in place to add a second location of Camp Vineyard in 2014 (more on that later), and the question for the last 9 months has been “How do we take this wonderful thing we call Camp Vineyard and export it to other regions?”
In other ways, it’s a little bittersweet. Friends that we saw at regional events for years are now members of new regions. People are taking on new and different roles, and there’s always some initial awkwardness in navigating that transition.
But when you get down to it, it’s pretty exciting. 16 regions gives more opportunities for the best and brightest to jump into leadership. 16 regions means a greater need to plant churches, a greater need for youth pastors, a greater need for worship leaders…you see where we’re going with this. Because as a camp devoted to identifying and motivating the next generation of young leaders in the Vineyard movement, 16 regions is a phenomenal opportunity!
For 2013, no matter what region you’re in, you’re invited to join us for Camp Vineyard, June 24-28, in Temple, GA. We’re going to have one more massive week of fun. Phil Strout, National Director of the Vineyard USA, will be our speaker, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him visit during such an important year!
And that second location in 2014? Well, we’re not quite ready to pull the curtain back that far. Come on, we have to keep you on the edge of your seat somehow. But rest assured, we’re doing our best to make sure that, as Camp Vineyard grows from a regional event to a national program, we never lose sight of what makes it special. It’s the dedication to young leadership, the commitment to the Vineyard’s values, and the fact that we just plain love to have a lot of ridiculous fun even as we tackle serious spiritual topics that have turned a little camp of 80 folks into something that has the potential to shape the Vineyard movement.
…and you thought it was all dodgeballs and zombies.
Watch campvineyard.com and the Camp Vineyard facebook page for more info as we head into the spring!