Love, Respect, and Encouragement at Kirkwood Camp: 300th Anniversary Mission Update

Presbytery of Philadelphia 300th Anniversary Celebration: Updates from Kirkwood Camp

The 2017 Summer Camp season at Kirkwood was one filled with laughter, songs, adventures, campfires, and prayer. Over the course of the summer, we welcomed over 300 young folks through our summer camp program and partnerships with churches. You can view a recap video here:

The amount of growth shown through a week at Kirkwood can vary from camper to camper, but there is a noticeable difference in all our kids at the end of their time here. In today’s day and age, kids are overscheduled, overburdened, and more disconnected from their peers, their families, and their churches than ever before. The negative identities children and teens form early on in their lives as a way of dealing with the world stick with them throughout their lives. This is a primary cause of the school-to-prison pipeline.

Through the use of the 300th funds, we were able to welcome 35 campers to Kirkwood who had never attended before. Mostly non-Presbyterian, these kids were able to live in a positive, Christian community for the week, learning and discussing the Gospel, having positive, new experiences to build them up for who they are—as someone who can sleep under the stars, be brave enough to go down the zip-line, or try their hand at acting during Joy of Creation week.

We look forward to continuing our trajectory of growth since the merger and continuing to use the 300th anniversary funds to share the good news with more kids—kids who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a Christian summer camp where they are loved, respected, and encouraged to be their best selves. Thanks be to God for the faithful of the Presbytery of Philadelphia who are making these opportunities possible through the gifts of the 300th anniversary.

Click here for more details on last year’s project and our Presbytery’s commitment to elevate education, disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, and work towards restorative justice.