SPY retreat

Last night at youth group we hosted an offsite retreat at our local church camp. We are fortunate to have a church camp (which most kids have attended) about 45 minutes away with a winter retreat center. This allows us on evening like this one (the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day - a 3 day weekend) to drive up to camp for a one-night retreat.

One night retreats are not common because it's difficult to get a group to fully engage and get out of the world and really retreated into God's company in such a short time. Even two-night retreats are difficult for this reason. But as I've done several one-nighters I've realized that there are some great advantages. First, there are always more people who can attend because there are fewer conflicts. Second, it's much cheaper (we offered this retreat for $20 which included two meals, activities, and a night stay). And third, it's much easier on the leaders of the retreat to plan it themselves. For our purposes, because we're so close, we are also able to offer a partial retreat for kids who wanted to experience youth group at the camp but couldn't stay the night - 3 leaders and 3 kids participated this way - or students to show up a tad late.

Our retreat was themed about spys - we are after all St. Paul Youth. The retreat began at the doors to the church as we made announcements and I set the expectations for our group then assigned vehicles, purposely mixing up cliques into the vehicles. When we arrived at camp we were treated to a skit by a brave leader in a tux involving silly string, and then some spy training which broke kids into groups, mixed them up and began the ice breaking.

Following dinner our leaders performed another goofy skit about teamwork and we began a discussion about the body of christ and the essentialness for all members. Playdough and pipe cleaners helped kids get creative as they identified themselves as a variety of body parts in our group and how their role was important to our larger group. That conversation in small groups led to conversations about how our group was functioning - what were the weaker and stronger parts of our youth group.

Then we took a break and resumed activity with a game about observation using a homemade DVD similar to SceneIt. The game provided a transition into a quick talk about how every spy has a handler and the essential connection that the handler makes with the spy. We then talked about spiritual pathways and broke into groups to discuss the variety of pathways and how each of us connect differently.

We closed the evening program with excellent worship like normal before taking an hour long break for kids to enjoy free time, games, and snacks. Then we gathered again for worship - recapped the day long retreat and hosted a huge group game for all participants. Finishing at 12:30 pm, I laid out ground rules for the lights out procedure and then kids headed to bed or to the living room for quiet conversations until the leaders closed down the room.

In the morning we began with breakfast, followed by an optional snowball fight outside or inside hang out, and then closed everything off with a worship moment about our mission that God gives us. We closed by inviting kids forward one at a time to remember their baptismal promises, burn their personal commission (which kids rewrote for themselves about the great commission), and then receive their new commission as a spy (receiving a pair of sunglasses).

In total, the retreat was excellent. The major pieces that we put in place really met our kids in vulnerable spots leading to really good conversations. The pathways conversation was the best. It was easily led and followed with great discussion and revelations from kids about connecting to God. The Body of Christ experience was also very good - a spring board for our kids to talk about cliques, beam with pride about their group and identify their own strengths. Worship time was phenominal and the closing commissioning was just about as good as it gets. We each have loads of great memories, we're filled with the spirit, and we all have new sunglasses to remember that we are God's spys in the world!

Next time I think the leader skits should be improved just a little (but a great start). I made some good contemplative workbooks to be used in 15 minutes increments during the retreat for reflection that we didn't use. I think the practice of journaling would have been good at the retreat, but it just didn't fit with the time frame. Next time we'll have to weigh if this is worth it, it would have been too much this time. I also need to break the teams up better next time. Many of the groups were too friend-dominant which was good for conversation, but not for diversity of opinion. And finally the closing devotion could have had some more punch. I changed locations for this one, and wish I hadn't because the living room space (although it had a fireplace) didn't have the same feel as the red room.