Set Apart Youth

Youth today are bombarded by countless streams of entertainment and information. How are these young people supposed to find peace and purpose in their lives if they don’t have access to quiet and peaceful places to be refreshed? This past winter, 230 teenagers had the opportunity to visit Warm Beach Camp to escape the demands of everyday life and realized the power of deliberate living.

Community Church of Seattle (CCS) hosted its NEXT Winter Retreat at Warm Beach Camp this past February. NEXT is a carefully crafted curriculum for middle and high-school-aged youth, designed to foster growth in faith and community. Youth from CCS had the opportunity to invite friends to camp who would not ordinarily attend church.

With this group’s winter theme, “Set Apart,” the youth handed in their phones upon arrival and were quickly whisked away to a sacred space where joy and meaningful reflection intersected. With over 200 teenagers, you would expect to hear them all around Camp, but you could barely even tell they were here. Putting into practice what they learned; the youth were kind, respectful of communal spaces, and demonstrated Christ-like behavior well beyond their years to staff and other guests alike.

During daily activities, these teenagers performed lively skit routines aimed to showcase unique skills, enjoyed competitive games filled with laughter, and spent intentional time in the Word. The group also participated in a high-energy worship concert. With their own live music, the youth sang, danced, and swayed as they worshiped. At one point, every single one of the 230 teenagers jumped up and down and chanted repeatedly in unison, “Our King and Savior.” They worked up quite a thirst, so their one request was for Warm Beach Staff to bring out two giant cold-water dispensers so they could be replenished and keep on praising.

This joy-filled worship time culminated in a tender moment, as the teenagers set aside their carefully curated images and, with vulnerability, stepped into a sacred time with one another. They split into pairs, and the youth were seen embracing one another in prayer, reminding each other that they were seen and loved. With surrendered hearts, an outpouring of His Spirit flowed freely, and peace and healing took place. Some youth in attendance even accepted Christ for the first time!

What an amazing privilege it is to partner with community leaders and provide a dwelling space for youth to encounter Christ and be reminded of who they truly are! Warm Beach Camp is looking forward to welcoming Community Church of Seattle back this August for their NEXT Summer Retreat!