Sundays at Camp
After a full Fourth of July at camp, Sunday arrived with a different kind of energy.
Saturday was big, loud, funny, and full from start to finish. There were chants, cheers, games, water, laughter, and the kind of all-camp celebration that makes the Fourth of July feel especially memorable here. By Sunday morning, camp was ready for something quieter.
The boys slept in a little longer. Krispy Kreme doughnuts made their way to the cabins. White shirts came out. Cabins cleaned for inspection. And by mid-morning, everyone began walking toward the Campfire area by the lake for church.
What is Church Like at Camp?
Program Director and Chaplain, Matt Sloan, shares what church is like on Sundays at Falling Creek.
“We help campers take away that they are not alone in this world. That they are known, that they are loved, and that they are made intentionally.”
That broader picture helped frame this Sunday’s service, especially as camp moved from the celebration of the Fourth of July into a quieter morning of worship and reflection.
Church at Falling Creek is simple, but it carries a lot of weight in the rhythm of the week. Campers sit with their cabins beneath the trees, facing the lake, while the sounds of camp settle down around them. After the noise and celebration of the day before, there was something especially meaningful about gathering as a whole camp in a quieter place.
The service began with songs the boys know well, including “Lion and the Lamb,” “Shake a Friend’s Hand,” and “Light the Fire.” Some songs brought energy and movement. Others gave the boys a chance to settle in and reflect.
Matt Sloan, camp chaplain, spoke about moving from last week’s theme of Endeavor into this week’s theme of Authenticity. Endeavor has been about effort, perseverance, and continuing to try. Authenticity asks the boys to carry that with them as they learn more about who they are, who they belong to, and where their life comes from.
The Scripture readings came from Luke 6:43-45, 1 John 3:18, James 1:22-25, and Matthew 5:3-5 and 5:9-10. The passages pointed campers toward a life that is not only talked about, but lived. In Luke, Jesus talks about good fruit coming from a good heart. In 1 John, the boys heard that love is not just something we say, but something we do. In James, they heard about being doers of the word, not hearers only. In Matthew, they heard Jesus bless the poor in spirit, the meek, the peacemakers, and those who seek what is right.
During his message, Matt held up two branches. One was full of leaves, green and lively. The other looked dry, brittle, and bare. He asked the boys which branch was more dead.
Most of them pointed to the branch with no leaves.
Matt explained that both branches were dead because neither one was connected to the tree. One still looked alive for the moment, but without a connection to its source, it could not keep living. Branches are designed to be connected to the tree. In the same way, Matt reminded campers that we are designed to be connected to God, the source of life made known to us in Jesus.
For Grayson V. from New Orleans, Louisiana, that message connected directly to the theme of Authenticity.
At church today, I thought about trying to be myself more and not let others hold me back. If I follow Jesus, he could help me and be with me.
Luca O. from Charlotte, North Carolina, said church gives him a kind of space he does not always find in the busier parts of the week.
I like talking to God at church on Sundays. It gives me a time inside that is safe and my own to talk to him.
He also said Matt encouraged the boys to follow Jesus so they can bear the fruit that helps them become their true selves.
Matt also talked about Jesus laying down his life for us. Ollie E. from Darien, Connecticut, explained it this way after church:
He gave up his life as an example, as a sacrifice so we could live a life with him so we could learn to be our true selves.
Then Ollie brought the idea right back into camp life. He said sacrifice could look as simple as not trying to take two desserts at dinner, or not pushing ahead just to get dessert first. It was a small example, but that made it feel even more honest.
The boys were not talking about sacrifice as something abstract or far away. They were beginning to see that following Jesus can shape the ordinary choices they make every day. Not because those small choices earn God’s love, but because they are learning to live from it.
That is part of what we hope comes home with them. At camp, self-giving love might start with waiting your turn, giving someone else the better seat, helping clean the cabin without being asked, or choosing not to make everything about yourself. Those are small things, but they are not just camp things. They are the kind of habits that help boys grow into who God made them to be, wherever they are.
That is one of the gifts of Sunday church at camp. It gives boys a chance to be still long enough to notice what they are learning. It is not separate from the rest of camp. It is tied to everything they experience during the week, from cabin life and activities to trips, Evening Program, friendships, and challenges.
Campbell W. from New York City, New York, said:
Church is one of the best parts of the week. I like being quiet and reflecting on the week.
He added:
Trusting in Jesus is going to help me become my true self.
Drew Mullan, from Vero Beach, Florida one of our counselors, shared something similar from the staff side.
I used to go to church when I was younger but not really at home. It has been a good place to sit and think about everything. I am glad we have it every week. It really makes me think about my life.
He said Matt’s message helped him think about being connected to the source and asking what the source of our lives really is.
The hope is not just that boys become better campers. The hope is that what they hear in church and practice all week helps them become more whole, more grounded, and more aware of who they are and whose they are when they go home.