We’re looking forward to summer nights at Miller Elementary School, where for 3 evenings in June, we will fill the hallways with music, games, Bible stories, science, crafts, and fun! It’s time for our annual week of Summer XP!
We’ve adapted our week this year so that we can bring 3 nights of our very best games, activities, and meals to the kids in our community. The majority of the kids who come to Summer XP are kids with whom we have a relationship throughout the year, either through ECC Sunday ministries or through After School JAM. Our hope is that we provide evenings of fun, exciting, and potentially “over-the-top” activities that will create long-lasting memories for kids on their faith journey. Those who serve have seen how God builds so many relationships during our time together, among both adults and kids. As we shift to a 3-night model, we also plan to host 2 different evening events in later June and July, to continue building connection and relationships.
This year we’ll take kids deep into an amazing undersea adventure where they’ll experience the ever-flowing, never-ending love of God. We’ll embrace the themes of Group’s “Scuba,” where kids will be immersed in the Word and discover what living water is really all about. We’ll choose 3 of the Bible stories that convey ideas about friendship with God, and our hope and prayer is that kids get to know God as a friend who is real, a friend who loves, a friend they can trust, a friend forever, and a friend for everyone.
We meet in the evenings from June 4-6, with dinner served for families at 6 pm and classes happening for children from 6:30-8:00. All our kids begin in the gym together for an opening time of worship, and then we rotate through different stations. Children will hear a Bible story, play a game, take part in a science experiment, and complete a craft or activity as they go through the evening.
Speaking of children – do you know someone who would enjoy spending time with us at Summer XP? Students who will enter kindergarten through 5th grade in the fall of 2024 are all invited to join us on our Scuba adventure. Registration materials will soon be available on ecclife.net/xp.
Leaders are always an integral part of our Summer XP week, and this year is no different! You can serve one, two, or three evenings with us. If you’re planning to serve, please keep Monday, June 3, on your calendar as well. Our leader meeting and training will happen that night. We have openings for people to help with every part of the week, from registration, to meal serving, to guiding groups, to bandaging up scraped knees. We’re also putting together a team of people with engineering and building experience, to help us create a fun, interactive environment for the week! We need all the gifts given to Christ’s body to help make this week a great experience for our kids.
If you are serving in some capacity, we do have nursery and preschool childcare and activities available for your children while you help. If you have a middle school student, we do invite middle school students to serve, and we ask that they work alongside a caring adult who knows and loves them. If you’ve got a high school student, your high schooler can fully participate as a helper or leader! Our volunteer registration will also be available soon at ecclife.net/xp.
We’re looking to host Summer XP in a way that our kids hear stories of God’s great love for them, are invited into a relationship with Jesus Christ, and have tons of fun as they follow God and grow closer in relationship with God and with each other. Please pray with us as we plan and prepare in the weeks leading up to June!