We have a thriving Junior Staff program here at Covenant Pines in the summer. The program consists of three levels, Leader in Training (LIT), Junior Counselor (JC), and SWEAT. All three levels of our Junior Staff program aim to develop Christian leaders and teach about biblical service.
In the Fall of 2013, some of our staff felt God calling them to create a High School leadership retreat during the Winter, geared toward those high schoolers who are involved in the Junior Staff Summer programs. This past weekend was our second annual Christmas SWEATers retreat and it was a blast. About 20 high school students came from Plymouth, Anoka, Excelsior, Salem, Community, and First Covenant St. Paul.
The students learned about leadership through workshops and discussions. We focused on integrity, purpose, and the true source of our leadership strength; Christ. When the students weren’t in leadership sessions, they were playing broomball on the lake, skiing around our wooded trails, hanging out in Fireside Lounge, and doing work projects around camp.
It is so encouraging for us up here to see young people that are so anxious to be leaders in the Church. We will be praying for all of those students who came that their hunger for more growth would continue in their communities and schools.