Midwest Diocese Camp

You learn how to respect people, your environment, and yourself at Midwest Diocese summer camp. Respect entails several things, such as maintaining a clean atmosphere, treating others the way you want to be treated, and taking pleasure in your accomplishments. Camping can teach you the value of many subtle habits, such as mindfulness, sleeping on a schedule, living in the moment, and all the advantages of being more aware of your own needs, both physical and mental, so you may be healthier and happier with yourself. For kids and teenagers, summer camp is a particular camp that is conducted at this time. Additionally, the students get together to socialize and acquire new skills. These enable kids to experience new adventures away from home in a secure setting.

Midwest Diocese’s Camp St. George

North America’s Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese parishes in the Toledo Diocese and the Midwest region support Camp St. George.
Online camper registration for Camp St. George 2022 is currently closed.

Please use this link to register as a staff or volunteer. Although the majority of their website is still under construction, they anticipate posting additional content in the upcoming weeks. They value your endurance.

The purpose of Camp St. George is to give young people a hands-on introduction to the Holy Orthodox Faith through their interactions with God and fellow campers in a clean, natural setting.

That’s them, Camp St. George.

The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest runs Camp St. George, an Orthodox Christian summer camp. The American Camp Association has granted its accreditation.

Camp St. George was founded in 2001 with Bishop DEMETRI and Metropolitan PHILIP’s approval. Fr. Michael Nasser and Fr. Paul Baba, the Camp’s founding director, provided real leadership, and the new Camp rapidly won the hearts of many campers. For both the campers and staff, Camp St. George continues to be a crucial experience in their lives as Orthodox Christians.

Their current devoted director is Fr. Fred Shaheen from St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The youth are brought together in a special way through their Christ-centered camping program, where campers and staff continue to develop their interpersonal ties with Christ and one another.

They have been renting Camp EWALU at Strawberry Point, Iowa, since 2018. This stunning location has several activities, including hiking, creek playing, an outdoor chapel, a swimming pool, climbing chances, zip-lining, and archery. Morning and evening prayers, church services, meals, cabin time, Christian education, sports, nature excursions, and much more are all included in their program. People can connect with God in a true, sincere way at Camp because it is a Christ-centered environment. Visit them to explore the possibilities!

Camp Gracanica In The Midwest Diocese Is For Children.

The Holy Mother of God Monastery at Grays Lake, Illinois, not far from Chicago, hosts a children’s summer camp each year under the auspices of the Serbian Orthodox Midwest Diocese. The summer camp’s humanitarian program, which teaches the kids about giving back to their society via charitable activity, invited Serbs for Serbs to participate this year.

During the start of the Camp, camp counselors introduced the Serbs for Serb’s charity organization to the children. Later, the US chapter president had the opportunity to discuss the charity and some of their programs at a social event. Along with learning about Serbs for Serbs’ work, the children were given access to a contribution box and information board where they could place any spare change.

The kids gave generously and started making donations right away to support Serbian children. Even several of the camp council members gave their weekly salary in donations. The students raised an astounding $1,401.46 by the end of the five weeks of Camp Gracanica!

They made the decision to surprise the kids with the charity three-point shooting competition Trojka Iz Bloka during the third and fourth weeks of Camp after observing how eager they were to assist their peers in Serbia early on. The energy in the room when they announced the competitions were contagious, and it only served to highlight how eager these students are to be involved and give back to their neighborhood.

The Trojka Iz Bloka tournaments were a big hit at Camp and will probably continue to be for many years. This group of young people has demonstrated that they are more than ready to show the world how huge their hearts are, and they, as an organization, could not be more proud of them.

The objective

The goal of the charitable organization Serbs for Serbs, is to improve society for future generations by influencing Serbian people’s consciousness through their projects and humanitarian efforts.

The Up North Diocese Camp in the Midwest

The Village Up North is an overnight camping program for young Orthodox Christians ages 8 to 17. The program’s goal is to give kids a week away from distractions so they may form lasting friendships and establish a relationship with God while being surrounded by God’s exquisite creation. Although the Camp was developed by members of St. Mary’s Basilica in Livonia, Michigan, it is accessible to all young people throughout the Midwest and the Diocese of Toledo. The Camp corresponds to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Department of Camping Standards and is modeled after the Antiochian Village camping program. Camp Tannadoonah, a picturesque campground on Birch Lake in southwest Michigan, is where the camping program is housed. The American Camping Association has granted Camp Tannadoonah accreditation.

In a Mission

Teach campers about Orthodox Christian traditions and beliefs.
Boost campers’ self-confidence and respect and instill a love of the natural world and the environment
Create lasting interpersonal relationships between campers without using social media

A Day at Camp

Morning schedule:

A time when kids can learn about their beliefs in a relaxed, unthreatening setting. The campers will learn fundamental Christian teachings, have the chance to speak with priests and other church officials, and make crafts that highlight the lessons. A sunrise pontoon ride on the lake, a sunrise hike, or sunrise fishing will all be offered as special early-morning activities that cabins will take turns engaging in.

Afternoon schedule:

A time for games and enjoyment! In addition to playing team sports like 9-square, Gaga ball, soccer, and basketball, campers will have the chance to swim, kayak, canoe, or go tubing on the lake.

Evening schedule:

Includes talent night, their renowned campfires, skits, singing, and a half (Arabic dance).

Aquatic pursuits:

All aquatic activities will be carried out in accordance with strict safety guidelines. Under the supervision of a trained lifeguard, campers who pass the swim test are allowed to swim in a designated and shallow lake. All campers shall use personal floatation devices when using watercraft (canoes, kayaks, pontoons). An authorized operator will be the only one to operate the pontoon.

How can I talk to my kids at Midwest Diocese Camp?

In order for campers to genuinely feel the connection with God and nature they hope to create, and it is crucial that they be totally cut off from their everyday life. The use of electronic devices, including cell phones, is forbidden. No electronic gadgets or email will be available to campers. Throughout Camp, the media director will send families sporadic updates. Families can contact campers in an emergency by getting in touch with the camp director.

How do campers arrive at Midwest Diocese Camp?

For an extra $75 per camper, a school bus will take campers and staff from St. Mary’s Church in Livonia to Camp.

How are the sleeping accommodations?

There is electricity in every cabin. The smallest campers’ cabins have bathrooms. A short distance from the cabins is tidy restrooms with showers.

What sort of food will be provided?

The chefs at Village Up North will create wholesome, nutritional meals. All of the meals for the campers are prepared by volunteers from the local church community. Every day, there will be three meals and two snacks. Fresh food grown at the Camp is always available at the salad bar for lunch and dinner.

Are their Sunday church services required?

Every day, matins and vespers will be held in the lovely outdoor chapel. Additionally, they will hold liturgy a few times a week. At first glance, this could seem like a lot. Church services at Camp, however, differ from those held in a typical church. The church services are attended by campers, who gain an appreciation for and enjoyment of church. One of the key objectives of Camp is this.

What happens if I dislike the water?

At Camp Midwest Diocese, they use well water. Under the tight guidelines of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the source is regularly tested to ensure that it is completely safe and suitable for drinking. Although the water at Camp may taste a little strange to some campers, it is completely clean and safe to drink. If they don’t like the taste of the water, campers are allowed to bring their own reusable water bottles with filters, but they are not allowed to bring their own pre-bottled water. If a camper doesn’t have a water filter or doesn’t like the flavor of the water, the Camp will provide bottled water in 5-gallon containers.

Will I be bitten by mosquitoes a lot?

Spending time outdoors will likely result in numerous mosquito bites, which is common. That is typical and a feature of summer camp. Bring your own bug spray, and don’t forget to use it both morning and night.

Camp Of The Midwest Diocese At Gracanica

Serbian Sisters Circle in the Diocese

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gracanica-Midwestern America’s summer camp is run by the Diocesan Serbian Sisters Circle. Midwest Diocese Camp is maintained by the Diocesan Kolo Srpskih Sestara (KSS) in New Gracanica. The sisters plan the camp season, organize the employees, and update the facilities with the help of a Camp Committee. Additionally, they treat the kids as if they were their own. The Administration Building houses the Camp’s contemporary amenities, including dining halls, classrooms, and dorm rooms.

The children’s spiritual needs are met each week by a Camp Priest in addition to the Camp Director, who is chosen by the Bishop. Everyday supervision is provided by counselors and employees.

The ambiance of the Gracanica monastery grounds is perfect for the range of religious, sporting, social, and cultural activities that take place at Camp.

Camp’s guiding principles

integrating the youngster into the Camp’s life and the life of the church
Teach the Serbian children about the faith, culture, and customs of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Learn how to put this faith into practice in your daily life and in the community of people who share your values.
Consider the world as a lovely gift from God that should be cherished and used for good.
Give campers a chance to interact with kids from different religious school communities and learn how to get along.
Encourage healthy behaviors include keeping one’s body clean, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, staying safe, and engaging in the wholesome activity.
Teach good leadership techniques and the importance of accepting responsibility for one’s own actions.

Philosophies of Camp

St. Sava, the patron saint, and architect of the Serbian church and nation, serve as the cornerstone of the Camp’s philosophy and way of life. They aim to impart this knowledge of the faith’s core principles to the campers, and the major means by which they do this is through the clergy’s sermons and classes on religion. However, they also show them how to live their lives in accordance with this religion. They place equal emphasis on these two components of Orthodoxy since being a Serbian Orthodox Christian entails having both the correct beliefs and the appropriate way of life.

How vividly these characteristics can be observed in the life of St. Sava, their patron saint! He was adamant that God expects His followers to have both faith and good works. His credo was “Do and Teach.” “Neither the diligent practice of right conduct without faith is of no avail, nor the right confession of faith without good works is sufficient to bring them before the face of the Lord, but both combined are necessary to make a perfect man of God,” he remarked.

This opportunity to know one’s beliefs and to put them into practice is specifically provided by living within the community of a place like the Camp. This serves as the Camp’s framework.

This is the philosophy in their Camp: sharing and participating in the program, learning to get along and respect one another, forming good attitudes and habits, integrating the child’s entire life into the Church and the Church into the child’s life, and growing into a living fellowship and becoming a living community in Christ.

A Camp Minister

The staff must cooperate as a family in order for any camp to function effectively and efficiently. The camp chaplain is the head of this household. He must keep up the spirit of the Camp. This means that specific traits must be practiced: putting the Camp and the kids first, working together, being open to learning new skills, letting others go first, laughing when things don’t go as planned, and communicating with the staff.
As a pastor and father, the chaplain should intervene and mediate when there is unrest or conflict among staff members, counselors, or campers. He is the one who will bring the camp family comfort, joy, strength, and guidance. He will also deal firmly with any conflicts that may arise.

A competent chaplain will be interested in his campers and will be familiar with their families and parishes. He must be prepared to speak with them, ask them questions, respond to their inquiries, and generally stay in touch with them. For some kids, this will be their first chance to interact closely with a priest and get to know him in a new way.

This close connection with the priest may be the highlight of some people’s entire week. Each child’s life can be more closely connected to the church through the priest. Much will depend on the chaplain’s abilities, efforts, and skills to make this happen if the goal of the camp experience is for campers to perceive the church as a family and for that family to grow and form a new fellowship.

Last but not least, it is hoped that the camp work would encourage and affirm young boys to choose the priesthood as a career in the future. Young females with the ability to work in the church’s educational or musical missions are also included in this.

Teachers, in the broadest sense, are anyone who works with children or whose life comes into contact with the children through the camp experience, whether they be counselors, parents, instructors, cooks, house moms, or handymen. They must always be aware of their expanded teaching responsibilities. This is something that the entire camp staff, including the chaplain, must be aware of.

Package List

Here is a list of the essential items campers should pack in order to have the greatest experience possible at the Midwest Diocese Camp at Gracanica.

Note:

• Always consult the camp clothing list while choosing your outfits.
• Boys are not allowed to wear jeans, t-shirts, or sports shoes to church.
• Girls are not allowed to wear bare shoulders, dresses or skirts that are above the knee, or sports shoes to church.
• Girls are not allowed to wear halter tops or tops that reveal their midriffs.
• Shorts longer than mid-thigh are not permitted for girls.
• No writing is allowed on the back of shorts or pants.
• It is prohibited to wear apparel with vulgar or sexually explicit language.
• Any campers wearing clothing that a staff member deems inappropriate will be asked to change. If they don’t have any option, the right outfit will be given to them.
• Outside food is not permitted due to health and safety concerns (do not bring snacks!).
• Face Mask PPE
• Church clothes

If you don’t have acceptable clothing for church, we’ll call your parent or guardian to provide it for you. Church wear should be modest and appropriate.

Church dress for boys:

• Dress in slacks or khakis
• Dress shirt or polo with a collar
• Loafers or formal shoes
• NO jeans, athletic shoes, or t-shirts

Church attire for girls:

• Skirts or dresses that are longer than the knee.
• Sweater with shoulder protection.
• No gym shoes; sensible footwear.
• NO shorts or pants.
• NO spaghetti straps, midriff, or navel-baring tops.

Daily Garments

Daily attire must be modest and suitable for a monastery camp, such as tops or t-shirts.

• No halternecks
• No midriff or navel-baring shirts
• No apparel with profanity or vulgar language
• Shorts (suitable length) (appropriate length)

No mid-thigh shorts, short shorts, etc.

• Pants and shorts backs cannot have writing on them.
• Sweatpants or jeans
• t-shirt or a lightweight jacket
• Undergarments
• Pajamas
• Socks
• Running shoes or gym shoes
• Flip-flops, slippers, or sandals
• Church footwear
• attire for a candlelight supper
• swimming gear (girls: modest one-piece swimsuit; boys: swim trunks)
• beach blanket

Sanitary Products

• Comb and brush
• Conditioner and shampoo
• Body wash and soap
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Deodorant
• Razor and shaving supplies (if shaving)
• Kleenex

Bathroom and Bed

• Fitted and flat sheets (twin size)
• Pillowcase and pillow
• Bathroom, hand, and washcloth blanket towels
• Different Things
• Sunscreen Insect repellent Lighter

F.A.Q.

Can you put on weight in the summer?

For people of all ages, weight gain over the summer is typical, according to specialists.

What do kids learn over the summer?

Enhanced Confidence Your child’s self-confidence and independence will grow as a result of spending some extra time over the summer focusing on a subject that they might find challenging and learning new skills. This will also give them a sense of accomplishment.

Does the summertime heat make you eat more?

Due to an increase in body water during the summer, weight might increase by several pounds. This is achieved via hormones that help the kidney retain more fluid, such as aldosterone, and by lowering the salt content of sweat, which also helps with water retention.

What are the benefits of summer learning?

Programs for Summer Learning Aid Students in Keeping Up

It gives kids’ summer activities structure, increasing the likelihood that they’ll stay interested, focused, and out of trouble. Additionally, it keeps their academic abilities sharp and, in certain situations, allows them to advance.

What have you discovered about yourself while camping?

Camping can teach you the value of many subtle habits, such as mindfulness, sleeping on a schedule, living in the moment, and all the advantages of being more aware of your own needs, both physical and mental, so you may be healthier and happier with yourself.

What best describes Midwest Diocese Summer Camp?

A Midwest Diocese Summer Camp is a youth development organization that works to foster personal growth in children by offering them enjoyable, safe educational and recreational programs, outdoor adventures, and group activities while they are away from home during the summer. Summer camps are run by qualified adults.

How should a summer camp be introduced?

For kids and teenagers, summer camp is a particular camp that is conducted at this time. Additionally, the students get together to socialize and acquire new skills. These enable kids to experience new adventures away from home in a secure setting.

What role do summer camps play in ensuring a brighter future?

For kids to be themselves and have fun, summer camps offer a secure environment. The majority of camp activities emphasize having fun while also imparting life skills, boosting resilience, and encouraging creativity in young people.