ADVENTURE AND FAITH
FOR GROWING HEARTS
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2026 Registration is Open
Spring Newsletter
Firelight Findings
Reflections from our Camp Manager
Have you ever tried to watch something grow in real time? A tomato plant, a child, even your own soul. You can stare for hours and never see a single change. But come back a day later … and something has shifted. Growth happens quietly—without our permission, without our awareness, without our control.
Jesus says the Kingdom of God grows like that (Mark 4:26–29). Slow. Hidden. Unhurried. “The seed sprouts and grows, though we do not know how.”
Recently at our annual retreat, camp board members held small slices of wood cut from trees around Camp Emmaus. Each cross-section told a story: rings wide and narrow, rings from years of drought and years of abundance, rings formed during storms and during stillness. And while the tree was alive, no one could see those rings forming. They grew quietly, layer by layer, beneath the bark.
Camp ministry is the same. Every summer, every retreat, every porch conversation, every late-night campfire prayer adds another ring. Rings of courage in a teenager. Rings of healing in a family. Rings of calling in a young adult who doesn’t yet know they’re called. Most of the time, we don’t get to see the growth—but Christ is shaping it all the same.
The outermost ring on a tree is always the newest one. The tree didn’t plan it; it simply stayed rooted. And the ring appeared. You and I are standing in our newest ring right now. God is forming something in us —in this camp, in this season, in this community—that we can’t yet see. But it’s happening. Quietly. Faithfully. Inevitably.
As we step into spring, may we ask not, “Is God doing anything here?” but rather, “What ring is God forming in us now?”
As Emmaus begins forming our 78th ring this year, may it be another ring of grace that tells both our story and God’s Love.
Respectfully in Christ,
Randall Westfall
Why Families Choose Camp
Dear friends,
As families continue registering for camp, we’re reminded why this place matters.
Parents tell us they value camp because faith is lived here— morning watch at the bridge, visiting with residents at Pinecrest, or a moment of quiet reflection while watching the last embers of the campfire burn. Many once came as campers themselves and now return with their own children and even grandchildren!
All the while, we welcome those who are new to outdoor ministry to attend, and sometimes they may not have the means to do so. Scholarships help ensure that families who desire this experience are welcomed, regardless of financial circumstance.
If you’re looking for a simple way to support faith formation this season, we invite you to be part of this shared ministry.
With appreciation,
Randal Westfall
Camp Emmaus
Spring into Camp
Summer camp season will be here before you know it! Join us as we welcome the warmer months with Camp Emmaus’ now-annual “Spring Into Camp” event, April 25. Come for a day of fellowship, fun, food, hiking, a campfire, and more.
2026 Camp Curriculum
The 2026 Outdoor Ministries Association (OMA) “InsideOut” camp curriculum will be titled “In the Wilderness.” An introduction to the theme notes: “Wilderness is a time or place where we encounter what is new, strange, scary, lonely, unknown or mysterious. The wilderness is a wild and beautiful time and place where we can discover the sacred within each person and all creation. … The wilderness reveals our strengths, growing edges, and potential as God equips us for the unknown still to come. The wilderness awaits us all, and God meets us there.” The annual InsideOut curriculum is a partnership between the Church of the Brethren and a variety of other denominations for use in outdoor ministry. Learn more at https://insideoutcurriculum.com/.
Young Adult Conference 2026
Young Adult Conference 2026
Registration is OPEN!
May 22 - 24, 2026
Camp Blue Diamond (near Petersburg, Pennsylvania)
Are you between the ages of 18 and 35? Come join us for YAC!
National Youth Conference
The next Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference (NYC) will take place July 18-23, 2026, at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colo., with the theme “Light Within Us.” Because it will be a new location for many of the advisors who will bring youth, it seemed helpful to offer a chance to experience the location prior to bringing youth. Thus, an NYC 2026 Advisor Preview will take place Oct. 11-13. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the campus, check out the food and lodging, and see what recreation options are like.
Additionally, participants will have a learning opportunity with Charles (Chuck) Hunt, who will lead sessions based on the book Faith Beyond Youth Group. The sessions will build on work by the Fuller Youth Institute, where Hunt is senior director of training, all while inspiring participants and providing new tools to help in various ministry contexts. Continuing education credit will be available.
Early bird registration is $300 and is available until July 31. Regular registration is $375. Registration includes two nights’ double-occupancy lodging, four meals, and all sessions. All registrants will be responsible for their transportation to and from the YMCA of the Rockies. (Denver International Airport is the most convenient, and there is shuttle service to the YMCA.)
For more information, go to www.brethren.org/yya/advisor-preview-weekend-for-nyc-2026 or contact Becky Ullom Naugle, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, at bullomnaugle@brethren.org or 847-429-4385.
Registration will open in January. Learn more about NYC 2026 at the National Youth Conference page.