2026 Camp Areté, Sunday, July 19

“Packing”

Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (NASB)

The big vans rolled in from Connecticut, Texas, and everywhere in between. By late afternoon, Camp Areté 2026 was officially loud again.

Bags hit the dining hall. Phones and medications got checked in, camp shirts went out, and kids hauled their luggage down to the cabins to claim a bunk. Opening worship, the director’s welcome, and just like that, we’re off.

Then Pastor Brad opened our book for the week, Philippians. He started with a question every kid in the room had just lived. When did you actually start packing?

A few plan-ahead saints packed a week out. Then, honestly, a wave of the guys admitted they packed the morning they left. (We’re also told about half the girls may have misplaced their toothbrushes somewhere between home and here. We’re blaming a gremlin.)

Here’s where Brad took it. A backpack shows what you think will actually matter for the trip. Philippians, he said, is Paul’s spiritual packing list.

Paul leaves no room for bitterness, fear, self-pity, or anger. But he makes plenty of space for the things that last, like joy, prayer, partnership, humility, gospel courage, and contentment. What makes that remarkable is where he was sitting when he wrote it. Paul was in prison, chained to a guard, and still couldn’t stop talking about joy.

That’s the challenge for your kids this week. Take an honest look at the backpack you’re carrying through life, and decide what to pack in and what to leave out.

The first night had its moments. At one point, somehow, eight kids were crowded around a single foosball table. About the most Camp Areté thing imaginable.

A quick word on this year’s shirts, too. They’re purple. The color drew some early skepticism, but by the end of the night it was embraced by guys and girls alike. Our model for the evening was Truett, who wore it well.

The tribes were introduced tonight, and they got their first taste of competition in a round of Safety Jeopardy. The points that put the leaders over the top came, of all places, from a 50-point wildlife question. Is a wild boar dangerous, yes or no? (For the record, the hard-won answer is yes.)

For now, the teams are still just Tribes 1 through 4. Tomorrow morning they build their names, colors, cheers, and shirts, and the real games begin. Game faces on.

The night included a quieter note. The campers linked arms and sang an old Camp Areté favorite, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” Picture a room full of kids from all over the country, arms around each other, singing “safe and secure from all alarms.” On a first night away from home, that is a good thing for a parent to picture too.

Early standings after Safety Jeopardy

Tribe 2 (200)
Tribe 3 (190)
Tribe 1 (135)
Tribe 4 (120)

Ten points at the top, and a whole week to go.

Praises

Safe travels. Campers and families arrived from across the country, and a few from even farther.
A smooth first evening. In-processing done, shirts handed out, everyone moved into their cabins.

Petitions

For the first-nighters far from home, that they’d settle in and rest well.
That this week the Word would sink deep into these kids, just as Brad prayed over us tonight.