Summer Day Camp Returns to Christ Lutheran Church, Sedona

Author: Rev. Julie Gerrish, Associate Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Sedona, AZ 

Christ Lutheran Church in Sedona (CLC) received a grant from the Grand Canyon Synod this year to reboot our Summer Day Camp. Our last Day Camp was in 2019, before COVID hit. We were so excited to bring camp back with the generosity of the Grand Canyon Synod 

A teenage community member remembered our camp from back in 2019, and after seeing our banner, asked if she could please volunteer. CLC contracted with Lutheran Retreats, Camps & Conferences (LRCC), El Camino Pines campus. They sent 5 wonderful counselors who led daily programming while CLC volunteers provided snacks, meals, and coordinated local speakers like the Red Rock Rangers and the Sedona Fire District. 

Thanks to the Grand Canyon Synod grant, children in grades K-5 learned Bible stories like The Good Samaritan, The Parable of the Sower, and Jesus feeding the 5,000. They learned about the love of Jesus through kind community members, meals shared, songs sung, games played, and seeds planted (yes, literal seeds!).  

One camper said, "This is the first thing I've ever planted!". Parents with joyful and relieved faces thanked us at closing worship and closing Barbecue. The teen volunteer who had been a camper asked, "Will there be camp next year?" I said, "That's the plan!" and she said, "I'll be there." Thanks for your support. 

If your congregation or ministry is exploring new ways to serve, partner, and innovate, the Grand Canyon Synod Grants Program may be the right path forward. The 2025 application window opens September 8 and closes October 31. Up to $15,000 is available for projects that align with the synod’s strategic goals.

▶️ Register for the Grants Webinar on September 17 at 4:30 p.m.

📄 Download the application and find all info at gcsynod.org/grants

📩 Questions? Email Theresa Thornburgh at office@gcsynod.org