Summer 2022 | Southbrook Church Week 2

We welcomed the second round of Southbrook Church last week, with much the same sort of experience (as their first week) of well-invested-in teens getting away to Whisper Mountain Camp to be challenged in deeper ways and to grow stronger within community.

We may not have seen all scores of teens coming to Jesus for the first time, but what we did see was scores of teens being confronted with the opportunity to leave their complacent, American Christianity behind to walk in a deep, intimate, counter-cultural relationship with Jesus that actually involves the power of God in their lives. We saw teens accept the challenge to cling to truth, abandon the ways of the world and go rogue in their faith.

This, friends, is the deep power of camp — when life change comes in many forms, but each time with an intimate encounter with Jesus.

Seeing teens come to Jesus in surrender, braving the telling of their stories, opening more to Him and in return to each other, praying for each other and encouraging one another — it brings a viewer to tears because that’s the power of God at camp.

Seeing Southbrook Church encounter God was beautiful. Seeing our staff pour out like a fragrant aroma through the intentional connections and leading with sensitivity was beautiful. God is doing a great work here at camp this summer and we are encouraged to keep going.

Southbrook, you are a church filled with passion, intention and humility. May Jesus continue to be glorified in your midst.

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Author | Cassi
Photography | Koda Moody & Cassi

All Play A Part

In life we all have different strengths, it has been said 1000 times over. Yet, I think this saying is most present during Low Ropes. You combine about 25 young men and women and challenge them with the task of getting over a 10-foot wall. The best part is when they’re told that everyone must make it over. The short (but super smart) 12-year-old in the back sighs, thinking he will be useless in this situation, and the 6-foot senior knows he can climb up and not worry about anyone else. The thing is they are both wrong. 

You see, everyone gets two “helps,” meaning they can help lift, pull, or push someone else two times. The guy in the back begins to count how many there are and starts to devise a strategy in his head, but is drowned out by the loud ones of the group. The tall one, in the chaos of everyone planning, runs on up saying, “I’ve got this,” not thinking about the rest of the team below.

Then it gets worse. Smaller groups begin to branch off and form their own plans (which is not how this exercise should work). They forget the rest of the team needs their “helps” to make sure everyone can get over. But wait, it gets even worse. About 15 people have gotten over the wall, but they didn’t help the 10 shorter folks at the bottom. And they don’t have the tools nor “helps” to get themselves over.  So, the entire team has to restart.

Everyone is in despair, looking for a way to beat this. The smart guy in the back finally finds the courage to speak up; the loud one repeats it for him; and the entire team is then on board with his plan. The tall and stronger ones help those who cannot get up by themselves, and the girl that can jump super high gets up top to help pull. Eventually the team conquers the wall, but only by listening and utilizing one another’s strengths, while also being aware of their weaknesses. 

The world is full of different people: leaders, listeners, planners; the strong, the smart, the fast. We need to realize as Christian community, as the body of Christ, that everyone plays a role and brings something to the table. If we were able to do things by ourselves, why did God send his Son to die? Why did he make Eve for Adam? Why did He create the concept of brother/sisterhood? Because we cannot go it alone. We need to have a team of others pushing or pulling us up to a Godlier place…

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Author & Photographer | Koda Moody
Group Pictured | Southbrook Church

Summer 2022 | New City High School

New City High Schoolers were eager to get off the bus and start their week of camp! Our staff met their energy and upped that ante to help make last week’s camp week completely wonderful in many ways. Those who didn’t want to come at the start told us they were so glad they had come by the end.

Many of last week’s campers have been coming since middle school began. Seeing these campers grow from year to year has been a privilege because we get to see glimpses of their process and God working throughout this vital season in their lives. Someone that may have been super difficult to work with has found their stride now and offers much to the community. Someone who may struggle with deep, dark things has taken baby steps forward and taken some new ground. Those with questions, wrestling with hard things, or floundering in their faith have discovered a newness in their walk with Christ. There’s something special about having intentional connections with those who come to us.

Here are a few things campers said about their week at Whisper Mountain Camp:
“Staff is very encouraging , funny, supportive, good with all ages, and LOVE riddles. Each leader is an inspiration to someone at camp.“

“I feel incredibly loved when I’m here.“

“I have been struggling to pray and now I am again.“

“I felt very cared for and it was such a genuine environment.“

“The highlight of my week was community.”

Thanks for coming New City! We hope you continue to be children of light back home!

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Author & Photography | Cassi

Camp 2021 | Southbrook Week 1

Southbrook is a church we get to see twice in a summer because they are such a large group! WE LOVE THAT — but also, won’t it be great when our camper housing project gets completed and they can come all at one time?! Let it be so, Jesus!

Last week was the first week of Southbrook Church teens from Charlotte. It seems the best way to communicate the week is from the lips of the campers themselves, so here it is!

“I’ve known a lot of pain in my life, but this week I’ve seen that God will heal me in His time.”

I thought I knew God, but coming here I realize I know nothing. And meeting all of you, I realize I always have someone to talk to.

I had a lot of family issues I kept pushing away. Coming here and laying things at the cross helps me see how praying makes a difference. You guys have made it easy to find someone to trust.

All the activities, quiet alone with Jesus, Biblical teaching and intentional connections come together to create an experience that is entirely life-changing! This is the power of camp! We are so thankful for God’s faithfulness to continue to show us more of Himself! Last week a group a great, church-going people left camp and went home as Jesus followers. There’s simply nothing better in life than following Jesus! Thanks for escaping your noise at Whisper Mountain Camp! May you continue to find more of Him each day!

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Author | Cassi Werner Photography | Adrienne Cicero + Cassi Werner

Group | Southbrook Church

2020 | Fall Retreats

We have had a swelling retreat season this fall! We usually have a decently full fall, but 2020 was different – people needed to get out of isolation and into community in the great outdoors!

Some groups requested we didn’t post their group while at camp and we also desired to protect people from seeing an image and misunderstanding how we were following the proper protocols, so we didn’t share very many pictures of our fall retreats on social media. These times are crazy, aren’t they? So much fear has been instilled in us during this COVID time that we don’t always see clearly.

All that aside, we have felt privileged to serve the people who have come our way. We shared about our Men’s Retreat here (click that!). Below are a few pictures we felt were okay to share of some of the groups we welcomed (following all the proper protocols!!).

God pulled people from isolation and brought them into the mountains this fall where they could be with people who encouraged them, spoke truth from His Word and provided the face to face community all of humanity was meant to have!

How are you handling these times? Hope may be harder to find in these times, but the God of hope is able to “fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Keep believing!

A New Feature of the Whisper Mountain Experience!

When it comes to campers, there’s one thing we’ve heard (in its various forms) repeatedly throughout all fourteen years of camp:

“We hate walking up the hill.”
“Get rid of the hill and my week was perfect!”
“Can you guys get a conveyer belt to pull us up the hill?”
“My least favorite part of camp was having to walk up the hill!”

By “hill” they mean from the Field to the Hub or all the way to the cabins! Now, most teens aren’t used to hiking hills. So on the one hand, it’s good for them, right?! But on the other hand, when you have to do it multiple times in a day, by the end, you just really don’t want to do it one.more.time!

So Marty created a solution we were super excited to implement this summer! Only, as you know, summer didn’t happen! While the name is still being finalized (we had some good ideas from our instagram/facebook followers — thanks guys!), we’d like to introduce you to a new and we hope soon-to-be-a-favorite feature of the Whisper Mountain Experience — The Whatever It’s Going to Be Called Express! And by “Express” we mean a pleasant but slow climb up the hill!

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We did have a small teen group come through this summer who got to be the first ones to give the Express a whirl! (Thanks guys for the sacrifice!) Smiles — everyone had smiles! For some reason it sorta makes ya giddy to climb aboard a trailer and have a tractor haul you around! Of course the driver’s joy might just be contagious (isn’t he cute?!!)!

So what do you guys think? Anyone excited to get to enjoy this feature at Whisper Mountain next time you come?!

Summer Camp 2019 | New City Middle School

Last week was the last week of summer 2019 at Whisper Mountain Camp, and we got to go out with a bang with New City Middle Schoolers!!!!!

People are afraid of middle schoolers, and sometimes rightfully so, but they have such an excitement and curiosity as they begin to move closer to the adult realm of life. Such goodness there, a figuring out of who they are and where they fit, and a perspective that can be surprising and/or entertaining!

Being faced with the truth of God’s Word all week sometimes bounces off of apathetic hearts. If we are honest, our comfort hinders us from God too often, wouldn’t you say?! We saw this in the teens this week at the beginning, but we also saw God stir their hearts throughout their time with us.

Middle schoolers also have a zest for life that is refreshing to be around! These teens were no exception. The love and attention they are receiving from the intentional adults in their lives will only help to harness this life and use it to bring God the most glory!

We love the opportunity to provide campers a chance to practice quiet, to have an atmosphere of distraction-free time with God. Sometimes this taste of practicing quiet with Jesus at camp is enough of a game changer for campers that they want to keep up the practice when they return home again! What is a walk with Jesus without the daily walk with Jesus?!

Campers gain a personal growth through all the activities and teaching and practicing quiet, but we also find it important to emphasize group growth.

When teens have to work together to overcome challenges and work through problems, they learn the value of each person’s place on the team. When a youth group works as a unit, they reach more people for Jesus more effectively! These teens did a great job building their unity last week. People on the out skirts felt more a part of things when they left camp! That, friends, is awesome!

We loved having New City teens end our summer! They are a great crowd for sure!

Escape the Noise. Encounter the Whisper® — it’s what it’s all about!

Thanks, New City, for coming to Whisper Mountain Camp this summer! May God continue to capture your hearts!

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Author | Cassi      Photography | Adrienne + Ellie

Summer Camp 2019 | Calvary Road + Berry’s Grove

Last week was a great week with our combined groups — one from not so far away and another across the state!

Calvary Road and Berry’s Grove are both groups that have come to us before and have given us feedback on loving the intentionality and group unifying effect Whisper Mountain Camp has for their groups! We always love hearing how God uses what He’s built for His purposes! Helping everyone feel loved and part of community is crucial!

Being able to build relationships with the leaders of groups is equally as important to us! So many times we encourage each other in ways we didn’t expect! Ministry can be hard and challenging, but investing in teens is worth the investment!

The teens last week were confronted with the holiness of God in some life-giving ways through the messages from God’s Word, through cabin time discussions, through solo times across the campus.

Of course nothing is wasted at Whisper Mountain as we use all the activities and adventures at camp to offer life application and spiritual parallel! God is always speaking, but are we always listening?!

We had a fantastic week getting to know these teens and their leaders and pouring into them the hope of Jesus! May His great work continue as they return home!

Thanks Berry’s Grove and Calvary Road for coming to Whisper Mountain Camp this summer! Keep chasing Him!

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Author | Cassi      Photography | Adrienne + Cassi

 

Summer Camp 2019 | Estero + New City

In camp ministry we have the amazing opportunity to come alongside youth pastors and churches as they strive to help teens find the hope of Jesus in this world! New City Church (formerly Church at Charlotte: here, here and here) and First Baptist Estero (here, here, here, here, and here) are two groups we’ve been blessed to walk with for several years now. These guys feel like family!

Having a place for teens to get away out of their ordinary, out of their bubbles, and find fresh mountain air (filled with gnats;)!!) and a slew of people whose job it is to hang out and encourage them makes for a week that can be quite life changing!

Escape the Noise. Encounter the Whisper.® It’s what we exist for. And no matter how many times they’ve been to Whisper Mountain before, there’s nothing quite like God’s personal whisper into messy and complicated lives, over and over again.

Trying new things on our own but surrounded by people who are cheering us on can be helpful in pushing us to hard things and knowing the victory of doing life with others!

 

Last week we saw six teens get baptized at our local lake. The joy they wear on their faces as they’ve publicly proclaimed to be a Jesus follower — nothing like it! So amazing the story God is writing in each of these lives. It’s beautiful to catch even a sliver of His work while they are with us.

The good ole fashioned fun squished in between all the other more intentional heart moments, Bible time and connecting really just rounds out the week in all the best and fullest of ways.

Thank you for choosing to come to Whisper Mountain Camp, New City and Salt and Light Youth! We love you and the opportunity to be a small part of the story God is writing in your life! See you next time, Lord willing!

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Author | Cassi         Photography | Adrienne + Ellie + Cassi

Summer Camp 2019 | Southbrook 2

In trying to catch us up on the groups that have come through, today we are talking about Southbrook Part 2! (Here’s Part 1) We are so thankful for larger groups being willing to split between two weeks so they can still experience Whisper Mountain Camp!

I was unfortunately home with a sick baby and missed most of the week, but here are some fantastic pictures to help tell some of the story. Pictures speak more than words!

What I do know is teens found a deeper relationship with teens, found a greater desire to pursue the holiness of God and had a great time with their friends in the great outdoors! Pretty great stuff right there!

Thanks for coming to camp at Whisper Mountain, Southbrookers! We really love the relationships we are building with you! You are a wonderful group of people! Keep chasing Jesus!

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Author | Cassi     Photography | Adrienne