Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) students and alumni helped in a special way to make the Upper Columbia Conference (UCC) camp meeting a success when it was held on the school's Spangle, Wash., campus June 22–25. This year, several current and former UCA students worked side by side with the kindergarten team to bring the story of Joseph to life for the young camp meeting attendees.
Kindergarteners attending camp meeting this year experienced “Joseph’s Journey,” from his dreams while living in his father’s house to settling his family in Egypt.
Spangle Church members transformed UCA's old cafeteria into Egypt’s palace for their Vacation Bible School program held the week after school ended.
For several years now, the Spangle Church VBS coordinators, Stacey Pedersen and Allison Winslow, have worked with kindergarten camp meeting leader, Jerremy Foss, to decorate using the same program. “They can do some amazing work with foam, cardboard and fabric,” says Tamara Terry, who is part of the kindergarten camp meeting team. “The kindergarten team was so appreciative of the work Pedersen and Winslow completed for their VBS that we were able to use as well.”
The kindergarten camp meeting team is mainly comprised of pastors. Tye Davis, assistant pastor at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, has been in the kindergarten division for several years now and has made quite the impression with the 4- to 6-year-olds. Because of his storytelling gifts, he is usually in the Bible story station. Even though he portrayed Joseph this year, many of the older kids remembered him as Moses in a previous year’s program.
The Upper Columbia Conference His Travelers team has been instrumental in completing the kindergarten team. They are able to have hands-on experience during their training week assisting in the kindergarten division. This year they all felt right at home as they are all current or former UCA students
A new and much-needed addition to the kindergarten team this year was the formation of a His Travelers Junior team. Current and former students from Upper Columbia Academy Elementary School were group leaders, who enriched the kindergarteners' experiences and ensured they made it to each station.
“Our attendance usually increases each day of camp meeting, so the His Travelers Junior team was very helpful to assist with safety as well as making sure each child is having a wonderful experience," Terry says. “This year our day attendance was even higher due to the wonderful seminars offered for their parents.”
For the first time, kindergarten camp meeting enjoys assistance from a His Travelers Junior team. Natasha Rogers, Molly Ahola, Gabriella Srikureja and James Terry, all current or former students of Upper Columbia Academy Elementary School, led the 4- to 6-year-olds from station to station, helping them have a rich experience in “Joseph’s Journey.”
Tye Davis, assistant pastor for the Coeur d’Alene Church in Idaho, shares the story of Joseph during kindergarten camp meeting. One of the highlights of the week was helping “Joseph” fill the grain barrels.
The Upper Columbia Conference His Travelers team assists in the camp meeting kindergarten division. They felt right at home in the old cafeteria because this year’s team happens to be current or former students of Upper Columbia Academy. They travel eight weeks this summer, visiting different churches and helping with Vacation Bible School programs and community outreach.
