On Deck . . .
Chi Rho & CYF Midwinter Retreat
Feb 15-17 @ Camp Christian
Keynotes by Madi Showalter (Crown Heights Christian Church)
$100 pp
sponsored by the Regional Youth Council
Register Your Group by February 3rd
Stay Connected to the Region’s Program Ministry for Children and Youth. Read the December Intersections and Subscribe!
Regional Youth Council Advent Devotion Published (Click Here to Download Your Copy)
December
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Special Christmas Offering Received 15 & 22
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1: First Sunday of Advent
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8: Second Sunday of Advent
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15: Third Sunday of Advent
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Midwinter Retreat Registration Opens
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22: Fourth Sunday of Advent
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25: Merry Christmas!
January
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Midwinter Retreat Registration Continues
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8: 2025 Camp Registration Guidebook Available to Download
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15-17: Remind & Renew (Phillips Theological Seminary)
February
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2: Regional Youth Council Application Available to Download
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5: Summer Camp Registration Opens
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15-17: Midwinter Retreat at Camp Christian
Joy in Hardtimes
Where is Michael?
December
1: Preach @ Nicoma Park Christian Church, OKC
8: Worship @ First Christian Church, Claremore
11: Regional Staff Christmas Lunch
12: NWA Clergy Christmas Lunch
18-January 1: Michael on Holiday
Michael works on Search & Call on Monday afternoon.
The Regional staff gathers weekly on Wednesday mornings via Zoom for devotion and staff meeting.
Summer Camp 2025
2025 Camp Dates
Chi Rho Camp: June 2-6
(grades 6-8)
Canyon Camp (Hinton, OK)
Discovery Camp: June 13-15
(grades 2-3)
Camp Christian (Chouteau, OK)
CYF Conference: June 16-21
(grades 9-12)
Disciples Center at Tawakoni (Augusta, KS)
Junior Camp: June 23-27
(grades 4-5)
Camp Christian (Chouteau, OK)
General Assembly: July 12-15
Memphis, TN
Water Weekend: July 18-20
(grades 8-12)
Lake Texoma
Family Camp: August 1-3
(all ages)
2024 Photos
Photos from camp and retreat this year.
Congregations Participating in Camp This Summer
Congregations sending 10 or more campers / Congregations sending 20 or more campers
Disciples Christian Church, Bartlesville
First Christian Church, Chandler
First Christian Church, Cherokee
First Christian Church, Chickasha
First Christian Church, Duncan
First Christian Church, Edmond
Southern Hills Christian Church, Edmond
First Christian Church, El Reno
Central Christian Church, Enid
Christian Church of the Covenant, Enid
First Christian Church, Luther
First Christian Church, Midwest City
First Christian Church, Norman
Crown Heights Christian Church, Oklahoma City
New Covenant Christian Church, Oklahoma City
Western Oaks Christian Church, Oklahoma City
First Christian Church, Perry
First Christian Church, Stillwater
First Christian Church, Sulphur
First Christian Church, Thomas
Forest Park Christian Church, Tulsa
Harvard Ave Christian Church, Tulsa
First Christian Church, Woodward
First Christian Church, Yukon
Camp 101
Sites Hosting Our Camps
Oakridge Christian Camp
Chi Rho Camp (grades 6-8)
Oakridge is located just west of Anadarko, Ok.
Camp Christain
Discovery Camp (grades 2-3)
Junior Camp (grades 4-5)
Camp Christian is located east of Tulsa near Chouteau, Ok.
Disciples Center at Camp Tawakoni
CYF Conference (grades 9-12)
Camp Tawakoni is located near Augusta, Ks.
Types of Camp
Outdoor Ministry is a defining characteristic of the missional ministry that the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) offers to children, youth, and adults. Often people will think of Outdoor Ministry as “summer camp” only, but our Region’s Outdoor Ministry includes weekend retreats, traditional residential week long camps and non-traditional week long camps that give children, youth, and adults of all ages the opportunity to play, pray, worship, study, and serve one another and new neighbors. Outdoor Ministry is one way we teach the language of faith, and the practice of Christianity for the Church today and tomorrow.
What Happens at Camp?
Great question. The design of our outdoor ministry is based in small groups that provides space for campers to learn how to listen and talk to others. Campers spend time each day with their small group, and within the whole community they participate in art projects, they hear and interpret bible stories, worship together, and of course there are games, singing, sports, and pool time. Chi Rho and CYF campers are also offered workshops that teach life skills. Some recent workshops have focused on Internet safety, budgeting, photography, car maintenance, first-aid, and relationships.
About the Camp Facilities
In Oklahoma there are camp facilities that have Disciples roots dating to the early 1950’s. These facilities remain related to Christian Church in Oklahoma. Camps have their own governing boards that set policies, rental fees, and maintain onsite staff and programs. The Christian Church in Oklahoma has no oversight, nor financial responsibility for these facilities. Many individual members and congregations provide their time and financial support for Disciples related facilities.
Experiences We Offer (usually)
FAQs
Camp Christian
(Chouteau)
A Word from the Commission with Children, Youth & Young Adults
Rev. Bill Hemm and Madi Showalter, Co-Chairs
The CYYA offers a variety of opportunities throughout the year for persons ages K-35 years old. CYYA Ministries in Oklahoma are evolving and growing into a future that includes age appropriate experiences and events beyond the summer months for our diverse age bracket.
We need two things: adult volunteers and funding. Our summer camp directors are always seeking adults to be counselors. As our opportunities expand we will need a variety of adults with different skills to make these opportunities a reality. The other major need is funding. It costs approximately $15,000 each summer to pay for our adults volunteering as directors and counselors. We add this cost to camper fees which makes our camps expensive. Similarly, International Affairs Seminar costs $2000 per adult, and any weekend retreat or mission trip where the Region recruits volunteer adults as leaders we pass on this cost to registrants. Could you help with a gift or creating an endowment? Contact our Co-Chairs or Rev. Michael Davison, Associate Regional Minister.
Your Gifts Make a Difference!
Your generous gifts to the Disciples Mission Fund or the Annual Fund underwrites the operation of the Region (Regional Office, staff salaries, benefits, and expenses, the Board and Commission work), but it does not provide financial support for the program ministries of the Region: events, retreats, camp, and mission experiences for children, youth, and adults.
Please consider a gift and support one of these experiences:
International Affairs Seminar
Goal $5000
Summer Camp
$10,000
Summer Ministry
Each young person attending a summer ministry experience helps pay for the adult volunteers for that week. This fee is added to the camper fee and is based on the number of campers who attend and the number of adults needed. Funds raised for Summer Ministry could lower the cost for everyone that attends a camp in the future no matter where it may be hosted. Please consider a gift to support Summer Ministry and help us create funding to support this ongoing program ministry of the Region.
Are you considering a “legacy gift” to fund a ministry in your congregation or through the Region? The Oklahoma Disciples Foundation does this kind of work to support ministries throughout the Disciples of Christ in Oklahoma.
Make your check payable to Christian Church in Oklahoma, and note in the memo line what program ministry you are supporting.
Mail To: 301 NW 36th Street / Oklahoma City, OK, 73118. Please indicate IAS, Youth Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, Heifer Week, Mission Camp, or Summer Ministry in the memo line.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Contact Rev. Michael Davison for more information about how you can support these missional ministries.
Visit our homepage to donate Online.
Choose “Youth Ministry” from the dropdown box.
In the “Special Instructions” box type which experience you want to support.