SEP California

SEP California:
Join us on the mountain!

By Dennis Pelley

BIG BEAR LAKE, California—Imagine yourself being challenged to the max by a high ropes adventure course 7,000 feet above sea level. Visualize yourself and a friend gliding your canoe over a pristine private mountain lake at a 270-acre retreat. Picture yourself singing contemporary Christian music with 200 other enthusiastic worshipers in a beautiful praise and worship center.

No need to imagine—you can experience all this and much more by coming to SEP California.

This year’s SEP will again be at Cedar Lake Camp in Big Bear Lake (www.campcedarlake.com). The retreat center is large enough for us to run two camps simultaneously July 10 to 16. We will have a senior camp for those ages 12 through 18 and a junior camp for those ages 8 through 11.

Our mission for SEP is to “bring Jesus Christ to young people and model his way of life.” This year’s SEP theme is “Extreme Makeover.”

Camp activities include praise and worship, chapel messages and discussions, Christian living classes, prayer journey, speech class, drama class, talent show, archery, BB guns, canoeing, team building, basketball, volleyball, swimming, water polo, dance, arts and crafts, high and low ropes adventure (for teen campers) and a waterslide park (for preteen campers).

Here are comments from campers who attended SEP California in 2004:

“Camp was breathtaking.” Jessica Morgan.

“It’s an amazing place to worship God. You are free, and you learn so much more about the Lord, our Savior. SEP is an unforgettable experience. The people you meet and the friendships you make will never be forgotten. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.” Kathleen Sorensen.

“The thing that touch-ed me the most was the prayer journey. It allowed me to have some quiet time with my Creator and Savior. I was able to reflect and realize that my walk had to be strengthened, and on Saturday night I was baptized.

“I am thankful that God’s purpose is to help teens all over the world strengthen their faith and walk. I also loved how all the activities revolved around God.” Felecia Williamson.

Here are some staff comments.

“Wow! Who would ever think that staying in a room with teenage boys, sleeping only a few hours a night on a marginal bed, eating school cafeteria food and playing sports at 7,000 feet against people 35 years younger than you, would be so much fun? Not me!

“SEP was a terrific experience, and I’m grateful to God for letting me go. Prior participants told me I’d come back changed, and I didn’t know how much.” Mark McCulley, counselor.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the effort that everyone poured into camp, and the prayers that were offered up on behalf of the camp. It was such an honor to get to be at the mountaintop, and to witness God transforming people’s lives and hearts.” Tiffany Scherich, counselor.