MORE THAN A WEEK OF CAMP

July is camp season at Christian Chapel! This month we host Royal Family Kids Camp, Chapel Kids Camp, and Chapel Youth Camp. Each camp is unique and each camp is memorable. 

Summer camps can play a vital role in the spiritual growth and development of kids and teenagers. When they can enjoy a few days away from the distractions of daily life … and especially from screens, phones, and the internet… they can more freely and fully focus on their relationship with God and with others. 

Camp provides a safe environment where schedules are relaxed, time together is prioritized, and God can be experienced through worship, teaching, and regular conversations. At camp, faith can be explored freely and deep spiritual truths can take root in young hearts. Often, it’s in these moments—that kids encounter God in a deeply personal and transformative way.

In addition to spiritual growth, camps help build lasting friendships and a stronger sense of multi-generational community. Surrounded by others who share their faith, kids and teenagers develop confidence in their beliefs and experience what it means to be part of the body of Christ. Through fun games, ok-tasting meals (it’s camp), and group worship, they learn important values like trust, kindness, humility, and servant leadership. These experiences not only shape their character but also reinforce that following Jesus is not something they do alone—it’s a shared journey supported by a loving, faith-filled community.

Chris Dow

Lead Pastor

Dave Paulson was raised in the Norwegian-Lutheran tradition of unrelenting church attendance. He found Jesus at eleven in the basement of his grandparents’ Lutheran Church in Princeton, MN. 

Upon graduating from high school, after a particularly cold winter, he had two primary goals – to get warm and to find the woman of his dreams. He arrived as a freshman at ORU and quickly determined that goal number one had been met. It took three years to accomplish goal number two – in the form of Claire. They raised three kids and now have six grandchildren. Dave recently retired after 37 years in IT at Saint Francis. He is an avid gardener, and even though some have declared it a most boring topic, Dave is always up for gardening discussions.

Dave & Claire have attended Christian Chapel for 28 years. Dave has served with Rangers, taught Sunday School, and as a counselor at RFK Camp. His focus for the past nine years has been the RFK Mentoring program. After returning from camp in 2015, Dave wondered if there was any way he could continue to spend time with one of his campers, a seven-year-old living at the Laura Dester shelter. He learned that there was indeed a formalized mentoring program – delivered as part of the Royal Family Kids structure. The program had not been implemented at Christian Chapel and was waiting for someone to initiate the process.

The RFK Mentoring program involves a monthly meeting where the mentors and their matched kids meet together for activities, crafts, games, songs, and Bible time. Mentors also spend time one-on-one with their mentees. Tamara Beasler directs the Club meeting, and Dave leads the Mentoring program. 

In the past nine years, 128 kids from trauma have participated in the RFK Mentoring program at Christian Chapel. During that time, 81 adults have served as mentors. Because of the hurt, pain, rejection, loss that many of our kids have been through there’s a great need for healthy adult role models. The mentors are godly, committed adults who care about them. They help the kids turn the corner from despair to hope. Mentors become an important person in the child’s life and earn credibility. Dave continues to marvel at the selflessness exhibited by the mentors as they commit their time and financial resources to connecting with their mentees.

Prayer support is welcomed for RFK Club & Mentoring. Please pray for caregivers allowing the kids to participate in the program, trained counselors and camp staff embracing the mentoring role, and the Holy Spirit filling the mentors with wisdom, discernment, and insight as they spend one-on-one time with their matched child.