Iowa United Methodist Camps presents...

Backyard Camp! A virtual camp experience for ages 6-15

June 8-12: S’more Camp Goodness

You can’t beat a good ole’ fashion s’more roasted over a fire… but we can sure try! If you like them burnt or golden brown, we’ve got everything you could ask for. Join your friends and awesome camp staff as we share scripture, share our love for marshmallows, and connect virtually during this awesome week. Love camp? You’ll definitely love S’more Camp Goodness!

June 15-19: A Taste of Camp

Are you missing some of your favorite camp snacks and activities? Well come together for a week of the camp favorites with your friends and family. You’ll be joined by some loving staff as you share in some camp activities, tasty treats, and scripture time. We can’t wait to share a little of camp with you during this awesome week.

June 22-26: Wild Backyards

Get outside with the staff this week as we take a look at some awesome outdoor activities and food. The cool breeze and warmth of the sun are waiting for us all! Don’t get stuck inside – join us in exploring God’s great outdoors and learning more about the adventures it holds. We can’t wait to see what Wild Backyards has waiting.

July 6-10: Farm and Ranch

If you love the outdoors, Christ, and all of God’s farm creatures, then this is the week for you! We can’t wait to share life on the ranch! Join us out on the farm as we have some fun learning and sharing about the farm critters and horses. That’s not all, join your closest friends and the caring staff from camp to learn about Christ through prayer. We can’t wait to meet you!

July 13-17: Lego Master

Are you a Master Builder!? Join us this week to build something grand, push the limits, and have some fun with friends, family, and staff. During Lego Masters we dive into some fun challenges that can test our skills at building and being creative. Join us for the final week of Backyard Camp as we build on our faith foundation and so much more in this awesome week.

We can’t wait to connect with you this summer through the Iowa United Methodist Backyard Camp! Don’t let summer pass by with-out joining us virtually for some amazing activities, faith building, and fun! Whether it is devotional time, Bible studies with family, interactive activities, or planned family time, the caring staff at Wesley Woods and Lake Okoboji are logged on and ready to connect! We have a road map to an unforgettable Summer Camp experience! Register and Reconnect today!

To ensure everyone who wants to is able to participate, you will have a variety of options of paying for your virtual camp experience. When you register online, you’ll be able to pick what best suits you.

• No Fee: Intended for campers and families who can’t afford to participate otherwise

• $50: Subsidized rate – helps offset the cost of Backyard Camp

• $150: Break-even rate – covers the cost of Backyard Camp for Lake Okoboji and Wesley Woods UM Camps

• $250: Break-even rate with a gift – covers the cost of Backyard Camp while contributing to the continuation of camping ministry in Iowa

• $450: Standard cost of a week of residential camp – covers the cost of Backyard Camp and allows camping to reach new campers and families while meeting budgetary requirements

To register for Backyard Camp, please visit www.iaumc.org/camps and click on the registration link towards the top of the page. Or call Shannon, the camp registrar, at 515-974-8946 for assistance.

If you are unable to participate online, you will still have enough information and instruction to be a successful camper! We hope to see you soon!

- From all your friends at Iowa United Methodist Camps,

Gracie, Eric, Bryan, Laura, Chip, Shannon, and Phil

Below is a preview of what a day in Backyard Camp is like!

SMORE CAMP PROJECTS

Watermelon Garland

Adult supervision may be needed for portions of this activity!

FAMILY TIME

1. Use the two different glasses to trace 10 circles onto eachpiece of your felt (Be sure to make the green circles slightlybigger than the red.)2. Cut out each circle, and then cut in half.3. Hot glue the semi-circles together to create thewatermelon shape.4. Use a fine tip black Sharpie to draw the watermelonseeds.5. Flip the completed watermelon slices over and add twodots of hot glue to the back. Quickly press the ribbon to thehot glue dots.6. Hang your garland and enjoy!

2 sheets of red felt2 sheets of green feltBlack Permanent Marker2 1/2 Feet of RibbonScissorsHot Glue Gun1 Large Glass or Jar Lid1 Slightly Smaller Glass orJar Lid

IT'S SUMMERI o w a U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C a m p s , P r e v i e w

MONDAY Gather the Materials:

Get Creative!

Join us at 2:00 today for a meet and greet

with our barn staff & horses!

15-20 Small objects that youdon't mind placing on theground outside.Clear, safe outdoor space that isrelatively flat - at least 20' x 20'Blind folds for everyone playingSpread the items on the groundthroughout the area you havechosen.

Don't Squash the BugGather the Materials:

Everyone should lineup on one sideof the yard. One person will be theleader, the rest will be blindfolded.The leader will guide the rest of thepeople across the yard using onlytheir voice. For safety, the leadershould only lead one person at atime. 

Let's Play!

How did we demonstrate trustduring this activity?What does trust mean to you?Who are safe people in our livesthat we can trust?What makes a persontrustworthy?Check out Jeremiah 17:7-8

Talk About It

Don't forget! Thursday nightsnack tradition at WW is

watermelon!

If you don't havefelt, constructionpaper works well!

https://youtu.be/swTmu3el3_Y

SMORE OUTDOOR TIME

Twigs

Seeds

Rocks

Grass

Leaves

Petals

Pine Needles

IT'S SUMMERI o w a U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C a m p s , P r e v i e w

Mandalas have calming patterns, and often incorporateaspects of nature. Today we're going to spend sometime outside gathering small natural items to create ourown natural mandalas. How big you'd like your mandalato be, will impact how much you gather of each item.Once you've found your items, begin creating yourmandalas! Don't be afraid to take them apart to createnew from the old, just as Christ does with our lives.When was the last time you had a "God moment" in yourlife, where God turned something painful into somethingjoyful?

SNACK TIME

Mandala Trail Mix1/2 Cup Raisins 1/2 Cup Mixed Nuts1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips1 1/2 Cup Pretzel Sticks1 Cup Mini MarshmallowsWhatever else you'd like!

A mandala is a geometric configuration of repeatingsymbols and shapes. In spiritual traditions, mandalasmay be used for focusing attention and as a spiritualguidance tool. Mandala's have a rich and beautifulhistory - we often see them in stained glass cathedralwindows, Celtic crosses, rosaries, and churcharchitecture! Maybe you even have one in your home!

Nature Mandalas

Material Suggestions

Be sure to take a pictureof your finished mandalaand tag us on insta and

fb @iowaumcamps Don't forget towash your hands!

Arrange all ingredientson a cookie sheet orother clean surface - ina mandala of course!Enjoy!!

YOUR WEEKLY ROAD MAP

Technology: While we are unable to meettogether in person, we want to do the next bestthing and meet face to face over our videocapable devices. For each activity that involves avirtual component, you will receive an email 15minutes before the scheduled start time with alink to the face to face meeting. During thesemeetings you can expect two UM Camp Staff tomeet with campers to facilitate that days activity.Remember to check the email address that youused to register! If you don't see the email,please check your spam inbox. If you still don'tsee it - give us a call at --- Youth campers areencouraged to join for morning and afternoontimes, evening meetings are designed for thewhole family!

IT'S SUMMERI o w a U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C a m p s , W e e k 1

Be RespectfulBe EncouragingUse Appropriate Language

Ground Rules for Zoom:

Our goal is to create an environment whereall campers feel safe, heard, and encouraged!We need everyone's cooperation to reachthat goal!

Hey everyone! Thanks for joining us this week for this week atBackyard Camp! We are so excited that you are here! This pagehas some helpful reminders for you and your family to keep in

mind as we go through the week together.

MWF 2:00 - 3:00pm: Join in at 2:00 til 2:45 forfacilitated activity time.2:45-3:00 will be setaside for guided camperchat! 

Face to Face: Face toface activities will beeveryday at9:30am, MW&F at2:30pm, and T&TH at7:00pm. If you areunable to make thesetimes, don't worry! You have all the tools to be successful athome.

Everyday 9:30-10:00am:Devotional! Log in to joinstaff and campers in a 30minute morning devo andcamper chat time to startyour day off the right way.

Have questions? Let us help! Registration? Call Shannon:800.765.1651 Equestrian? Call Laura:920.765.0304 Programs and Activities? Call Phil: 515.494.7715 or Gracie: 641.226.1155

T&TH 7:00-7:30pm:Tuesdays andThursdays join ourstaff team as wefacilitate a family 

LONGING TO PRAY: LORD'S PRAYER

Opening Prayer:

Opening Activity: "Lord's Prayer Chain"(Supplies: Paper, Marker, Glue, Scissors) Cut your piece of paper into a number of strips.Write a small phrase of the Lord's Prayer oneach strip. Some example phrases can be"Our Father" (1), "Who art in Heaven" (2), "Hollowedbe thy Name" (3), etc. Take the first strip, which shouldsay, "Our Father" and glue the ends together to make aloop. Insert the second strip of paper into the loop andglue its ends together. Continue until your paper chain isfinished.

Transition Question: What is the best way to pray?

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

Discussion Questions:1. Why do you think it is important to start our prayerwith praise?

2. Jesus teaches us to address God as 'Father'. Why isthat important?

3. When you pray, what type of relationship do youbelieve you have with God?

4. What part of the Lord's Prayer plays a role in your life?

5. Is it difficult for you to pray? Why or why not?

Prayer Journal: (Pen/Pencil, Notebook or Sheet of Paper)

1. What is your earliest memory of the Lord's Prayer?

2. What part of the Lord's Prayer speaks most powerfullyto you?

3. How often do you estimate that you think of God?What keeps you from thinking about Him? How can youovercome these obstacles?

4. Do you feel closer to God when you pray? Why do youthink true or not true?

MORNING DEVOTION:

Read: Matthew 6:5-8

Discussion Questions:- Do you have a favorite place to pray?- Have you prayed out-loud in front of people?- If Jesus said to pray by ourselves, does thatmean we don't have to pray in a group?

- If God knows what we need before weask, then why ask?

Summary: In prayer, we are to pour out ourhearts to God, (Phil. 4:6-7) not to simply recitememorized words. God is far more interested inour hearts than our vocabulary. Coming to Godin private prayer leads us into a closer andintimate relationship with Him.

Challenge: Find a Quiet Place to Pray

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNSvcdSsMlQ&t=175s

FAMILY PRAYER PROMPT:

FAMILY ACTION STEP:

Pray together as a family, or with a parent,following the P.R.A.Y. method.

P= Praise R = Repent A = Ask Y = Yield to God (For God's Way To Be Done)

OTHER BIBLE VERSES ON PRAYER:

ITS SUMMERI o w a U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C a m p s , P r e v i e w

MONDAY

Prayers for:Guidance: Psalm 25Forgiveness: Psalm 51Thanksgiving: Psalm 100Help in Trouble: Psalm 46

Jesus, thank you for providing an example of whatour prayers should sound like. Help us tounderstand the importance ofprayer and...

COLOR IN THE PRAYER:

THE LORD'S PRAYER:

DRAW THE SCENE:

How many different words can you form from thephrase: "Lord's Prayer"? Write your answers on the

blanks below.

_________________ _________________ _______________

_________________ _________________ _______________

_________________ _________________ _______________

_________________ _________________ _______________

_________________ _________________ _______________

_________________ _________________ _______________

_________________ _________________ _______________

DRAW THE SCENE:

ITS SUMMERI o w a U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C a m p s , P r e v i e w

ACTIVITY PAGE

In the space provided, draw Jesus teaching his discipleshow to pray. (Examples: Jesus could be teaching them on ahill above a lake, beside a tree, in a house, etc.)

Lord's Prayer References Found in the Bible:Matthew 6:9-13

Luke 11:2-4