10 Jun Top 5 ways to utilise camping in Ministry
Top 5 Effective Ways to utilise Camping in your Ministry
Have you ever imagined how you can use camping effectively in your church ministry? Need some ideas and inspiration on how your ministry can do things differently? What are the top 5 ways churches can use camps as part of their ministry to the communities they serve? We thought we would use QCCC Brookfield as a case study for some of the common ways churches utilise the Brookfield site in their ministries. QCCC Brookfield is located approximately 25mins from the Brisbane CBD and therefore serves many churches who are seeking a camp location that is close to the CBD, but still feels like an escape from the business of the city and suburbs.
Here are 5 effective ways churches have used QCCC Brookfield for their camping programs:
- Family or Youth Camps that provide opportunities to share the Gospel – QCCC Brookfield recently hosted a Church family Camp over the Easter weekend. What was unique to this camp was the opportunity on the Sunday for congregants to invite people and families from outside their church to come along to a special Easter Service to; hear the Gospel message, share a lunchtime meal together, and spend some time enjoying some fun resort-style outdoor activities (e.g., swimming, beach volleyball, tennis) as well as an Easter Egg hunt for the kids. Guest Speakers are also common to camp programs, providing both churchgoers and guests with fresh spiritual insight.
- Alpha Course Retreat – many churches across Queensland are now running Alpha courses regularly. Opportunities may arise for church groups to run weekend retreats where the Alpha Course can be run as an intensive and incorporate both indoor and outdoor leisure activities for participants to develop and build relationships. QCCC has a space where relaxed interaction can occur, and all meals are included.
- Church Staff & Volunteer Training – many churches run annual staff and volunteer training days where ministry workers update their skills and knowledge in the areas where they are serving. QCCC Brookfield offers a selection of spaces that can be set up as both formal and informal learning spaces with options for onsite audio-visual equipment for those illustrious PowerPoint presentations. This learning aspect, mixed in with indoor and outdoor games/activities, provides the opportunity to build teamwork and relationships. All this opportunity comes with high-quality meals and snacks served up to campers. Such training retreats could be a one-day event or an all-weekend stay.
- Music Team Retreats – Have you ever considered gathering your music team and getting away to immerse yourselves in song and word, to build team morale, learn some new songs, or even write a new song. Music teams who spend this kind of retreat time together come away spiritually re-fuelled and return to their congregations with more to give and pour out to others with their music. While your music team is immersing themselves in all things music, QCCC staff will make sure they are well fed and looked after.
- Multicultural Church Camps for new refugee families – does your church serve in a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) context? QCCC Brookfield has seen many CALD churches utilise camping each year to invite refugee families who are new to Australia and their local area. The ever-growing desire to build stronger relationships and flourishing inclusive communities is enhanced by the relationships formed from such camps. Some CALD churches set aside funds to assist new families attending as this is a new opportunity for families to get to know other families in the community around fun activities, sharing meals together, and spending time in the word and worship together.
We love to hear stories of how churches and ministry groups are utilising camping for ministry and the Kingdom of God. We would love to hear how your church uses camps or retreats to carry out the work of the Great Commission. Camping is a legitimate tool and opportunity for ministries to create space for people to do business with God. QCCC Brookfield offers hassle-free catered options that allow your camp to focus on enjoying the camp program. With 5 star Eat Safe rated catering (as rated by the Brisbane City Council’s Eat Safe program), friendly staff, multiple meeting room and breakout room size options, beach volleyball and tennis courts, a beautiful swimming pool, and plenty of grassed areas for touch footy or backyard cricket, QCCC Brookfield is one of the best choices to host your ministry camp or retreat. Talk to us today about our packages.