BREAKOUT! Summer Camp 2014
Pastor's Message
Fr. Hector Firoglanis
"Live free...Live as servants of God" (1 Peter 2:16).
The Summer Camp theme title for 2014 is "Breakout!" – highlighting the theological themes of slavery and freedom woven into this year's camp curriculum. The narrative of the Old Testament Exodus story will provide the theological context for our lessons and discussions on slavery and freedom
Created in God's image, the gift of freedom was to be used to help us grow towards God's likeness. We were free to resist temptation and grow in holiness towards Theosis and immortality. However, the misuse of freedom – choosing to disobey God's commandment and subsequently choosing not to repent – leads to the Fall of humankind and our slavery to sin, death, and the devil.
An image of this universal and tragic condition of fallen human nature is played out in the Book of Exodus. Created with freedom for Paradise, the children of God now find themselves slaves in Egypt. Like the Israelites, all human beings become enslaved to the passions through the misuse of freedom. The consequence of this slavery is misery, alienation, corruption, and death. Just as the Hebrews struggled along with the Prophet Moses to free themselves from the bondage of Egypt, we are called to breakout from the bondage of sin through repentance, spiritual warfare, and spiritual discipline.
No one can break out on their own strength. The power of God is needed to assist us in our struggle. Just as the Israelites celebrate their liberation from the bondage of Egypt through the remembrance of the Passover, we too celebrate our liberation from the bondage of sin, death, and the devil through the Pascha (Resurrection) of Christ. Our new life in Christ is a life of freedom and grace... a journey to the Promised Land of God's Eternal Kingdom.
If you have not done so already, please sign up your child for Church Camp at Camp Nazareth this Sum- mer. You may do so by registering online. JOY Session 1: Sunday, June 15th - Saturday, June 21st (grades 2-6 this past school year) GOYA Session 4: Sunday, July 6th - Saturday, July 12th (grades 7-12 this past school year) Sign up ASAP as spaces fill up quickly — both at camp and on the bus!
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation towards our camp scholarship fund. Checks may be made out to Annunciation Church Summer Camp and sent to church office.