Looking Back on this Summer’s Youth Trips

The 2025 summer trips are complete and all participants are home with stories to last a lifetime.

The Amnicon crew paddled for four days on the Flambeau and spent their final night next to a warm fire under the stars on the south shore of Lake Superior. Each experienced stunning sunsets and magical moon-rises. Guided by four remarkable young adults, the campers received their Chi-Rhos in a beautiful ceremony that included warm words of affirmation and encouraging words of true grit for the trip and amazing grace for the community. While a Tuesday night storm slowed them down for a day, the kids had a great time connecting and getting to know one another.

The Christikon group spent a week at 8,600 feet above sea level in the Absaroka National Forest. Anchored in worship, music, and community, the kids from Central met and connected with kids from churches across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. We drove up the crazy Boulder River Road. We learned new songs and experienced a beautiful liturgy written for Holden Village. The kids learned the Virginia Reel and they sang and danced to the Jewish folk song Hava Nagila with 60 of their friends and leaders in a 70-year-old lodge on the side of a mountain where thousands of kids have danced before.

It was a whirlwind of travel and experiential learning at its best. Heartfelt thanks to Jack Friesen and Sara Masters for their time and commitment to Central’s kids. Many thanks to you, dear members and friends. These trips would not be possible without you. And finally, thanks be to God for the gift of life, community, and love that never ends. We are blessed.

Pastor Stephanie Friesen