First Pres River Forest
Summer
Bible
Camps
July 22-26, 2024
THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL, FAITH-FILLED WEEK!
We look forward to seeing everyone next summer!
Faith & Adventure Await
Get ready for the most impactful week of your summer!
First Pres campers jump high, dance silly, adventure big, and learn all about Jesus. From awesome indoor and outdoor activities to creating real relationships, you’ll find that First Pres Summer Bible Camps are no ordinary camps!
EXPLORE OUR CAMPS
Camp Highlights
- Hands-on learning and activities
- Develop relationships with God and others
- Bible exploration and memory verses
- Singing and worship
- Themed days for the younger campers
- Mission work and skits for the older campers
- Camp t-shirt!
Summer Bible Camps
K-4th grades
ABOUT SUMMER BIBLE CAMPS
WHERE Fun Meets faith
Get ready for a week packed with exciting things to do! Campers entering Kindergarten through 4th grades will make new friends, enjoy a variety of activities, and have fun with the central focus of building their relationship with God. Together they will learn about and experience God’s love and truth through Scripture, music, hands-on experiments, games, and more.
Camp Theme & Design
Our theme for Summer Bible Camp is SCUBA: Diving into Friendship with God.
Each day is filled with awesome Bible-learning experiences kids see, hear, touch, and taste to help their faith flow into real life!
Summer Bible Camp campers are grouped with peers in their same grade as they enjoy great camp songs, snacks, wacky days, and games as they learn about Jesus.
Since the youngest of our campers—children entering kindergarten and 1st grades—learn differently than the older children, we have created Summer Bible Camp JUNIOR. The JUNIOR campers will be with the children in 2nd–4th grades for part of the day, and they will be with just their peers for part of the day.
All campers will enjoy building friendships and working with the same teen and adult leaders each day to foster their sense of belonging and encourage their unique personalities and abilities.
Daily Schedule
8:45-8:55 am: DROP OFF on west lawn. All campers must be signed in daily.
9:00-9:25 am: Opening Assembly
9:30-11:55 am: Campers rotate through Bible exploration, sticky faith, imagination station, music, recreation, and snacks
12:00-12:10 pm: Closing Assembly
12:15 pm: Dismissal on west lawn. All campers must be signed out daily.
Daily Bible Verses
Each day at First Pres Summer Bible Camp, kids will explore, experience, and learn a new Bible point, key verse, and experience the Bible come to life. Click HERE to view or download a daily lesson schedule, or hover over each day to see what is in store!
God is a friend who loves.
(John 13:34)
God is a friend we can trust.
(John 14:27)
God is a friend forever.
(John 11:25)
God is a friend for everyone.
(John 3:16)
Mission Project
This year, we are partnering with Operation Kid-to-Kid and World Vision to provide clean drinking water to families in Honduras. Every $5 will provide clean drinking water for one person for one year.
Our Goal: Our goal is to provide clean drinking water to 100 people. That means raising $500!
The Need: In North America, most of us take it for granted that we can turn on a tap and get a healthy drink of water. We have access to filtered water and bottled water when clean drinking water isn’t available. Usually, after a restroom break or before eating, there’s a sink nearby where we can wash up. But that’s not the case for many families in Honduras. You may not realize that:
- About one in nine people in Honduras don’t have access to clean water resources. Most of these people live in rural areas.
- Lack of access to clean water means women and girls spend valuable time walking long distances to wells. That’s time they could be spending in school or providing for their families in other ways.
- Too often, rural families are forced to get their drinking water from local rivers—the same rivers where people (and animals) bathe. Drinking water from rivers leads to disease and malnutrition.
But we can change that!
A $5 donation can provide clean water for one person for more than a year! Plus, initiatives in rural Honduras promote and provide support for handwashing and sanitation! Wow! That means no more long walks to the well or being forced to drink harmful water! That small donation means your kids will make a huge impact!
With Operation Kid-to-Kid we have the opportunity to bless countless families in Honduras, helping them have access to one of life’s most basic resources!
Crazy Day Schedule
MONDAY: Come as you are; wear your camp shirt!
TUESDAY: Backwards Shirt
WEDNESDAY: Crazy Hair
THURSDAY: Crazy Socks
FRIDAY: Scuba!
Snack Schedule
All snacks are store-bought. Gluten-free options available each day.
For other allergy concerts, contact Camp Director, Maggie Downs.
MONDAY: Oreos
TUESDAY: Pirate’s Booty
WEDNESDAY: Goldfish Crackers
THURSDAY: Assorted Frito-Lay Chips
FRIDAY: Rice Krispie Treats
BREAKTHROUGH Summer Bible Camp
5-7th grades
LOVING GOD AND SERVING OTHERS
One week each summer, our BREAKTHROUGH campers in 5th-7th grades will unplug and play. Our older campers are ready to make their faith their own. So, in addition to learning who God is and how much he loves them, they will be introduced to how we can share God’s love with others in tangible ways.
Camp Theme & Design
Our theme for BREAKTHROUGH Summer Bible Camp is Seaside: Following Jesus Around The Sea of Galilee.
BREAKTHROUGH Summer Bible Camp is for the older kids who are now ready to make their faith their own. Our activities will focus on relationship building, Bible engagement, and service.
Campers are divided into small groups for the week and will spend time developing Bible reading skills and discussing Bible stories, praying together, playing games, and enjoying snacks. After lunch (brought from home), all campers will conclude each day Monday through Thursday participating in a variety of mission projects. Camp will wrap up on Friday afternoon with a time of fun and celebration including a pizza party, talent show, and water wars.
Daily Schedule
8:45–8:55 am: DROP OFF on east lawn
9:00–9:30 am: Opening Assembly
9:30–11:30 am: Campers rotate through Bible exploration, small group discussion, talent show prep, and large group games.
11:30 am–12:00 pm: Lunch
12:00–12:15 pm: Afternoon Assembly
12:15–2:00 pm: Monday-Thursday: Mission Projects, wrap up, and closing prayer
Friday: Pizza party, talent show, water wars
2:00 pm: Dismissal
Bible Lessons
Monday: Calling of Disciples, John 1:35-57
Tuesday: Feeding of 5,000, John 6:6-13
Wednesday: Jesus Walking on Water, John 6:19-21, Mt. 14:22-33
Thursday: Jesus Arrest, Peter’s Denials, Crucifixion, John 13:31-31; 18; 19
Friday: Breakfast on the Beach, John 20:1-10; 21:1-19
Click image to download lesson schedule
Service Projects
Monday: Part 1: Food Drive benefiting Beyond Hunger, and blanket & card making for cancer patients benefiting Phil’s Friends.
Tuesday: Thatcher Woods clean up
Wednesday: Car Wash benefiting Operation Christmas Child, and Walk-a-Thon to benefit World Relief Chicagoland for Welcome to America packs
Thursday: Part 2: Food Drive benefiting Beyond Hunger, and blanket & card making for cancer patients benefiting Phil’s Friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Registration
Registration opens February 13 at 9:00 am. At this time, you may register your campers online using any of the REGISTER NOW buttons, or by clicking here.
Please notify the church office at 708-366-5822 or office@firstpresrf.org.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Registrations canceled before May 1, will receive a full-refund. Cancellations between May 2 and June 15 receive a 50% refund, and no refunds will be given after June 15.
CAMP HOURS & PICK-UP/DROP-OFF INFORMATION
Summer Bible Camp JR. & ADVENTURE for children entering Kindergarten through 4th grade begins promptly at 9:00 am each day. Please drop off your camper on the west lawn between 8:45-8:55 am. Children must be signed in and out each day by a parent or an adult the parent gives permission to. Find the sign that matches your child’s t-shirt color and look for the workers (wearing a green staff shirt) assigned to their group to sign-in/sign-out your child.
BREAKTHROUGH Summer Bible Camp for students entering 5th through 7th grades begins at 9:00 am each day on the east lawn. Monday, all students must be signed in by a parent. After Monday, children may be dropped off/picked up by a parent, or ride their bike/walk on their own if their parent has signed the bike/walk permission slip.
Summer Bible Camp Jr. & Adventure ends at 12:15 pm each day. You will be asked to sign your child out. Please plan to pick up your child promptly on the west lawn.
Breakthrough Summer Bible Camp ends at 2:00 pm daily. Campers should be picked up on the east side of the parking lot. If you approve your student to ride a bike/walk, they may leave at 2:00 pm.
YES! Parents and campers are invited to a Closing Program with desserts on Friday, July 26 at 7:00 pm! Campers will perform songs they learned during the week, including a short slide show from the week!
Any adult that has been previously designated by the parent or guardian may pick up or drop off your child. You may designate another adult on your registration form or by emailing office@firstpresrf.org.
REQUIRED FORMS
Summer Bible Camp JR. & ADVENTURE: Each child needs to have a completed medical information form to attend camp.
BREAKTHROUGH Summer Bible Camp: Each child needs to have a completed medical information form and an optional biking form if campers are biking to/from BREAKTHROUGH camp. You may also download the walk-a-thon pledge form.
Yes. You may send a PDF, PNG, or JPG of your completed signed form(s) to office@firstpresrf.org anytime.
PREPARING FOR CAMP
Please send your camper to camp each day in their camp shirt, shorts, socks, and gym shoes.
JR. & ADVENTURE campers receive a backpack on Monday that they need to bring each day. Please do not send your child with a water bottle.
BREAKTHROUGH campers should bring a bagged lunch marked with their first and last name to camp Monday-Thursday. The lunch needs to be able to remain unrefrigerated each day. On Tuesday, campers should also bring bug spray, hat, sunscreen and a water bottle. On Friday, campers should bring swim suits, a towel, sunscreen, and shoes that can get wet.
All campers will be offered a pre-packaged snack and water during the morning. Check the website the week before and during camp for a list of what snack will be served each day.
health and safety
If your camper gets sick we will contact you to pick up your camper. In the rare event of a serious injury, you will be notified immediately and, if you are unavailable, we will contact those on your emergency contact list.
We have trained medical personnel on-site.
Please call 708-366-5822 or email the church office at office@firstpresrf.org as soon as possible.
If your child requires medication, please give it to your child’s leader in a sealed, Ziploc bag with the child’s name, grade, instructions and parent’s phone number. Group leaders will be responsible for holding onto medications.
FOOD & ALLERGY POLICY
Safety is top priority at First Pres. Our camps are committed to being allergy-safe. While our church camps are not allergen-free, we strive to make our camp environments as safe as possible for children with food allergies using a customized approach and working closely with each family to develop an action plan for the child. Only store-bought, pre-packaged items will be offered.
FEE ASSISTANCE
Fee assistance is available. Please email the office at office@firstpresrf.org to request fee assistance. Be sure to register your child before emailing the office to hold your spot.
CAMP FEES & CANCELLATION POLICY
CAMP FEE: Fee for our week-long Summer Bible Camp is $99 per camper.
Fee assistance is available; please email the church office at office@firstpresrf.org.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Registrations cancelled before May 1, will receive a full-refund. Cancellations between May 2 and June 15 receive a 50% refund, and no refunds will be given after June 15.
ABOUT FIRST PRES RIVER FOREST
First Pres is a community dedicated to growing as apprentices of Jesus Christ to reflect God’s love. Each year, we offer Summer Bible Camps to all children.
We are honored to have your children join us for a week of faith-filled fun!
The mission of First Pres Kids is to teach all children how to love God and others, and to follow God’s Son, Jesus.
contact US!
EMAIL
Email the church office 24/7 at office@firstpresrf.org
PHONE
Call us Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm at (708) 366-5822.
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