Our time at conference does NOT leave one bored, in fact an afternoon nap is a (sometimes necessary) treat! You’ll often find groups gathered outside in the shade, lounging and visiting, or others working feverishly on a puzzle down in the church basement!
The sandbox, which was recently designed by Lowell Cronbaugh and built by Kenny Cronin and Lowell, is also a popular spot for the kids. And if you don’t choose to take a cat nap in the afternoon, you can join the group to go swimming! This is a great way to clean up the kids!
MYSTERY BOX
The goal of our Mystery Box is to get an item you've not seen until that moment and create a SHORT impromptu comment/speech tying that object to Biblical truths!
Cortnie Inman - Inspirational Saying
Roger Marquardt - Gloves
Gavin Cronin - Autumn Leaves
Tascha Hauber - Cowbell
Haubers - Jingle Bells
Kenny Cronin - Hose Adapter
PUPPET SHOWS
Puppet shows are a STAPLE at our church gatherings. They are enjoyed by children of all ages! They are a great way to incorporate humor while teaching lessons. Nancy Rankin has been collecting puppets for decades and has over a hundred puppets - one for nearly every character you can dream of! One of our favorites is the sassy pig, Smellvin, who was dreamt up by the talented Kenny Cronin! We always love the new songs Smellvin performs!
The King is Coming
Crowing about the Son
The Case of the Dusty Bible
Feet Shod with the Gospel of Peace
CAMPFIRE GAMES
Our “campfire” actually USED to be a live campfire outdoors… but years ago, we moved this inside, so we could do more activities (with LIGHT!), not battle the Iowa mosquitoes and let’s be honest… Iowa summers are HOT and HUMID! We do enjoy air conditioning!
During our campfire activities, we have group games & activities, watch movie clips, sing choruses, parse Biblical passages, participate in relays & icebreakers, and whatever else may be imagined by those leading the activity for the evening! There is a healthy balance of silly vs serious! There are often cookies and remnants of other desserts and snacks before AND after campfire - because we just GET HUNGRY from all of these activities!
Group competition to see who could prepare Nancy Rankin, Sarah Cronin, or Terry Macy with the best Armor - using crepe paper! Very creative!
Remember to put on the full Armor of God!
Watching campfire activities unfold…
Playing the infamous game “Hug the Potholder”!
DEVOTIONS & MISC
Our days are filled with activities that feed our Spiritual appetite. Some of these include a morning group devotion prior to breakfast, readings, a group evening prayer circle directly following dinner, and other organic interactions which we all enjoy immensely!
DEVOTION - The Kingdom
PRAYER CIRCLE
This activity was a form of intentional prayer in which we expressed gratitude and prayed “as if” the prayer had already happened. We pray in alignment with God’s plan and THANK Him for this end result! PRAY LIKE IT ALREADY HAPPENED!
Session by Chondra Rankin and Daniel Hauber
MASTERMIND MORNING!
NARRATED POEM
Why is it important to GATHER to worship God? Obviously, we currently do not, and that is for our safety during this pandemic. And that's okay. But we do not want to put that aside long term. We are commanded to gather and it raises us up, and in turn raises us to HIM, exponentially. When we gather, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts!