By Sarah Lapp
Blacknall middle schoolers at the 2023 The Great Escape
At 4:30 on a Wednesday morning, 30 middle schoolers and nine leaders gathered outside Blacknall to load a coach bus; by 5:15, we were Florida-bound for The Great Escape. Twelve hours later, we arrived at Southwind Camp energized by the excitement of being with over a hundred other middle schoolers at a summer playground paradise. Our days were filled with pool parties, volleyball, paddle boarding, jumping into the lake, the Screamer swing, disc golf, and making friendship bracelets. Each night we returned to our mercifully air-conditioned dorms and crashed into our bunk beds, looking forward to waking to another fun-packed day.
You might be asking, “What makes The Great Escape so great?” Why travel to Florida when we have 98-degree temperatures and water slides here in North Carolina? Among many, one reason stands out to me: The Great Escape is a space created with middle schoolers in mind where the students (and those of us who prepare with and pray for them) expect they will encounter the living God. Whether it was through worshiping in song, hearing Scripture and the stories shared in the teachings, forming new and nurturing existing friendships, sharing in small groups, encouraging one another during competitive games, or pausing for quiet reflection and prayer, our Blacknall middle schoolers recognized God’s presence in new ways.
In our final evening discussion, we reflected on how God met us in particular moments throughout the week. Many students shared that they felt God’s presence during the worship times. Others saw God’s love made tangible in the care they received from their friends. We acknowledged as a group that the beautiful environment, change of pace, and sheer delight of play created an important space to know God more deeply and listen for God’s voice. This ultimately led to a fruitful conversation about what it means to go back to “normal life” and to continue to seek God’s face in our daily places and routines.
Our speaker for the week focused on Ephesians 2, reminding us that we are each God’s “masterpieces,” perfectly created by God in love. As a first-time leader, I came away grateful for the gift of getting to know each of these wonderfully thoughtful, creative, and kind students – God’s created masterpieces – who are an important part of our congregation. If you want to hear more about The Great Escape, ask a middle schooler. Each one has stories to share. (Thanks to Emelia Smith and Hannah Coonley for contributing to these reflections!)
Sarah Lapp is a Seminary Intern at Blacknall.