Adventures: Summit Toah Nipi NH

Ginger and five RIC students attended "Summit" InterVarsity's summer retreat in New Hampshire. Below, Michael, Karlie, Charity, Lindsey, Jeremy and Ginger.

Summit week had a mix of silly activities in with the serious- the Great Race included carrying a cup of water through an obstacle course, building a house of cards-

and catching a frog.

The students woke up early each day for prayer meetings. We prayed psalms, personal prayers, prayers for our campuses, and prayers for the world.

Afternoon free time on the lake- Karlie tried out a kayak. 

Every morning, we studied Genesis chapters 1 through 11. In the afternoons, speakers asked, "Is the Bible reliable? What is God's plan for human sexuality? Can I trust God? What is God's plan for ethnicity?"

After studying the story of the flood, the question of trusting God was meditated on in an open space activity. Students read posters that categorized the early Genesis chapters into a pattern of God building trust (creating people for a purpose, with security, intimacy, and significance), Trust broken (People acting with suspicion, disobedience, shame and fear), and God rebuilding trust (God providing, remembering them, and blessing people.) Want to see more? [link lost]

The students reflected on places in their lives when they have trusted or lost trust with God. How is God inviting you to trust Him again?

RIC students made their own skits to advertize a book related to the day's topic. After studying the Tower of Babel and Abram's calling, we "plugged" a book called "Living in Color" with a video skit. The skit was meant to question the value of being "color-blind" and appreaciate all the different ethnicities and cultures that developed from God encouraging people to scatter across the earth.

During nightly "Campus Time" the RIC student leaders made some goals and plans for the next school year. They also developed a new vision statement based on 1 John 4:18a- "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear." The vision is:

Imperfect people sharing the perfect love of Christ

The emphasis on being imperfect was a felt need on the Rhode Island College campus, because of negative stereotypes about Christians acting superior. But we also wanted to redefine what perfect love really is, rather than tossing around the word love so casually nobody knows what it means anymore. We'll be learning more about it as we strive to live it.

More photos on facebook.