Dear friends of Pyoca,
The fall retreat/conference season is in full swing at Pyoca Camp, Conference, and Retreat Center. Last weekend we hosted our first-ever Pyoca High School Conference with keynote speaker and former Moderator of the PC(USA) General Assembly, Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, and singer/songwriter, Rev. Jorge Sayago-Gonzalez, leading music and worship. 60 high school students and 20 youth leaders and staff from Indiana and Kentucky joined us for 3 days of inspiring worship and challenging keynotes on issues of race, gender, and justice. After the keynotes and worship, attendees broke out into small groups to explore the issues more in depth and deepen their faith through conversation and discussion. The weekend was also highlighted by Pyoca’s ‘patented’ adventure block with activities including high ropes, climbing tower, boating, and the very successful Mud Run! During the Mud Run, high schoolers ran a mile-long obstacle course around the lake, complete with mudpits, flooded areas, uphill climbs, and straw bale obstacles. The weekend was capped off by a moving communion service, and then worship on top of Pinnacle Peak (better known as Mt. Baldy).
Camp Pyoca’s tentative 2016 summer camp schedule is up on our website, and registration goes live on November 1st! This year, we have simplified our summer programs with camp names that correspond to age groups:
Explore for grades 2-4,
Discover for grades 4-6,
Challenge for grades 7-9, and
Transform for grades 10-12+.
Also, new for this year, we are offering the Pyoca Work Camp called Transform–Serve, where campers can serve through mission work at Pyoca and in the local community. We are also continuing our growing Dad’s Camp program which gives fathers one-on-one time with a son or daughter and follows an enriching curriculum that deepens relationships with God and each other.
Another change for Summer Camp 2016 is our pricing system, which gives families three choices to support Pyoca’s excellent summer camp programs. Scholarships are available as well. Below is a description and rationale of tiered pricing.
As part of the Pyoca Family, I am deeply grateful for your enduring commitment to support Pyoca’s life-changing ministry. Thanks for everything you do.
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Jake Hofmeister
Tiered Pricing Description:
We know that every family has different abilities and resources to pay for camp, which is why, this year, Camp Pyoca is offering a voluntary three-tiered pricing program. In the past, Pyoca has offered a single subsidized rate which is lower than the true cost of camp, made possible by generous presbytery support, gifts from churches, and individual donations. The three-tiered pricing model gives families the option to more fully support the total cost of Pyoca’s excellent summer camp.
- Tier 1 is Camp Pyoca’s historically published rate and does not reflect the full cost associated with providing quality summer programs. Presbytery mission support and donations supplement thisprice to support the full cost of Pyoca’s summer camp programs.
- Tier 2 is a midpoint between the historically published rate and the full cost of summer camp, giving you an opportunity to choose to pay a “little more” to support Pyoca’s ongoing ministry.
- Tier 3 most closely reflects what it costs to run Camp Pyoca including facility maintenance, staffing, utilities, and equipment. Choosing this tier helps Pyoca’s summer camp remain sustainable for years to come.
Prices and a more detailed description will be available when registration goes live on Nov. 1.