Stories

Flashback Friday: CentriKid History

October 16, 2015 By jeremyechols

Here is a fun look at CentriKid Camps history. I realized that while the logos and the themes have changed, there have always been summer staff committed to sharing the Gospel with kids.

When CentriKid began, there was an huge need to connect the name of the camp to Centrifuge Camps, which was the camp we got our name from. In the original logo there was even a dash and a bunch of colors to demonstrate the kid-friendliness of this new camp. (By the way, we now format our name as “CentriKid.” NOT “Centri-Kid” or “Centrikid.”)

This is the inaugural team that piloted CentriKid at Linden Valley in 2000. I only know a few of people in this picture. I remember that my friend Tim directed this first pilot week of CentriKid, but these guys are not celebrities, in fact CentriKid culture has never been one that is a “green room” culture, nor have we tried to create celebrities.

We’ve had some pretty awesome people through the years, but basically our staff are a bunch of ordinary college kids and young professionals who choose to give their summer to serve in kingdom work and promoting the Gospel.

This picture is the very first stack of OMC cards that weren’t printed on computer paper and hand-cut during the summer at camp. OMC began as a grab bag adventure… And has evolved and improved every year to become the phenomenally fun game that you know at camp now!

CentriKid has used a lot of themes through the years, we’ve played a lot of games through the years, and we’ve offered a lot of track times through the years. All of these are tools to help make the message of Christ clear in the lives of kids.

How many themes did you attend as a camper, staffer, or church leader?

Campers Say the Funniest Things

April 23, 2014 By centrikid2018

Arguably one of the best aspects of being around kids is hearing the hilarious things they say. It is always interesting to think about what is going on in their minds. Hands down they are the best comedians, so we asked some of our staff to send us stories from their summers working with CentriKid.

My first week as Sam Magellan (the stage character in 2013), my character was crying on stage because he was sad that he had to leave the kids. When I said, “I won’t have any more friends or any more fun,” a little 3rd grade girl in the front rows yelled, “You are never alone, God is always with you!”
– Isaac Kierstead

Last summer I taught the tennis track. One day it was particularly warm, and since it already gets very hot on the courts anyway, I was giving the kids a good water break and rest. As we were walking to the water coolers, one boy came up to me and complained about how much his feet hurt. I tried to distract him from the pain by motivating him to keep going and talking about the fun things we were about to do after the break. As I’m doing this, he looked up and me with the most serious eyes and whispered to me, “No, my toes literally tried to kill me last night,” and then proceeded to walk away and get water, leaving me in utter disbelief of what just happened.
– Vincent Thomas

Camper: Hey, I’ve really been thinking about this whole heaven thing. Can I ask you a question?
Me: Of course you can!!! Go for it! (I was anxiously excited to discuss eternity with a child.)
Camper: Heaven sounds amazing and all, but will there be Mt. Dew in heaven?? I’ve learned that heaven is a perfect place, so there has to be Mt. Dew in heaven, right?!
Me: …
– DeLanna Johnson

During a week in Texas, I had a very small class of kids in my third grade Bible study (4 or 5 kids at most). I had this tiny precious girl that absolutely loved to do cheers, especially when walking to recreation. As our small cohort walked, she would lead our group in the “tiny might mellow yellow” cheer. With such great enthusiasm, none of the rest of her fellow campers were joining in. Despite such, she would so lovingly encourage everyone and yell at the end of the cheer, “THAT’S THE SPIRIT!” and then continue in the cheer once again to no avail.
– Carson Albritton

Last summer, my assistant director, Hannah, and I were talking to a kid on the yellow team who was in the Milky Way Bible study. We asked her which Bible study she was in, and she said, “I’m on the Milkshakes.”
– Micheal Walley

One summer, I had a staffer whose mother would send mail to our team on a weekly basis. The staffer’s mom worked at a day camp, and one week she asked the kids at her camp to draw pictures and write notes for my team. She explained to the kids that CentriKid staffers leave their homes and travel around the country in order to tell others about Jesus. “They don’t get to see their families for the whole summer,” she explained, and she asked the kids to write encouraging notes to cheer us up (in case we were feeling sad or homesick).

When the pictures and notes came, we all enjoyed reading the comments and looking at the adorable pictures. They truly were encouraging…well, most of them. The note that my Assistant Director got was a simple picture of a large frown face and a note that read, “SoRrY yOur paRenTS don’T loVe you.” This poor little child clearly didn’t understand the reason we were away from home for so long…
– Henry Dutton

Share with us more of your funny stories by commenting, tweeting, or posting on Facebook. We love a good story about funny things kids say.

Ministry Through Relationships: Part 2

January 24, 2014 By centrikid

This is a guest post by Bryan Mauldin. Bryan has been serving as a CentriKid staffer since 2010, and he excels at building relationships with kids and adults that attend our camps.

“See you next year maybe, heaven definitely,” this is one of my favorite quotes from camp. My friend Henry Dutton used to say this on the last day of camp as we were saying goodbye. It’s so true that the chances of us seeing kids and adults after camp are slim at best; however, in some cases, the “maybe” does happen.

I have one church that I have kept in contact with over the years. The church is First Baptist Church of Marion, Arkansas. God has truly had his hand of guidance over our lives and has kept us in each others’ paths. FBC Marion has attended CentriKid for several years now. They previously attended camp at Millsaps College, but one summer they decided to change locations and go to camp at Shocco Springs. This just so happened to be my first year working for CentriKid, and I was randomly assigned as their church group host. I got to hang out with them all week. The next year they decide to change locations again and attended camp at Southwest Baptist University. My team happened to be at that location, so I requested to be there church group host again.

Last summer was my third year working, and I was assigned to work all summer at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. I knew at this point that our paths would not cross again. Then, a staffer on a different team was injured, and the team needed someone else to help out with recreation for their biggest week of the summer. I agreed to go serve with them at Ouachita Baptist University. At that point I didn’t even think about the fact that Ouachita might be the location that FBC Marion would attend. Needless to say I was ecstatic when I saw their bus pull up on campus.

This church group has encouraged me in so many ways over the years. We have become really close even though we live so far apart. Because of our continued relationship, the children’s minister from the church contact me and asked me to speak at their children’s revival later in the Spring. It’s amazing how God has allowed us to grow together and maintain a relationship over the years. I love this church so much, and look forward to continuing to grow with them in the future.

At CentriKid, one of our promises is ministry through relationships. We would love to have the opportunity to minister to you and build a relationship with the kids and adults from your church.

Graffiti 2 Ministries Says Thanks for Your Support

December 23, 2013 By centrikid

Every summer summer at CentriKid Camps we collect a missions offering. Half of the money supports global missions projects with the International Mission Board, and half helps support local projects with the North American Mission Board. In 2013, our local missions project was Graffiti 2 Ministries in New York.

Graffiti 2 Community Ministries seeks to Revitalize, Revive, and Revolutionize the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx and society by enabling individuals to develop physically, mentally (revitalization), emotionally, spiritually, and socially (revival) so that they may become servant-leaders within their families, community, and society (revolution). Originally the plantation home of Gouverneur Morris (penman of the preamble to the Constitution), Mott Haven has become notorious for the difficult urban situations which are faced daily by its residents.

Statistics identify a high density of children who

Fail to meet education standards
Live in single-parent households
Lack adequate nutrition and healthcare
Reside in a neighborhood riddled with crime.

The money that you gave in 2013 is making a difference. Be sure to check out this video from Graffiti 2 as they say thanks for all your support.

It’s not too late to contribute to the projects that our missions offering helped support. Check out One Child Project (IMB) and Graffiti 2 Ministries (NAMB) for more information.

Your Gifts Make a Difference – The IMB Says “Thanks”

December 6, 2013 By centrikid

Earlier this year we released some exciting information about the missions offering that we collected at camp last summer. The missions offering helped support projects locally with NAMB and globally with IMB. We want you to know that your gifts truly make a difference in the Kingdom of God. Because of your faithfulness to support missions, literally millions have heard the message of Jesus Christ.

The Christmas season is a time for giving. It’s not too late to contribute to the projects that our missions offering helped support. Check out One Child Project (IMB) and Graffiti2 Ministries (NAMB) for more information.

We are excited to see how God continues to use the gifts that you have so faithfully given, and we are excited about what the future holds as we continue to support local and global missions at CentriKid.

Be sure to check out this message from Dr. Tom Elliff, the President of the International Mission Board, as he expresses his gratitude for your generosity.