ILLINOIS—Ten teens, their parents and a few extra chaperones from the Chicago, Illinois and Horicon, Wisconsin, congregations of the Philadelphia Church of God met at the property of members Bill and Beryl Wallace on May 14 for a spring teen campout.

Participants set up tents and talked over venison chili and campfire s’mores on Saturday night. The weather was chilly but slightly warmer than forecasted, and the cooler temperatures kept mosquitos and gnats at bay.

Sunday morning began with a brunch and a campfire teen Bible study. Preaching Elder Eric Anderson admonished the teens to continue pushing themselves to grow mentally, emotionally and spiritually over the summer. He stated that learning shouldn’t stop during the summer break from school and encouraged all the teens to set summer goals.

Mr. Anderson then engaged all the teens in a robust group “medicine ball toss” to get everyone warmed up for the afternoon activities. He prefaced the activity by reading an excerpt from the Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong that relates Mr. Armstrong’s experience in joining with famous author Elbert Hubbard for a medicine ball “lollapalooza.”

Next, Jasper Stiger and Reagan Anderson clinched the record for a timed canoe race, paddling in at three minutes and eight seconds. The adult team, consisting of Mr. Anderson and member Donald Hoehn, missed the record by one second. After soccer and volleyball, the teens and adults took a break for lunch.

“I think the teen study gave us all good guidelines for the summer,” Chicago teen Erica Anderson said. “The canoe relays made us feel like we were at pyc [Philadelphia Youth Camp]. That and the volleyball games really emphasized unity.”

“It was enjoyable to watch everyone working and playing together,” deacon Jim Privratsky, Sr. said, “a picture of the World Tomorrow.”