Sacred Rhythms
“The heavens declare the glory of God” · Psalm 19:1
Finding a Godly pace in a hurried world. One weekend to slow down, look up, and reconnect as a family.
Rest. Reconnect. Refocus.
Our families are busier than they have ever been. Practices, screens, deadlines, and drive-throughs set the tempo of our weeks. Family Camp is a holy interruption: two nights in God's creation where the schedule serves your family instead of running it.
Unhurried time outdoors. No rushing, no screens required, room to breathe.
Play, eat, laugh, and worship side by side with your kids and your church family.
Practical teaching on building rhythms of faith that survive the drive home.
This is a screen-free weekend, the way we have always done it. Each family keeps one phone for emergencies and the rest stay put away. It is the single thing families thank us for most.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.”
Psalm 19:1–2God has given us His Word and His Spirit to guide us as we disciple our families. We can learn to follow His leading and help our children grow in their own relationship with Him.
In a busy world, it’s easy to look to the church, schools, programs, and other trusted people to help shape our children’s faith. And those influences can be wonderful gifts. But God has given parents a unique and beautiful role in the spiritual formation of their children. No program or class can replace what happens when faith becomes part of everyday life at home—when children see their parents walking with God, hear His Word, experience His love, and learn what it means to follow Jesus together.
The good news is that we don’t have to figure this out on our own. God has given us His Word and His Spirit to guide us. Family discipleship isn’t about being perfect parents; it’s about inviting God into the ordinary moments of family life and trusting Him to work through us.
That is what this entire weekend is about. Every lesson, every devotional kit, every Scripture before a meal is designed to help parents confidently reclaim the discipleship God entrusted to them.
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6–7Three days, one pace: God's.
Plan on the whole weekend, Friday evening through Sunday lunch. If camping is not your thing, drive in or stay nearby, but come for all three days if you possibly can.
Pre-Camp Zoom Online
- Thu 7:30-8:30 pmZoom session one: teaching, prayer, and the practical details for the weekend.
- Sat 8:00 - 8:30 amZoom session two: the same content, in case Thursday will not work. Come to whichever one fits./
Arrive & Unplug
- 4:00 pmCheck-in opens & Family Photos (families are on their own for dinner)
- 6:00 pmMake your flag for Glow in the Dark Capture the Flag
- 7:30 pmWorship Night
- 8:00 pmWelcome + Verse + Snack
- 8:30 pmGlow Capture the Flag (Dads/Kids) · Mom's Discussion
- Camp-ground Gate Hours:The campground gate closes to incoming vehicles at 10:00 PM and reopens at 6:00 AM. You may leave the campground after 10:00 PM, but you will not be able to drive back in until 6:00 AM, so please plan accordingly.
The Full Day
- 8:30 amVerse + breakfast
- 9:00 amWelcome + Morning family devo: parents lead, devotional kit provided
- 10:00 amFamily Creation Scavenger Hunt
- 11:00 amTribal Relay Races
- 12:30 pmVerse + Lunch
- 1:15 pmFrame painting & family photos
- 2:00 pmFamily Free Time (canoeing, swimming, games, rest & relaxation)
- 5:30 pmVerse + dinner
- 6:15 pmBible Charades
- 7:00 pmEvening worship
- 7:30 pmThe Heavens Declare: family stargazing devo, kit provided
- 8:30 PMS'mores + Tribe Games (Moms & Kids) · Dad's Discussion
Continue the Pace
- 7:30 amSunrise worship (coffee + muffins served)
- 8:30 amVerse + breakfast
- 9:00 amMorning family devo: parents lead, kit provided
- 10:00 amCommunion
- 11:00 amTribal Skit + Group Photo
- 12:30 pmVerse + lunch + Tribe Prizes
- 3:00 pmCheck-Out
Four tribes. One epic weekend.
At check-in, every family is drafted into a tribe: a cluster of 8 to 12 families gathered under one of four creation focuses. Kids, parents, and grandparents compete on the same roster all weekend, age-balanced on purpose, and everything from the games to the verses you memorize banks points for your tribe.
Skies
"The heavens declare the glory of God."
Woods
"Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy."
Rivers
"Let the rivers clap their hands."
Stars
"He determines the number of the stars."
How your tribe scores
- Family Challenge Hour and Glow Wars victories
- Memory verses recited, any age, any time, plus the before-meal verse said loud and proud
- Completed family devos and memory-verse recitations
- Spirit points, awarded loudly and a little arbitrarily
It all comes down to Sunday morning, when the winning tribe hoists the Cedar Cup at closing. Bragging rights last exactly one year.
Hide It in Your Heart
The camp memory challenge: Psalm 19:1–4. Kids take on verse one, adults take the whole passage.
Recite it to any leader before Sunday breakfast to earn your camp patch and bank serious points for your tribe. Every reciter gets celebrated at the closing showcase.
You are the teacher. We hand you everything.
This camp has one conviction at its core: God gave your children to you, not to a program. So there are no kids' classes and no session lineup. Families lead their own devotionals all weekend with kits we prepare, and the whole camp only gathers for meals, evening worship, and one lesson.
The Pre-Camp Zoom
The only teaching of the whole retreat happens before the weekend, on Zoom, and you pick the session that fits: Thursday, Sept 24 at 7:30 pm or Saturday, Sept 26 at 9:00 am. Same content both times. We pray together, walk the practical details, and talk through leading your own family. Then camp gets out of the way so you can do it.
Two Sessions · Sept 24 or 26Family Devo Kits
Every devo comes as a complete kit: the scripture, the big point, discussion questions and illustrations graded from preschool to adult children, a hands-on activity or craft, and memory verse practice. Ten minutes of parent prep, zero seminary required.
See a Sample DevoWorship & Tribe Skits
Evenings we gather to sing together. Friday night closes with blessing letters read by firelight, Saturday night your tribe performs its skit, and Sunday morning brings the tribal skits and the whole-camp photo.
Every EveningVerses Before Meals
Nobody eats until the camp says the verse together. The day's memory scripture opens every single meal, and by Sunday lunch your four-year-old will be correcting your citation. Daily verses build through Psalm 19 across the weekend.
Every MealCamp the weekend or come for the day.
There is a lane for every family, from full-weekend campers to Saturday day-trippers. Pricing for each option is on the registration page.
Tent & RV Camping
The full experience. Pitch your tent with your church family and fall asleep to crickets instead of notifications. Site are already reserved.
Day Trippers
Not camping? Stay at a hotel nearby or drive in from home. The goal is that your family is here for the whole weekend rather than just Saturday, so come for as much of it as you can.
Hickory Creek Park, on Lake Lewisville.
A lakeside park about 40 minutes north of Dallas, run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Big sky, open water, and room for the whole church to spread out.
Getting there
1201 Point Vista Road
Hickory Creek, TX 75065
- Check-in opens Friday at 4:00 pm. Families are on their own for dinner that night.
- Managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lewisville Lake office: (469) 645-9100.
What to expect
Lakeside campsites with restrooms and showers on site, a boat ramp, and plenty of open ground for the Tribal Games. This is a camping weekend: bring your own tent, camper, or RV.
- Electricity is available at the campsites.
- Air mattresses are welcome. You will have power to inflate one.
Fees and site details are being confirmed with the park and will be posted here as they are locked in.
The packing list.
Bring your own shelter and the basics below. Everything else, the weekend provides.
The essentials
- Your own tent, or whatever your family sleeps in (RV or camper)
- Sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows
- An air mattress if you like; electricity will be available. Bring a long extension cord, the outlet is up by the parking pad.
- Bibles, one per reader
- Camp chairs for the whole crew
- Flashlights or headlamps, one per kid, trust us. Add a lantern for your campsite: the only lights out there are by the bathhouse and the parking lot.
- Bug spray and sunscreen
- Drinking water for your family, since the only water on site is hose water. Every campsite driveway has its own spout, so bring a garden hose if you want one at your site.
- Layers for cool evenings and closed-toe shoes
- Rain jackets, just in case
- Toiletries and towels
- Water shoes for the lake. The shore is rough and sandy, not a beach.
Camp comforts
- A blanket for stargazing night
- Marshmallow roasting sticks. The park is under a fire ban, so leave the firewood at home. S’mores happen over propane.
- A football, frisbee, or your family's favorite yard game
- Snacks and a cooler
- Phone chargers (or leave them home and live the theme)
- String lights to make your campsite feel like yours
- A folding table or two for your campsite
- Swimsuits. There is a swimming area, plus canoes and fishing during free time.
- A sprinkler or water toys for the little ones. There is an open field next to the campsites with a water spout.
- Sporting equipment, like a soccer ball or pickleball paddles, for free time.
- Propane Fire Pit: We are currently under a fire ban, so we will be using propane fire pits. If you have a propane fire pit that you can bring, we would greatly appreciate it!
A printable packing list comes with your registration confirmation. Forgot something? Somebody in your tribe packed three of it.
What the sky usually does in early October.
Warm days, mild evenings, and skies made for stargazing. Here is the typical picture; this section flips to a live weekend forecast automatically about two weeks before camp.
Typical early October for the region (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals). A live Friday-to-Sunday forecast takes over here once camp is inside the forecast window.
Questions families actually ask.
Who is Family Camp for?
Do we have to stay overnight?
What about our little ones and nap time?
Will our kids be supervised? Are there kids' classes?
I have never led a family devotional. Will I look lost?
What is the pre-camp Zoom?
How does the scripture memorization work?
What should we bring?
How much does it cost?
“Night after night they make Him known.”
Psalm 19:2Give your family one slow weekend.
Registration is open. Save your family's spot and we will see you under this sky in October.
Register Your Family