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Urban Camping Escape Attracts 830 to Twin Cities
BURNSVILLE, MN (September 17, 2004) - More than 800 students and leaders from
the Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church attended the
17th annual Most Unbelievable Ultimate Urban Camping Escape (MUUUCE),
which was hosted by Faith Covenant Church last month.
Representatives from 50 congregations (830 sixth through ninth graders
and adults combined) traveled distances of up to 500 miles to take part
in MUUUCE from August 19-21, according to junior high/middle school
pastor Rob Jacobson of Faith Covenant. With such a unique and energetic
group, a variety of props and gimmicks - leeches and whipped cream pies
included - were part of the programming.
"The purpose of MUUUCE is to provide an unforgettable, spiritual,
energized weekend
(in a place) where young teens want to be and where their leader(s) are
able to build relationships with them through lasting memories, which by
God's grace, lead to a relationship with Jesus and a relationship within
their church," Jacobson said.
"We fulfilled that objective by traveling to a water park, spending a
day at an amusement park, going to a baseball game, having chapel and
especially CHAOS (Crazy Humans Attempting Outrageous Stuff)," Jacobson
continued. "Kris Causton from the Covenant Speaker Team (a youth
ministry resource provided with the support of the Department of
Christian Formation) spoke on our theme 'Don't be an Island!' She
discussed how the Christian life is more about a journey together than a
solo experience. MUUUCE was successful not because it was a huge event,
but because good relationships were built, between young teens and their
leaders, and they were challenged to follow God."
Northwest Conference Director of Mission Development Jon Kramka was a
first-time guest at the event. He praised the host church for its
hospitality, as well as that of a Baptist congregation nearby, and said
that the overall results make this event well worth the effort.
"The teaching and the worship was fantastic – not only the energy but
the content," said Kramka. "More so for our out-of-metro churches, this
provides a great opportunity to take advantage of the things in the
metro area. And it's an example of one of our bigger
churches (Faith Covenant) taking a mission mentality to help the greater
good of the conference. That's a great model for our churches."
MUUUCE has ministered to more than 8,000 teens during its existence,
said Jacobson. For more information, call Jacobson at 952-890-3110 or
the Northwest Conference office at 612-721-4893.
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