July 14, 1999
CBF children, youth learn lessons
about nurturing their communities
___By Jeff Huett
___Associated Baptist Press
___BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP)--Following the theme their parents were addressing in sessions at the annual Cooperative Baptist Fellowship meeting, the children and youth attending the General Assembly learned lessons in "nurturing community," too.
___From bed babies to 12th graders, organizers at the Fellowship planned activities toshow the children and youth that nurturing community was not just for the grown-ups.
___Youth from seventh to 12th grades participated in a Passport camp, which emphasized "doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly." In addition to games and other usual camp activities, the camp also incorporated the youth into worship by having them read Scripture and lead the group prayer.
___Before retreating to their rooms of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center, the youth took the offering in a session of the General Assembly.
___The highlight of the camp for Craig Naylor, camp director and youth-and-college minister at First Baptist Church in Alachua, Fla., was the trip to Kelly Ingram Park. The park is a monument to the civil-rights movement.
___"We did a silent prayer walk around the park for the youth to pray ... themselves," Naylor said. "To me, looking at the injustice of the 1960s drove home the theme of the week."
___Participation in seven mission projects also helped teach the campers about community.
___"Taking the offering, seeing the missionaries in the General Assembly session and taking part in the projects gives the kids a chance to see the people and know they themselves can be used," Naylor said. "You can tell the youth have a passion for caring and doing missions."
___The theme for the kindergarten-through-fifth-grade day camp was building community through diversity, and based on the cultural makeup of the group, one could not have chosen a better theme. With at least four countries represented--the United States, France, Germany and Belgium--the Bible stories and games focused on what it means to be a family of faith.
___With 50 children divided by grade level, they visited the McWane Center, a hands-on children's museum with an I-Max theater. The children also sorted food donated by those attending the General Assembly for the Sayre community of west Jefferson County, Ala.
___The theme for the children's camp for ages 1 to 5, was "I can help." Through Bible stories and stations that promoted creativity, children were able to do things for themselves. From blocks, to a coloring station and parachute games outside, children were doing constructive activities while their parents were in the General Assembly sessions.
___"These are conference rooms that we've made child friendly," said Brooke Howard, the pre-school day camp organizer. "This isn't an ideal nursery, but the kids and the parents seemed to be pleased with it."
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