Middle School Retreat

Tentative Schedule

Friday

7:00 PM                    Arrive/Settle In/Register
8:00 PM                    Opening Devotion & Meal Prayer (Fireside)
8:15 PM                     Pizza (Dining Hall)
Games (Activity Room)
9:15 PM                     Session 1 (Fireside)
10:00 PM                 Activities
11:00 PM                  Evening Devotion (Fireside Room)
Free Time
Lights Out

Saturday

8:00 AM                    Breakfast and Table Talk (Dining Room)
8:45 AM                    Morning Devotion (Fireside)
9:00 AM                    Session 2 (Fireside)
9:45 AM                    Outdoor Activity
10:45 AM                  Session 3 (Fireside)
11:30 AM                  Free Time
12:00 PM                  Lunch and Cleanup (Dining Room)
1:00 PM                    SNOWLYMPICS
3:00PM                    Review Session and Closing Devotion
3:30 PM                    Depart

The Middle School Retreat is for youth in grades 5-8. Youth must be a part of a group with a chaperone.

The 2026 IDE Middle School Retreat and Snowlympics are scheduled for January 30-31 with Pastor Thomas Van Hemert of St. John Lutheran Church, Marengo presenting on All About Worship: Why Do We Do What We Do?

There is a lot that happens during the Sunday morning Divine Service. There are the duties of the Pastor and duties of the Laity. The truth is, we need God’s gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. God gives us these gifts in the Divine Service. In response to all these heavenly blessings, we give thanks and praise to God in the Divine Service. Even in understanding this, there are tons of questions that come about with regards to the Divine Service. Why does my Pastor dress up in robes? From where do the words which we use in the Divine Service come? What’s with all the candles or making the sign of the cross or bowing? These, and many more questions about worship will be the topic of the January 30-31 at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca for the 2026 IDE Middle School Retreat: All About Worship: Why Do We Do What We Do?