Activities
During your stay with us, there are many activities you may choose to participate in. All MLR-facilitated activities require advance notice and are subject to availability.
Self-led Recreation
Self-led Recreation
Activities available to you at any time!
- Basketball courts in all three areas of camp
- Volleyball court in the Main Camp Area
- Hiking trails (Area 3/Ridge Inn trails, Main Camp trails)
- Fire circles (MLR staff available to start fires upon request)
Facilitated Activities
Mar-Lu-Ridge staff provide group preparation, safety equipment, facilitation, and debriefing. Please call for availability.
Team-building & Challenge Course
($55/90 minutes): Various team-building games and activities to reach a common goal. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses as individuals and as a group. Ideal group size is 10-15 people. (All ages)
Archery
($5/person): Spend some time taking a few shots on our archery range with a personal instructor. (11+ years old)
The following high ropes activities are available for $15/person for one activity, $20/person for two activities, or $25/person for three activities. Please note that due to insurance reasons all high ropes/rock climbing activities are for folks ages 11+:
- Zip Line: Climb to the top of our 30-foot zip tower, and enjoy the ride down
- Nessie: A member of your group walks across three dangling planks of wood, while teammates assist by grounding the boards
- Flying Squirrel: Soar into the sky like a flying squirrel, while your teammates hoist you into the air
- Rock Climbing: Hike to and climb our natural mountainside rock wall
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- Challenge Courses
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- Nessie
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- Zip Line
Service-Learning
This experience can be provided as a small part of a larger retreat that groups lead themselves, or it can be a stand-alone retreat. This type of retreat is great for groups of all shapes and sizes:
- Church youth groups
- Campus ministry programs
- School leadership & service programs
- Boards of Directors & Councils
- Anyone eager to learn about justice & solidarity
We can tailor your retreat experience to your group’s interests and needs, focusing on issues such as poverty & homelessness, immigration, and Creation Care.
Check out our Service-Learning Retreat flyer. If interested, fill out our Retreat Request Form, or call the office to schedule today! 1.800.238.9974
Faith Development
We are happy to provide these resources that have been developed internally by Mar-Lu-Ridge staff over the years. They include some of our favorite activities to use with young people during the summer. These materials are made available to retreat group leaders as a way to augment your programming.
Please be mindful that these are copyrighted materials are the property of Mar-Lu-Ridge, and do not copy nor distribute them elsewhere.
Please call the office with any questions or concerns (1.800.238.9974) Thank you, and enjoy!
Resource: General Worship Service
General Worship
*Please note that this is a general format and may be adapted to your specific situation and needs. All numbers listed after hymns are from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (cranberry hymnal, published by Augsburg Fortress in 2006)
ORDER OF WORSHIP
GATHERING
Leader addresses the congregation: Let us prepare our hearts and minds for worship
(Brief silence)
L: O God, you have brought us together in this space. We come with open hearts and open minds, ready to receive your word, your healing, and your peace. We welcome your Spirit here, in this space – may you move in us, around us, and through us. In your holy name we pray. Amen.
Gathering Song: Come Thou Fount (807)
WORD
Reading: Matthew 5:3-16 (Salt & Light)
Message Discussion/Activity:
In this passage we hear that we are the salt of the earth. How many of you like salt?
Salt provides flavor to our food, and it can enhance other flavors in food. It can be used as a preservative, an exfoliant for our skin, or to melt ice in the winter months. With all this in mind, take a few minutes to talk with the folks around you: Jesus says “You are the salt of the earth.” How do you see yourself as salt? What do you bring to this community of faith, and to the wider world?
(Allow discussion)
Jesus also talks about light. We live in a part of the world that is filled with light constantly. We have natural sources of light, of course: the sun, the moon, stars, fire; we also have electric light – lamps in our homes, flashlights, blue light from technology like computers and phones, even interior lamps and headlights in our cars. Light makes it possible for us to be out and about even at the darkest hours of the night. Light can bring comfort in the form of a campfire or soft candlelight. It can banish fear, illuminating the dark unknown. With all this in mind, take a few minutes to talk again with those around you: How do you see yourself as light to the world?
(Allow discussion)
Let us pray: God, we thank you for bringing us here today. We thank you for gifting us with the blessings of living in community. We thank you for the individual gifts that you have blessed each of us with – the gifts which allow us to be a community which is rich with flavor. Help us, Lord, to be unafraid – to let our lights shine always, and to encourage each other to shine bright wherever there is darkness. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Hymn of the Day:
Christ Be Our Light (715)/This Little Light of Mine (677)/Light of the World/another song around this theme
Prayers of the People
L: We now enter into a time of prayer. Each petition will end with “Hear us, O God,” to which the congregation may respond “Your mercy is great.”
Let us pray…
Creator God, we thank you for the beautiful gift that is your creation. Help us to see you in the natural world around us, and to care for your creation as you so call us to do. Hear us, O God…
All-powerful God, we pray for peace and justice. Be with victims of violence and abuse. Provide the healing and peace that only you can provide. Hear us, O God…
Healing God, we pray for all who are sick in body, mind, and spirit (especially…). Be with loved ones and medical professionals as they provide comfort and care. Hear us, O God…
(Other petitions may be added as appropriate)
Ever-present God, we are grateful for the gift of this community and the opportunity to gather together in this space. Send us on our way rejoicing, filled with your peace and love. Hear us, O God…
God, we lift our prayers to you in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Passing of the Peace
L: The peace of Christ be with you all!
C: And also with you!
L: Let us share a sign of peace with one another…
MEAL
(Use guidance from a rostered minister in serving communion, or you may omit the meal portion of worship…alternatively, you could actually share a full meal together here, if appropriate for your group)
SENDING
L: Oh God, you have called us, your servants, to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
L: Almighty God, Creator, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen.
Sending Song:
Canticle of the Turning (723)/We Are Called (720)
L: Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord!
C: Thanks be to God! And we will!
Resource: Devotions for Small Groups
DEVOTIONS FOR SMALL GROUPS
*There are several activities and reflections that work well for devotions. This should be intentional time together – reflecting on the day, finding peace in the evening, and preparing to rest for the night. Candles, campfires, music, silence, group discussion may all be appropriate.
DEVOTIONS
Opening prayer:
Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world – the light no darkness can overcome. Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening and the day is almost over. Let your light scatter the darkness and shine within your people here.
A song may be sung (such as Sanctuary)
Invite participants to close their eyes as a leader reflects on the day:
– Recap key themes/activities/events from the day
– If there were important focus questions for the day, review those
If desired, invite participants to share in any number of ways:
– Rose (their highlight of the day), bud (something they’re looking forward to), thorn (their low point of the day)
– Highs/lows
– Where they saw God today
– Physical/mental/spiritual check-in
Go over any announcements/logistics for the evening and following morning, as appropriate.
Benediction:
May God, Creator, bless us and keep us; may Christ be ever light for our lives; may the Spirit of Truth be our guide and path for all our days. Amen.
Close in prayer, if desired, otherwise depart in peace.