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Anderson Maples: MapleLeaf Newsletter

Big Bang Games for "Far Out 2010" - January 21, 2010

GALAXY QUEST:
Campers are formed into four teams (galaxies)
The soccer field will be used as a diamond, with four galaxy bases (G Base)
G Base 1: Lodge Soccer Goal
G Base 2: Center Half, Hill
G Base 3: Todd’s Outdoor Furnace Soccer Goal
G Base 4: Center Half, Road
The team will name their particular galaxy before the game begins
The galaxies members move to the opposing galaxies in succession
They are knocked out when hit a Meteorite or tagged by a Borg.
Staff with a doge ball may run, but Borg may not run (walk, skip, hop)
When play begins, G1 moves to G2, G2 moves to G3; and so on.
The Staff represent a meteorite shower that teams must pass through
Each Staff member should begin phase with at least one dodge ball in hand
Campers that are knocked out will be assimilated as Borg in the next phase,
Only staff are allowed to throw dodge balls at campers.
Any camper who catches a thrown meteorite gets a free walk to next G Base
Phase 1 ends when galaxy members reach a particular G Base or assimilated
The dodge balls are returned to the staff before the next phase begins.
Phase 2 begins; staff use dodge balls, assimilated campers will chase and tag.
The game contains through 4 phases.
The winner of the game is the galaxy that returns to the home base with the most member team members.

REVERSE GALAXY QUEST:
Staff become the galaxies and the campers are the meteorites/Borg
Staff will be divided in no more than 4 groups and no less than two.
Campers are allowed to throw dodge balls at the staff
The rules of are the same in regards to running, walking and throwing
Game ends after 4 phases are complete or all the staff have been assimilated.

ULTIMATE STAR SHIP: (a twist on Ultimate Frisbee)
Campers are formed into four teams (galaxies)
The soccer field will be used as a diamond, with four galaxy or G Bases
G Base 1: Lodge Soccer Goal
G Base 2: Center Half, Hill
G Base 3: Todd’s Outdoor Furnace Soccer Goal
G Base 4: Center Half, Road
Each team with have one star ship (Frisbee)(more can be added)
Ultimate Frisbee rules apply as to how to maneuver the star ship from one G Base to another.
Star ships are thrown by one member to another team member as they try to advance their Star ship to the next G Base.
Star ships cannot be advanced by running, only by throwing to another person on your particular team
If the Star ship touches the ground, it must be returned to the starting point of that phase and team begins again.
The Staff are the enemy space ships that attempt to intercept team Star ships
If a team has their Star ship intercepted by an enemy space ship, that team is eliminated from that particular phase.
A mission is successful when the team space ship goes from one G Base to the next without being dropped or intercepted
If staff member picks up a dropped space ship, it is not an interception, but is returned to the G Base it came from.
The Phase is complete when all teams reach their next G Base
Teams that arrive safely without having their space ship intercepted receive one point.
There are four phases to the game
To make the game more competitive, a few campers may be asked to join the staff as enemy space ships.

The GUARDIANS: (need 3 large cones and all of the rings from the gym)

Campers are formed into four teams
The soccer field will be used as a diamond, with four Galaxy Bases (G Base)
G Base 1: Lodge Soccer Goal
G Base 2: Center Half, Hill
G Base 3: Todd’s Outdoor Furnace Soccer Goal
G Base 4: Center Half, Road
3 large cones are place near the center of the soccer fields
Each cone needs to have 5 rings place around the cone (any size will work)
The purpose of this game is for team members leave their G Base and try to steal one cone from the cones
The Guardians are the staff who chase and tag team members
A tagged team member is frozen and must sit down and stay down.
The only way for a team member to become unfrozen is to be tagged by a member of his own team.
Once freed, the team member can return to the G Base they came from or try to capture a ring for their team.
There are no free walk backs in this game and no limited to how many times a team member can be tagged in one particular phase of the game.
If a Guardian tags a team member who has a ring, they are frozen and must give the ring back to the Guardian, who returns it back to the cones.
Phase 1 is complete when all the rings have been taken to the G Bases or every team member is frozen.
Each ring retrieved counts as 1 point.
At the end of each phase, the teams will rotate to a new G Base.
There are 4 phases to this game.
The Team that retrieved the most rings at the end of Phase 4 in the winner.

MaplesLeaf Newsletter Winter 2010 - January 7, 2010

Dear Friends in Christ,

I hope everyone is looking forward to the wonders and mysteries that each new year brings. It was a wonderful year at New Life Bible camp, filled with retreats, summer campers, and special events. Thanks for all of your support and prayers for me and for the ministries of New Life Bible Camp.

We have not had any snow yet but it has been cold, even extremely cold at times. We did have a white Christmas in southwestern PA.

The camp has been doing well financially, even with the sagging economy. Almost every weekend was booked during the retreat season of 2009 and there is only one opening this spring (May 21-23). It will be quiet around the camp this December as we will only have 2 groups using the facility, which will give the full time staff more time to enjoy the season with family and friends. Feel free to give me a call at 814-842-3325 or write me at maples@newlifebiblecamp.com if you know of a church group who may be interested in booking a retreat in 2010. A complete list of open weekends and hosted events for 2010 can be found at our website www.newlifebiblecamp.com
I have had a wonderful time meeting with one of our summer staff counselors each Tuesday or Wednesday evening for accountability, food, & fellowship. It started as a group of four but two had to drop out due to job conflicts and driving distance. So Robert Snow and I have been meeting weekly in order to encourage each other in our faith. Robert will be heading up the Adventure Camp program for us next summer and I am looking forward to working with him again at camp.

The Senior Citizens of our local churches came out to New Life on November 11th, to have lunch and enjoy a Gospel Music concert by local favorite, Tom Smith. Tom tried to get me to sing with him but I out-foxed him this year. He did a great job for us and we appreciate his ministry to the seniors who attend this annual event at the Lodge.

I have had a lot of good feedback concerning the CD project I completed last year called “The Long Journey Home.” I still have a few copies left but should sell out soon. I have a couple things in mind for a new project, but have not begun working on it in earnest. I hope to put more time into it this spring after I have a lot of the summer camp issues, such as curriculum, dramas, and staff openings taken care of.

We are planning on holding another Small Group Retreat (an invitation only retreat that gives small area youth groups the opportunity to attend a teen retreat). This year, we will hold this event March 12-14 and the theme will be “The Mystery of God.” I will share the worship leading, speaking and teaching times with Mark Dillow and Chris Sirbaugh. This will be the 5th time we have held this event and it sells out every year.

We will have the College and Career group of Faith Community Church with us to ring in the New Year. We always have such a good time with these folks and they allow me to play with their praise band, which is a great way for me to start the New Year.

I am in the midst of completing a 6 year term as an officer of the CCCA Allegheny Cabinet. We are called the CCCA Allegheny Section. We are meeting for three days at Doubling Gap Lodge FEB 21-24, 2010. My favorite part of this gathering is the worship times. Camp people really know how to sing. Our speaker is Tom Harmon and our theme is “Seeing Him Who Is Invisible.” This is always a great time of fun. education and fellowship.

In April, I will travel to Nashville to take part in a one day seminar on Christian Songwriting at Grace Chapel, hosted by Song Discovery. I hope to hook up with my good friend Carl Cartee while I am there.

The 2010 summer staff has some openings that will need to be filled by the end of March. That is a big pray item for me. Our theme is “Far Out: Exploring the Wonders of God. Using outer space as a back drop, we will spend our Cabin Bible Studies to help the campers learn the truth about who God is and how He can impact there lives.

Thanks for your prayers & support.
- Andy Maples

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