Finding Their Purpose: Senior Retreat 2022
On the first Friday of the school year, the Class of 2023 packed their bags, boarded the bus, and embarked on their Senior Class Retreat, located at the beautiful Camp Kinard on the outskirts of Columbia, South Carolina.
Throughout the weekend, the seniors had the opportunity to grow in community with their classmates, in their relationships with Christ, and in their personal character as they learned more about leadership, which served as the central theme of the retreat. Students engaged in worship together and in spiritual workshops, where they learned how to identify and overcome challenges in their lives, and where they were guided in finding their Ephesians 2:10 purpose in their lives.
“It was a great learning experience, and an awesome opportunity for the class to grow together as we built trust among one another,” Senior Jordan Benfield explained. “We shared vulnerably about our faith and the giants we face. Being able to worship together as a class was eye-opening. It was really encouraging to see everyone singing genuinely and desiring to pursue the Lord authentically.”
While worship and workshops anchored the weekend, the students also had time to explore the trails that encompassed the lake, swim in the pool, canoe, compete in games including spikeball, beach volleyball, and board ball, and make S’mores around the bonfire on Saturday night.
“I believe part of developing leadership in students is developing a strong sense of unified community,” said chaperone and PCA science teacher Erin Grimsley. “Learning how we can work together to use the gifts God gave us to love one another and advance the Kingdom is what I saw happening this weekend.”
Guest speaker, Jimmy Kaiser, encouraged students to pinpoint their passions, and then have their peers identify, name, and affirm each other’s spiritual gifts. Afterwards the seniors collaborated as a group to reflect on not only what the world needs, but what PCA needs.
“The senior retreat was about leadership,” said Mr. Wulff. “and the importance of the Senior Class being Godly examples for the rest of the student body and what that looks like.”
Through workshops, shared testimony about PCA’s impact on their lives, and through reflecting qualities of good leaders, these students were able to begin discovering God’s call on their lives as they grow and lead with Christ-like character this year at PCA.
