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If you popped in to the Free Church Offices on the Mound in November of any other year, you’d probably find the Camps Coordinator sitting at the computer looking over designs and blurbs and final drafts from the designer of the FCYC brochure for the following year. If you dropped by at the start of December, you’d be handed an envelope and asked to pack some brochures ready for posting! But this year, in true 2020 style, things are a little different…

We’ve made the decision not to print any brochures this year. Instead, we’re working behind the scenes to get the website ready for a slightly later launch than usual. In the meantime, we’re keeping the coronavirus situation and its impact on camps under review. Our plan is to work with the other boards in the church, taking the best available advice, and to come to a decision by the end of January on whether we think camps will be able to go ahead in summer 2021.

If camps are going ahead, bookings will open at the end of January, when we’ll also launch the website update with all the information you need to know about FCYC 2021! The Allocation Day will take place at the end of February. It’ll be an exciting year, with two new camps on offer as well as plenty of the classics!

Please pray for wisdom and discernment for those who are making difficult decisions in the midst of so much uncertainty, and give thanks that in all of this, God has a plan.

You can keep up to date here on our website, as well as via our social media channels (@fcyouthcamps).

By Susan Maclean

The Big Free Rally is one of the biggest Free Church youth events in the year, where around 300 young people gather in Smithton church, Inverness, to meet their friends from camp, make new friends, play games, eat food, sing praise to God and hear the Good News of Jesus Christ in a way that is relevant to them.

This year, the audience of the Big Free Rally got even wider!  A series of short video clips were released every half hour on Saturday 26^th September from 11am to 4pm, and these videos are still available for viewing.

The first video was an introduction and welcome to the Big Free Rally Online (myself with Cameron and Jacob MacRae) and then, throughout the day, the following videos were released: camps over the past 60 years (Martin Maclean), one of the favourite songs from the youth camps, “Love the Lord your God” (Ishbel, Katrin and Elspeth Murray), photos from camps, and an update on camps 2021 (Kirsten Macdonald).  There were videos with answers to the Big Questions: “Does God exist?” (Lachie Macdonald, with video editing by Dan Paterson),  “Why do bad things happen to good people?” (Jo Hulks), and “What should our response be to the Black Lives Matter movement?” (Abe & Kirsten Abioye).  The main talk videos were on “Keeping on as a Christian” (Davi & Emma de Paula) and “Following God when things don’t go to plan” (Peter Turnbull).  The BFRO finished with a video from the leaders and cooks amazingly throwing a note from person to person until it had gone right round Scotland to finally read: “We have missed you and can’t wait to see you next year!”

With the videos being online, this has meant that anyone, of any age, can access them at any time.  The videos are available on the FCYC YouTube channel, and I would encourage you to go on and watch them.

The Big Free Rally organising group would like to thank everyone who contributed in any way to this year’s event.  We would also value your prayers for everyone who watches any of these videos, that they will learn about Jesus and that they will grow in their faith – even just a little step.  Pray that the Lord will work deeply in their hearts so that the seeds sown in these videos will come to bear much fruit and a generation of young and old who will bow the knee before our Lord and Saviour.   

This year’s Big Free Rally Online will take place on Saturday 26th September, and we’re looking forward to sharing some short talks, a song or two, our plans for next year’s camps, and a couple of wee surprises! But, we also need your help!

Take a look at this video, where Kirsten (the Camps Administrator) explains how we’d like young people to get involved…

Send us your questions and photos to camps@freechurch.org or via our social media pages, and remember to check our Big Free Rally page for more details a bit nearer the time!

The Big Free Rally is an event to which hundreds of young people from all over the country usually travel every September. It’s a brilliant day full of friends, laughter, singing, Bible talks, games and activities and, while it provides an opportunity to catch up with friends made at camp the previous summer, it’s open to all young people in P5 upwards, regardless of whether or not they were at camp.

This summer, although none of our young people were able to attend Free Church Youth Camps, they are all invited to join us on 26th September for the Big Free Online Rally! While we’re disappointed not to be meeting as usual, we hope that plenty of young people will be able to join in the fun online and to hear more about God’s love and how that impacts the way we live our lives.

Spread the word, save the date, and check here nearer the time for more information!

This year marks the 60th Anniversary of Free Church Youth Camps, although having to cancel all of our camps was not what we had in mind for a celebration! This quiet summer has given us, however, an opportunity to take a step back and to appreciate just how much we love FCYC, and how much God has used the camps to work in the lives of so many people.

As part of our look back over the past 60 years we’ve had a trawl through the archives and, with some help from our friends (thanks Rachel and Puzz!), we’ve overcome the obstacles presented by GDPR regulations and we’re able to share a number of photos of camps gone by…

Click here to enjoy a stroll down memory lane and see if you recognise anyone!

This year marks 60 years of Free Church Youth Camps and, while most of our plans have had to be changed, we’re still finding ways to celebrate!

We’re delighted to share our limited edition FCYC 60 design, now available on our classic FCYC hoodies. To order a hoody, please get in touch with Fiona at Outreach T-shirts and Design. There will be more information available shortly via the Outreach Design website (www.outreachtshirts.co.uk/), with details of what colours and sizes are available.

Remember to tune in each Wednesday as we share our FCYC Stories, or catch up any time here, and keep an eye on our website and social media pages for more ways to celebrate 60 years of Free Church Youth Camps!

“I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
stories our ancestors handed down to us.
We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.”
 
Psalms 78 v2-4, 7 (NLT)

We all love a good story. A captivating plot, some engaging characters and an interesting setting can transport us away from our normal, day-to-day lives to somewhere different. Stories can help us to see things differently, to understand more about the world around us and about ourselves.

In the words of a well-known Scottish folk-rock song, the story of camps “started long ago, with heroes forged and legends told”. A vast army of characters has contributed invaluably to its plot; different chapters have been set in different places; but throughout the past 60 years of Free Church Youth Camps, through all the changes in culture and practice and personnel, the Main Character of the story remains the same, and His faithfulness endures to all generations (Psalms 119 v90). The plot running through the whole story is one of serving The King and of living in willing submission to Him; of spreading the good news of His Kingdom and of inviting people in.

As we know, all good stories should be shared. Over the next few months we’ll be sharing one story a week from some of the people who have been involved in Free Church Youth Camps over the past 60 years, telling how God has worked in their lives through the camps.

We pray that, for those of you who are already Christians, you’ll be inspired to share with those round about you your own story of how God has worked in your life. For those of you who are not yet Christians, we pray that you’ll see what an amazing God we worship and that you’ll want to know Him for yourself.

As we share these stories, it is our hope that you’ll be encouraged through hearing how God has been working in so many lives over these years, and that you’ll be reminded of His faithfulness. We know that He “is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews ch13 v8) and, as we look back over the last 60 years and see how He has blessed the work of Free Church Youth Camps, we entrust the next 60 years (and more) to Him, with all the camps, campers and leaders He will yet use for His glory.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians ch3 v20-21

With thanks to all who have brought this project together, in particular to Sharon, Kirsten S and Maddy.

It is probably not a surprise but none the less it is with deep regret that we inform you that the Free Church has taken the decision to cancel this summer’s FCYC camps due to coronavirus.

We have been monitoring the situation very closely, following Government advice and consulting with our partners. Over the past few days, the national and local picture has changed immensely. It is also now clear that whatever the situation is in the summer there will still be significant restrictions in place.

Please pray for FCYC as we go through the more practical aspects of cancelling the camps and for those whose livelihoods are affected by this decision.

FCYC would like to express a personal note of gratitude to all the leaders and cooks of the camps for their support and dedication to the young people of our church over the years.  The work and prayers they have already put into this year’s camps will not be wasted; nothing ever is in God’s economy.

We would also like to thank those who had booked to go to camp.  FCYC will be looking to arrange some kind of event as soon as practical, later in the year.

These are unprecedented times. We are praying for the many who are affected in different ways during this crisis, and especially the youth of our church for whom we run the camps each summer. We would encourage you to join with us in praying that God would be at work in their lives.

On a positive note, we have 60 years of camps to celebrate and coronavirus cannot change that.  Watch this space for how we plan to celebrate and give thanks over the coming months.

Donald A Macleod

FCYC Supervisor

In light of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the Free Church of Scotland is keeping all of its activities under regular review.  Some activities and events have been cancelled for a period of time while others have been rescheduled.  At present it has been decided to delay a decision concerning the programme of Free Church Youth Camps planned for summer 2020.  Please be assured that careful consideration is being given to the viability of the camps and all available information and advice will be taken into consideration when a decision is made.  That decision will be communicated directly to all parties concerned including campers, parents, leaders and supporters.

In the meantime, please pray for the church and for the work of the gospel especially among young people. For 60 years Free Church Youth Camps have been a great source of blessing for our denomination and its young people and we look forward to the next chapter in the history of our youth camps to bless, encourage and equip our next generation.

Bob Akroyd, Chairman of the Mission Board

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20 – 21