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ActivitiesWaterskiing “Adrenalising! Wait... is that a word?” Sometimes an activity is just so good that you have to make words up to describe it. Campers usually return from waterskiing with huge smiles plastered on their faces. Although, it could just be that their faces are frozen that way due to the G Force of flying across the water on skis. Seriously though, all the boats, gear, expertise and good looks are generously donated for our campers to enjoy – so high five the crew next time you see them!

Mud Course Mud. Everywhere. Epic. Horrible. Fantastic. Amazing. Never before has an SEP activity been quite so intense! One staff member emerged with someone else’s used band-aid caked on their leg. Rumour has it that one of the campers never made it out... Special mention to the laundry staff for dealing with the aftermath!

9 Square In The AirDid you know our very own Jon Richardson (B1’s fearless Dorm Leader) built the 9 Square set from scratch with his bare hands? Made with materials scavenged from abandoned lots in inner-city Sydney, and constructed using Chuck Norris’s tears and armpit hair? True story. (Well, the bit about Jon building it anyway).

High Ropes The ultimate bravery challenge! Think it’s easy walking across a few bits of wood? Try doing it twelve feet in the air. This course has been known to reduce the toughest men to tears, and the smallest girls to hoots of excitement and joy. All experienced High Ropers know that it’s a two-person job; you’re not getting anywhere without your buddy on the ground yelling encouragement and checking your ropes.

Dance You make us feel like dancing! Our fantastic dance staff Robbie, Katharine and Julius get the campers into the groove and teach them the smoothest moves in town. Dance is your one stop shop to suave-ity, groovaliciousness, a How-To on impressing the opposite sex, and just pure fun. Once you make it through the obligatory squashed toes (from the slow dance), elbows in the eye (swing), and dropping your partner (over-enthusiastic dipping)... it’s a much-loved camp favourite, and a skill you will bust out at parties, weddings and long shopping centre queues for the rest of your life.

DISCLAIMER: The above descriptions may contain traces of exaggeration, hyperbole and fiction. The editors accept no responsibility for such occurrences... and if Chuck Norris is reading... we definitely didn’t write this. It was that guy over there...

his year, I was really looking forward to SEP because I knew what to expect and was really excited. However, this was not the case the first time I came to camp.

At the beginning of 2012 I attended my first SEP. I arrived on the Queensland Bus after a (very) long drive with a small mix of people I knew or had just met. I enjoyed meeting a few new people on the bus, and didn’t find it too overwhelming or frightening. However as we rolled into camp the nervousness built as a swarming sea of faces engulfed the bus. I had not expected this! Yelling, shouting and singing greeted me. I knew nobody. I was scared.

Just a few days ago I arrived at Morisset for a second time, but with a completely different attitude! I jumped out of the bus, hugging, high-fiving and calling out to everyone I knew. How could I have gone from being so shy, reserved and scared, to the outgoing, energetic and confident person I’m know as now?

Simple answer? Camp Is Awesome!

During those 10 days two years ago at my first camp I was greeted and accepted by the campers and staff, and taken under the wing of dorm members. I remember jumping into all the activities – high ropes, water skiing, dancing, ping pong, and the Adventure Race. All of these were dorm building and inclusive, which helped me become comfortable with the people I was around and really start to open up.

My confidence increased each day, allowing me to become more active in all the camp activities. I quickly discovered a love of dancing – something I had never had the opportunity to try before. The new moves I

learnt were quickly put to the test at the themed dance nights. Another new experience was escorting the girl dorms to lunch and dinner each day. This taught us respect and care for the girls, and how to act like gentlemen.

In a nutshell what I am trying to say is this: camp has provided me with so many new experiences that I truly value. I have developed lifelong friendships here and learned more about God’s Word from the Leaders and Dorm Chaplains. I have developed honesty, integrity, respect and wisdom from what I have learned at camp. Without a doubt, the worship is by far the most energetic thankful and humbling praise I have ever taken part in. The way that people connect with each other and God is amazing, and the atmosphere is definitely one of Glory to God!

During the course of my first SEP two years ago, my confidence grew to the point where I was comfortable talking to everyone. This has helped me in everyday life outside of camp. I was stirred to write this by some campers this year who had noticed the confidence change in me. I hope that this will encourage anyone who has not been to SEP before, and give them an idea of what it is like and what to expect.

At the end of camp there are always hugs and tears as everyone goes their separate ways. But I know that everyone is already thinking of the next time they will get to be back at SEP.

Wilton Jansan

what SEPmeans to me

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We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

1 Thess 2:8

“Overheard” at SEP

Kathleen: “Is that your intimidating voice?”Julius: “No! Wait... Did you say intimate dating voice?”Trash talk at Capture the Flag takes an interesting turn...

Randall to Mary: “You’ve got a Hitler moustache!”Mary to Randall: “Ok, say Hail Mary.”Witty banter at the Mud Course.

“Ok, so we should work on God’s Timeline. Umm... when does it start?”Campers mixing theology and Facebook profiles...

“Alan! Alan! Alan! Alan! Alan!B1 has a serious crush on Alan.

“I love playing shopkeeper.”Julius Peters serving campers at the canteen.

“HASHTAG YOLO!”Overheard... far too often.

“Every choice we make alters what will happen next”. Alekai Kurzawa - deep thoughts from our mini campers.

“Guys... you’re out of bounds. YOU’RE OUT OF BOUNDS!”Phil Gobbe, Capture the Flag. Repeat x 100.

“You should play more Katy Perry songs.” Surprising dance feedback from Drew Garratt.

“I have a shoe fetish. I just bought my first pair of shoes.”Yes, that was another Julius quote...

This year we discovered a few things about our fellow campers and staff that are kind of exciting! Did you know we’ve got one of the youngest published novelists, an athlete who does 80 km worth of training per week, and an Australian Open centre court tennis player right here with us at camp?

Alex Ogilvie His novel The Other Dimensions: Phantom of the Night will be published in February.How many hours went into writing your book, and when did you start?Some days I would write for an hour, other days only 15 minutes. I started writing in January 2011 and finished in July 2013.What do you like so much about writing that you decided to write a book?It started as a short story, and ideas just kept coming. So I just continued the story.How did people react when you told them you were having a book published? With double takes, interest and congratulations.Any advice for anyone who wants to write? Write what you want to read. If you don’t enjoy what you’re writing, you’re writing the wrong thing.

Shane BishopCame 1st at State level and 6th at Nationals for the 2000m Steeplechase. So... what kind of training do you do to be a super athelete?About 80km a week of running, swimming and cycling.What do you love about it?The adrenaline rush, the self-discipline, the fun. It’s thrilling and distressing too!Any advice for others wanting to pursue their sport?Have fun, enjoy yourself. Work hard and you’ll be rewarded.

Brenda NichollsHas been invited by Channel 7’s Sunrise to play with her tennis group on centre court at the Australian Open.So you’re leaving us early this year Brenda?Yes, on Tuesday morning I’m going to play on centre court at the Australian Open. Sunrise broadcast from my tennis club in Brisbane last year. I play with a few other ladies every Friday – we’re all in our 70s and 80s. Anyway, they must have liked us because they asked if we’d like to come to the Open with them, watch the tennis, and maybe have a hit!How do you feel about that?I’d rather stay here at SEP... but everyone keeps telling me I have to go. I’m going to ask to meet Roger Federer.How long have you been playing tennis? About 50 years, off and on. Any advice for our campers?Stay active. Stay interested. And don’t feel old.

c laim to

FAME Interviews by Kaitlyn Chivers

B1& G1

(L-R) BACK: Alan Perkins, Chris Cullen, Callum Ogilvie, Timothy Loo, Tegan Nagtegaal, Corey Tooke, Noah O’Halloran, William Gilliland, Jonathan Richardson.ROW 3: Mary & Randall Bourchier, Matthew Sianidis, Carissa Warren, Tara Pedersen, Carey Pedersen, Kaitlyn Chivers, Iris Kennedy, Eloise Cicero, Alexia Armitagebrown, Ella Jansan, Anna Jackowiack, Brittany Wirth, Taylah Newton, Jessica Steinhuebl, Jessica Hughes, Jordana & Richard McLean, Jodie Lorimer.ROW 2: Albert Pascual, Grace Merriman, Ariel Hughes, Natasha Cicero, Lucinda Gibson, Emma Weir, Cody Manlapez, Kathleen Best, Ramona Packham, Nadia Worthing, Benjamin Warren.FRONT: Matthew Parker, Albert Longhurst, Caleb Bishop, Bailey Halvorsen, Jamie Symonds, Nathan Gubb.

(L-R) BACK: Sandra & Matt Gudze, Phil Gobbe, Shenae Pedersen, Rudy Dellomas, Sean Reid, Beau Newton, Matthew Cullen, Alex Ogilvie, Rebecca Elliston.ROW 3: Ashleigh Squelch, Kate Gobbe, Lana Brooks, Shanara Howard, Mia Pedersen, Rhiannan Edge, Charlotte Best, Sarah Longhurst, Rachel Downes, Mikayla Taylor, Apolina Balebanga, Gab de Leon, Dejana Greenham, Katherine Pascual.ROW 2: Scott Kevill, Bianca Thomas, Genevieve Rose, Sarah Boyd, Micaela Hesse, Emily Dennis, Lauren Hooper, Shannen Symonds, Jeudith Nunda, Julius Peters.FRONT: Edward Liu, Stephen McLaughlin, Peter Orford, Aidan Squelch, Husein Lukonga, Caelan Huber, Mitchell Eastwood.

(L-R) BACK: Shane Bishop, Ross Weir, Tim McLaughlin, Jenna Pedersen, Michael Greenham, Jonathan Lorimer, Ethan Wilson, Hans Pedersen.ROW 3: Drew Garratt, Debbie Steinhuebl, Nadia Peters, Elysia Downes, Danielle Austin, Jeri Packham, Jessie-Louise Tooke, Gabriella Cicero, Rachel Gedye, Bethany Lewis, Tracey Brooks, Leah Perkins, Stacey Raymakers, Nicole Squelch, Christine Pedersen, Charlotte Gooding.ROW 2: Andrew Steinhuebl, Jody Manlapez, Brianna Steel, Brandi-Chanel Hughes, Nyachiem Pouk, Natalie Pedersen, Rachel Hughes, Janelle Jackowiack, Julian Ricketts.FRONT: Kurt Hillis, Brenton Loo, Kodi Newton, Wilton Jansan, Joshua Van Dijk, Luke Silva, Regem Dellomas.

B2& G2

B3& G3

www.youth.gci.org.au sep@gci.org.au GCI Youth Australiaf

SPONSORSTO OUR

You BelongWe’ve laughed our heads off, sang our hearts out, and

gotten mud in places we didn’t know existed. We’ve made

new friendships and rekindled old ones. We’ve discovered

more and more about our awesome God together. We’ve enjoyed this crazy community called SEP, and though it’s over for now don’t forget you’re taking the most important

part home with you. You belong in our SEP family whether you

are near or far. Let the journey of discovery continue!

With love in Christ,

Your SEP Family

P & A Higgins Builders P/LJD Investments (QLD) LtdBluemist Designs Pty LtdIntegrated Fire Services

From everyone at SEP, thank you to all the individuals, churches, and businesses who have made it financially possible to run camp. Thank you also to all our volunteers, and the many

people who give their time and effort to help make SEP happen.