Summer Adventure Trips

PHILOSOPHY OF SUMMER TRIPS

At Bellingham Covenant Church, we believe students grow best when their faith is lived, practiced, and experienced. This happens through weekly gatherings, service projects, retreats, and summer trips. Summer trips give us the opportunity to step outside our regular routines and environments and experience our relationship with Christ in fresh and meaningful ways.

These trips are intentionally planned, age-appropriate, and optional. Our goal is not simply to travel, but to create shared experiences where students can grow in faith, build community, and learn what it looks like to follow Christ in the wider world.

To provide balance, variety, and predictability, BCC Youth follows a three-year rotation for summer trips:

Summer 2026
HS Adventure Trip (June 17-20, 2026)
MS Adventure Trip (July 24-27, 2026)

Summer 2027
HS UNITE denominational gathering (July 18-23, 2027)
MS Adventure Trip? (TBD based on interest)

Summer 2028
Service Trip (We’re not sure if this will be a combined MS/HS/family trip?)
Service trips may include domestic or international opportunities. Any out-of-country trip would be communicated well in advance with detailed information for families.

This summer, 2026, will be an Adventure Trip year. Students can expect outdoor experiences like rafting, rock climbing, camping, and other hands-on adventures.

These activities are designed to stretch students in good ways, help friendships grow, and create space to experience God together in the middle of something memorable and fun.

The overall purpose of every summer trip with BCC Youth is to help students notice how Christ is at work throughout the world and to invite them to participate in that redemptive work. We hope students return more rooted in their faith, more connected to one another, and more confident in how God is shaping their lives.

SAFETY FIRST

We understand that trips like these can create uneasiness for parents. While no activity is completely risk-free, student safety is a top priority for BCC Youth. We take significant steps to plan carefully, communicate clearly, and respond responsibly.

Volunteers and Chaperones

• All BCC Youth volunteers and leaders complete background checks as part of the onboarding process.

• Adult leaders are trained in our safety policies.

• Adults are never permitted to be alone with a student.

• Appropriate adult-to-student ratios are maintained at all times.

Travel and Supervision

• All drivers are approved and follow church policies.

• Speed limits and safe driving practices are enforced.

• Students are not permitted to go off on their own and follow a rule of three, meaning no student is ever alone.

• Clear supervision plans are in place for all activities and free time.

Adventure Activities

• Activities are age-appropriate and thoughtfully selected.

• We partner only with organizations that meet high safety and professional standards and carry first aid supplies, and at least one adult is first aid certified.

• Emergency plans are established before the trip.

Emotional and Relational Care

• Adult leaders are attentive to students’ emotional and relational well-being.

• We aim to create an environment where students feel safe, included, and supported.

• Clear behavioral expectations are communicated to students in advance.

• Parents will be informed promptly if any concerns arise.

Communication

• Parents will receive detailed information before the trip, including schedules, packing lists, and emergency contact information.

• During the trip, a designated leader will oversee communication with families. In the event of an emergency, parents will be contacted as quickly as possible with clear and accurate information.

We consider it a privilege to care for your students and take that responsibility seriously. We hope that summer trips are meaningful, formative experiences that help students grow in faith while being well cared for every step of the way.

TRIP DETAILS

WHAT WE’RE PRAYING FOR ON THIS TRIP

First, we’re praying that God would speak to you in real and personal ways. We hope that you’d come away with a bigger picture of who God is and how God is present in your life, not just at church, but everywhere.

Second, we’re praying that your personal walk with Christ would grow. This trip is a chance to slow down, reflect, and take an honest look at your priorities in light of what you experience. Growth doesn’t always look dramatic, but it is often real.

Finally, we’re praying that things change when you get home. We hope you return with a fresh perspective and a clearer sense of how your faith can shape everyday life and influence the people around you.

THE TEAM MATTERS

This trip isn’t something you do by yourself. When you say yes to the trip, you’re also saying yes to being part of a team of students who want to grow closer to God and closer to each other.

We really encourage you to be part of a weekly youth group or Sunday morning Sunday school when you can. It’s not required, but it’s one of the best ways to get to know the people you’ll be traveling with and to start building trust before we even leave.

These trips are meant to shape us, not just entertain us. What you put into it is what you’ll get out of it.

A FINAL WORD

Take time to talk this over with your family and pray about whether this trip is right for you. These kinds of experiences can stretch you, challenge you, and grow your faith in ways that don’t always happen in everyday routines.

If you say yes, know that you’re stepping into something meaningful, with a group of people who want to walk this journey with you.

Jeff G