Singing, dancing and raving with Passion City Church during Winter Weekend at Young Life’s Sharptop Cove was the place to be over the weekend of Feb. 10-12. Passion City, an Atlanta based church, took a group of high school students to Sharptop Cove to attend worship services and grow closer in their understanding of God’s love.
Tensions rose at Sharptop Cove as four teams, Nighthawks, Magma, Ghost and Sub-Zero, competed to be the winners of this year’s Squad Battles. During Squad Battles, each team would dress to represent their individual squad and then compete to claim their team’s victory at the end of the weekend. Freshman and four year participant in Winter Weekend, Jackson Walls, said, “The Squad Wars are always the best part. I think they get better each year.” Freshman and Nighthawk squad member, Kate Lalley said, “I love squad wars. It’s such a good part of the weekend and it adds fun competition and anticipation, making the weekend even better.” Lalley and her team, the Nighthawks, found themselves at last place on the first day, but rose to the occasion at the end of the weekend to claim their victory as the winners of Squad Wars.
Not only do the members of the cabin easily become best friends, but they also become family. Several hundred campers interacted and got to know people in their cabins from different states during their family group time. After a night session of hearing Jesus’s name, family groups would come together and talk about what stood out to them after the sermon.
Senior Lauren Alexander said, “Family groups have provided me with great mentors and friends who has grown me and my faith in so many ways. They have really walked me through things and helped me to cling to God in tough moments.” Students and leaders that did not know each other at the beginning of the weekend, grew closer to God and each other, during family group time. Fourth year Winter Weekend participant, freshman Ashley Faith Cowart said, “I have become closer to God through the girls in my family group and I have become more confident with the support from them.” Lalley also said that, “It is the sweetest deepest group of girls, yet they are so fun and refreshing to be around. I’m so blessed to have girls to do life with Jesus with and I wouldn’t be the same without them.”
Winter Weekend was full of fun things to do. When students were not in squad wars or in session, they were able to spend their free time hiking, swinging, swimming and resting. A popular activity that many campers participate in is hiking the Sharptop Mountain. Sharptop Mountain is around a 30 minute hike to overlook Jasper, Georgia. Lalley said, “In my free time I hiked with some good friends, and then we went and played spike ball and football with each other and some good guy friends. Finally, my family group and I went back and practiced our dance for a girls LipSync Battle that is an annual thing for us to do with the rest of the high school girls, for sure the highlight of the trip.” Many cabins do not go to bed before one in the morning, and students are exhausted after their long day of fun so during free time, so many decide to rest so that they can participate to their fullest during another activity. Sharptop is widely known for its swing and ropes courses. The swing holds three people and takes them to the top of the pole and then one participant pulls the rope to soar them along the Sharptop sky.
Passion City Church’s Winter Weekend was full of singing to the top of one’s lungs, conquering fears on the ropes courses, participating in squad battles and spending valuable time with leaders and family groups. Not only did students get to know their leaders better, but they also grew closer to God this weekend. Winter Weekend is not a weekend to miss.
