The World According To Chris Brewer

First off before I say anything about Retreat, let me wish my mom a happy birthday. She’s XX years old today and still looks really young (God blessed me with young looking parents). Love you Mom, have fun on your day!!!

Campers and staff all across the region are awaiting the Church of God of Prophecy’s one-of-a-kind event, this weekend’s Winter Retreat at Grace Brethren Camp in White Pass. The retreat, which starts tomorrow and ends Sunday afternoon, will host around seventy campers and twenty staff members for a weekend of fun, food and worship.

Washington is one of the few states in the U.S. in which the COGOP sponsors a Winter Retreat. It is among the most well-attended, with an average attendance of 65-70 campers age 13-19 each year. Not only does the retreat give campers a day off from school, and for many, their only chance to play in some serious snow for the winter, but for nearly everyone who attends, it’s a great time to receive spiritually from the Lord and worship with friends they might not otherwise see throughout the course of the year.

Anticipation for the retreat itself is strong, but anticipating the driving conditions is a different matter entirely. A Tuesday snowstorm that dumped two to five inches of snow across western Washington and Oregon has left some roads slushy on the valley floor, which could spell out a dangerous commute for those making the trek up Highway 12. The Washington Department of Transportation is requiring chains to be put on all vehicles traversing White Pass, as the snowpack reaches a depth of six to seven feet in unplowed areas.

One can never forget the winter storm of 1998, which dumped snow across Washington state for days and made driving treacherous across the entire western half of the state during the weeekend of Retreat. Tim Woodard and Robert Murkerson escaped serious injury when the vehicle they were driving slid off Tieton Road just miles before entering Grace Brethren Camp. The LaCamas Valley youth group reported the trip home took nine hours instead of the normal three and a half. At the retreat, massive ice and snowpack made even the simplest of tasks, such as walking, dangerous.

Regardless of the weather conditions, churches all across the state are praying for Winter Retreaters to have a safe trip to the campground and receive what they need from the Lord this weekend. Historically, Winter Retreat has seen many teens healed, delivered from vices, and many saved — and expectations this year are higher than ever.

As for me, I’m leaving for the campground today. Cris Birch and Jon Hash are driving their respective vehicles and carrying a few passengers including myself, so pray for our safety. I’ll be back on here in a few days to update how the retreat went, so be good while I’m gone!!!