Capture the Flag

So, each year we kick off our Youth Group Summer Schedule with a friendly game of Capture the Flag.

This year was our biggest yet, with around 70 of our Jr. and Sr. High youth group students coming out to play.  We had to take a few bus trips, just to get everyone to Westhampton, where the Connelly family graciously hosts our group each year.

I brought the zoom lens, so I wasn't able to catch the entirety of the mob of students that took over the woods.  I was able to catch some fun individual shots though... and here they are.

There are two approaches to Capture the Flag... 

"The Leisurely Stroll" and "The Run for Your Life" approach.

"Jail" is effectively marked off with Caution tape... Hmm, how ironic.

And those two love birds?  Two of the most amazing people I know.  They have been helping in our youth group from the very beginning, and we have been so, so blessed to have them in our ministry and in our lives.

There's our son... with his very best friend.  And funny enough, they played quite well.  

And those two girls were amazingly fast.  Obviously they weren't chasing the boys to the right.

There was a bit of a walk of shame, where you went when your flags got pulled.  It was interesting to see the different combinations of players who ended up there.

A hug or a bullhorn...  which would you choose?  Both are powerfully fun.

This kid?  Kept the game going for a good hour, because no one was able to catch him.  

He was so fast, the only picture I could get was pretty blurry.  And the other picture shows our most serious injury of the night... not too bad considering we had so many kids running full speed throughout the woods.

And finally, the best way to end a few amazing games of Capture the Flag?  

By roasting marshmallows of course.  

It's pretty easy to work up a good appetite for Smores after running through the woods.

Finally, I would like to say, that God has blessed us with some amazing youth group kids.  We absolutely love them, and I'm pretty convinced that they are some of the very best kids in the entire world.  We are extremely excited to continue hosting amazing activities for them throughout the summer.