EVENTS AND CALENDAR

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Dates to Remember:

Counselor applications OPEN.

Annual Fish Fry - November 7th, 4pm-8pm.

Counselor Reunion - December 27th-29th, Time TBD.

7th Annual 5K Trail Run - February 15th, 2025 (Rain date: February 22nd).

Spring Clean Day - April 13th, 2025, 2-5pm.

Challenging youth
to know and follow hard after Jesus.

Camp Living Stones is a Christian outdoor recreation and adventure youth camp located near the beautiful Cherokee National Forest.  During the summer, we offer one week, gospel-centered, fully-programmed experiences that are designed to challenge students, grades 6-12, in a relationally-intentional, group-oriented environment to know and follow hard after Jesus Christ.  Additionally, we offer year-round retreat services.

Since we are located in the mountains of the beautiful Cherokee National Forest, outdoor recreation and team building come naturally.  We facilitate ACTIVITIES such as: climbing wall, rappelling, zip lines, elevated quest (High Ropes Course),  team challenge, mud pit challenge, archery & tomahawk throwing, horseback riding, hiking, livin' the mission,  sand volleyball, 9-square-in-the-air, Gaga ball, Buckbald Summit, and white water rafting on the Ocoee River.

Being fully staffed, we are glad to serve the needs of programs and RETREATS throughout the year.  Whether you simply need some FACILITIES to host your event, or desire us to direct a full program, we are ready to help.

More than anything, we desire students to grow in their knowledge and passion for Jesus regardless of if, when, and where they attend SUMMER CAMP.  We would love for you to consider joining us.  

To see if Camp Living Stones is a good fit for you,
check out some of our DISTINCTIVES below

We have found that “bigger” is NOT always “better.”  

With a maximum capacity of around 100 students per week during the summer, we have intentionally capped our growth in order to maintain a sense of intimacy with the campers.  We strive to create a safe and caring environment for students’ voices to be heard and spiritual needs to be met.  

Based on Jesus’ intentionality with the twelve disciples, we have seen the benefit of creating smaller groups of twelve or less students with each of our counselors.  These counselors invest massive amounts of time, energy and prayer throughout the week as they connect with their students.  Before arrival, counselors spend time praying for each student by name.  From the moment students show up at camp, counselors are deliberate about getting to know them personally.  

In addition to the formal small group times to debrief the evening messages, counselors meet one-on-one with each of their students throughout the week to give them individual attention and prayer.  We have seen over and over students deeply impacted by this relational connectivity with passionate and approachable counselors.  

Often, students form bonds with counselors that last for years.

Whether it is the outdoor recreation, serving our community, morning devotionals, testimonial times, evening sessions or lunch conversations, we constantly seek to challenge students to apply what they are experiencing to their spiritual life.  

In scripture, we see evidences of Jesus and the apostles utilizing their experiences to launch into deep spiritual insights.  They were not limited to holy discussions in the temple.  Instead, they often related their ordinary experiences to express beautiful, gospel truths.  We encourage the same practice and we want students to see the realities of scripture in both the holy and the ordinary.  

So, whether they are learning in a chapel worship service or pressure-washing a deck, our staff challenges students to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in relating these experiences to their spiritual life.

We believe, preach and teach that to be a Christian means that we are unashamed followers of Christ.  But to where are we following him?  

Scripture shows us that Christ was on mission.  He left paradise to live the perfect life we could not live and die the death we should have died so that we might be saved.  However, his goal was NOT to simply save people as an end in itself.  The purpose of saving people was for the sake of God receiving fame, honor and praise from every tribe, tongue and nation.  Christ modeled perfect obedience to this mission.  Being a Christian and being on Mission are inextricably linked.  

Therefore, we strive to integrate the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission as primary texts for Christian living

To put it simply:  LOVE GOD.  LOVE PEOPLE.  SHARE GOD'S LOVE FOR PEOPLE.

Through CHAPEL and SMALL GROUPS, we learn to LOVE GOD MORE 

Through LIVIN’ THE MISSION, we learn to LOVE PEOPLE MORE.  

We desire Camp Living Stones to be a place where students come to either know Jesus for the first time or come to know him more deeply.  

Our hope as Christians is fixed on the life and work of Jesus.  So each summer, the THEMES on which our camp is based will actually be different angles of the same theme - “Jesus Christ and him crucified.”  We believe that all of the Bible points to Jesus as the centerpiece.  Romans 11:36 says “For from him and through him and to him are all things…”  Whether we are studying a letter from Paul, the Passover in Exodus or a gospel narrative, we will ultimately preach the good news of Jesus Christ.  

So, our activities, testimonies, worship, teaching, and devotionals will all point campers back to the gospel and how it applies to all of life.

We strive for excellence and believe that the quality of the camp experience we offer far surpasses the expense. Campers get to experience a gospel-centered, activity-filled week for the cost of $350.00 per person. (After December 31 cost will be $375.)  This price includes a week of gospel-centered, great meals, zip lines, climbing wall, rappelling, high ropes, team challenge courses, hiking, Hiwassee River Outing, Buck Bald mountain, white water rafting, and a week of fun and fellowship with others. Horseback riding is available at an additional cost. We are committed to doing everything possible to help students come to camp with the hope that they might meet Jesus and follow him. 

For more information on how to receive scholarships as an individual or for students in your group,  CONTACT US

One of the greatest joys of serving at Camp Living Stones is seeing groups bond and become more unified.  

“Unity” and “Teamwork” are essentials in the Christian life.  Because of this belief, we have implemented several interactive team exercises that are sure to challenge campers’ false sense of pride and self sufficiency in a tangible way.  

Our TEAM CHALLENGE course requires teamwork, trust, problem-solving, diplomacy and interdependence. At ELEVATED QUEST students will embark across a challenging journey overcoming many obstacles.  And at our TOWER, students are challenged to conquer their fears and embrace a spirit of encouragement for those who may be struggling.  

Outside of these exciting activities, students have opportunity to enjoy a deepening sense of acceptance and Christian community by sharing in their small groups, participating in corporate worship, Livin’ the Mission, eating great food, enjoying fun group GAMES such as sand volleyball and Gaga ball, experiencing the beauty of God’s creation in the spectacular Cherokee National Forest, roasting some marshmallows over an open fire and embracing the adventure of the raging white-water on the OCOEE RIVER.  

Throughout the whole week, students create lasting memories together that inevitably strengthen unity and love for one another.

It is our pleasure to relieve pressure from the many youth leaders and chaperones that spend a week with us during the summer.  We are fully-staffed and fully-programmed during our nine week summer season.  This means that from the moment a group arrives to the moment they depart, we take care of everything.  Here is a brief outline of what we provide:

• COUNSELORS that are fully-trained to lead any and all activities, facilitate small groups and certified to perform first aid/cpr. They also bunk with the students in the cabins to both help chaperone and to make themselves available to students who may need a listening ear.

• ADULT HOUSING is available for youth leaders, chaperones, and volunteers. Located just beneath the chapel, this housing is bunk style twin beds and offers a kitchenette, refrigerator, dining room table, and living room area. If you choose this is a great area for leadership to unwind, relax, write encouragrams, and have personal Bible study time. This housing can accommodate 27 adults.

• ACTIVITIES facilitated by our staff are scheduled throughout the week including: climbing wall with 2 routes, rappelling wall, 2 zip lines, an all new high ropes course (Elevated Quest), team challenge course, community projects, missions exposure activity, sand volleyball, 9-square-in-the-air, Gaga ball, hiking, Hiwassee River outing, scenic overlook picnic (Buck Bald), and white water rafting on the Ocoee River.

• TRANSPORTATION is provided to and from activities off of camp property including: community service projects, horseback riding, the Hiwassee River outing, the scenic overlook picnic at Buck Bald and the white water rafting on the Ocoee River.

• TEACHING will be done by one of our full-time staff members

• WORSHIP MUSIC and SCRIPTURE READING relevant to the summer theme will be provided by a combination of staff and counselors.

• DEVOTIONALS related to the summer theme will be provided each morning for an individual time with God as a supplement to the corporate evening sessions

• TESTIMONIALS will be provided by various counselors

• DELICIOUS MEALS are prepared and served by our friendly staff and volunteers.

• LIVIN' THE MISSION will be directed and lead by staff and counselors.

• CUSTOM T-SHIRTS will be provided for every camper

• YOUTH LEADER SMALL GROUP TIME is a time for youth leaders and chaperones to meet together while their students are in in small groups. This is led by our director or assistant director and is a time spent in prayer, encouraging each other and growing spiritually in the role the God has us in.

In what way is our location convenient?  Certainly we are not located in an urban context with sprawling shopping malls and coffee shops with free wi-fi.  No.  Our convenience is based on our purpose of being a retreat from the hustle and bustle of city-life where students can focus on interacting with one another and growing in their faith.  

Practically, Camp Living Stones is conveniently located away from the busyness of work, school, sports, phones, computers, videogames and television.  

Geographically, Camp Living Stones is conveniently located about 1.5 hours north of Chattanooga, 1.5 hours south of Knoxville, and 45 minutes east of Cleveland, TN.  We are nested at the base of Starr Mountain on the fringe of the beautiful Cherokee National Forest.

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