S’mores and Bugs at Campfire Kids

Nate Ruge and Dani Vogel are leaders extraordinaire of Campfire Kids at Trinity…and they’re also big kids at heart who shine in the presence of youth. Their combined background working with young people is pretty impressive. Ruge worked with youth and family in Christian Ed. Ministry at a local church for 14 years while Vogel has almost 18 years of experience. Put the two together in a room with kids and the energy is palpable.

Ruge and Vogel explained the origin of Campfire Kids. “It was invented the second week of August when we were meeting with ‘the Dans’ [also known as both Pastor Dan and Pastor Daniel],” Ruge said. Vogel added, “We always wanted to have a theme, Bible stories, no screens, and something that was interactive. The focus was to play with the Bible stories.”

Ruge said that a campfire is an informal place where we gather, and with Jesus being ‘The Light,’ the name “Campfire Kids” was a great fit. “We get to go to one [campfire]…and then another…” Ruge said. “It’s not just them sitting and listening to a Bible story.” Vogel agreed, “It’s interactive activity play-based interaction!” Ruge added, “We find new and unique ways to explore Bible stories.”

That’s exactly what was on the agenda on this particular Wednesday evening. A box full of small pieces of wood was awaiting the group, and Vogel pointed them out. “We’re making table decorations tonight,” she said, “and we’re using leftover wood from Nate’s house.” Ruge grinned and said, “Sometimes you just gotta use the stuff that’s around you! Be creative!”

Both leaders stressed that they want to provide opportunities for the kids who come to Campfire Kids. “We want them to feel free to make a little mess and a little noise,” Ruge said. “The more we play together, the more we see that relationships matter. It’s always fun to play and learn.” He stressed the benefits of spending time together and just hanging out with kids. “It infuses energy!” he laughed.
Vogel agreed. She said, “We want kids who are excited to be here Sundays and Wednesdays…and be authentically who they are! We like the kids we have to peel out at the end of the night. We want to become the place people WANT to be!”

And why wouldn’t they want to be at Campfire Kids? They learned about Jonah by doing a photo tableau; they did a science experiment that Moses and the Israelites followed in the desert, and once a month, they partner with Healthy Harvest and do a food project such as making fry bread and pickles.
Next month, they’ll learn about Santa Lucia and who she was, playing with the church’s Nordic heritage as well as talking about their own traditions. Learning and valuing traditions in their own family is huge. It’s also important to know the traditions in their Trinity family. Ruge said the kids will be able to say, “I know what that is” as the Santa Lucia girls walk down the aisle at Christmas time. Not only will they know this tradition, but they’ll also be able to make Santa Lucia Buns or Lusserkat. Integrating faith with real life and finding connection points for kids is what this group is all about.

So just as a campfire might often have s’mores and bugs, Ruge said Campfire Kids does as well. Instead of asking about the highs and lows of the week, he asks about the “s’mores” (as in ‘What was so good this week that you’d like some more?’) and the “bugs” (as in ‘What bugged you?’). For a group of elementary school-aged kids with several high schoolers who serve as mentors (along with Ruge and Vogel), the amount of sharing and camaraderie is amazing.

“We’ve had a really active group,” said Ruge. “Kids are coming with their friends. Some are ‘Trinity-adjacent’ or ‘church explorers.’” Vogel said, “These are kids we see often. They say, ‘Your church is fun!’ They make a memory and find a tribe!” Ruge agreed, “Kids want to feel valued and want to belong.”
From the “s’mores and bugs” to the birthday cake packages made for middle school families in need to the “thankful table decorations,” the Campfire Kids made use of every moment one recent Wednesday night. At the same time, every moment was relaxed and filled with smiles and laughter and joking around. Young kids looked up to the high schoolers for guidance as they worked on a project or a craft or simply asked each other about how their day was going.

At the end of the evening, Ruge asked if anyone would volunteer to say a prayer to end the night, and a boy raised his hand. It was the same boy who had asked me to take his picture with one of the high school mentors earlier in the evening. He thanked God for Campfire Kids, for Trinity’s pastors, and for the great job the Campfire teachers were doing every week. It was so heartfelt and pure that I still cry thinking about it.

It’s true. Being with kids will change your life. Ruge and Vogel know that, and they show up for them week after week. That’s a definite “s’more.” †

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