This annual fall retreat is for 6th–12th graders from all six congregations of The Austin Stone to grow in their faith, build meaningful relationships and encounter Jesus.
Here's what you can expect:
This year's theme is New Creation. We will focus on the reality that Christ has made us new because He brought us from death to life!
The Theme Night for SCL this year is Thrift Store Prom! Grab your Discipleship Community and hit your favorite thrift stores before SCL!
This annual fall retreat is for 6th–12th graders from all six congregations of The Austin Stone to grow in their faith, build meaningful relationships and encounter Jesus.
Here's what you can expect:
Walt is the Associate Pastor at The Austin Stone Downtown Congregation. He's a father of three (Juniper, Finn, and Felix) and is married to Abbey! Walt is a born and raised Austinite, a Plan II graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, and a thespian at heart. He loves Dungeons & Dragons, anything written by Tolkien, and etymology (the study of words and their origins).
Efrain Garces is a worship leader at The Austin Stone St. John Congregation. He is a songwriter, artist, husband to his wife Katie, and father of two boys, Max and Ezra. As a second-generation immigrant, he grew up in the heart of San Antonio and has a deep passion for those with similar upbringings in the inner city of Austin. Efrain loves making music with friends and watching all things Green Bay Packers, SA Spurs, and Man City FC.
This annual fall retreat is for 6th–12th graders from all six congregations of The Austin Stone to grow in their faith, build meaningful relationships and encounter Jesus.
Here's what you can expect:
SCL is a weekend-long event where students at The Austin Stone gather to spend time with Jesus and build relationships with one another. Each day includes worship, teaching, small groups, devotionals, breakouts, free time, and late-night activities.
Middle and high schoolers will participate in sessions together, but the rest of the retreat will include separate experiences.
SCL is held at Pine Cove Camps in Columbus, Texas. Students stay in bunkhouses with other students of their age and gender, and we host all activities at the Pine Cove campgrounds.
Middle and high schoolers will have different sleeping accommodations, with middle schoolers at Pine Cove Silverado and high schoolers at Pine Cove Ridge.
Any student currently in 6th–12th grade can participate! Students are encouraged to invite their friends, even if they don’t attend The Austin Stone.
Your students will mainly spend time with their Discipleship Community (DComm), which is a small group of the same grade/gender, and their DComm Leaders. During worship, games, free time, and meals, students will get to spend time with students from other small groups.
Leaders participating in SCL have completed our safety onboarding process, which includes applications, interviews, background checks, child abuse prevention training, and other Austin Stone policy and procedure training. Your students' safety is our TOP priority.
To help us steward our finances well, families can receive a full refund if a registration is canceled by October 16 (21 days before SCL). If you cancel between October 16 and 27, you will receive a 50% refund. If you cancel fewer than 10 days before the event, you will not receive a refund.
If you are experiencing a significant hardship, illness, or other extenuating circumstances, please contact students@austinstone.org to discuss your situation.
SCL costs $235 per student! Upon registration, you can optionally opt into a payment plan that automatically withdraws payments from the provided payment method.
If you'd like to apply for a scholarship, you can do so here by Sunday, September 20. Once this form closes, our team will begin the scholarship approval process. You will be notified of the awarded scholarship amount, if applicable, during the week of September 28 to October 2.
When packing for camp, please reference the Dress Code guidelines. Each student is allowed one suitcase and one personal item to carry on the bus.
All volunteers are required to bring bedding (twin sheets, a blanket, and a pillow, or a sleeping bag and a pillow). If you’re serving on the Work Crew, please pack tennis shoes suitable for long hours of walking and standing, as well as hats and hair ties/clips as protective hair gear for the kitchen.
Our primary goal for these events is for our students to get away from distractions, burdens, and expectations, so they can re-engage with Jesus and their church family in a fresh way.
Click HERE for our Digital Device Policy.
Students may have their devices on bus rides, but these will be collected, labeled, and securely stored in a designated location during SCL.
Before departure, parents will receive a contact method in case they need to reach their student or a staff member. Additionally, we send nightly recap emails to parents and post frequently on our social media platforms so parents are up to date on what’s happening!
All medications must be in the original prescription bottle and submitted to the camp nurse at check-in. The camp nurse will distribute all prescription medications. Students may NOT keep medication (including over-the-counter medicines) with them or in their cabins, except inhalers and/or EpiPens. When registering for SCL, you will submit all medical needs for your student, which the nurse will reference when providing care during camp.
Check-in is on Friday, November 6, and pick-up is on Sunday, November 8.
Each student is assigned a check-in time range and location based on their Discipleship Community's congregation. If your student was invited by a friend, they will attend with the congregation their friend is a part of through their Discipleship Community.
If your student is attending with the Northwest, Downtown, St. John, or North congregations:
If your student is attending with the South or West congregations:
Keep an eye out for an email for more information!
