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This is your child's last year in CompassKids and we want to make it their best! The transition from Children's Ministry to Junior High Ministry is critically important because those are the years when youth either own their faith, or sadly choose to leave it behind. This is why we must focus on building into our 5th Graders. By working together, this year can be filled with opportunities for your child to grow spiritually, develop strong friendships, and ultimately transition smoothly into our Junior High Ministry this Spring. Please prioritize the opportunities below and look for ways to get involved. As your child grows there are less opportunities for you to do things together. Since we are always looking for parent chaperones and leaders, this is a great chance to make memories together.
Sep 17 | Thur | 6-7:30p | Activate | 804 Illinois Route 59, Naperville, IL
You're invited to an exciting night of fun and friendship at Activate in Naperville! Experience the thrill of interactive gaming as you and your friends team up to conquer various challenges. From high-energy obstacle courses to mind-bending puzzles, there's something for everyone to enjoy. It's the perfect opportunity to have a blast and make new friends along the way! Register by September 14.
Oct 11-12 | Sun-Mon | Camp Manitoqua
Calling all 5th Graders! Join us for an unforgettable overnight adventure at Camp Manitoqua as we discover what it means to be truly treasured by God. Throughout the retreat, we will explore how our value and identity are found in Christ - not in popularity, performance or appearance. Through engaging Bible teaching, small group discussions, exciting recreation activities, including arts and crafts, your child will be encouraged to grow in confidence, faith and friendship. Registration closes October 1, 2026.
Retreat Highlights:
COST: $100 per student
January and February during CompassKids
This 8-week study will teach kids how to think, not just what to think. Just because somebody says something doesn’t make it true. So how do you know what to believe? Your kids will develop the skills needed to investigate the evidence of God’s existence. We will discover logical thinking skills as we examine the vast universe and the contents of a mysterious box. Ultimately, kids will learn how to make their own case for God’s existence. We will be studying the book, God’s Crime Scene for Kids by J. Warner and Susie Wallace. J. Warner is a cold-case homicide detective who has been featured on Dateline, FOX News, Court TV and other crime related television shows.
Jan 17-18 | Sun-Mon | Camp Timber-lee
Head North on Martin Luther King's Day weekend for our Annual 5th Grade Overnight Winter Retreat at Camp Timber-lee in East Troy, WI. Our bus will leave right after church on Sunday and return Monday around 6:30p. Join pre-teens from various churches as we strengthen our faith while having a ton of winter fun. Activities include tubing, tobogganing, snow shoeing, nature center, leather shop, horse trail rides (weather dependent), cross country skiing, carpetball, and gaga ball. This is a great short entry into getting your child ready to go to overnight camps in Junior High.
Mar 5 6:45-9:15p & Mar 6 8:15a-12p | Fri-Sat | Community Christian ChurchJoin us at the nation's largest pre-teen Christian event where we will experience high energy worship, engaging teaching, and lots of friendship building time. This is NOT an overnight retreat and drop-off/pick-up are at Community Christian Church (AKA Yellow Box) in Naperville.
This year's theme is The Mysterious Truth which will invites students to become truth detectives through the world of a hilarious and thrilling mystery play full of twists, turns, and suspects - where only the best detectives can reveal the truth. Throughout the weekend, your preteens will investigate Jesus’ words in John 8:31–32 and John 14:6, discovering that the truth isn’t just something to find—it’s someone to know.
This event is open to any 4th or 5th grade student.
May 16 | Sun | 2-4p | the HUB
After spending an amazing year with your 5th Grader, we will have to say goodbye CompassKids-style with a super-charged graduation party with pizza and a variety of Epic Games! This is another opportunity to deepen friendships with the kids that will be moving on with them to Student Ministries. For that reason, this is primarily for 5th Graders who have joined us throughout the year on the weekend and during our many events and retreats.
COST: Free