Church of the Apostles will host a back-to-school campout on Saturday, Aug. 26, and Sunday, Aug. 27, at Rader Park, 1899 Apostle Way, Lancaster. The free event will be open to the public, and it will include family-friendly games and activities, fellowship and a guest speaker from a local nonprofit organization.

On Saturday, guests will begin to arrive to set up their tents and provisions at noon. From 3 to 5 p.m., families will be able to participate in a variety of activities, such as scavenger hunts, a fishing derby, a lawn water slide and lawn games. Prizes with a back-to-school theme, including school supplies, will be given out during the activities. A fellowship dinner will begin at 6 p.m.; the church will provide hamburgers and hot dogs, but it asks that attendees bring a side or small item to share for the meal. A worship service will be held after dinner at 7:30 p.m.

The event will resume at 9 a.m. on Sunday with a talk from guest speaker Carol Welsh from Homefields Care Farm. Homefields is a nonprofit organization that operates an organic farm in Millersville and provides work opportunities for those with disabilities. Welsh will discuss the farm's role in the community, as well as topics such as food journaling and methods of maintaining good health and a nutritious diet. The presentation is part of the church's Compassion Camp series, which it uses to highlight local nonprofits.

A worship service will be held at 10 a.m. in the park's pavilion, followed by a potluck lunch at 11 a.m. During lunch, a blessing of backpacks service will be held. The service is a yearly tradition that includes a prayer with children who will begin a new school year in the fall. Previously, the blessing of backpacks took place during the church's regular Sunday worship service at the end of summer. The ritual was moved to coincide with the campout event, which Church of the Apostles will host for the first time this year.

"We wanted to familiarize more people with our park and the resources that are there," said Kathryn Kuhn, pastor of Church of the Apostles. "It's a nice, quiet space to be in nature."

Rader Park is a 20-acre park that is owned and maintained by Church of the Apostles. Throughout the year, the church hosts educational events at the park in partnership with the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation. The park contains a pond, access to Brubaker Run, a walking trail and a butterfly garden.

For more information or to register for the campout, visit https://apostlesucc.org/weekend-at-the-park.