Coming Events

Join Us for Sukkot

We are looking forward to gathering in central Michigan for Sukkot this October 11-20, 2022, for eight days of fellowship, encouragement, and adventure with dozens of other families in the heart of Michigan.

Important: Our congregation follows the sighting of the new moon from Jerusalem to determine our feast dates, so the date of Sukkot is still tentative. The tentative dates for Sukkot will either be October 12-19 or October 13-20, 2022. We will know the dates of Sukkot for sure on Yom Teruah, around September 28, 2022.

Theme: Kingdom Come
On Earth As It Is In Heaven

Kraig and Anne Elliott will be teaching on the coming kingdom and how to bring the reality of the kingdom to our homes and congregations today. There will be fun activities for all ages, from children to older adults. We will have daily worship times, Bible study for adults as well as children, discussion times, singing around the campfire, and lots of fellowship, plus a time for a baptism/mikvah, fun classes, and special activities for the first and last day, as well as Sabbath. We will also enjoy adventures around the campground, such as the climbing wall and ropes course, plus craft times and games.

Yes, it’s Michigan! 🙂 Fall is beautiful here, with daytime temperatures averaging in the 50s and 60s and lows in the 30s and 40s at night. Even though it can get chilly at times, there will be heated cabins, as well as RV and tent sites for the more adventurous.

Activities:

Zip Line
Ropes Course
Climbing Wall
Boating and Canoeing
Playground
Fishing
Basketball
Sand volleyball
Ga-Ga Ball
Horseshoes
Archery
Hiking and Biking Trails
Campfires and Kosher S’mores

Download Daily Schedule

Cost and Registration

As you set aside your tithe for the feasts each week, keep in mind the following expenses for Sukkot:

Registration Fee to cover expenses for the week’s activities
Lodging fees to cover your cabin or campsite
Food costs for each day’s meals
Travel costs such as gas for your car

1. Cost of Registration

Registration for the week of Sukkot is ~~$50/person~~ $40/person early-bird special (through August 12). Children aged 4 and under are free. Maximum family price is ~~$350~~ $280 early-bird special. Deposit is 50% of the registration fee to make the reservation. The deposit is nonrefundable if you cancel, and will be donated to help offset the costs of Sukkot and provide for the needs of the poor. If you have any questions, please email Katie at ktmom12@gmail.com.

Please click here to register and pay.

2. Cost of Lodging

There are full hook-up sites (electric, water & sewer- 20, 30 & 50 amp service) for RV or tent. There are also 4 styles of cabins that can be rented if you do not have a camper or tent.

You will need to call Covenant Hills Camp and Retreat directly to reserve a place to stay. You may call on Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday mornings, and ask for Donna to book a cabin or RV/tent site. Please tell Donna that you are with the Solel Sabbath Fellowship group. Her number is (810) 631-4531.

You can see a campground map here.
Full Hook-Up RV or Tent Site (electric, water & sewer- 20, 30 & 50 amp service). Sukkot is 9 nights, so plan to pay for a full week + 2 additional nights. Learn more and See Prices
Cabins. Sukkot is 9 nights, so plan to pay for a full week + 2 additional nights. Bunk up with other families to reduce the cost. Learn more and See Prices
Remember to call to reserve a spot (rather than reserving it on the website).
Deposit is 50% of the cost of your lodging on a credit card to make the reservation. The deposit is nonrefundable if you cancel.

Guests will need to provide their own bedding, linens and toiletries for all cabins.

3. Cost of Food

Bring a cooler for food, plus a crockpot and/or camp stove (optional). Ice for coolers can be purchased from the campground.
Bring food for breakfast, lunch, and snacks for your family each day.
We are planning to eat together for dinner each night. Your registration fee helps to cover the costs, but we would greatly appreciate donations, as well as the help of women and young ladies in helping to prepare the group meal each afternoon. If we do not have enough help, we may choose to simply have “potluck” meals instead.

4. Cost of Travel

Covenant Hills Camp & Retreat
10359 E Farrand Road
Otisville, MI 48463
Phone: (810) 631-4531
Link to Google Map

Covenant Hills Camp & Retreat is approximately a 1 hour, 30 minute drive from Detroit Metro Airport, and it’s approximately 35 minutes from Bishop International Airport in Flint, Michigan.

All activities on site are within walking distance. The camp is spread out and some of the distances between buildings can be over 1/4 mile depending on which building you are lodging in, so bikes can be a convenient way to get around the camp. Any mobility-challenged guests have the option to drive between lodging and activities. You can see a campground map here.

FAQ

What is included in registration?

Dinner each day, sessions, conference name tag and booklet, daily family devotionals, and group activities are included. Purchases from the campground (snack/coffee bar, ice, firewood) are extra.

When should we arrive, and when will we leave?

Registration and Campsite Check-in time is 3:00pm on the first day (Tuesday, October 11).* We will have dinner together at 5:30pm, and activities will begin after supper with our first worship and prayer time at 7:00pm.

We will conclude the week with a group campground cleanup at 10:00am on the last day (Thursday, October 20).* Check-out time is 1:00pm.

*tentative dates, depending on the sighting of the new moon on Yom Teruah

What is the theme for the week?

Our theme for the week is “Kingdom Come: On Earth As It Is In Heaven,” and our theme verse is Matthew 6:10.

You will receive a name tag and conference booklet that will contain a schedule, a map, and space for taking notes during sessions.

What will the activities be like?

Each morning, we will have a one-hour teaching session for teens and adults, while the children (aged 12 and under) are invited to attend their own teaching sessions. All ages will be studying the life of Yeshua and learning what life in YHVH’s kingdom is supposed to look like — and how to make that practical in our homes today. Kraig and Anne Elliott will be leading the adult sessions, and Tyler Hirn will be leading the children’s sessions. Children will have Bible stories, memory verses, crafts, and other learning activities.

Afternoons will be full of fun group activities for the children (where parents and babies can catch a few winks or have quiet time). We will also have classes, craft times, a baptism time, a forging demonstration, and many more fun activities for all ages.

Each evening, we will have a time of worship, Scripture reading, prayer, and testimonies. We will end our evenings with fellowship around the campfire.

We will also have early morning family or small-group devotional times. You may choose to attend optional Bible-discussion groups, or to join the Sukkot Choir. If you can sing or play an instrument, we invite you to bring your instrument and participate in our evening worship teams.

What is the weather like?

Weather can be chilly in Michigan in the fall, and many teaching sessions will be meeting in a screened-in pavilion. Please bring warm clothes! Sweatshirts and extra blankets are a good idea. You might enjoy bringing your own camp chairs as well.

However, on sunny days, you might get warm doing some of the afternoon activities, so dressing in layers is smart. We often get rainy days during Sukkot, so bring umbrellas, jackets, and shoes that can handle rain or mud.

I’d like to fish; what do I need to know?

Fishing is free! (Catch and release only.) Bring your own fishing gear. No fishing license is required for fishing in the lake. Fishing in surrounding lakes/streams will require a Michigan fishing license.

We love to ride our bikes; what do I need to know?

You would be welcome to bring bikes along with you! There are wonderful trails all throughout the campground, and during free times, many children and adults love to ride their bikes around.

I’m Single/Older/Have No Children, Etc.

The retreat is for all ages and people! We are working hard to plan activities that all ages and walks of life will enjoy. We can’t wait to get to know you!

I need a special diet. Will this work out with group meals each day?

Yes, we will do everything we can to accommodate you. Please let us know your needs on the registration form, and if you have any questions, please email Katie at ktmom12@gmail.com.

All food brought to Sukkot needs to be biblically clean. Some foods are unacceptable — and if you bring them, we’ll be kind but ask you not to bring them to any of our group events. Our guidelines are found in Leviticus 11, but in general, here are some pointers to keep in mind:

We do not eat any pork or shellfish.
Pork and shellfish are hidden as additives in many foods. For example, gelatin is made from pork, so we don’t eat marshmallows or Jello, unless we can find them from a source that we know is not from a biblically unclean animal.
Some other foods that sometimes contain unclean food are beef sausage casings, bread, salad dressings, pie crust, pastries and doughnuts, and commercially-prepared drinks.
When in doubt, bring only foods that have one of these symbols on the package:

What are the rules of the campground?

Covenant Hills Camp is owned and operated by the East Michigan Free Methodist Church, but the RV park is open to any and all visitors. There may be other visitors camping while Solel Sabbath Fellowship is enjoying Sukkot. Other guests will likely not share our Torah beliefs. We want to be a GOOD testimony to both the campground staff and other guests by being kind and considerate, cleaning up after ourselves, supervising our children and pets, and abiding by all campground rules.

The campground DOES NOT allow drugs, marijuana, or alcohol on the property, and a modest dress code is required. You must be 21 years or older to rent a campsite.

You may read all the campground rules here. You must read the campground rules and acknowledge your agreement with them before registering.

Solel Sabbath Fellowship additionally requires that all children be supervised by parents or young-adult siblings at all times.

May we bring our dog?

The campground is pet friendly. Pets must be on a six-foot leash. Please clean up after your pets, and if your dog likes to bark, we STRONGLY recommend you find a place to leave him. No pets are allowed in any of the buildings, the cabins or at the beach.

What is lodging like?

The rooms vary in size and configuration. In most cases you can expect to be in a room with bunk beds, twin beds, double beds, or a combination of these. Many cabins will have a private bathroom, while some are very close nearby. Finding friends to share a bunk room with you can really help reduce your costs. If you’d like help finding someone to share a room with, email Katie at ktmom12@gmail.com.

You will need to bring your own bedding, linens and toiletries, as well as a cooler to keep your breakfast, lunch, and snack foods cold.

If you are camping in a tent or RV, you can bring your own firewood or purchase some at the campground.

There is wireless internet throughout the campground, at the Hub and at the Cove.

Are meals provided?

Families should bring their own food for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. We will eat dinner together each evening. We will be actively recruiting help to prepare meals each afternoon, so you might consider bringing your crockpot and maybe your apron! 🙂 We will be preparing all meals “camp style,” over fire pits, barbecue grills, and in electric skillets and crockpots. It’s the Feast of Tabernacles, after all, where YHVH asks grownups to go camping for a week!

I can only come for Sabbath or the First and Last Days. Is this okay?

If you plan on joining us for only the daytime, there is a cost for a car pass. The cost is $2/person for vehicles with 1 or 2 people in it and $5/car with 3 or more people in the vehicle. Since we should not handle money on Sabbath days, please call the campground ahead of time to pay for your car pass. You may call on Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday mornings, and ask for Donna. Please tell her that you are with the Solel Sabbath Fellowship group. Her number is (810) 631-4531.

What will Sabbath be like?

Day One of Sukkot (which is a high Sabbath) begins at sundown on Tuesday, October 11* and continues through sundown on Wednesday, October 12.* While food preparation is allowed, please do not plan to buy or sell on Day One.

The Weekly Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday, October 14, and continues through sundown on Saturday, October 15. We will not do any food preparation, any lighting of campfires, or any buying or selling on the Weekly Sabbath, in honor of YHVH’s commandments. We are planning more restful activities this day, as well as lots of time for fellowship with each other.

Day Eight of Sukkot (which is also a high Sabbath) begins at sundown on Tuesday, October 18,* and continues through sundown on Wednesday, October 19.* While food preparation is allowed, please do not plan to buy or sell on Day Eight.

We are commanded to REJOICE on Sukkot, so we will plan lots of time for singing, dancing, praising, and worship.

*tentative dates, depending on the sighting of the new moon on Yom Teruah

What should we pack?

Coats, warm jackets, sweatshirts, and extra blankets
Warm socks
Umbrella
Bedding and linens
Toiletries
Bag for dirty clothes
Flashlight with batteries
Camera
Insect repellent
Musical instruments
Bible and pen
Shofar
Water bottle
Cooler for food
Food for breakfast, lunch, and snacks
Crockpot and/or camp stove
Camp chairs
Bikes
Fishing pole
Extra spending money for snacks, ice, firewood

How can I invite my friends?

Glad you asked! That would be great! Send them here to this page, at https://solelsabbathfellowship.com/events.

Coming Events

Join Us for Sukkot

Theme: Kingdom Come
On Earth As It Is In Heaven