What does it mean to have peace in the midst of a crazy life? What does it look like to be truly forgiven? How does it feel to be able to approach God at all times of the day? These questions will be answered at Camp Burton this weekend.

    Kent State Cru, or Campus Crusade for Christ, will be hosting its annual fall retreat from Oct. 2 to Oct. 4 at Camp Burton in Burton, Ohio.

    The trip, which costs $70, is a chance for students to “get off campus and give their brains a break,” senior staff member Eric St. Jean said.

    Students from Kent State branch campuses, the University of Akron and several Cleveland universities will also be attending the getaway.

            “Mainly, it is a chance to connect with other people,” St. Jean said.

   The retreat will feature team sports, hayrides, hikes, and a bonfire, all available to the approximately students attending. Jim Sylvester, a “legend in the Cru organization,” will also give four sermons over the weekend, and Cru will lead worship sessions.

   Cru approaches the trip as one of several ways to outreach to both returning and new members.

   “We’re not just a ministry; we don’t want to be looked at as just a college youth group,” St. Jean said. “We’re kind of an on ramp on a highway. We try to provide multiple ‘on ramps’ to people who want a relationship with God.”

  Kelly Powell is the religion reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].