Encounter LE, an on-campus weekend retreat for high school and junior high students at Lubbock Christian University (LCU), makes its highly-anticipated return after a two-year hiatus.

Encounter LE (Light Edition) seeks to give students a taste of the full summer camp experience, providing a reprieve from hectic and busy schedules of the school semester to slow down, focus on faith, and take a breath. After taking several years off including the once-planned resurgence in 2020, which was cut due to COVID-19 precautions, the late-fall event will welcome students to campus again in late November.

“It's a time for middle school and high schoolers to come together to be poured into—to grow and to connect with one another,” shared Josh Stephens, Director of LCU Summer Camps. “It’s also a time for them to remember the excitement that comes with Encounter and Camp Champion.”

“The fall, especially November, is hard.” he continued. “There are so many things going on in teens’ lives—so to have a weekend where they can hit pause and remind themselves of how much Jesus loves them and return to this community that can pour into them, that’s powerful.”

The three-day event will welcome back speakers Matt Clark and Manny Dominguez. Clark has been a part of the LCU Camps community for years, teaching numerous classes and even making keynote appearances. Dominguez, a student minister at The Hills Church, is on the other end of that spectrum, having just made his debut at Encounter this past summer.

“They're both engaging and dynamic speakers who have the ability to connect with young people and who really bring the Gospel to life,” Stephens said. “Matt's been around for a long time, while Manny is relatively new. But when we thought about who we wanted to come speak, it was easy—those were the first two guys who came to mind. We're incredibly excited about having them back on campus.”

LCU will host Encounter LE from November 19-21. Early-bird registration cost is $50 through Monday, November 15, which will include lunch and dinner on Saturday. After that date, the cost will go up by $10. Housing will not be provided.

Register for Encounter LE, or check out other upcoming events.