For many across the diocese, Camp Wood is a “thin place” where we can feel the presence of God. Camp is a time to reconnect with nature and community and reinvigorate our true selves. Camp is a safe place to challenge ourselves mentally, physically, and spiritually, but it is not the same without the loving community at its center. In times of uncertainty and self-doubt, closing my eyes and dreaming of the love I felt on the top of Hi-Y or the calmness looking out over the lake provides me a sense of peace and will bring tears of escape from a stressful and broken world. As I reflect on my love for this place, there are ways I try to incorporate it into my day-to-day life.
1. Take a break and be present
It can be so relaxing to quit scrolling on social media by putting the phone on silent and closing the laptop. Our online connections can be superficial and portray a false sense of reality. Comparison and constantly seeking to perform are the thieves of joy and are not sustainable. We need a reminder to ground ourselves through meditation, prayer, singing, and dance.
2. Creating community
Nothing in life is more beneficial than building relationships. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw how critical it was for our mental health to be connected. Not only to lean on one another in times of joy, but support in times of trouble. Many of the relationships I have built at camp have lasted far beyond the one week per year. The diocese offers several youth events throughout the year for youth to attend, to continue to see our friends. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention all of the wonderful volunteers who make these events possible. They have taken an interest in my life; many have become trusted adults and now friends. I seek out prayers from this community in times of need and guidance when I need support. And the warm welcome I receive whenever I get to see them at church or out and about is normally the highlight of my day. This is the type of community we are called to create as “the church.” Now, as a young adult, it can be hard to find friends as our life construct is not as supportive of the community that we used to have built in through shared experiences with our classmates, clubs, and sports teams. Relationships are a two-way street and require effort to build and maintain. It requires us to reach out and to get out of our comfort zone. It can be intimidating when we don’t know the slang the kids are using these days, but I challenge you to reach out to new people or ones that you do not know very well. When I was a counselor, I didn’t know all of the language the kids were using, but by the end of the week, they were telling me what they meant. Just the effort of expressing genuine interest shows God’s love and can build a deeper understanding.
3. Radical love
All are welcome. We are called to love unconditionally and to live out our baptismal covenant to “respect the dignity of every human being.” Camp is evidence of the radical love God calls us to show. Kids from all backgrounds come together at camp. You can see the bonds they made by watching them sing camp songs, skipping around in circles to “Making Melodies” and shouting the chorus of “Pharaoh Pharaoh” to the slow swaying of “Sanctuary” and “Exodus.”
We mourn the loss of the campers and counselors who lost their lives due to flooding in Texas and pray for those who are still missing at Camp Mystic. Watching coverage of the evacuation, where they sought comfort in the same songs we sing, reminds us of the shared hope we have. For more information and to support relief efforts, please visit https://www.episcopalccc.org/disaster-relief.
How can you support youth and young adults? Build a connection. Give them a ride to a youth event. Volunteer. Provide a meal for a gathering. Provide a scholarship. Pray for them.Kirsten Lee, member of the Youth and Young Adult Task Force
by Kirsten Lee, member of the Youth and Young Adult Task Force
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