January 24 – “The camp experience”

I spent most of my afternoon yesterday doing some research on youth camps in the state of Texas.  I only went to one youth camp as an Episcopalian.  I only remember a few things about it.  One was watching the movie, ”What’s it all about, Alfie” (or something like that).  I think back in the late 60’s, using today’s rating scale, it would probably have been at least a PG13.  Aside from just being a bad movie in general, there were some scenes that really took me by surprise.  Not what I expected to see at a church camp. 

I also remember doing an off-the-cuff sociological experiment.  I decided to create a persona of a quiet, dissolve-into-the-woodwork kid and see how the group responded to me.  No one else from my church came.  Not a soul there knew me.  Nothing scientific about it.  I didn’t take notes or anything, but I was fascinated by the varying responses I got from the other kids.  Early on in the week I was pretty much ignored.  Later on a few of the girls realized I was there and started to cajole me into participating.  None of the guys ever even introduced themselves to me.  It wasn’t a terrible experience, but it wasn’t one I ever cared to repeat.  I did learn that if I was ever in that situation, I would do what I could to at least acknowledge the loners and “disenfranchised” among the group. 

The only other memory I have is that I had to make a report to the church about the experience, since they paid my way.  That meant standing up in the huge pulpit that looks like a golden chariot, before the entire congregation, and doing some public speaking.  Sounds scary, doesn’t it?  Actually it was the easiest part of the whole experience.  Oh, the preparation part was a nightmare.  I still have to work really hard at that.  But once I got up there, it didn’t take long for me to settle in and do the talking.  I kind of knew by that time that one way or another I would end up in the ministry.  I just had no idea what it would look like. 

I did go one year to youth camp in Palacious, Texas, with the group from First Baptist Church, Galveston.  I don’t remember much about that week.  I know the worship services were held in a huge outdoor covered pavilion.  We played some softball and I remember faking a cramp so I wouldn’t have so much pressure to win a swimming competition.  Later on, one of the churches I worked at actually did its own youth camp.  I didn’t get to experience that one.  Instead I had to create and run a camp for children the same week. 

Chris and I were introduced to the Centrifuge camp indirectly after we moved to Colorado.  We went to Glorieta for some kind of education conference, and Kel was enrolled in Centrifuge for the week.  He had a pretty good experience, so after we got established in Denver, Glorieta became one of the camp options every year.  And we have been going to a Centrifuge experience almost every year since then, most of them in Glorieta.  We have seen a lot of lives changed as a result of camp.  It has always been a priority of mine as a pastor, and I committed a long time ago to do what I could to go with the kids to camp, wherever that might be, to show my support and encouragement. 

Psalms 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?”

Father, thank you for the lives that have been changed because of a camp experience.  Prepare the hearts of those who will have that experience this year.  Amen.