Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. Isaiah 2:3
As the abundant life of spring approaches, we are humbled to reflect on this year of generosity and grace. The collective work of the many generations listed in this newsletter keeps us on a path of optimism and opportunities for the future.
In 2020, we blazed new trails to provide purpose and understanding. We found new ways to share outdoor ministry with all of God’s people. Together, we all learned how to experience growth in our faith, tried new things, and renewed our spiritual senses through family groups, virtual platforms, and socially distanced events. It is amazing to reflect on our accomplishments in building community and supporting one another in the midst of a pandemic.
On June 18, 2020, we got the news that overnight summer camp was cancelled across the state. Despite this, we decided to continue as planned with the trail clearing afternoon on our staff training schedule. Not knowing what summer would bring, our senses and emotions were heightened. We needed time to process. An afternoon of trail work and manual labor was exactly what we needed.
We set out to clear the South end of Nature Trail, which was overgrown and blocked with fallen trees. Bryan led us through a safety talk, shared expectations, and assigned work crews. The day was slow, hot, buggy, and filled with hard work, yet attitudes remained upbeat. The trail was filled with singing and storytelling. As we were finishing up at the end of the day, one large pine tree still blocked the trail, and although we only had hand tools and little time left to complete the task, the group was determined. We communicated with one another, shared the physical labor, and uplifted each other so that we could complete our work along the trail. This day was our mountain. We found the house of God among nature itself. This day served as the beginning of new paths which led our way to hear and be taught how to “walk in his paths” last summer.
As we reflect on the year, we are grateful for YOU. Thank you for your help in hiring 16 young adults last summer, so that they could grow in faith, be guided on new paths, discern their future, and build our community in new ways. These staff were instrumental in trailblazing opportunities for family retreats, virtual camp at home, collaboration with other camps, and
improving accessibility, allowing us to gather safely from anywhere.
As you travel new paths this spring, we are excited to be your guide and provide a sense of direction. Join us in small group summer camp and retreat opportunities, virtual camp at home, family retreats, hybrid programs, and safe outdoor events. We welcome you to celebrate with us and live, connect, affirm, and gather with a renewed sense of purpose in
the name of our Lord and Savior.
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