From the Desk of Pastor Clay

 

With Camp Sunday on our horizon and the warmer temperatures around us, I have had camp on the brain. Well, actually, if I am being completely honest, I always have camp on the brain, at least a little bit. I love camp. I love that camp provides an opportunity for kids and adults to step outside of their comfort zones and be an even more authentic version of themselves. I remember a conversation with a friend and colleague back at camp who summed it up perfectly: “I felt like there were two versions of myself when I was camping age. There was ‘home’ me and ‘camp’ me. ‘Home’ me had to fit in with the group at school and be a diminished version of myself whereas ‘camp’ me could just be me. Now that I am an adult, only ‘camp’ me remains because I can be myself.” Because I was usually one of the only kids from my hometown going to camp, I could be more myself and feel accepted for me in a way that only very seldom felt when I was at home. 

 

The first time I was given the opportunity to pray the Sinner’s Prayer and accept Christ for myself was at camp. I have met lifelong friends at camp. In fact, I was able to do the wedding for one of my camp friends and in a few weeks, I will be baptizing their daughter. I also fell in love with serving the church at church camp as I went to a camp called M.A.D.D. (music, arts, dance, and drama) at Lake Poinsett where we ended up in charge of a chapel service at the end of the week—more on that later. I have told you all a number of times that I first had my call to ministry named on the shores of Lake Poinsett, but even if I had not, camp would still be a huge part of my life and faith. 

 

So, what better time than now to talk about one of my favorite memories from church camp that inspired me to become a volunteer counselor and dean. 

 

It probably does not come as much of a surprise to learn that one of my favorite things was being a part of a worship arts camp that ended with a bunch of middle schoolers (with adult supervision and assistance) left in charge of a worship service. I went to M.A.D.D. all through middle school, and each year was different from the rest in the best possible ways. The first year, our worship service was your run-of-the-mill worship service complete with us doing a choreographed “dance” to “Awesome God” by Rich Mullins, most of which I can still do if push came to shove. 

 

But the second year was really the highlight as it involved all of the four areas of focus at the camp. Pastor Laurie Kidd invited us to be part of a week of rehearsals that culminated with us putting on a full-scale musical called Welcome Back Billy Best, which was a telling of the Parable of the Prodigal Son but set in the early 1930s. I was the father of Billy Best in the show and ran a large and successful newspaper. My son Billy (played by a wonderful girl named Tammy) ran off and fell victim to the Great Depression before having to return and be welcomed back into the family. Not only did this require a lot of singing and dancing, it also included some of the most elaborate sets a week of camp could produce. Our artsy campers painted giant flats into a New York City Skyline and a bustling newsroom. It was great to see everyone have a chance to shine with their art. This was the best way to involve everyone’s creativity as those who could sing got involved in the musical, those who could dance had a special part in that musical, and those who could draw and paint created stunning scenes on previously blank canvases. 

 

Honestly, we best reflect the body of Christ when all of our gifts are affirmed and celebrated. It is my hope as I lead camps to create similar atmospheres just as that is my hope as a leader in the church. God has created us all with unique gifts, talents, passions, and abilities. And God has given us a hunger and thirst for righteousness. Jesus said in John’s gospel that he knows us and invites us to hear his voice and follow him. Camp is one of those unique spaces where we are invited to do precisely that. If you want to talk about your options for going to camp or helping do not hesitate to reach out to me!