After the celebration of anniversary, the same Sunday, pastor Chris Anderson took me to Stony Lake Lutheran Camp. I was there with group which name was “Bridge builders II.”. Participants were about the age of high school students.
In Slovakia I used to be in church camps or camps which were made by Child Evangelism Fellowship. But that camp was different for me because of so long distances. (It is just my opinion!) For me, it was longer way to get to cottage than in Slovakia (maybe because our camps are smaller). And it was also longer way to know people, because we usually do everything (or almost everything) together – everybody has the same program, we do not have counsellors so it means that a pastor is still somewhere near children, somewhere between children and spends time with them. And yes, we have also some small groups (when we are creating something, when we are playing games or something) but still we are together. And also we have some helpers which take care about groups too, but there is no free time for pastors. So it was something totally different and new for me. But I understand that children and young people have more energy than adults so maybe that’s the reason why pastors in Slovakia are so tired and broken after camps, that they usually go to vacation.
At that camp we were talking about racism, how to build bridges between all people and how to destroy the walls between us and in us. We made a lot’s of discussions, we talked about our feelings we had when we exercised some activities. In the evenings we had camp fires and there we praised the Lord and sang some songs. We made also a time line: “History of racism”. There were marked many things which happened in the past and we were thinking about their impact for present. We had some activities for thinking how to avoid racism, how we can help people to get the same possibilities and the same rights or at least how to show other people that discrimination is wrong.
We finished the camp together with worship. One of the pastors which was there had a sermon about baptism and what does it mean to be a disciple, what does it mean to be a bridge builder. We washed our hands each other and pastors anointed us with oil. As one family we came together to receive holy communion. It was really good time.
Some another thing I have learned there:
Have your bug spray still with you. It’s not so long lasting as you think.
I did also high ropes. I was so scary. It was so high and I was like a jelly. I wanted to try it and they encouraged me to do it all. There was one really hard place for me (and not only one) and I stopped there for a few minutes thinking about how to go over the obstacle. I am a person who needs to know that there is firm ground under me and who needs to calculate with the question “What if something wrong is going to happen?” So that was an activity for improving my trust and I am so thankful for that.
I enjoyed that camp. I have learned a lot’s of things about how it is working in such a big camp. Moreover, I have learned something more about history of racism and I have met some new friends too.
At that week I was also in the Hackley Park here in Muskegon at the event called “Parties in the Park” and I saw there so many people which I know, that the family I stayed with was so surprised how it is possible, that I know more people than they. 😀
On Saturday Emil and I were at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Muskegon on installation at ordination of a new pastor. And that was a great experience too. I saw a bishop of North/West Lower Michigan Synod and he had really good sermons (both – for children and also for adults). I was amazed that the whole congregation was asking God for blessing their new pastor with holding their hands. So everybody joined that ceremony and nobody was passive.
So that was my week and here you can see also some photos.
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