Last year I was the program director for Art Camp and ran a podcast entitled Marry Me with my assistant director Cullen Dolson. In the midst of planning out evening programs for the summer an idea hit: what if we did an episode of Marry Me as a live EP, fielding marriage advice questions from campers? What resulted was a wonderfully fun snapshot of camp (thanks in part to Bishop Susan Goff, the third and most intelligent adviser on the episode). After the show went surprisingly well, we were talking to Paris and I spontaneously pitched doing a camp podcast and she seemed excited enough that when I brought it up six months later she was still on board.
I didn't know what the Shrine Mont Camp Cast would be when I pitched it, other than an excuse to visit a place once a week that has been a second home to me since 2012. What it became was a new way to tell the story of camp, not a one-on-one interview with a staff member every week but multiple voices telling the story. Shrine Mont Camps has always been a place where different voices can thrive in the same environment, something I hope to capture with the Camp-Cast. You won't hear from me much in this show, but what you will hear are the voices of Shrine Mont Camps telling the story as it unfolds. In our first episode we're beginning where every summer begins: Training Week. Oh, and before I go, we're closing every episode of the show with an individual camp story - it can be funny, poignant, whatever comes to mind when you think of Shrine Mont Camps. So if you have a story to share, please send an audio file to [email protected] - Kevin Cole
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Music and Drama Camp just closed their first session of the summer, and it couldn’t have been more fun. The campers put together the musical “Oh, Jonah” recounting the story of Jonah and the whale with jokes and songs that will stay with the campers (and counselors) for the rest of summer in just five DAYS of rehearsal! Along the way, they managed to squeeze in time for a carnival, an epic game of King Ball, talent shows and improv nights, dances and much more! They also spent some wonderful time with the camp’s chaplain, Phil, talking about their individual spiritual gifts, and how, with God’s help, they can use those gifts to spread the joy and love of God in the valley of the world. Here are some snapshots of the week for us to share until we return to camp to enjoy a whole new exciting journey next summer!
St. Andrew’s just finished off their awesome week of camp on the mountain this summer, and we can’t wait to share some moments with you! Whether it was hiking to the cross, canoeing on the lake, camping over night at seven springs, skipping rocks at Lake Tomahawk, or roasting ‘mallows on the camp fire, St. Andrew’s was all about connecting with nature this summer. This summer seemed a specifically special one for camper bonding as we saw friendships created that are sure to last a life time. The staff to camper ratio was almost 1:1 this year, which meant our counselors were making friends for life as well. Here are some pictures of St. Andrew’s week of camp to cherish until we can all come back to camp next year!
With five camps up and running, not including the Suzuki violin camp which is also going on at the hotel, the Mountain is saturated with the sounds of laughter and music. Even though it’s only the first or second full day of camp (depending on which camp we’re talking about), the Spirit of fellowship and camaraderie, as well as a general feeling of “family” have already permeated through each camp. It’s as if we have known each other our whole lives and just didn’t know it until we all got together. This, of course, is not an accident. From the moment each director took to the floor to announce the opening of camp, the campers have been inundated with the grace, peace, and the love of Jesus Christ. The first time MAD camp circled up, their program director, Cullen Dolson, looked each of them in the eye and said, “God has chosen you to be here, and we are so excited to see you and will be spending the whole week showing you His love.” Up at the pool, St. Sebastian’s was learning to walk on water as an extensive line of campers waited to catch a frisbee while jumping from the edge. Over on the other side, David Fitzgerald was gathering a group of campers together to play a game of sharks and minnows – calling each of them by name (I don’t know how he knew their names already) and asking, “Hey, do you want to play?” These first words are the most important. The intentional way the staff makes effort to get to know each camper, the complete and unencumbered openness that is shown to everyone, the invitations to join in, and the LOVE that is demonstrated by each and every person is awe inspiring. One of the key things that came out of my preliminary meetings with the two staffs (MAD & St. Sebastian’s) was that each staff wanted to make sure that the campers felt the same way about this mountain that they did. There’s something special about it – something unique – something that’s different than what we experience at home. So we talked about it and narrowed it down. It’s not the pool. It’s not the cabins, or the food (although we all agreed we could use more butt buns in our lives), but it’s the people. It’s the community of faith. It’s the presence of the Holy Spirit moving among us – touching each of our hearts as we come together in the love that has been shown to us by Jesus Christ. We are made for this. From the very beginning – all the way back to the Garden of Eden – we were made to be with God. This is the Kingdom – right here – and that’s what makes it special. The recognition of our brothers and sisters – each of us a beloved child of God. That’s what’s being shared here. That’s what ‘s being said here. This is what we are made for. By Phil Woodson
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The view from the mountainSpreading the good news of Shrine Mont Camps into the Valley of the World.
AuthorsThe View from the Mountain is written by a rotating cast of staff writers and contributors. Archives
September 2018
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