When I served on the board of Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, each December the president and communications director would put together a list of the “Top 10” stories of the year from the seminary. As we wrap up our summer today at Camp Mount Luther, my 25th at the helm, I thought I’d pick my “Top 10 Highlights” of this year’s camping season. And, like all good countdowns, I’ll go backwards from number 10.
10. Jesus is the center of everything, so this should be at the top spot! Our theme this summer of “Who are You, Jesus?” helped us explore four images as part of Jesus’ “I Am” statements: good shepherd, light of the world, bread of life, and resurrection and life, all coming from the Gospel of John. I really enjoyed looking at these images and how they reflect on our relationship with Jesus.
9. Seeing Pastor Nurse Karla Leiby get into our Dr. Seuss Week. She decorated the nurse’s office, developed a story around our theme in the style of a Dr. Seuss book, and she and Pastor Larry Herrold used some whimsical worship liturgies. It was a great way to end our summer this week.
8. During X-Teen, we used our senior high campers as “camper chaplains” and had them do some leadership work with worship. It was a new take on our senior high leadership programs and those campers went on to help us out at one of our off-site day camps.
7. Cicadas. They were around at the beginning of the summer. I loved hearing the symphony they created when I got out of my car in the morning. Ellis Reed, a cabin leader, collected cicada skins and we had a “Guess the Number of Cicada skins” contest. The half-gallon jar was full. When you opened it, it sure did smell!
6. We are working to form a new worshipping community for young adults. During Week 2, we started the process with Sue Ellen Spotts, Director for Evangelical Mission for the Upper Susquehanna Synod. She helped our staff envision what they would like to see and what would be helpful in their spiritual development. We have some solid plans that will be announced soon.
5. We had a campfire in the pool! Not just a program, which we did before, but a real floating campfire. Jim Vitale knew a trick and we had a metal bowl floating around during our campfire skits and worship. Pastor Jim Bricker’s message that night was fantastic and I enjoyed leading “The Orchestra Song.”
4. After several years, we returned to Buffalo Gap (pictured above)! The staff hiked there during Week 2’s Work Week and revisited the campsite we use. It was a rough hike as the brush had overtaken the trail, but we got there. I got hurt several times from falling, but seeing the view from the top of the mountain again was worth it. The next week, we had campers go there for Buffalo Gap Adventure. I’m glad we have been reunited with this beautiful piece of God’s creation.
3. During Family Camp, Village Leader Joey Martin led us in a game of “Split the Party.” The staff answered “this or that” questions and the Family Campers had to guess how we would answer. It was a lot of fun!
2. We continued to do off-site camps at local churches, and I was most excited about a partnership at one of them. In Bloomsburg, we partnered with The Table (Lutheran), First Presbyterian, and Trinity United Church of Christ. We’ve done day camp with them for four years and it keeps growing. This year, we enlisted some staffing help from our friends at Bear Creek Camp in Wilkes-Barre. So, there were three churches working with two camps. It went well and showed me how important it is for us to work together.
1. You may have guessed what my top highlight would be. It’s the new Maple Village Bathhouse. It’s a great facility, and I’m glad we finally got to use it this week with campers. Martin’s Construction was great to work with, and they built a quality building. Having the dedication of the building during the Upper Susquehanna Synod Assembly, which was held here for the first time, was also very special.
Continuing to do God’s ministry here at Camp Mount Luther is rewarding for me. It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 summers that I’d been blessed to be the Executive Director. We truly are building for the future, and it is my hope that the 345 campers who took part in our on-site and off-site programs will remember fondly their time here and feel strengthened in their faith.