During our camp season on Good SOIL, to highlight our seasonal staff, we’re taking a trip around camp to all the favorite places they hold dear. For many, Camp Mount Luther is a haven, a place of peace, good memories, and fun times. Usually there’s one (or maybe a few!) place where a person feels particularly drawn: their favorite place to go. In those special spots, camp becomes embodied, and we grow deep roots into the very landscape of Camp Mount Luther. It’s not just a building. Or a campsite. Or a worship space. It’s a memory, a feeling, a place of community.
Let’s continue our tour of staff members’ favorite places…
Most people know about Turkey Feeder (especially if you read our recent blog post!). It’s that far place up the big hill. What you might not know about is a smaller, more intimate spot nestled between the pond and Turkey Feeder. On your way up “the big hill,” you’ll notice a path to the right labeled with a small but colorful sign: Peace of God. Follow it down some gentle winding curves, and you’ll arrive at one of camp’s smallest sites and Natalie’s favorite place.
The path to Peace of God is blanketed in thick Japanese stiltgrass. Although the carpet effect lends itself to a sort of other-worldly beauty, Japanese stiltgrass is one of the most damaging invasive species in the United States, crowding out preferred vegetation for wildlife. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of deer and other animals finding adequate sources of food here at camp, and we’re keeping an eye on the stiltgrass.
The path opens to a small clearing that’s mossy, serene, and shaded completely by surrounding trees. You can hear a creek trickling at the back of the site, and if you don’t mind walking through thick fern growth, you can reach the creek’s banks somewhat easily. There’s an artfully arranged pile of rocks serving as an altar, and at its feet lie circular mosaics.
But the most eye-catching part of Peace of God is the large wagon wheel, painted to look like a peace sign, suspended by rope between several trees. That’s one of the things Natalie likes about this smaller campsite. It definitely sets the place apart from a typical campsite. “You sit on the hill overlooking the creek and the peace sign,” Natalie says, feeling…well, peaceful as the name implies! We think it’s one of the cozier spots on camp, big enough for an intimate worship service but too small to take a large cabin group on an overnight.
Natalie hasn’t been on an overnight at Peace of God yet, but she wants to when she has a small enough group. When she does, she’ll throw up her hammock between two of the many trees and enjoy this gem of a place encased by the forest. Next time you visit Peace of God, remember these words from James 3:
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Peace of God is pure and peaceable, certainly gentle, and full of good fruits, like rest, beauty, prayer, and quiet. It reminds us to sow in peace, bearing the fruit of righteousness to help heal our hurting world.