Top Of The Hill

Visit us at Pilgrimage this weekend! #pilgrimage #freesunglasses

People on the outside just don't understand what it means to spend your summer at camp. They don't understand that you can in fact survive on the same meals all summer and that severe tan lines and bad haircuts can be sort of cool. And they'll never experience the absolute pride of losing your voice after defeating every child in your cabin in a yelling competition, nor will they rock tie-dye like you do. People on the outside just don't get it. But it's okay. Because you get it, and really, that's all that matters.

It's a reminder that the church isn't a building; it's the body of Christ manifested in the community of God's children. At Camp Chestnut Ridge that looks like over 200 children, from Preschool to High School, playing, worshiping and breaking bread with one another. It looks like 55 college and older high school students giving their summer in dedication to serving these campers and sharing God's love with them. And because this group of people, this "body of Christ", is spread across 362 acres, it means that church looks a little bit different. Church does take place in the Morris Center where we sing praise to God, and also at the outdoor Lake Chapel where we hear the Word of God read and proclaimed. But church also takes place on the challenge course, where we learn to work together in peace. And at the farm, where we learn to be good stewards and care for God's Creation. Church takes place on the trail as we fellowship on horseback, or around the campfire as we share stories and songs. Because the church isn't a single building, but a community that shares life and faith with one another. Thanks to the little fellow who left his backpack, I am once again reminded of how blessed I am to live and work at a place and with people that can be considered "church".

#campchestnutridge #camprocks #missingsummer #summercamp