Message from Pastor Brandi
COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY
- a note from our Pastor
There are stories in the Bible that tell about acknowledging space or marking space in a special way. Here are just a few examples:
“Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan..and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight…When your children ask you in times to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off and Israel crossed on dry ground…So these stones shall be…a memorial forever.”-Joshua 4
The Lord spoke to Moses and Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.”- Exodus 3:5 and Joshua 5:15
“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up… and named it Ebenezer; for he said, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’” – Samuel 7:12
Earlier this week, I attended a meeting at Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center, one of five United Methodist camps in the Upper NY Conference. It was a sunny day, but windy. I stood on the lakeshore listening to the waves meeting the shoreline and gave thanks to God for our Upper NY Camp and Retreat Ministries that preserve and provide holy ground; places where many have encountered God or felt God’s call on their life for the first time.
Sky Lake Camp in Windsor, NY is holy ground for me. This is where I had my first camp experience atthe age of 12. June Ely was the director. I vividly
remember her gathering us for introductions in the gazebo outside the dining hall on West Shore. I can’t recall her words, but I will never forget the Christian love I felt in her presence and throughout the week.
I made a friend at camp that week. Jennifer was from the BIG city of Binghamton. She invited me to visit her house later that summer. We walked to a park and rode a carousel!
Jennifer and I went on to volunteer as counselors in training for Special Needs Camps and later worked as staff at Sky Lake. We remained pen pals into adulthood.
One of my counselors from those years at Sky Lake is now a clergy colleague. Camp roots run deep and can last a lifetime!
I wonder how many members and friends of NVUMC have had a holy ground experience at Sky Lake or another United Methodist camp? The Scripture passage from Joshua reminds us that is important to talk about how our Christian faith develops over time and how we recognize significant markers along the way, “What do those stones mean to you?”
How has a camp experience from childhood or a retreat experience as an adult helped to grow your faith? I hope you will share your camp memories with younger generations and also with fellow NVUMC members/friends when you see each other in church or on Facebook.
Please encourage a young person to spend a week at a United Methodist camp.
Sky Lake offers traditional oneweek camps for jr. and sr. high students as well as a shorter “Try Camp” option for younger campers, ages 5-8.
Casawasco offers traditional camp weeks and unique adventure camps such as sailing, roller coaster week, drama camp, Highlands tent camping and more.
If you would like to help a young person attend a United Methodist camp, please send a donation to 1st UMC Newark Valley Sunday School with a note in the memo line, “campership” or contact the church financial secretary at leerogers2748@gmail.com
Sky Lake Camp information is available at: https://skylakecenter.org/summer-camp/
Casowasco Camp information is available at: https://casowasco.org/2021/12/27/2022-summerat-casowasco/
God bless you and keep you,
Pastor Brandi
- a note from our Pastor
There are stories in the Bible that tell about acknowledging space or marking space in a special way. Here are just a few examples:
“Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan..and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight…When your children ask you in times to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off and Israel crossed on dry ground…So these stones shall be…a memorial forever.”-Joshua 4
The Lord spoke to Moses and Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.”- Exodus 3:5 and Joshua 5:15
“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up… and named it Ebenezer; for he said, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’” – Samuel 7:12
Earlier this week, I attended a meeting at Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center, one of five United Methodist camps in the Upper NY Conference. It was a sunny day, but windy. I stood on the lakeshore listening to the waves meeting the shoreline and gave thanks to God for our Upper NY Camp and Retreat Ministries that preserve and provide holy ground; places where many have encountered God or felt God’s call on their life for the first time.
Sky Lake Camp in Windsor, NY is holy ground for me. This is where I had my first camp experience atthe age of 12. June Ely was the director. I vividly
remember her gathering us for introductions in the gazebo outside the dining hall on West Shore. I can’t recall her words, but I will never forget the Christian love I felt in her presence and throughout the week.
I made a friend at camp that week. Jennifer was from the BIG city of Binghamton. She invited me to visit her house later that summer. We walked to a park and rode a carousel!
Jennifer and I went on to volunteer as counselors in training for Special Needs Camps and later worked as staff at Sky Lake. We remained pen pals into adulthood.
One of my counselors from those years at Sky Lake is now a clergy colleague. Camp roots run deep and can last a lifetime!
I wonder how many members and friends of NVUMC have had a holy ground experience at Sky Lake or another United Methodist camp? The Scripture passage from Joshua reminds us that is important to talk about how our Christian faith develops over time and how we recognize significant markers along the way, “What do those stones mean to you?”
How has a camp experience from childhood or a retreat experience as an adult helped to grow your faith? I hope you will share your camp memories with younger generations and also with fellow NVUMC members/friends when you see each other in church or on Facebook.
Please encourage a young person to spend a week at a United Methodist camp.
Sky Lake offers traditional oneweek camps for jr. and sr. high students as well as a shorter “Try Camp” option for younger campers, ages 5-8.
Casawasco offers traditional camp weeks and unique adventure camps such as sailing, roller coaster week, drama camp, Highlands tent camping and more.
If you would like to help a young person attend a United Methodist camp, please send a donation to 1st UMC Newark Valley Sunday School with a note in the memo line, “campership” or contact the church financial secretary at leerogers2748@gmail.com
Sky Lake Camp information is available at: https://skylakecenter.org/summer-camp/
Casowasco Camp information is available at: https://casowasco.org/2021/12/27/2022-summerat-casowasco/
God bless you and keep you,
Pastor Brandi
