CalPacCamps.Org Camp and Retreat Ministries

"From the Pacific Beach UMC's March newsletter, the "Beach Breeze," Pastor April's Angle. Dear Friends, As I prepared for Winter Church Camp, I read these wise words: "We have to go to holy ground to receive whatever gifts we are given there. Then we return to ordinary land." We live in the awareness of God's love and God's calling by "intentionally keeping the memory of our time on holy ground active and alive." The gifts of camp included SNOW, which as the children showed us, is good for slipping, sliding, throwing, rolling in, stomping on, and whacking at. It's also quite beautiful. Playing in the snow definitely looked like the most popular activity among the elementary age set, although pillow fighting was apparently a close second. There is nothing like snow to help a person appreciate a blazing fire in a lovely stone fireplace! The fireplace was definitely the heart of our camp activity. We gathered in its warmth for everything from worship to quiet conversation to rousing games of "Apples to Apples." Other gifts were shining candles with holders made radiant by colorful tissue paper creatively applied, friendship bracelets, time for reading and napping, the challenges of a puzzle painstakingly set up and quickly dismantled, music (we sang some doozies, including, if you can believe it, "The Old Gray Goose is Dead"), entertaining table graces (you trying singing the words of the doxology to the pirate song, yo ho), great food, meaningful sharing, rock climbing, hiking, and archery. I'd never shot an arrow from a bow before, but thanks to the inspirational leadership of Athena, Ava, Ben, and Elizabeth AND the excellent coaching of Wayne Samuel, I actually landed all of my arrows on the hay bale! Most of them even landed somewhere on the target. I got a little extra help from Mabel, who generously shot one of her arrows into my "bull's eye"! Our tour of camp on Sunday morning helped us see the sacred space of camp through the eyes of our youth. Those at Cedar Glen for the first time were pleased and impressed to know that we United Methodists can count such an amazing place among our resources for ministry and spiritual growth. Others, who have memories of Cedar Glen stretching back to 40 or 50 years, were grateful to revisit a meaningful place in their own personal faith history. In an effort to "keep the memory of our time alive," and with thanks to Dee for being the most fun and capable camp organizer ever, I share with you these pictures of a fantastic weekend. God's grace and peace to all, Pastor April "
- Aimee Kay, Secretary

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