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Imagine sitting around the campfire on a warm summer evening, listening to personal stories about life at Church Camp as told by the campers themselves. Many of these experiences have made a life long impact on young campers. Relationships can develop at camp which deepens a persons maturity and prepares them to become future church leaders. Sharing these experiences can help us better understand others and the social culture from which they come. Listen now as they share with us their most impressionable moments at camp. |
"In the hills of ole Virginia, where the whippoorwills are calling..." the half century old camp song offers a word picture of the genteel setting. Central to Camp Bethel is a huge spring of tasty water feeding a small lake -- separated by only a few feet of spillway. The spring and lake are central to camp as they rest between the recreation hall and the dining hall (until a quarter century ago when development changed). Consequently, we did not need to "hike" to the lake. We merely "went" there. Lights in the cabins and other buildings would be turned out. We sat "quietly" around the lake, sang a bit, heard Scripture read and perhaps a sermon.
What I looked forward to most, was the annual ritual of a wooden cross
(perhaps four feet high) being laid into the water with lighted candles on
it. Carefully, it was pushed from shore, and we meditated as it slowly
moved into the spring stream that gave some current to the lake. We
silently departed by the time the cross got to the lake's spillway. It was
a worship filled final evening to each week-long camp.
L. Clyde Carter
Retired Ordained Pastor
District Pastor to Pastoral Families
Williamson Road COB
Virlina District
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