Memories from the 2004 Campout...
We again had a wonderful time camping at Fort Stevens State park. This
year we had 28 sites, 75 campers, and depending on the day, another 10-20
visitors. We were blessed with good weather and great company! It was
a time to get to know each other better, play some games and enjoy some
great food :-)
One of the main events at our campout (besides eating) is the outdoor
worship service. This year Mica Coffin and Nick Cannard led the service
and it reflected on the way in which God's abundant grace, which is so
evident in nature, fills us to overflowing and then spills over from
us onto others. This was symbolized by a ritual of abundance in which
worshipers came up and shared something they were grateful for as they
poured water from a pitcher into a bowl. The bowl eventually overflowed
and the water spilled over the table and onto the flowers below it. Nick’s
reflection spoke of being prepared to accept God's grace, which is always
there for the receiving. Jabke Buesseler led the singing of several hymns
that, particularly during the sharing of the Eucharist, wrapped us in
an experience of being anointed by grace so that our cups did indeed
run over.
For those of you who were not there this year, I hope that you can join
us next year and experience this for yourselves. There is an incredible
feeling of “community” at the campout, and it is hard to
find the right words to describe it. Probably the best description is
reading how this year’s campers responded to the question “What
Were Some Highlights of the Campout for You?"
- Combining communities with another church group, expanding our community
- Playing
volleyball with another church group
- Seeing the two boys (Michael and Jimmy Arnold) perched in a tree
as they watched the worship service
- Mick's (Martin/McVey) first tent experience -- he slept all night
thru!!
- Hanging out at the beach with other kids and parents
- The kids in the bike parade
- Seeing and visiting with loving people I haven't seen for a
long time
- The liturgy was very special
- Seeing Leona's progress
- The warm welcoming -- no one feels like an outsider
- Riding bikes
- Great volleyball games
- Chuck, Lois, and Mark (Delcambre) getting Tiana off her
training wheels
- Waiting for the blessing water to spill over
(during the worship service)
- The kids running around and having fun
together -- cooking and eating together
- Sharing
love, friendship, warmth, and hugs
- Great sense of community and fellowship
- The worship service -- drawing community
together
- After everyone goes to bed --
staying up and talking to one's
special
friend
- Sunday AM -- waking up to the
sounds of a pancake breakfast
-- laughing,
sizzling of
bacon, rustling
around --
good wakeup sounds
- An artist pouring the water
of grace over her hand
during the
service
- A great place to spend
your honeymoon
- If you come in after
dark, before you know
it a crowd
has gathered
to set
you up,
a modern day
barn raising
- The little touches
like flowers on the
tables
- The volleyball game
rule that a parent
could not
criticize their
child
- Sitting around
the campfire
with your
friends
- Singing with
the guitar
- The mixing
of generations
during
the card
and board
games
- The teens
are the
camp experts
now,
the parents
have passed
the torch
- Night games
(for
the youth)
at Battery
Russell
-- Capture
the
Flag
and Sardines
- Good
weather
- Brew
(Coffin)playing
a
volleyball off
his
face
- The
teens sitting
around the
campfire at
their own
site
- The
symbolism of
the overflowing
bowl (in
the service)
-- the
visual depiction
of water
- Walking
around talking
to people
- The
challenge of
making eggs
to order
- Walking
or riding
a bike
(or even
a car)
around the
loop and
seeing person
after person
whom you
know and
love and
want to
greet and
visit with
The campout next year will be the weekend of Aug 20. If
you think you are interested in joining us or have any questions, please
contact me at 503.647.2601 or at campout@buesseler.com.
Peace,
John Buesseler
2006 update: The campout this year is the week of
Aug 14-21, 2006
|