Welcome! Light a Candle with Campers, 2020

Love letter to camp... 
Week One: Longing to Be Invited

This year many of our summer camping programs faced creative, spiritual and financial challenges. For many young people, camp is a significant part of their faith journey and relationships. Ministries Across Generations wanted to share importance of camp and support (financially and spiritually) the places where many people feel God's presence most.

To donate: Ministries Across Generations is collecting money to donate to the camping programs that participated in Light a Candle. Please donate here to Ministries Across Generations (memo: Camp/Light a Candle).

(From Rev. Dr. Olivia Bryan Updegrove, Minister for Ministries Across Generations at Disciples Home Missions, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The idea of “Love Letters for Camp” came from the leaders of the Young Adult Commission who were grieving the loss of physical summer camp, alongside their younger friends and older mentors. For many, including me, camp is a sacred and holy space. People who attend church camp regularly are more likely to remain actively faithful as adults.

There are many good and “needs improvement” aspects of camp, but overall it is a place where years of relationships with others and with God have kept me most attuned to the movement of the Spirit in every day life. I have written MANY “love letters” to campers, counselors, directors, church members, and myself.

As I listened to the Youth Sunday sermon a few months ago at one of my former churches as I ran, I began to “ugly” cry at how proud I was of the voices I was hearing. There were four active seniors at that church who I had taken to church camp as 2^nd graders. It has been seven years since I handed them off to another amazing pastor who granted me permission to share my love letter with them.

Ryan, Carli, Kyle, and Tommy (Morgan) – COVID Grads in 2020

I was humbled to baptize you years ago. At that time, I hope you learned that there are many “stops” on a faith journey. Baptism is just one of them. Graduation is one of them. College is one of them. At times these stops may seem like you will never get back on your faith “train,” but my prayer for you is that you do.

At some points in life’s struggles (because there are always struggles), I hope you will remember the communities of faith that love you. I hope you can see the people who sat in the pews around you. I hope you can remember the laughter of mission trips, youth group gatherings, and most importantly mountain top camp experiences. Can you see the cross at the top of that mountain? Depending on which way you go, it makes a difference on how hard it may be to get there. The cross, and what is represents, is always waiting to welcome you at the top of the mountains in life. It is waiting when you have tears, when you have joys, when you need silence, and when you need to hear the echoes of the humans that love you.

For many years, the words of Rev. Susan Gonzales-Dewey ring true, “You are a beloved child of God and beautiful to behold.” Let your beauty shine! Let your heart feel the love! COVID-19 can’t stop it! You can’t stop it! 

If you listen, the cross will call you back to the journey of faith, and if you can’t seem to find it; Find camp… find the cross… and there you may find who God has called you to be amongst crazy 2^nd graders and teenage angst.  It is there that you have helped me find Jesus. Thank you!

Rev. Dr. Olivia

Week Four: Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

(The Message)
Attention, Israel!
God, our God! God the one and only!
Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!
Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.

Weekly Scriptures
Read the weekly scripture each day. Find a phrase or word that speaks to you. Share your reflections with others over dinner, social media, and in prayer. Share the scripture with a child you know in the car, through a text, or in a children's Bible.

*The view represented in these devotions come from a variety of diverse perspectives. We do not seek to agree but seek to welcome all to the conversation and the table