June 30 2024

I read a couple of papers every day, one of which is the New York Times. This paper might not reflect my region or most aspects of my daily life, but it is a paper that values good writing and is not afraid of publishing a very long story. I like the alternative perspective (and am wary of the echo chamber some of my friends advocate). As an English major, I also appreciate an “old school” paper that can be quickly glanced through or savored for hours depending on my mood.

The Ethicist section is always engaging (I try to answer the question posed to the writer before reading the response). I especially love any deep dive into a difficult subject (climate change, AI, homelessness, mental illness). Such articles get my full attention. But nothing makes me lean-in like the “Sunday Routine” (a weekly series that features newsworthy New Yorkers and how they spend their downtime). It is a guilty pleasure of mine. There is something very intimate about reading how a stranger spends his Sunday… it is a glimpse into a life that reflects details that make that person “real” to me.

So today, I’ll do a Sunday Routine entry from Tuxedo.

I never sleep late on Sundays because I always have a lot to do and less time than normal to do it in. I need to prepare for the upcoming Stumblers Run, photo shoot, write a blog post, and head staff meeting before leading worship services at 11. Sundays are crazy for me, but also peaceful and good for my soul. I have the office to myself at 7:00, and my mind can focus on the task at hand (writing). I write fast to get onto the River Trail before Stumblers at 8:30. This is the best time… the perfect setting to talk to God. We talk a lot, but especially on Sunday morning. Once Stumblers begins, all peace is gone as the next hour of photos and high-fives pass in a blur. Sweat is pouring down my face when I return to the office and drop off the memory card for upload later.

I run up to the house and get a quick shower (our house is in the middle of camp, conveniently located just behind the FAC). It doesn’t take a minute to put on my “nice” camp clothes and head down to the head staff meeting in the office. This normally occurs at our kitchen table but on Sunday we meet in the office to be closer to the FORT and facilitate an on-time appearance at church when the bugle blows at 11.

At Greystone, church services are excellent. Our community is close, REALLY close, and this relationship gives power to the Holy Spirit when we join for worship. Andrew Goyzueta is new to Greystone this year. Andrew is a very good speaker who puts much thought into his deceptively simple Morning Assembly devotions. His focus on our theme verse (Isaiah 41:10) has been layered in such a way as to prepare us for today’s Sermon. Andrew is very smart (he is the RUF minister at Davidson, so intelligence is required) and has a very soft heart (like me!). He is going to show these girls what church can be like, for let’s face it, many of them have not gone to a church service they liked. Many of them are bored as they sit in uncomfortable clothes with people they are uncomfortable being around. That is not how it is here. Here, we are packed tight with people we love, wearing comfortable (nice) clothes, and singing songs that we genuinely love to sing… in a traditional Presbyterian worship service (complete with a call to worship, confession of sin, assurance of forgiveness, prayers of the people, offering, sermon, and benediction). You would think the girls wouldn’t be engaged, but they are. It is probably because they know that it is special.

The Holy Spirit is said to be present whenever we gather for worship. It is true. I am moved to tears at camp church; many are. It is a spiritual experience.

Why is it that when someone says that phrase about a beautiful setting or moment with a friend, we take it seriously, wanting to duplicate that experience in our life too, but we hear it about the church, and we discount the sentiment? Church can be (and should be) deeply moving. If it is not that way for you, perhaps it’s time to make/grow some quality friendships. I think that is why camp church is so good. We genuinely love each other and spend a lot of time together (mostly just being friends, but sometimes having serious conversations, too). The friendships are enhanced by the minister’s presence in our daily life.

Resident ministers at camp are a huge resource to our community. They make little things like morning assembly devotions something to anticipate and savor. They provide substantial Biblical counseling to campers and counselors. They will do cabin Q&A sessions when counselors feel they need the support of someone with a deeper knowledge of scripture. They allow counselor Bible studies to be far better than we could otherwise provide. And they are having fun at camp with their families… living the camp life with the same joy-filled wonder that we all feel at some point every day.

Tonight, we will have our first summer concert. It should be a perfect (if muggy) day, with warm temperatures and almost no chance of rain.

Thanks for reading, and sharing your girls… thanks for praying for us… thanks for your encouragement to the counselors. You’re the best!