June 9 2024
Our Sunday schedule starts with Stumblers (our Sunday morning running club) at 8:30, a leisurely buffet breakfast from 9:00-10:15, a “white glove” inspection of every cabin, 11:30 worship in the FORT, a big Sunday “dinner,” long Rest Hour, free time with lots of activities (including a mini-talent show), a buffet picnic, and a relaxed fun EP. Our first week has been incredible… a delightful rollercoaster ride of an experience. But today we take a break to reflect and give thanks to God. We love our traditional Sunday routine, which has been updated in some very nice ways over the years.
Stumblers River Trail, is a 1.5 mile loop one of the most beautiful settings imagineable. Features include:
- Farm Barn: This is our entrance to the trail. We walk between paddocks of cows, sheep, goats, alpacas, pigs, rabbits, ponies, a tortoise, and lots of chickens.
- Hidden Lake: Comprises the center of the trail. A large lake that is only partially visible from our front campus. This area teems with wildlife, the star being the Bald Eagle who has assumed the lake as his territory. Also of note are the otters, beavers, snapping turtles, blue herons, wood ducks, mallards, and Canadian geese.
- Camp The trail follows the western shore of Lake Edith, providing an unobstructed view of the entire camp from across the lake as we exit the Farm Barn. Very few campers have ever seen this view before and it is a wonderful aspect of the new trail.
- Green River This Class 2 trout stream is the water source for Lake Summit and the trail follows it all the way to the back pastures. It is a beautiful river, very deep and flowing steadily next to the hidden lake and the back pastures. River Otters, beavers, and lots of birds are seen along the shore.
- Outback Pastures are a series of pastures that occupy the high ground next to the hidden lake. The trail follows these pastures back to the Farm Barn by the backside. The views are amazing, very different from any other place in camp.
By the time we complete two 1.5-mile laps, we feel lucky to be here. Such a beautiful world, such wonderful people, and such a wonderful place… it is a great way to start the day!
At 11:30, we enjoy church together. There is something special about having a traditional church service at camp. Our community is very tightly connected and we already have a sense of our unique strengths as a group. The Holy Spirit always uses camp to heal and encourage the group… this is why worship time at camp is particularly powerful. Stewart Swain, an RUF minister from the University of Alabama, is our camp minister this session. His devotions can be heard if you click his name above… they are fantastic. Stewart is beloved for his big smile and remarkable capacity to remember names and represent Christ in a winsome way to all.
There is a chance of rain this evening, which is always a wonderful combination. The sound of rain falling on a tin roof is one of my favorite memories of my camper days. The temperature drops 10 degrees, making a camp cot the most cozy place in the world to snuggle under a blanket.
Thank you for checking in. Anyone reading a Sunday post must be a true camp fanatic. Your support and prayers are MOST APPRECIATED!