Posts Tagged ‘Newsletter’

Newsletter 2012: Nye Sees God at Camp

Seeing God at Camp

(counselor Nye delivered this message at the Annual Sunday Service in 2012)

Camp is like an ocean.

If you really think about it, there are only really two types of oceans out there.

First, the Pacific. When Balboa first laid eyes on this body, the only name he could give to it was one redolent of smooth, un-agitated seas, an environment of warmth, gentle sailing, calm and serenity. It appeared this way of course, out of contrast with the second ocean.

Second, the Atlantic.Typically cold, bitter, unforgiving. A sailor can never be at east, at peace in these waters. Not when there could be super-waves, perfect storms. The Bermuda Triangle is in this ocean. These waters claimed the lives of many able-bodied men; even the most famous ship of all sunk in the Atlantic. This body of water earned its name because according to legend it claimed an entire continent, the lost land of Atlantis, in its violent rage and tempest. Waters such as these are not traveled lightly, with a peaceful mind.

It seems to me that life is similarly dichotomized. You’re traveling along in the South Pacific, and before you know it, you’re in the North Atlantic, frantically fighting in a maelstrom of icebergs and mountainous waves, only to just as suddenly end up in the tropics once more.

And this is how camp has been for me. Sometimes I find myself weathering literal storms, but most are of a more figurative nature. Each week of campers is a new voyage. Perhaps this is why we give them names like Pilgrim, Explorer, Discoverer… Voyager. Each week begins, I get a new boatload of children, and I test the air, looking for that red sky in the morning.

But most times, there will be no warning, and lightning will strike. Two polar personalities between campers, injuries in Mission Impossible, a rainy week that gets spirits low. Not all of the weeks, not even half, usually only one, or two. But in those weeks the only sensation I can ascribe my counseling state to is that of a frantic captain, desperately seeking to keep his boat afloat, to ensure that his campers are safe, happy and seeing God.

However, it is on those wild waves, not the placid Pacific, that I see the face of God. One particular bible verse comes to mind: 1^st Kings, chapter 19, verse 11. Elijah, the prophet, is paid a visit by God.

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹²After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

The strangest thing happens on those weeks. In the climax of the storm, there’ll be a moment in which everything just seems to stop momentarily. One week it was when during a time of singing, a stubborn camper broke down and after not having partaken all week determinedly stared at me, desperately trying to catch the song by reading my lips and listening to my voice and following along. I sang the song to him, looking at him instead of the card, and we sang that way until the song ended, I singing to him, he singing back. I saw God in his face, in that whisper among the tempest.

In another week a camper felt excluded from his friends, and sat outside of the pavilion. I sat with him for a while, and we just looked out at the mountains, admiring their beauty together. We sat talking until he felt calm enough to rejoin the group. When asked what he had learned at the end of the week, he said that the mountains were made by God.

I enjoy the placid weeks for what they offer me: rest and peace. But I have found that it is after the turbulent weeks that I am the most satisfied and spiritually “full”. Last year I was much more exhausted after I had finished a week of difficult campers, but this year I see it more clearly, so I almost relish a difficult group. For it is in the tempest when I hear the quiet whisper, when I see the face of God.

Max “Nye” Halik

Houses, Pavilions, Cabins, Oh My!

Above: Lynx snow-campers enjoying the cabin before we got the bad news. What great fun a weekend of camp in the winter can be!

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When I (Brandon) started at Bethany Birches in 2004 there was a Director’s Residence in the works. By the spring of 2005 I was living in that residence. Shortly after that we as an organization began to think about the challenges the pavilion presented for emerging programs as well as the support of our key program: summer camp! We’ve been moving very cautiously on that project, simply because we weren’t exactly sure how to proceed. And now we are putting together the Resource Development Team in order to begin the fundraising.

As we were making decisions about the pavilion replacement project with our chosen consultant, Design Group International, the Fire Marshal paid the cabin a visit. Not surprisingly he had concerns! We can’t use it this summer unless we complete certain work by then and obtain a temporary occupancy permit. For more on the cabin, see “Cabin Update”.

On top of all this facility update, we’re planning to finish the basement of the Director’s Residence this summer thanks to Austin Landes of IT Landes and Souderton Mennonite Church among others. And so here we are, in the middle of one major project (Cabin) planning for an even bigger project (Pavilion) and planning for a minor project (finishing basement at Directors Residence). All we really have is a prayer, a lot of excited, willing and generous people and the cash that’s in the bank (less than $100,000). We’re thankful. Thankful for the opportunity to walk with a God who calls us beyond the completion of a project, beyond nice buildings or buildings at all, beyond program and all the great, fun things that happen at summer camp. A God that invites us to be part of the greatest community of love there ever was. Thankful for some people who responded to the vision God placed in their heart many years ago. Thankful for those that are responding to the needs of Bethany Birches now. And thankful that we can begin this crazy time with at least some cash!

Surely this is The Church in action. All working together so that young people will come to know the One That is Good. For stories about how the vision of Bethany Birches is working out, check out this video: Stories of Camp from Blooming Glen – Brandon Bergey

Cabin Update

“Hi, could I talk with the owner?” It’s early on a Tuesday morning in March. I respond, “Uhh, our ownership is comprised of about 60 households… I’m not sure how you could easily reach them all.” So the voice on the other line responds: “Well, this is Jay with the state department of public safety – I’m a fire marshal. I found your building online and would like to come take a look at it. You rent it out to guests, right?” Me: “Yes, we do. Sure, I guess you can come look at it.” Him: “OK, how about Monday morning next week. 9:30 OK?” Me, looking at my calendar, noticing I’m in the office Monday morning, but not sure I should say yes… thinking that maybe I should just hang up the phone for fear of what would happen Monday morning when Jay comes to visit: “Uhh, sure. Yea, 9:30 on Monday is fine.” Him: “OK, thanks. See you then.” Click goes the phone. Gulp goes me. I think, is this OK? What’s going to happen?

Next week comes. The fire marshal comes to do an inspection on the BBC Cabin (Bruce and Jay). We talk for about a half hour about the various fire hazards in the building. They leave with concern about the safety of the building. I leave with a report showing 8 violations of the life safety code and a temporary occupancy permit. Gulp!

I first get frustrated. Then scared; nervous; concerned. After a little reflection, I feel calm. I begin to sense God’s spirit near. I remember what good has come in my life during times of challenge, struggle, correction, outside direction. I wrote a note on the camp’s Facebook page. I wrote a blog post. I wrote an email. Within two days, people were asking about the situation, offering help and supplies and all sorts of things. I was surprised and amazed at the immediacy and generosity! And it continues – AM Goshow and Son have donated windows. Goodro Lumber is offering discounted materials. Robert Buchan (Architect) and Paul Derksen (Turning Leaf Housewrights) are doing lots of work on the project for deeply discounted rates. A camper gave $10. First Congregational Church of Woodstock gave $23,500. Dave Beidler, Andrew Moyer, Matt Harootunian, Mike Horst and others are giving generously of their time. Bergey’s Electric is coming to install the smoke detection system (free of charge) under the supervision of Mike Bryan (electrician). It’s like the early church in Acts… so that no part of camp had need (Acts 4:32-37).

If you’d like to help, there are various ways to do so – we still have the second phase of this work to pay for. If you’re a carpenter or have experience with building trades, come work! We’re working the last two weeks of May (21 – June 1), each day. We need 2-4 people each of those days. We expect to begin work on an addition in August that will gain us permanent occupancy (you could call or email for specific dates in June or July). The fire marshal is working with us and has set limits we must meet before we are able to use the building for summer program and then some additional things we need to do to make it even safer. We’re so thankful for the understanding and kindness Bruce and Jay and their office have shown us and their understanding of both our need to make the building safer as well as our need to do it in a manner that saves money by including volunteers.

Dave Beidler upgrades stairwell side 1

If you’d like to read more about the ongoing work and issues, click here for the relevant posts.

Board Report: Naomi Mast Moyer

Above: Winter Family Fun Day was great, well.. FUN!

My vision for BBC includes this sacred space being a place for all children to become their potential through building healthy relationships with other children that are culturally different from themselves, developing a deeper relationship with their Creator, and recognizing possibilities in themselves that remain untapped. Bethany Birches Camp has been a place where children are safe to observe and explore nature, develop their spirituality, and become their potential. It has also been a place for young adults to develop their leadership skills, healthy relationship with others, and deepen their relationship with God. These are principals that I hope we will continue to uphold going forward.

As a board we recognize that the facility needs to provide space for this to occur. We want camp to be a place for children to relate to nature and develop healthy relationships with others and their Divine Creator. The last several years the board has been looking at what a reasonable amount of dry space is for indoor activities in the summer and winter. We are grappling with how to insure children spend as much time outdoors as possible while recognizing the need for larger group space in inclement weather. We continue to use Robert Buchan’s architectural expertise to assist us in the practical aspects of these ideas. As a board we continue to ask what impact will changing facility have on the financial future of the camp? Historically, as an organization, we remained solvent by having minimal overhead. We continue to look at facility and the direction of the camp in regard to financial sustainability with continued focus on children growing toward wholeness.

Lynx snow-campers displaying one of their tracks - part of an excercise in considering what or who we follow

We are also looking at policies that will drive how program and camp should function now and in the future. In the near future we will have access to cell service on “the hill”. This will impact the ability of children to use technology and, how staff will monitor its use. Like other institutions we need to remain thoughtful about the use of technology.

I continue to volunteer as a board member because of my strong belief that when children and youth are provided an environment that supports their potential they will develop into healthy adults.

To Each According To Their Need: Price Tiers

Ayn Rand’s novel, Atlas Shrugged, which has recently been made into a movie Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 presents ideas that are arguably opposed to the Kingdom of God. Any Rand’s philosophy on the matter of need suggests that people should get only what they earn, regardless of their needs. If you earn it, it’s yours. If you need it, well, you can’t have it until you earn it. She believed that this would create a society full of contributing individuals. Consider that.

Now, consider Acts 4:32-35 from The Message:

32-33 The whole congregation of believers was united as one— one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, “That’s mine; you can’t have it.” They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them. 34-35 And so it turned out that not a person among them 5 was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person’s need.

I realize that Ayn Rand may not have seriously considered the Reign of God as a legitimate economic model. That doesn’t mean Bethany Birches shouldn’t. Since the beginning of BBC in 1965 we have tried to offer a unique camping experience, creating a community of love with whomever joins and we’ve tried to do this at a low price. While a camping community is a different version of the church than what we see in Acts, there is much similarity.

Obviously, offering something to someone for less than what it cost to provide that something runs up a deficit somewhere. Let’s put this in the context of camp. If it costs us about $400/camper, and we charge $200, there is $200 of expense remaining. Who will pay the remaining $200? Enter: donors.

Bethany Birches was initiated with a donation of land. And since that very first day, our story has been one of people providing money, time and oth- er resources to make the camp pos- sible; an ongoing illustration of God’s provision for kids to have a special, faith-developing experience.

In a board meeting in 2010 we were discussing these issues around the topic of pricing. We talked about the fact that some of our camper families have much resource and some have very little. Enter: tiered pricing.

We are now well into the first summer season using a tiered pricing structure. The highest tier is about what we figure it costs to have a camper at camp (no profit built in). Both of the lower tiers are donor-subsidized rates. Could we consider this a Kingdom economic model? Or perhaps foolishness? Maybe it’s a system easily taken advantage of. Whatever you call it, we’re trusting that the Christ who inspired the craziness in the book of Acts will continue to inspire us and show us a way so that “not a person among them was needy.”

Tuna

Update From The Board

The main work of the BBC Board of Directors continues to be the definition of the Master Plan and the impact developing program has on facility.

We have had a lot of super help from Robert Buchan. Robert is an AIA- and CSI-certified Architect who brings a great set of planning and design skills. Those skills have been invaluable in helping the board make good progress in understanding the requirements of the plan and facility as we move along. Robert’s close work with Brandon has been a key motivator of the process. We have been 7 looking at lists of space recommendations and sketches of how those might fit together. These combine with thoughtful work by Amber and Brandon on what the program staff needs to successfully serve our growing program in the coming decades. It’s really satisfying to begin to see how these could be a positive part of our growth.

The board has also begun to think about our policy coverage. While we’re against a huge boxful of unremembered and useless rules, we have realized that our coverage is a little thin in a few critical areas. A lot of these areas orbit around our interface to the evolving online world. As people are more “wired” into the culture all the time, we need to allow our staff to move freely and safely in both the physical and virtual domains, but also protect privacy and well-being of staff and campers alike. With the rise of social media as a force in marketing and the direction of campers’ lives, we strive to ensure the staff connects with campers and constituents in positive ways.

Finally, the board members are pleased and excited to look forward to the hard, satisfying, tiring, lovely, and excellent work the staff and many volunteers spend the Summer doing. We are so thankful for all the extraordinary people who give in so many ways to our mission: to help young people to develop their relationship with God by providing them with a Christ-centered camping experience in a natural and nurturing environment. Thank you for all you have done for BBC in the past and will do in the future!

Scott Hepler, BBC Board Member