Incline Our Hearts

St. Crispin’s Summer Camp: An Acts 2 Community

Last week, two of my boys were at St. Crispin’s camp for the "all ages" session. As I was attending the closing Eucharist, before driving them home, I was thinking about what makes St. Crispin’s special. As a parent and a bishop, I appreciate several things in particular. Instead of so much individual screen time indoors (which can happen all too easily in the summer), instead at camp our young people have lots of human interaction and old-fashioned play, in the midst of God’s glorious creation. There is a healthy balance of Christian practice and fun, within the context of a Rule of Life.

When I think of St. Crispin’s, one image that comes to mind for me is the early Christian community described in Acts 2:42-47:

 "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

Like those first Christians, our campers and counselors live together, with almost everything shared in common. Likewise, they devote themselves to prayer and worship, to breaking bread and fellowship. Many draw closer to God. And like those Acts 2 Christians, at St. Crispin’s there is praise! In exuberant song, God is praised multiple times each day. The spiritual benefits of camp last far beyond the week. Camp is a sign of God’s kingdom that the participants carry with them well past Highway 9.

Bishop Poulson