Camp Trinity: Connecting in New Ways

Greetings friends! 

 

Camp Trinity, in the words of one adult parishioner last week, "actually felt like I was at Camp!" Whether it was morning bible study with peers, noonday worship drawn from A New Zealand Prayer Book, learning new skills in a series of cross-generational gatherings in the afternoons (what is a friendship bracelet anyway?) or uproarious team challenge games in the evenings, Camp Trinity felt like at any given moment like something dozens and dozens of us were experiencing (and not just "watching") together. Like you, we miss -- profoundly -- the experience of worship together in church. Being at camp together showed us something though: that much of the spontaneity and joy and sense of discovery we know when we are "one body" can still be ours, if we are willing to wade back in. We honestly don't know exactly how long it will be before our common life begins to resemble what it was before COVID-19. We do know, though, that beloved community is possible in ways we could not have imagined only six months ago. Thank you so much for being with us and for praying for us as we moved through the week. One of Camp Trinity's gifts to us is renewed excitement and a sense of new possibility about our life together in the months to come. Please read below for a message from one our parishioners who attended Camp Trinity. And, check out our slide show from Camp!  

 

Your counselors, 

Paige, Sarah, Cathy, and Patrick 

 

“As a new member to Trinity Church I didn’t know what to think when I was invited to be a part of Camp Trinity. I was excited, nervous, and unaware of the fun that was to be had. Being at Trinity in person had been limited due to the pandemic, and I was unsure of who I would recognize on Zoom. What I realized Wednesday morning when we all “zoomed in” together was that while I was a new face, the faith and warmth of the church was present.  

 

The serenity of belonging felt in church, whether it is a familiar parish or a new one, is that the people of God all carry the eternal flame of God’s love. The past five months have been a trial for all who have been affected by COVID-19 and those affected by its impact on our sense of togetherness. However, when we all joined screens on Tuesday night for our campfire, I understood that the at-home aspect would not put a damper on the week’s activities. God’s love is a powerful force in the world. We see it motivate people and enable our one body to still gather in a way that is safe for all to participate. While there may be ways to safely meet in person amid this crisis, we know that the point of church community is not for just the strong or bold to gather, but a place where all of God’s children can meet, allowing Zoom to provide the happy medium for our time together as a community. 

 

I look forward to one day meeting in person the friends I got to make over the past week and share in the joys of Camp Trinity. Together we did not let our situation hold us back, but rather adapt and overcome the trial. When we are the many members of one body, we can overcome together.”