...to the last Sunday in April.
THat is the Sunday which the United Church semi-officially designates as Camping Sunday (semi-officially because nobody is bound to listen to any designation of any Sunday within the United Church structure). As a person who strongly believes that camp ministry is one of the greatest outreach ministries we have, and as a person serving a congregation which has a strong strong history of church camping (they used to run their own program each summer), I always recognize this ministry in worship. Besides, it gives me a chance to run a more relaxed service and get away with it.
This SUnday we are going to sing songs on overhead, to guitar accompaniment. WE are going to sing songs which work at camp--no traditional hymns this week. We are going to clap and do actions. People have been invited to dress for camp, not in their "church clothes". aNd I will share some of what we do at camp each year. As it happens, I should get forms for the camp program we share with other churches in our district on Saturday so not only will this be a chance to celebrate camp ministry but also a time to promote this summer's experience.
Camp Sunday? I love it! Sounds like fun.I guess our "camp Sunday" is the church's annual family retreat to MO-Ranch, a beautiful church camp owned by the PCUSA in the Texas hill country. It's coming up in May.
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