In the movie, Cool Hand Luke, there is a classic scene culminating with Paul Newman’s timeless line, “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” Pardon the grammar, and never mind the context; but I think the same could be said about our church’s annual Community Camp. (Shortly after coming on staff, I had a conversation about the upcoming men’s retreat at Tall Oaks Camp. This person’s reply? “I’m not really into anything with the word camp in it.”)
Like I said, failure to communicate. And it’s not just the word camp. The annual gathering takes place at a YMCA. Ask anyone you know what comes to mind when they hear that, and more likely than not it’s the song about how it’s fun to stay there (with hand motions, no less) or they picture a walking track surrounding exercise equipment, accompanied with the smell of sweat.
Picture instead a week in breathtaking (not too strong a word) Estes Park, Colorado. Picture the lodge where we stay somewhere along the lines of a Motel 6, maybe a little nicer. As for the YMCA, picture the world’s largest Y, with miniature golf, swimming pool, basketball, horseshoes, riding stables, Frisbee golf, and the list goes on and on. All of this nestled on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, complete with deer, elk, moose, and all manner of beautiful butterflies.
But I’m a theologian, not a travel agent. So let me share what I think are the best things about Community Camp, and in no particular order: 1) Intergenerational. Where else do kids and adults who aren’t related get to hang out together? 2) Unstructured. Besides breakfast and dinner, the latter prefaced by a short devotional, you’re free to hike or nap or read or play golf or shop in town. 3) Tradition. It quickly becomes obvious some folks have been coming for years and they are eager to share the rituals with newbies, including the amazing induction ceremony of Mountain Women. 4) The people. It’s easy to think of our church as the building on Ward Parkway, when in reality it’s all the people. But in KC, we rarely get to enjoy each other’s company for any prolonged sense of time. Sitting on the ample deck of the lodge and visiting with others from our church is an amazing treat.
I could go on, but you get the idea. I think. Feel free to ask me or any of the folks who have been before. Next year’s experience is July 27-August 3, and registration is open. Hope to see you there.
