Misplaced and Found

St. Francis Xavier (Cross Plains) ESP Retreat, May 15-16
What would you like to see change about the program?
Import dumber fish.

From a San Miguel 6th grader on an ESP Retreat (May 19-21)
What were your five favorite things?
Free time
Food
Breakfast
Also everything

From the St. Francis Xavier 7th grade ESP Retreat:
What did you learn about nature (God’s creation) during this retreat?
·         We are studards [sic] of the earth.

Hello to all from Pat at a beautiful Camp Gray. The leaves are turning green again, the birds are chirping and I even got bit by my first mosquito yesterday. I can feel summer right around the corner. Onto the gospel.

Jn 3:16-18

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

The Gospel this weekend is short but John packs a lot into a few short sentences.  When I was growing up I would watch a lot of sports on TV. While watching a lot of these games I would notice people holding up signs that read John 3:16. I didn’t grow up in a very religious home so I never knew what they meant. I assumed it had something to do with the game. As I grew older I came to realize that John 3:16 was a verse from the bible and not just any verse.

This verse pretty much sums up what our faith is about. I get caught up sometimes thinking about how God created the world and all of these other mysteries I will never fully understand. I love this verse because it’s not complicated. John makes it so simple for us. God loves us so much! So much in fact that He sent his only Son to die for our sins. So simple yet so unbelievably amazing.
My prayer for all of you this week is to think about 3 things that you are thankful for. If any of those things are the people around you, let them know. Have a great week. God bless.

Prince of Peace, April 25, 2008, 6th grade Environmental Stewardship Retreat:
What did you learn about nature (God’s creation) during this retreat?
·         Learning about what He created is cooler than technology

What a great day for a run! And walk, and s’more roast, and raffle, of course. On Saturday we held our 2nd Happy Camper Fun Run/Walk 5K, and it was a blast! The amount of runners more than doubled over last year’s inaugural event, going from 27 to 61. We were certainly thankful for the great weather we had, and also for the buzz created by camp families and local (and not-so-local) runners.

From multiple Boston Marathon qualifiers to families hoping to enjoy Camp’s gorgeous trails to LITs reuniting to novices entering their first race (well done!), the field was definitely diverse. Phil and Maureen Hunt, racing the Happy Camper for the first time, took the top men’s and women’s spots, followed closely by Bill Champeau and Lisa Scheubel, both of whom were alumni last year and used their experience wisely. Congratulations to all our racers! 

And for next year? You can mark your calendars now, the 3rd annual Happy Camper Fun Run/Walk will take place on May 9, 2008 (the day before Mother’s Day). We hope to see you all again next year, and to welcome plenty of new runners, walkers, and spectators! We’re posting some pictures below.

For more pictures and race results, go to www.campgray.com/happycamper.  

The fire was blazing inside Helen hall on a chilly Mother’s day.  Thank the Good Lord, the morning’s rain diminished and over 140 friendly folks ventured out to camp for our annual open house.  It is a wonderful time for first-time families to check out all that Camp Gray has to offer.  Thanks to all of you that stopped in.  We look forward to seeing you all back out here this summer. 

-Jeff

Greetings everyone from Jules at beautiful Camp Gray! It’s amazing to think how fast this year has gone, with summer just around the corner! J  Things around camp are again as busy as ever, with lots of wonderful retreat groups coming in and out, and of course the exciting Camp Gray FUN RUN (scheduled for this Saturday!).  What makes this particular week even more exciting, however, is that we are celebrating the feast of the PENTECOST!!! Wahoo!!!! Let’s take a look at the readings for this week!

John 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Who is the Holy Spirit in your life?  When I was younger, I pictured a ghost-like figure of some sort, flying around making people speak funny.  My relationship with the Holy Spirit was more of a distant cousin than a close, intimate God that was constantly present and moving in my life.  When I got to college, I saw friends around me always talking about the Holy Spirit and praying to the Spirit and worshipping the Spirit.  I felt so left out; who is the Holy Spirit in MY life?

To figure out this answer, the first thing I did was turn to the book of Acts, our first reading for this weekend.  To the apostles in the first reading, the Holy Spirit moved and spoke through each of them in different ways.  They came from different parts of the world, and some even had different religious backgrounds, yet through the Spirit God spoke to each of their hearts in unique and beautiful ways.  The second reading shows us this same thing: the Holy Spirit—fully God—gives us all different gifts and talents, but all are meant to be used for the glory of God in Heaven.  So it seems that the Holy Spirit is supposed to speak to each of us in different ways.  But is there a way we can all come to know the Spirit together?

Ever have those moments where you feel total peace and joy?  In this week’s Gospel, Christ brings us His peace and says to His apostles “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  That peace is what unites all of us in the Holy Spirit!  Think of the moments of total peace – they  could come to you in a variety of ways.  Witnessing an act of love, a beautiful sunrise, an answered prayer, finding quiet moments in times of chaos or suffering, a random occurrence that changed you for the better, these are all instances of peace that the Holy Spirit brings us!  Each night before you go to sleep, think of the ways that the Holy Spirit worked in your life that day, and turn to the Spirit more in prayer while you’re at it! J

Coming up at Camp Gray this Saturday!
2nd Annual Happy Camper Fun Run/Walk
May 10, 2008 ? 10:00 a.m.
Held on Camp’s beautiful trails, the Fun Run/Walk is a fun way to get outside, meet new people, and support scholarships for summer campers. Come for a great trail run and stay for the food, fun, raffle, and awards!
Cost: $20 – includes t-shirt! Special family rate – maximum price per family is $60!
For more information and to register, go to www.campgray.com/happycamper or just come on Saturday – registration begins at 8:45 am! See you there!