This summer, nine churches around the country piloted Wild Wonder Year Two: Care. Mary Anne Inglis hosted a group at her home in North Carolina and shares some reflections on her experience.
“Awesome!” “This is so neat!” “Why can’t school be like this?” are just a few of the quotes I have heard over the past two summers from the children that have come to Creation Care Camp at our home.
These are days full of excitement and discovery among the campers—discovery about the world around them and, most importantly, about our Father who created us, redeemed us through his Son and, sustains us by his Spirit. Each day brought a sweet awareness of God’s care for us this year as we explored how He cares for His creation.
I am always amazed at how God works out the details to bring all the right people and campers together to be a part of this ministry. We have had visitors over the past two summers who don’t attend church regularly or at all, and they have gone away with a new understanding of the Gospel. I marvel at how God brings them to hear about His love and know that His hand will be in their lives going forward as a result.
This year, we had a couple of visitors from other church traditions or no tradition at all. For them, after all the wonderful activities, expressing themselves through the music seemed extra meaningful. One young man who had just finished first grade asked if he could bring his guitar to play with Father John. On the last day, he proudly showed up with it and presented it to me. I exclaimed, “Oh, you remembered your guitar!” to which he said, “Of course.” He was so happy that he could be a part of the Eucharist service in that way.
The different Scripture verses that supported the main verse were also meaningful to the campers. I could see the wheels turning as we read and talked about Job 12:7-10, thinking through what it means to let the animals be our teachers and connecting the dots between God’s care for animals to God’s immeasurable love for us.
This is why Creation Care Camp is so special to me. I get to see God working in the fertile soil of young hearts, literally seeing seeds being planted in young people’s lives through the language of Creation Care Camp. I am so grateful for the opportunity to partner in this amazing ministry of God’s grace.
Wild Wonder Year One: Wonder is available now. Year Two: Care will be available this fall.
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