Creation Care Camp began in 2008 with A Rocha’s first chapter in Santa Barbara, California. It then moved up the coast to Santa Margarita, where it was piloted and further developed in partnership with the Santa Margarita Community Church. It is now being adopted by communities around the nation and being refined by a team from Nashville A Rocha.
Grace Spriggs became involved with Creation Care Camp when she was hired as a Children’s Pastor at a local church in Nashville. “It was my first project in the new position,” she remembers. Since then, the camp has attracted parishioners and community members, grown from one class to two, and even required a wait list for adults who want to volunteer! “It started out as mainly science activities,” says Grace, “but moved to a more theological place as we’ve owned more of A Rocha’s purpose statement.”
With that in mind, campers use the week to reflect on big questions. Where is your place? Why did God create it? Why is it important to take care of it?
These are important questions for campers, but they have also been tools for the adults’ growth as well – including Grace. She recounts the experience of learning to take care of her family’s first home, using a push mower for the lawn, and working hard to “put order to the chaos” of weeds and water. “I realized that I’m living what I’m driving home to the kids,” she says of taking care of one small space as part of something bigger. “My little hands are helping the garden. It’s not lofty, not showy, but it is a little glimpse of Heaven coming through. I have a place, and I’m taking care of it.”
Connection with the camp has also connected her with community members who have shared their expertise in beekeeping, rain gardening, and even yarn spinning. “These passions,” she says, “or even what they might describe as just “hobbies”, turned out to be them participating in God’s creation and the building of the Kingdom.”
During one afternoon of being quiet with nature, says Grace, she overheard a camper say that she had almost fallen asleep. And that, she says, is the intention of the camp, “to facilitate that experience with nature, give them language to know that this [feeling peaceful enough to fall asleep among the trees] is an experience of God”.
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