NATIONAL CAMPING SUNDAY 2002

The following article is provided to bring further insight about worship at Camp and relating this experience to the congregation.

WORSHIP AT CAMP

What is unique and powerful about Worship at Camp? When I think about worship at camp, the main word that comes to mind is freedom. The first freedom is the freedom to "come as you are." Campers come from all different places, bringing with them a rainbow of experiences. Worship at camp tries to take into account the wide variety of people who are both worshipping and creating a space for inclusion.

The second freedom is the freedom to express and worship in different ways: to be quiet or loud, to involve the group in movement and song, to laugh together, and to have fun. There is flexibility in where elements of worship are placed during the time, in how the biblical story is shared, and in how the community comes together in prayer. Experiencing different forms of worship expression allows campers room for growth and learning, and creates a place for campers to feel the presence of God in many different ways.

At camp there is a uniqueness in worship in that a freedom exists around time and space. It is a precious gift to worship whenever and wherever—morning, noon, or evening, from the pool to vesper point. Worship can happen wherever and whenever the space is created.

A powerful element of worship at camp is that most of the time the leadership is youth, who are being given the chance to share their faith and grow in the skills of sharing and leading others in worship. There are few places outside of camp where this happens on a regular basis.

Worship at camp is unique in that it is not difficult to put people in touch with the AWESOMEness of Creation. They are bathed in it from the moment they step on site. The freedom of being "away from it all" and being part of God's natural environment is in itself enough to let the Spirit move.

WHY IS WORSHIP AN IMPORTANT PART OF LIFE AT CAMP?

Worship at camp is a coming together of the group on a regular basis to learn and grow. An instant community is built where campers can participate as much or as little as they want. There is no skill level necessary, there are no badges or competitions to win, and the focus is on creating space for campers to feel special and welcome. Worship is also a place where we pass on some of our biblical story, looking at stories of the past and relating them to the present. It is important for campers to feel God's love and presence in community.

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LIFE AT CAMP AND WORSHIP AT CAMP

By living in community, seeds of faith are sown throughout the length of the camp session. In the United Church we believe that this process, known as faith formation, is holistic—taking into account the whole person. Campers experience the mystery and wonder of the created world during all parts of camp life. Worship is a spiritual discipline that goes hand-in-hand with full participation in camp life. Worship brings together the thinking, feeling, imaginative, and creative parts of all camp activities to celebrate God's presence. Campers often get a chance to put into practice some of the things they learned during worship time. Worship tries to tie in teachable moments from the week with biblical story, much like a sermon might include relevant illustrations from the world today. At camp, we dialogue, question, and live the story in community.

WHAT CAN CONGREGATIONS LEARN FROM WORSHIP AT CAMP?

Congregations can learn the gift of freedom— when we relax, even in how we dress. They will realize that holy ground is everywhere and may even be inspired to take off their shoes. The following are a few examples of how to bring some camp worship ideas into the church...

clap, snap, stomp, echo, cheer
pass the peace in creative ways, charge it up
be willing to change the flow of the experience, spontaneously or planned
parade, move, dance, use group movement
hold hands, light a candle
wish or dream aloud
experiment with drama and the arts
pass a symbol amongst the congregation, hands-on learning
planned spontaneity, use your young people in worship
be willing to risk it and share faith in an open setting
find ways to bring that connection with nature into the sanctuary
use a variety of instruments in worship
be silent, recognizing that some people have a short attention span.

The most important thing that congregations can learn from worship at camp is that young people are an important part of our community and we need to allow a place for them to express and grow with our church family. We need to make sure that they know they have the freedom to be who they are and to worship in community.

WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF WORSHIP AT CAMP?

There is freedom in the different elements that we us in worship at camp:

1. MUSIC: Camp singing is an activity that the whole group shares, and effective music leadership unites a group through song. Freedom exists to use the instruments people have brought, to use movement and drumming to make music, or to simply sing.

2. STORY: A big part of Christian education is the passing on of our biblical story. Don't pass up the opportunity to share and work with these stories. There are many other excellent stories, but there are no longer many places where young people can hear the biblical story. Feel free to experiment with how you do this—read a paraphrase, use drama, use cartooning, have music in the background, use sign language while reading the story, sing, chant, rap, tell with sound effects, include verbal and physical responses, read and then have listeners tell back portions of the story, dialogue, pantomime, etc.

3. SCRIPTURE: The word of God is living and active (Heb. 4:12). Don't underestimate the value of scripture. Passages can be linked to skits and songs. Particularly with young children, break the story down to the essentials. Too much detail can be distracting. Accentuate important parts of the scripture passage using an altered tone of voice, hand gestures, facial expressions, and surprises. Speak at a slow, but comfortable pace. It's cool to read fast to prove your reading ability, but doesn't allow for comprehension. Give the youth time to process what you are saying. Demonstrate the passion in the passage (or the emotion, or the defeat or victory). Don't just read the passage— bring it to life! In the short time that you have with your campers, it is possible to send them home knowing a few passages.

4. PRAYER: Prayer is a great chance to communicate with God. Furthermore, you have the privilege and responsibility of teaching these young people how to pray to God. There is more than one formula for prayer. Here are some examples:

Popcorn Prayer—in no particular order, each person prays out loud if and when they feel comfortable.
Silent Prayer—each person is invited to pray silently.
Squeeze Prayer—taking turns around a circle, each person is invited to pray aloud or silently, then squeeze the hand of the person next to them.
Repeat-After-Me Prayer—the leader prays a line and the participants repeat it.
Choral Prayer (Lord's Prayer)—everyone prays the same prayer aloud simultaneously.
Responsive Prayer ("Lord, hear our prayer")—the leader prays a few lines and campers join with a suitable response.

Prayer is from the heart. It's between you and God, and can be shared with a group.

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