By Vestry Member Gigi Uttley
At a recent church service, Fr. Dante’s sermon focused on how the church is a community– such as the community of parishioners at St. Thomas. He had been invited to participate at another community nearby: the Episcopal Conference Center in nearby Pascoag which is for campers of all ages. The delightful stories our priest recounted during his week of ministry with the children who resided at the camp included a week filled with friendship and worship, fun times, and new experiences for everyone.
This brought back memories of my own camp experience when I was ten years old. My early childhood was filled with many hardships and uncertainty. My mother, with four children, had moved to Philadelphia from Rhode Island, at the coercion of her husband, to pursue employment. I was born a short time later, in 1954. For my first five years of life, I didn’t recall too much of the reality of a life in the south Philly projects; a period of chaos for many families living in poverty. As my father continued to spiral downward from what we later realized was PTSD, and depression, my young mind did not recall that time; the periodic episodes of fear from abuse by a man who had suffered a head injury on top of other illnesses, and who unexpectedly died in his sleep at the age of 40. Fortunately, my mother and her five children relocated back to Rhode Island, to live in a small community in North Providence. It was there where my family lived within walking distance of the Greyston Primitive Methodist Church. At the age of ten, tragedy struck my family again, when my nineteen- year-old brother died in a car accident. As you might imagine, that was a difficult time. Luckily, I was invited by the church to attend a religious childrens’ camp for one week. It was located in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. I remember spending a joyful time, away from the stresses of everyday life. Other children from my home town were also invited. In the presence of new-found friends and counselors, and perhaps some inspiring clergy members, in a setting that was filled with natural beauty, and beautiful accommodations (indoor showers, and outdoor swimming pools!), delicious food, and worship filled with songs and praise, good-times abounded. At the end of the week, when the adults arrived to retrieve us back home, they were perplexed to encounter these young people crying; tears which were inexplicable at the time. Perhaps tears of joy, mixed with sadness for having to leave our new friends; our newly formed souls enriched by the promises of Jesus’ love. My family later relocated to Harmony, Rhode Island, and I began attending St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Greenville. This has been my parish family ever since.
I encourage you to support the ministry of our Episcopal Church, and the nearby Episcopal Conference Center. A childhood experience in a camp filled with joyful worship and fun times can be so important to young people, who often are enduring unknown hardships at home. Thank you Fr. Dante, for helping me to relive a very memorable, happy time in my life. Camp experiences are not just for children, and perhaps if you have not yet had an opportunity to experience camp life, I would encourage you to seek out such an experience.