At the age of nine, I made my first foray towards autonomy from my parents when I choose to attend overnight camp at our Diocesan Camp three hours drive from our home in Irving, Texas. As I think back over my first camping experience, there are two things I still remember distinctly. First are the tears I shed each late afternoon before dinner as homesickness would overcome me during this down time in activity and the second is the friendship that I formed with another camper named Googe. To this day, I cannot tell if Googe was his real name or not. I believe it was and may still be his nickname, whatever the case; this was the name that he wore across his sailor’s cap and the name to this day that I remember him by. What made our friendship so memorable was the fact this was the first time I had had a friend who was black.

As I have mentioned, I spent the early years of my youth in Irving, Texas, one of the handful of cities and towns that over the years has become part of the Dallas Metroplex. And, despite the fights for desegregation in the late fifties and early sixties, Texas in 1972 was still largely segregated by neighborhoods, which meant the elementary schools that served the various neighborhoods were also segregated. But at Camp Crusis, life was different, it was a place where white children from the affluent suburbs played, slept next to and worshipped with children of color from the inner-city neighborhoods of Dallas. Camp Crusis was a place where the threads of black and white, rich and poor, young and old were harmoniously woven together as the tapestry of the universal church. A multi-racial tapestry that gathered together each night in the outdoor chapel to celebrate God’s love for us through the Eucharist.

- Excerpted from The Rev. Craig Swan’s sermon on January 5, 2003

Note: In our continuing series of personal reflections on camping experiences, the camping committee wanted to share with you the first part of Craig’s sermon preached on January 5. To learn more and share in the excitement of the new camp & conference center, join us at the indoor potluck picnic on Feb. 2. 

If would like to share one of yours, please contact Donna Robinson or Erik Britt-Webb or email us at camp@redeemerchestnuthill.org.