This is my fourth year as chaplain for junior high camp
at All Saints; additionally I have served several times as chaplain for fall
and spring gatherings. One of the
campers' favorite parts is “Ask the Clergy” which happens at the end
of the day. (Must admit as clergy we sometimes come to the box with fear and
trembling….)
It’s a box—looks like just a simple cigar box with a not
so well drawn picture on top—but this box is far from simple. Throughout the day campers (and sometimes
staff) write anonymous questions and the clergy read and answer them each
evening. There are no limits as to what
can be asked. Some of questions
previously asked are
·
Is God a man or woman?
·
Why is there evil?
·
Is homosexuality a sin?
·
What if sometimes I don’t believe in God?
·
If I’m no longer a virgin will I go to hell?
·
Is divorce a sin?
·
Is it a sin to have an erection in church?
·
What if someone likes me and I don’t feel the
same about them?
·
How old should you be before you kiss someone?
·
Should I tell on someone who cheats in school?
We answer each and every one. Sometimes we do wonder if they’re trying to
embarrass us (they are in junior high), but we take each question seriously and
answer it as completely as possible; we answer it through a theological lens hopefully modeling theological reflection. I
for one would rather err on the side that whatever question is put in the box is truly a question and answer it
than risk what so often happens to youth—they are ridiculed, assumptions are made, and their
questions are buried deeper and deeper within themselves where they struggle
alone. (And we wonder why youth and young adults leave the Church?)
Last night I opened the box and there were only 2 questions—okay
let me be honest there was one from a camper and one staged from staff (there
was concern about “what if someone likes me and I don’t like them” circulating
so this was a way to address it). I
thought it would be a quick night and I must admit I was slightly relieved (my
cohort was dealing with some other things and I was alone….). The second question asked “Why is there
hell?” “Whew” I thought, “Deep but I can
handle these.” I answered the questions,
closed the box and began to stand up. And
then…
Hands started going up.
These rising 6th, 7th and 8th graders
started asking questions—deep, hard, sometimes controversial questions
aloud—face to face--full disclosure of the askee. (Is that even a word?) And you couldn’t hear
a pin drop. These youth were asking the
hard questions and listening; they were asking the hard questions we as a
Church need to be openly asking and talking about and they were respectfully
listening, asking follow up questions—engaged.
Thirty minutes later the questions stopped and it was
time for Compline (another All saints tradition). When I asked for intercessions either aloud
or silently I heard many things—one stuck out and brought tears to my eyes,
“Thank you for All Saints camp.”
This morning as I was running I thought about last night and
how remarkable and how powerful it really was. I thought
about the courage these young men and women had, and I wondered why. It didn’t take me long to realize it’s
because of what All Saints is—a safe place. All Saints is away from the rest of
their lives—a place to be open, to reflect, and to be loved
unconditionally. It is a place away from
parents and other authority figures whom they think they have to impress or
whom they are worried about offending. It
is a place where there questions are encouraged, valued, and taken seriously. It
is a place to try on new things—canoeing, kayaking, hiking, camping, arts and
crafts, Bible study, prayer and theological thinking. All Saints is a safe place where all are
valued, all are respected, all are included.
All Saints is what the world should be, and yet it’s not.
As I ran back through the gates I thought, “We have to
save All Saints. It has to be here for these
kids and for future generations. It is
crucial for the Church as we form disciples of Christ. It is crucial for the Church as young men and
women learn how to engage in theological, controversial, difficult
conversations—conversations that have to keep happening; conversations that
will keep happening whether we can have them civilly are not.” I have watched some of these youth since they
started junior high camp three years ago; I have watched them grow and change;
I have watched them struggle; and I have watched them become their own people
with their own faith. Last night these young men and women showed me what it
means to be Church in its best sense.
*I didn’t intend for this blog to be a stewardship
campaign for All Saints, but…
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