Celebrating Beauty and Meaning at Camp Mitchell on Petit Jean Mountain
“By its very nature, life is full of meaning, for the God who said ‘let there be light’ also proclaimed it good. And the God who said ‘let us make humankind’ also blessed us and proclaimed us very good indeed.” —Br. James Koester, SSJE, from “Brother, Give Us a Word,” a daily email sent to friends and followers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE.org).
We have gathered for the past 12 years with a group of friends called the Board of Visitors, who meet once a year at the top of Petit Jean Mountain to give thanks for Camp Mitchell, the camp and conference center for the Episcopal Church in Arkansas. Our bishop celebrates Eucharist with us; we learn what has been happening at the camp over the past year; and we are informed of new volunteer opportunities while raising money for a project for the new year. We have paved roads and paths for those with disabilities, remodeled buildings, remodeled a kitchen, built an event deck, contributed to a farm program, and built an indoor chapel; but mostly we hope to educate people about the camp so they can go back home to remind others of this natural jewel.
Our camp has changed lives, especially those of our children and youth. Many have met God here.
The camp is strategically built on the brow of a small mountain overlooking the Arkansas River and the Arkansas River Valley. In the early morning, clouds fill the valley, and we cannot help but feel we are in heaven. Each evening, the sunset paints a new panoramic skyscape of pink, orange, and red that no other artist has been able to duplicate. Indian caves with their faint markings lie below, while three-hundred-million-year-old fossil rocks lie beside us at every turn, reminders that life was here long before we were.
Every inch of nature on the mountain is spectacular, but living in dwellings on the brow is not an easy life for humans. The wind, rain, and electrical storms take their toll, And the upkeep of these habitats is high. That is why we come together to give thanks and care for the gift we have been given.
We are paying it forward to care for a place that has changed our lives—to preserve it for those who will come after us, most of whom we will never know. The beauty of Petit Jean Mountain has not only brought us closer to the God of our understanding but has also been one of our best teachers in stewardship. We learn by caring for a precious pearl of great price, a place we have been privileged to witness for a nanosecond of its existence.
I will keep this image from our opening Eucharist, just after sunset last night, in my heart forever. We light candles around the altar of our open-air chapel to remind us to give thanks for all who came before us and cared for this land. We also light candles to pray for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who will come to enjoy and preserve this holy ground long after we are gone.
We also give thanks for the new executive director of Camp Mitchell, Monica Woods.
Joanna. Joannaseibert.com https://www.joannaseibert.com/