Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania

Parish Life
wove comments about these aspects through the fabric of their
homilies and talks during the week. So campers heard about
these three aspects of friendship:
A slave. We do God’s will and follow His commandments
out of fear and to escape punishment.
A servant. We do God’s will and follow His commandments
to get some reward, some payback.
A friend. The highest level of friendship.
We do God’s will and follow His commandments because
of our love for Him and love for each other, expecting nothing in
return.
On Friday evening the children and teens always assembled
in the pavilion for a sort of winding down of camp with skits and
final words from Martin. In keeping with the camp theme, Mrs.
Black asked for volunteers to tell what each liked about his or
her best friend. A long line of children told about such qualities
as loyalty, honesty, liking the same things, being there for his
friend, and more.
After the last Amen at Divine Liturgy, campers departed
the monastery church for a group photo outdoors and breakfast
in the trapeza. The morning calm changed to emotional goodbyes,
promises to e-mail one another, emptied dorms, and the
sounds of tires on the road leading out of the monastery grounds.
Camp was over for another year.
We thank the monks of the Brotherhood of St. Tikhon’s
Monastery who graciously open their hearts to campers, offer
their prayers for all, and who do not mind the rush of campers on
the monastery grounds. We thank the parents for placing their
trust in the program. We thank the children for their smiling
faces, their joy, their challenges, for their very presence as members
of the Body of Christ.
We thank God for the opportunities at camp to become
true friends of one another and with God. As Christ asked of His
disciples (and as the Church Fathers affirm), “You are My friends
if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15: 14)
Anna Marie Black
Children’s Program Director
St. Tikhon’s Summer Youth Camp
www.doepa.org
Alive in Christ
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