This year we stayed in Richardson annex—which is in great need of repair (and soon will be).  The boys and Karl struggled with a shower that leaked—and created Lake Massanetta in the hallway of the building.  The girls had tubs for baths---we longed for a shower!!  The weather was delightful and that meant we could do lots of outdoor activities. 

On our way home, we did a group reflection piece on our time at Massanetta.   We thank this congregation for getting us to Massanetta and for those who sponsored us.   

Massanetta 2006 will be remembered as the Year of the Lake—the one created every time the boys took a shower.  Yospeh, who spent lots of free time on the basketball court,  is now known as Yo-yo. And Brandon made lots of friends (mostly girls).  Craig met up with the girls from Cumberland, MD who were amazed to hear about life in the suburbs.  Jillian and Erin we new to Massanetta, but they made friends in their groups and throughout the camp.  We all made friends “like mad.”  There is always something to do at Massanetta—the schedule is fast paced and busy.  We started most days at 7 a.m. with wake up and breakfast and kept going until mid-night.  We were in small groups where we did reflection time, played games, worked on a skit for Friday night’s entertainment, as well as attended workshops. 

We had fun with canoes, at the pool, at the slip’n’slide, with “hair don’ts” (all those things your mother will not let you do to your hair—gel, shaving cream, paint, crazy hair-dos), and of course the dance, which was the best.  The camp shirt color this year was GREEN—and at the dance for our group picture—we did a “Karl.”  (Note:  Last year, Karl Dubendorf accidentally wore his t-shirt backwards at the dance.  So this year, Karl wore his the right way, but the rest of us wore our shirts backwards   (see the picture)).  We renewed friendships with people we had met last year, and saw small group leaders from last year, and made lots of new friends.

This year’s theme was “Out of Sight” and so we were watching for God at work and walking among us.  Ann and Karl found a black ladybug—a sign for Ann.  We saw God in each other, in the new friends we made, at the candlelight service on the last night, in worship, in hearing stories of how God is at work, and in our back home group time each evening.  We heard stories about how we need to look for God in the ordinary things of life, and in the relationships we have with each other.  We are to be watching for visible signs of God’s invisible grace.  And the question was asked—“what amazes you?” 

Our workshops were great—we learned all kinds of things:  about baptism and communion, mission opportunities, having quiet reflecting time, solving a mystery of seeing God, learning about hospitality to those we meet, and learning through art and creativity.  God is with us—wherever we may go.  God travels with us, and walks along side of us.  We have to open our eyes and hearts to see God there.

Four of those who went this year will go to Montreat next year.  (Maybe some of them will end up as small group leaders at Massanetta in years to come.)  But we look forward to going back in 2007—and taking a bigger group.  So get ready—and let’s plan for summer 2007!!

Thank you again for your support and encouragement in our going to Massanetta!!

Erin, Jillian, Yospeh (Yo-yo), Craig, Brandon, Karl and Ann