This week's author is Alan Munshower, Summer Staff Director at Silver Lake Conference Center.
Scripture: Romans 8:14 (NRSV)
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.Reflection:
This is a repeat after me song! We are going to sing the Chorus twice at the end. Let’s learn the words first; one word at a time. Actually, let’s break it down to one syllable at a time. Don’t forget to repeat the last line. Let’s take out a word after each time through and add a motion. Also we modulate up a whole step for the last time through. Got the tune? Then comes the part where we take suggestions for new verses. Now it’s time to learn the sign language to go along with it! We are going learn this in three languages! People who already know the song – sing loud! But follow along closely, because some things have changed. Now add the dance part! Second verse, same as the first….Summer at Silver Lake Conference Center means the renewed chorus of our favorite camp songs. Each summer, to help jog our memories, we trot out an array of teaching methods. True camp classics are songs for every level of ability or familiarity. This results in some very authentic music and quite a few strange sights. At any given meal or campfire you may see a chorus being conducted with a spatula, a song that turns into a whole sequence of silent hand motions, or an entire group hopping on one leg while singing. You may hear a gospel-style call and response tune, a rap about bubble gum, or the entire camp singing four songs simultaneously (the Silver Lake ‘Quadrilogy’).
Each week concludes with ‘Praise Breakfast’, a full-camp sing-along at 8 A.M., Saturday morning. The morning blues quickly disappear as everyone is once again transported by the spirit and joy of singing familiar tunes together. Each conferee’s own personal songbook has been expanded over the seven days through creative teaching and sharing. They will soon be picked up to travel home through the rolling Northwest hills, the tune of their favorite camp song still happily stuck in their head on repeat.
Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for the teachers, and for the students singing loudly in support.Special Prayer Requests:
- Those grieving or effected by flash flooding in Arizona were 9 were killed on July 15; and
those communities grieving for victims of gun violence.
- Those suffering after a night club shooting in Arkansas which left 28 injured on July 1;
- those suffering or grieving after a shooting at the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in New York on June 30;
- those grieving or suffering in Germany after a bus accident which killed 17 and injured 30 others on July 3;
- those grieving or suffering in China where more than 90 are still missing after a landslide buried the village of Xinmo on June 24;
- those grieving or suffering in Pakistan after a oil tanker crashed and ignited spilled fuel, killing more than 150 and severely burning more than 50 others on June 25;
- the families and friends of the 7 crew members of the USS Fitzgerald killed June 17 in a collision with a Japanese-owned cargo ship;
- those grieving or suffering in Portugal where wild-fires beginning June 17 have killed more than 60 and injured more than 100 others;
- those grieving or suffering in London after a high-rise blaze on June 14 left almost 80 dead or missing, and after an a track on a crowd leaving evening prayers at a mosque on June 18;
- Mark Engstrom, member of the CT Conference Board of Directors, and his wife Nina, who are facing health issues;
- the community of Conway, MA, and the United Congregational Church, UCC, Conway after a tornado touched down on Feb. 25 causing significant structural damage;
- the people of South Sudan where nearly 1 million people are facing famine;
- John Polglase, husband of the Rev. Betsey Polglase, Pastor of the Columbia Congregational Church UCC, who has chronic pulmonary disease;
- the members and staff of Thompson Congregational Church after a fire severely damage the building on Dec. 29;
- Michael White, former Operations Manager at Silver Lake Conference Center, who was diagnosed with colon cancer;
- Juliane Silver, the daughter of the Rev. Jim Silver of Middletown, who is in dire need of a liver transplant. We pray that a donor will come forward giving the gift of life and a portion of their liver to Juliane;
- Chacy Eveland, husband of the Rev. Marcia Eveland, pastor of the First Congregational Church UCC of Ansonia, who has been moved to a full-time facility for care of dementia;
- the thousands of migrants worldwide who flee from violence and persecution in search of safety;
- our ecumenical partners in the Kyung-Ki Presbytery in South Korea;
- the Conference's partners working for peace in Colombia amidst violence;
- the leaders of this nation, that they may meet the challenges of the day with insight, wisdom, and compassion;
- this nation, that it may continue its difficult work to end the practices of racism; and
- those serving or living in war or conflict zones around the world, or where terrorists have struck.
To be added to the prayer list, please send an email to Drew Page at: drewp@ctucc.org.
Please Remember These Connecticut Conference Churches
In Your Prayers:
All CT Conference Churches who are in transition as they discern new pastoral leadership.
July 17, 2017