Celebrating Beauty and Meaning at Camp Mitchell on Petit Jean Mountain

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/

What Matters Most

What Matters Most

“The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are moments when we touch one another, when we are there in the most attentive or caring way.”—Jack Kornfield, A Path with Heart (Bantam, 1993).

This morning, I remember returning from my almost sixty-year high school reunion. There were thirty-three in my graduating class. We believed we could make the trip that year, but weren’t sure about the next, so we decided to go now. We had lunch with friends I knew from growing up in a small town in tidewater Virginia. Some might have called it a one-horse town, since we had only one stoplight. We would talk about driving up to “the light.” I am so glad we went. I spoke with one of my friends who now lives in a county in Virginia that boasts it has no stoplights! 

It felt as if it had been only a few days since we last saw each other—instead of fifty-eight years. Why is it so easy to reconnect with those we grew up with? They knew us before we wore many masks. There is no need to put on pretense around them. They know who we are and where we came from. When we meet again, we are all back on an equal playing field. 

Most of the women in my class went off to college. Many boys stayed in our small town, worked at the mill, and retired early. All seemed to enjoy life. Most seemed genuinely interested in what the others were doing and asked about them rather than talking about themselves. All had experienced some tragedy and some magical moments. 

Shortly after we returned that year, my oldest granddaughter sent us photos from her senior prom. I see photos of her friends and, in some small way, understand how important these relationships must be to her. I wonder what her fifty-eighth high school reunion will be like. We will have one more granddaughter going to her senior prom with dear friends in the new year.

I will keep that day and this visit in the memory book of my mind and hope to revisit them again, hopefully next year. I will give thanks for where I grew up and for the many friends who influenced me and taught me about caring. 

I cherish that my grandchildren are having these exceptional experiences, more valuable than gold. 

Joanna. Joannaseibert.com

Servant Leadership

Nouwen: Leadership

“It is the compassionate authority that empowers, encourages, calls forth hidden gifts, and enables great things to happen. True spiritual authorities are located at the point of an upside-down triangle, supporting and holding everyone they lead in the light.”—Henri Nouwen in Bread for the Journey (HarperSanFrancisco, 1997). 

The upside-down triangle. What a brilliant image for leadership, one that supports, empowers, and encourages those being led. I have a spiritual friend who tells me that his senior warden explained it another way: “You have to let them know that you care before you show them what you know.” How true this is in any kind of relationship or ministry. This is one of the models Jesus gives us. I believe I have encountered a handful of leaders in my lifetime who fit this description. It is a rare form of leadership. It is servant leadership.

I recently cried with another friend, Ann, as we shared the struggles of trying to lead by practicing this leadership style. When we use it, we are often labeled a “weak sister.” This leadership style is counter-cultural. We can face resistance at almost every turn.

Even if we have not been servant leaders in the past, there is still time to change. When we are given a chance, we can try to live it. We can share our experiences with other spiritual friends and support one another. It is a leadership model that is not powered by our ego—or by as little ego as possible.

Parker Palmer identifies this form of leadership in Let Your Life Speak (Jossey-Bass, 1999). Leaders who are insecure about their identity deprive others of their autonomy as they try to bolster themselves. Secure leaders are not afraid of chaos. They do not view the world as a battleground. They are not functional atheists who believe it all depends on them. The identity of these leaders depends not on the role they play or the power it gives them over others. Grounded leaders know we are all valued children of God and that the group’s work can be life-giving for all. 

May we pray to become this kind of servant leader and to be led to become role models and mentors who also embody servant leadership.

Fall is an ideal time to reflect on our leadership style.

Joanna  joannaseibert.com