Around the Diocese
Posted Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Committee Formed to Keep Wapiti
Committee Formed to Keep Wapiti
The Diocese of Pennsylvania now has title to the beautiful waterfront property known as Wapiti. Members of the Diocese of Pennsylvania have formed a grass roots committee committed to giving the Diocesan Convention the chance to weigh in on Wapiti's potential mission and ministry benefits. Toward that end, a resolution has been written and will be submitted to the convention resolutions committee. "Keep Wapiti" Committee members do believe that the diocese is called to make use of this gift and to transform Wapiti, over time, into a Retreat Center and Youth Camp, for the benefit of all members of the Diocese.
In a world where the sin of racism and discrimination linger in every community, the place known as Wapiti can provide a powerful witness to the principle that all people can live, work and worship together in harmony.
By offering camp on our owned property, the diocese can serve many more people at a lower cost per person than it can when renting property year to year. Both the Diocese of Easton, MD, with its Camp Wright on the Eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, serving 1,475 campers each summer1, and the Diocese of Delaware with its Camp Arrowhead on the Atlantic Coast, serving 900 campers annually2, demonstrate how larger operations are possible with owned properties that are well managed.
There are numerous examples nationally of successful Episcopal retreats and youth camps. Many of these facilities operate year round with a combination of church programs and rentals to other groups. Help is readily available, from Episcopal Camps and Conference Center, Inc. 3 to mentor our diocese as Wapiti is developed.
Church based camp has been a tried and true strategy for strengthening Christian formation and keeping the next generation of Christians involved in the Church4. The Committee also believes that the retreat experience provides equally im portant spiritual benefits to older Christians as well, both Clergy and Lay.
The Diocese of Pennsylvania is the 9th largest of 100 Episcopal Dioceses in the country. We SHOULD have a Retreat Center and Youth Camp! Fully 71% of all Dioceses in the United States have one or both5.
If we move ahead in a spirit of unity and support those chosen for the specific leadership of this ministry, we should attract abundant resources so that all diocesan members can share equally in the spiritual benefits of Wapiti.
If you would like to be part of this effort to KEEP WAPITI, please contact any one of the following persons:
Bill Hixon, Co-Chairman: Tel: 215-793-9308
Barbara Irving, Co-Chairman: Tel: 610-566-4851
Alan Lindsay, Calvary Ch., Conshohocken: Tel: 215-431-6939
DOCUMENTATION:
1 Web sites: www.dioceseofeaston.org and www.campwright4life.org
2 Telephone interview with Rufus Miller, Diocese of Delaware, Director of Retreat Center and Youth Camp, www.camparrowhead.net
3 Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers, Inc., www.episcopalccc.org
4 Dr. Bud Williams, Theological Perspectives on the Temporary Community/Camping and the Church, Wheaton College, November 2002.
5 2006 Red Book Table of Statistics by Province and Diocese and Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers, Inc.