June 7, 2026

Our camp is Christ-centered in every expression of its mission “to glorify God”. This has always been the way we “do camp,” and it has been our privilege to continue this work for generations. Dr. Sevier was a minister who, at the pinnacle of his career, resigned his nationally recognized leadership in one of the biggest churches in the South to start a camp for girls. He did this because he sensed the powerful impact a Christ-centered camp experience could have on a young life. Camp was his calling, and that is how we feel today.

I do not have my great-grandfather’s abilities (starting a camp is way beyond my capabilities), but Margaret and I share his mission, as do Catherine and Peter. If you haven’t seen it, I would encourage you to check out our video on what it means to be a Christ-centered camp. It reflects the heart of what we do- love Jesus, honor God, and have fun. Sundays are a nice mix of these priorities.

The Sunday schedule starts with Stumblers (our Sunday morning running club) at 8:30, a leisurely buffet breakfast from 9:00-10:15, a “white glove” inspection of every cabin, 11:30 worship under the trees at Council Fire, a big Sunday “dinner,” long Rest Hour, free time with lots of activities (including a mini-talent show), evening picnic, and a relaxed movie night EP. This first week has been incredible. Today, we take a break to reflect and give thanks to God. We love our traditional Sunday routine, which has been updated over the years.

About the River Trail… It’s a 1.5-mile loop in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. Features include:

Farm Barn: is the entrance to the trail. We walk between paddocks of cows (including a baby calf), sheep (including two baby lambs), goats, pigs, rabbits, horses, a donkey, a tortoise, cats, dogs, and lots of chickens.
Hidden Lake: forms the center of the trail loop. This lake is only partially visible from our front campus. This area teems with wildlife, with the Bald Eagle being the star, having claimed the lake as its territory. Also of note are the otters, beavers, snapping turtles, blue herons, wood ducks, mallards, and Canadian geese.
Camp: The trail follows the western shore of Lake Edith, providing an unobstructed view of the entire camp from across the lake as we exit the Farm Barn. Very few campers have ever seen this view before, and it is a wonderful aspect of the new trail.
Green River: This Class 2 trout stream is the water source for Lake Summit, and the trail follows it all the way to the back pastures. It is a beautiful river, very deep and flowing steadily next to the hidden lake and the back pastures. The river otters, beavers, and a variety of birds are seen along the shore.
Outback Pastures: are a series of pastures that occupy the high ground next to the hidden lake. The trail follows these pastures back to the Farm Barn on the backside. The views are amazing, very different from any other place in camp.

By the time we complete two 1.5-mile laps, we feel lucky to be here. Such a beautiful world, such wonderful people, and such a wonderful place. It is a great way to start the day!

Then it is back to our cabins… It is NOT EASY for the counselors! This fact tracks with the way family life is often not easy for parents. Sundays in particular come to mind.

Sunday’s at our house were never easy (at least getting to church wasn’t easy). Margaret and I have five children, six years separate the five children (twins followed by three in quick succession) and we liked to dress them up for church. You know what that was like. It was stressful, but it was wonderful too. Having our children scrubbed and shined for worship is a favorite memory of those years, but Margaret paid the price for those memories. Cabin counselors are experiencing that stress today.

Counselors have 8 to 12 campers to get scrubbed and shined. I have mentioned that we have more campers at June Camp this summer than we ever had. The counselors manage this pressure point, and they are knocking it out of the park! The cabin groups have bonded exceptionally well, and the girls are thriving, but it is hard work. Especially on Sundays!
They must clean the “house” every day. Sure, the campers have chores to do so the cabin is presentable, but you know how it is when you ask your daughter to do a chore that she doesn’t want to do. Counselors motivate positively, making the work fun (much like Mary Poppins), and they do it all week long.
The days are long. Reveille at 7:30, Taps at 9:30, and sometimes things come up at night (“I’m thirsty”, “I can’t sleep.”, “I’m hot.”, “I’m cold”.).
Their “job” continues at mealtime, during class time, at rest hour, free time, and evening program.
They do their “job” with excellence. They smile, laugh, join the play, teach, coach, counsel, comfort, listen, and love for weeks on end.

If you are ever considering job applicants and their resume includes time at a summer camp, take a serious look at that application. Chances are, that person is gifted in ways that will lead to success in most positions. The grit and positive attitude required to be a good counselor are remarkable. Appreciate it!

Start today by giving a Shout Out to a counselor. We have once-a-week staff meetings where we do this together, but it is different when you do it. They expect to hear from their peers; they love laughing and tearing up together. It is a joy to do this work, and they appreciate the opportunity. They don’t expect a thank you from mom and dad, which is why it is so impactful. Such an encouragement could make a world of difference to this young person (who has never worked this hard and might not comprehend how much of a difference they are making). Your words are authentic reminders of why they chose to do this instead of working a cushy internship at their neighbor’s law firm or lifeguarding at the pool. It only takes a minute… but it means a lot.

Thank you for checking in. Your support and prayers are MOST APPRECIATED!

P.S. Just a reminder that we don’t post any photos on Sundays (or print emails!). We hope you will enjoy the Sabbath break. All Saturday and Sunday photos will be posted on Monday. Also, we have received a good mix of emails about our new photo policy. Some parents are disappointed with the changes; some are over-the-moon elated with the changes. We’re going to talk about photos more in the Blog tomorrow; stay tuned! We appreciate the feedback, we’re listening, and going to try a few new things this week. Thanks for your patience as we figure out our new system and strive to balance the camper and parent experience. It has been a wonderful first week of June Camp, and your support and trust is deeply appreciated!