I was out of the office the week of June 19, attending Danebod Family Camp in Tyler, Minnesota. I’ve enjoyed this camp for many years, as it features many of my favorite things: friends, food, conversation, singing, dancing, games and crafts. (Check out the sampler in my office, if you get a chance.)
While at Danebod, I couldn’t help but compare that camp experience with St. Matt’s. What do they have in common? To start with, we live in community at Danebod; we’re in a faith community here at St. Matt’s.
Both Danebod and St. Matt’s are very intergenerational. That’s different from many places in our society. In the larger world, people are often sorted by age. At camp and here at St. Matt’s, we include infants to seniors — in the same place, at the same time.
Another commonality: extreme volunteerism. Danebod’s not a resort. Everyone’s a volunteer. Danebod guards against a “consumer mentality”, where you pay for services or goods.
Similarly, St. Matt’s is a volunteer parish. We expect people to engage with each other and with the parish at large. A consumer mentality? Not for us. (Students of church history might recall how problematic that approach has been. $5.00 worth of prayer for only $3.95, anyone?)
Thank you for your support, and have a great week!
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