Words
from a Septuagenarian
To
the west of the great rivers that watered the Lenape’s and the Susquehannocks,
and west of many bands of the Six Nation, lay a land for many moons supported
the lives of the Shawnee, the Piqua, and the Miami. With time the land and the
legacy were remembered and sometimes cherished by settlers from across the
Great Pond. Some came to share this land
with their barns and their cows. Some
even learned to swim in the dammed creek just down the hill. For many moons, young and old came to this
land to appropriate for a week a culture that was only read about in books or
shared the traditional way by story.
Many
of us remember with mixed clarity the Legend of Mowana. It was an oral history that was not our own,
but one that became ours through repetition.
In the original story the prize was the continuation of leadership for
the tribe that was rumored to have lived on this land. The challenge was extremely simple, ‘Bring
the council of elders a token of your journey’s end.” The story sends out three braves and our
legend has it that significant time passes before Nakado returns first.
The
swiftest returns after a cycle of seasons and shares “I have seen the wonders
of nature.” He asks the question? “is it not beautiful?” He was reminded by the elders, that Beauty
lies in deeds well done. Beauty lies
also at the Journey’s end. The unspoken question was how much farther could he
have gone.
After
a significant period of time worry began to set in as the two braves did not appear,
but eventually Wowassa did return late one evening. Proudly he bore to the elders his two bronzed
hands that were filled with nuggets of Gold.
He reported that at great distance there were great dangers, but equally
important there were great rewards of wealth. The elders in their wisdom
reminded the brave that wealth lies beyond the touch of the hand. They asked him why he had stopped there?
The
wait grew even longer as the seasons changed.
There was worry that the challenge had been too rigorous. Questions were
raised about his strength, his craftiness with wild life, his stamina as the
seasons changed. Yet tired and weary, a
well bronzed Mowana did return and the elders wondered about the great weight he
seemed be carrying in his hands. When
opened the hands were empty. Then Mowana
spoke, “O Great Chief, where I stood there was nothing to bring. But, O Chief,
where I stood I could see the fertile valley where our tribe may live in peace
and safety for many years.”
The
elders made space for the new tribal leader “The One who seeks” Mowana.
Gathered
here for this diamond anniversary, each of us has been on our own journeys and
quests, away from this place which nurtured many of us from grade school
through college. We gather in this
evening with candle light to give thanks for a return from each of our
journeys. We gather to share our report with the gathered elders and colleagues
that we know and the colleagues that have followed in the traditions of being
seekers.
Spiritual Styles Ways that
People naturally come close to God.
But
in many ways we are here to affirm that the tradition have meaning for a new
day. It is here that we learned and
experimented with Spiritual styles, for those who led us here found ways to
come close to God in a natural way. We
found spaces to experiment with our own spiritual quest – to find our own way
to come closer to our Supreme Being to God.
Intellectual Books , Study Conversation
On
occasion we found some new learning in Discovery Group, or as staff in a Book
we read on the cabin steps, while the campers were supposedly having rest
period. Or more communally in
conversations about love and live with pastors and people about the important
issues in our lives at the moment.
Emotional Connection, sometimes happens through worship music, drama
This
is a place where emotions could easily come to the surface. I remember Mission
kids who came in the first week of camp who feared sleeping in cabins, let
alone tents, were afraid of bugs and snakes (even in glass cages) or even the
water in the pool - but on the final day would run through the creek to keep
from having to get on the bus to go home. Emotional connections were made here
along with memories – of songs, worship, drama and friends – sometimes for life…
Mystical connection. == preference of some introverts,,==
happens in big space, outdoors, wordless experience and/or connection. Nature
As
an introvert many of my mystical connections were kept secret like in cleaning
and closing up the cabins after the season.
Or Coming back for a Luther League event in the fall or winter, Or just
wandering the trails alone. Or the
memories of how and why this place [and its people] have meant so much to each
of us in our own way. These are wordless
connections with both God and nature and our fellow travelers on life’s
adventures.
Service to Others – Being engage with others
IT is here that we engage
with others in thoughts, words and deeds.
We as Staff, provided service and safety for those entrusted to our
care. We engaged with others who learned
to serve, and this left this place to serve others in a wide variety of ways
that still are important to our life and vitality.
We know that a
Well Balanced Spriitual Life includes them all that has been shared, though we
do have our preferences. For Mowana has been our incubator. It has served that same function for numerous
others who only came as campers or on
retreat. Yet it has been and hopefully
remains a place where the depth of who are , who we become, and who we hope to
be is defined and shaped . So that we
continue to reflect our the great I AM
-- Our Spiritual Guide – Our Supreme God – Our God as we continue to be
the ONES WHO SEEK.
Continue to be
our home…
Richard Stewart
Camper 54,55
Counselor 64-67
Married at Camp 1968
Family Camper
in 70’s and 90’s
Seventy-Fifth Anniversary 2016
With the closing of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Dr. Stewart reflects on her own intellectual endeavors and her path to an PhD in Old Testament and campus ministry and teaching in the Chicago educational complex.
As college classmates, Bp Hicks and the reporter [Rich Stewart] have known each other for over 50 years. Talking about and to the church is nothing new for either of us, but it is good to have reflections that are not your own and experiences that different than the path of the reporter.
His pastor didn't let him see his hearing loss as a disability, but as an asset for his own education and later as a vocational specialization in the church. He was a part of the 100th Year Celebration for St.Philips, Philadelphia and still serves in Stouchberg, PA.
A college education in the Upper Midwest, brought this native Kentuckian to the Lutheran Church, Higher Education and an adult life lived in service to the church as and educator and administrator.
Children growing into adolescence and then adulthood-- Some finding
life partners here, Some even marrying before this altar. New families growing..-. Children,
grandchildren, maybe even great grandchildren filling
these benches. 
