Calvin Synod Herald, 2003 (104. évfolyam, 3-12. szám)
2003-11-01 / 11-12. szám
6 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD (Youth Camp - continued from page 5) fun and learning, led by Kathy Smith. This year our teams were named after the twelve Disciples, and every afternoon they participated in both fun and educational activities. Every evening there was a different activity. On Monday, new campers were initiated, and this year we had 12 new persons for initiation: Chelsea Bikowski, Csilla Székely, Matt Spangler, Michael Esterle, Anna Slemp, Gina Montalvo, Amanda Montalvo, Amber Frampton, Ashlae Frampton, Attila Székely, Tyler Rocco and Aurel Ludwig, Counselor. Tuesday evening was a “team sport” game night, led by Mike and Karen Király in the enclosed giant “sports hall” on the grounds of the Camp. Wednesday evening was our “Dance Night” in the Meeting House, with this year’s theme being Country/Western attire, organized by Kathy Smith, with the music provided by a professional DJ. On Thursday evening we had our annual Talent Show, with a mixture of faith-oriented skits, fun skits, excellent individual talent. Friday’s activity was the Evening Campfire, Consecration Worship Service and Holy Communion. Every afternoon there is also a “sport activity” - the most memorable one this year was the “do-it-yourself water slide” set up on one of the hillsides using a very large sheet of plastic: some of the most memorable pictures of the week! Also every afternoon Rt. Rev. Koloman Ludwig, Co-Camp Director, taught a “Camper in Training” class, where young adults learn the basics of Christian Counseling. This year we had four young adults in the program, and the graduates were Shawn Isaacs and Jennifer Kokoth. For the second year, Mike and Karen Király teamed up with Frank Király and published a photo-directory with addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of all those at the camp, which were distributed prior to our Saturday morning departure. On Wednesday we left the Camp right after breakfast, and spent the day at the Bethlen Home in Ligonier. Our Morning Presentation was held there, then the campers broke into groups to spend time with residents of the Nursing Home either visiting rooms, playing games in an activity room, or assisting with work projects. This is one of the most rewarding activities of the whole week, as every camper has true Christian interaction with those mentioned to us by Jesus in Matthew 25: “As you did it to one of the least of these, my brethren, you did it to me.” At the Wednesday session we were also welcomed by the administration of the Bethlen Home and introduced to the history and services of the Home. It was during this time that the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America President Rev. István Török presented the Camp administration with a generous monetary gift., as also did the William Penn Association Chairman of the Board Anthony Beke, both Hungarian-origin Fraternal Societies. Without their gifts, the Camp would not be able to host these young Reformed Christians with its Christian program. The true essence of the Youth Camp is the reality that this is possibly the ONLY opportunity for many of our youth to spent time in an environment that is Christian and nonthreatening. During this short week, our young people have the opportunity to share their faith and test their beliefs by expressing their thoughts to others without the fear of ridicule or rejection. As a result, one can see the tremendous spiritual and emotional growth and maturity in young people on just one week! To see our youth graduate from “Sunday School” knowledge of Christ to actually LIVING Christianity in their attitude and talk in just one week is a blessing every time it happens. Possibly the most blessed are the adults who are privileged to witness this happening before their very eyes. Ms. Piroska Hunyady and Rt. Rev. Koloman Karl Ludwig, Co-Camp Directors “Interpreted by Love” Phillippians 1:1-11 According to Webster’s Dictionary, love is: “a feeling of strong personal attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration, by sympathetic understanding, or by ties of kinship.” This definition seems to be lacking a bit, doesn’t it? If a young couple were coming for their premarital counseling, and they were told that this is what they are suffering from, they would scarcely recognize their predicament. Love is one of the things in life, which is very difficult to properly define. In Paul’s First letter to the Corinthians, in the thirteenth chapter, we get a much better working definition about love than we do from the Dictionary. But regardless of how we describe or define it, most of us feel that we have a working knowledge of it. So with this working knowledge we have of “Love,” let’s think of Whittier’s use of it in his hymn, “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.” You may remember the stanzas we just sang: 0 Sabbath rest by Galilee! 0 calm of hill above, Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee The silence of eternity, Interpreted by love! What a tremendous wealth of suggestions is found in the words “Interpreted by love.” What a different world it would be if indeed men’s lives were “interpreted by love.” If men had in their hearts the very essence of what Christ expressed on the cross: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” THIS was a true example of another’s act being “interpreted by love.” And this type of attitude speaks to so many areas of life. For instance, think of how many families would still be together if, instead of interpreting actions by suspicion, selfishness and thoughtlessness, both husbands and wives had done more “interpreting by love,” if they had looked at the other and their problems through eyes of love. And this principle is real in many situations other than marriage. If there was only a little more of the love that Christ took with him to the cross, living even today, then the chances of understanding would be much brighter everywhere. There’s a story of a mean little kid who tried to compensate for his smallness of size by always fighting and sometimes be-
