Growing Roots    

by Carolyn Dugan, Associate Regional Minister – Camping

Seed catalogs are being sent out for the spring. If spring isn’t for several weeks yet, why do we need to pick out seeds and start planning now? Plants are started indoors on wintery days in hopes that when the flowers or vegetables are transplanted outside their roots are strong and able to survive and even thrive in their new environment.

Our theme for Camp Tamarack this year is “Rootedness” using Ephesians 3:17 as our main verse: …that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. (NRSV)

Last year I asked past campers and leaders to describe camp in one word. (The Commission on Camping was interested to see where camp was rooted.) The two words that came through the most were Friends and Family. I believe seeds are planted in people when they come to Camp Tamarack – for whatever reason as camper, leader, renter or volunteer. We can’t all live at Camp and in that atmosphere year round, so how do we grow our roots grounded in love in order to thrive in this world?