Blow Through Us, Great Spirit

by Todd Bartlett, Executive Director

“Sand Castles” by James Rasmusson

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

Genesis 1:1-2

I am moved by the beginning of our biblical story every time I read it. In this introduction, there is a direct connection between the activity of God and wind. I am always mindful that the biblical languages have only one word for breath/wind/spirit (“ruach” in Hebrew and “pneuma” in Greek). The ancients made a connection between the mystery of the Spirit and the moving air. Unfortunately, our English language has separated these three things from one another and we no longer make the connection between spirit/wind/breath.

Like water, wind can also be a devastating force. I grew up in Minnesota where strong thunderstorms and tornadoes were a regular part summer. This year, we have seen hurricanes do great damage to other parts of the country and around the world. We also know that the wind fans the flames of forest fires creating very dangerous conditions. For those who have been in Oregon a long time, the hallmark of wind storms is the Columbus Day Storm of 1962.

There are activities that are dependent upon wind: sailing, wind-surfing and all of its variations, birds flying on the currents, and flying a kite. To think of all of these things brings a smile to my face and joy in my heart. Being dependent upon the wind/breath of God in these activities connects me to my faith and to the world as a whole.

The wind of creation, or the divine breath, reshapes our world in powerful and life-giving ways. We can see the sand move on the beach, or the dust as it glides across the high desert, or the gathering snow being formed into drifts. Often, we see this scattering and re-gathering as an inconvenience to our lives, but I would invite you to look again and see the beauty that is being created with the wind’s help. I would also like to suggest that we pay attention when the Spirit blows through our lives sifting the chaff and creating beauty that we did not consider possible.

When I experience the wind (on the beach at Magruder, among the treetops at Collins, on Suttle Lake in the afternoon, in the valley at Wallowa Lake, along the river at Sawtooth, and alongside the pool at Latgawa) I am aware of being alive and that God is active in our world. What comes to mind when you think of wind? What is your memory of breath/wind/spirit shaping the world in which you live? How might you share that story with someone else?

May we feel the wind in our lives,

Todd

Camp Magruder has a NEW LOGO!!

by Troy Taylor, Director of Camp Magruder

We are excited to introduce a Camp Magruder logo that will begin to show up in our communication, representing the camp. The logo represents features of the camp that are unique to Camp Magruder and symbolize some core beliefs we have about who we are and the way the spirit of God moves through our beautiful site.

Camp Magruder’s most distinctive feature is the ocean. From nearly every part of camp, you can hear the Pacific Ocean. The ocean shapes the landscape and the weather. The ocean is larger than we can visualize, deep in a way that is difficult to comprehend. We can never know the entire ocean, we only know the part we see at our shoreline. But, even this encounter with a small part of this enormous, powerful thing can be revolutionary, life changing. The water represents how we cherish this thing so much bigger than us and seek to remember how it is constantly present and shaping us into something new.

Shore pines, like the one featured in the logo, make up much of the woods bordering the beach sand. They were planted by Magruder leaders over the years. Some of the trees produce arm-like branches that start near the trunk. They are called Octopus Trees and many campers and guests have enjoyed climbing them over many years. Magruder began with the vision of a small group of faithful church members with a dream. Over the years, many branches have sprung from that trunk, taken their own direction and bore their own branches. The Shore Pine represents how we celebrate the many ways this camp has provided Christian hospitality and environments of learning for wide ranges of groups who make the world better. We also celebrate how all these possibilities sprang from the trunk planted many years ago by faithful dreamers.

Blessings Report

Outdoor school currently experiencing Camps Magruder and Latgawa
Camp Latgawa’s volunteer staff coming to help in a particularly busy time.
Wallowa Lake directors Peggy and David taking much needed self-care vacation.