Community of Hope International gathered at Camp McDowell, Alabama, for the annual conference May 21-24. Participants drove, flew, and Zoomed in from around the country to participate in our own style of Benedictine “ora et labora” (pray and work).
We prayed Morning Prayer on the front deck of our lodge while listening to the soft, gentle rain through the tall pines, participated in evening Taizé service Saturday night, and celebrated the Feast of Pentecost Sunday morning in the beautiful St. Francis Chapel.
Each of our meetings began with songs led by Julie Chalk from Canyon Lake, TX, with vocal backup from Craig Wilson from Smyrna, GA.
Our work consisted of studying the renewed curriculum for training new pastoral caregivers. Our President, Sarah Roberts (Buford, GA) and the Rt. Rev. Brian Prior (Ret.) (Home - Brian Prior) facilitated an intensive walk-through of the study of Community of Hope in three parts – Formation, Circle of Care, and Pastoral Care.
We learned that our pastoral caregiver training modules each have amazing new videos to accompany them; we were even able to preview the videos which are still being edited to include highlighted quotes and introductions.
We explored creative, new ways to engage with the modules including storytelling, art reflection, journaling, connecting to The Rule, and a renewed debriefing format woven throughout all the modules.
Aimée Bostwick, our CoHI Curriculum and Charism Chair and Senior Advisor for Program Innovation at Kanuga Conference Center, walked us through a Forest Bathing experience as a part of our renewed Prayer and Christian Meditation Module.
In addition to the prayer and work, the group enjoyed some self-care in community with a reception provided by Regional Representatives in attendance Pam Piedfort (West/Northwest, Gulf Coast, Heartland, Atlantic, and Southwest), Tricia Jones (West Texas and Heritage West), Craig Wilson (Southeast), Amy Stillwell (Southeast), and Lynnae Schatz (Heritage).
The gracious hospitality of Camp McDowell offered other opportunities for self-care as some visited the famous suspension bridge in lower camp via golf cart ride from Bishop Brian, some enjoyed quiet walks along the wooded lanes, and others enjoyed early morning cups of coffee listening to the birds. Camp McDowell is home to a farm school and a folk school, as well, and we were blessed one evening during dinner to hear from the director of the farm school about his vocational call and work leading the farm school at Camp McDowell.
For our participants joining us by Zoom, the dedicated work of Abel Betances from the Diocese of Atlanta helped ensure that people could join us from here, there, and everywhere.
We are truly a Community of Hope. As we look to next year and years to come, we recognize that renewing ourselves is vital to our ministry. Having come together at Camp McDowell, we are renewed by the Spirit, not just because we met on the Feast of the Pentecost, but because we prayed, played, and worked together for the good of ourselves, the community, and the world. We hope you’ll join us next year!
(Special thanks to Tricia Jones and Pam Piedfort for contributing photographs)