Churches Invited to "Invade"
New Diocesan Camp and Retreat Center

by Pam Doty
Editor, The East Tennessee Episcopalian
Although East Tennessee has not yet decided to be spring, summer camp is in the works at the Diocesan Camp and Retreat Center on Watts Bar Lake near Kingston, Tennessee. The program committee of the Board of Managers, headed by the Rev. Hugh Jones (rector, St. Alban's, Hixson), has decided to hold day camps this summer to acquaint congregations with the facilities of the Manley Property which will be the site of the Diocesan Camp and Retreat Center.

The property is scheduled to belong to the Diocese of East Tennessee well before summer. However, it will not be ready for overnight guests for quite some time to come. Nevertheless, the facilities can be used on a limited basis by making arrangements through Canon Alice Clayton in the Diocesan Office.

According to Jones, there are as yet no beds in either the “lodge” or “barn” and there is no food service. For groups willing to sleep on the floor, bring their own food and cart out their own garbage, arrangements might be made for overnight.

He said, "We want to encourage large groups of people within the Diocese to see and enjoy our new Camp and Retreat Center this summer. With this goal in mind, we have come up with a structured plan for Day Camps for parishes."

The basic plan for the eight days set aside by the program committee is for churches to come and enjoy a day. People will be welcome from 10 a.m. to sundown. Everyone brings lunch. The program committee will have a staff to supervise swimming and boating, lead hikes, and coordinate arts and crafts and play games. Guests will be able to fish. A medical person and a lifeguard will be on the site each day. In the late afternoon — about 6 p.m — a Eucharist will be offered followed by a furnished supper of hamburgers and hot dogs.

Registration will be necessary for each session of Day Camp. It must be handled through each congregation and through the Diocesan Office. The days chosen for camp are: June 16, June 17, June 23, June 24, July 14, July 15, July 21 and July 22.

Jones has tentatively called these eight days the "‘Gather at the Jordan' Soleful Day Camps." Referring to Joshua 1:1-5, he said, "We want to do more than climb Mount Nebo to claim the land by sight (although there are plenty of heights to climb) as Moses did. Like Joshua and the invasion of the Promised Land, we want the entire Diocese to "invade" the new Camp and Retreat Center on these days, taking possession of it in our hearts. See especially Joshua 1:3 — we want lots of "soles" (NRSV) on hand on the eight days to explore every foot and to claim the property as our own. Okay, so it's the Tennessee that most of us will cross to get there, in which we will stand all day, and by which we will break bread. Details! Details!"