Pilgrim Lodge Director's Log

2004

February 10, 2004

It's as if waking from a dream.  Two weeks before Christmas our house in Readfield sold.  The buyers wanted us out December 23.  We just laughed.  But we did negotiate leaving by mid January.  So we kicked the search for a new house into high gear and landed in Brunswick.  We moved out one day and in the next, on the two coldest days of the season thus far.  That was fun.  I had three weeks vacation saved up so I just took them to get us packed and moved.  After everything was safely inside the house, and the heat was turned back up, I turned my gaze to the camp brochure.  I usually am generating the brochure during early January so once we landed, I took an deep breath and dove in.  Three more weeks and here I am, just back from dropping off the final copy to the printer, surrounded by a sea of paper: drafts of brochure pages, half pages of scribbled lines, unread mail, nutrition bar wrappers, overflowing trash cans.  At home, of course it's all cardboard.  Most boxes are right where we left them during the move.  Is it really February?  What happened to January?  

I am hoping the brochure will go into the mail at the end of next week.  The actual creation took a little longer than usual because I chose to convert to a new computer program and the learning curve was pretty steep.  Great program though, very powerful.  I hope you see a difference in the quality this year.  You can get a sneak peek at the cover here.  

This has all put me quite a bit behind.  Now, after I slap myself around a bit, I will deal with the faulty septic system in this here farmhouse (did I mention how the furnace died in the fall?).  Then I will fix my site on staff hiring, so if you are on the fence, get off soon!  I will be contacting former staff and new applicants shortly.  If you are interested in applying for summer staff, check out the 'summer jobs' section, which includes job descriptions and an application. 

In spite of moving we threw everything into making this a magical Christmas for Eric.  He's three so he really is starting to get it.  My favorite part was his reaction to the reindeer nibbled carrot stubs and cookie crumbs by the empty glass of milk.  Proof!  The whole thing was magic.  New Year's is kind of a blur.  We closed on the house we sold late in the afternoon on New Years Eve, and the next day I think we just packed.  I never really got the significance of New Years.  I can get behind some genuine reflection and planning, but it somehow it doesn't seem the healthiest of holidays as it is now observed.  

Although I haven't really checked it out in detail, Brunswick seems like a funky little town.  After living out in Readfield we feel like we're living in the big city!  On Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday we woke up and, as in years past, wondered what we could do to celebrate.  The paper described a children's event beginning in 20 minutes at Bowdoin College so we threw on our clothes and made it in time.  I can't imagine that in Readfield.  It's a great area and we've got a great new house.  Still, it all happened so fast that I think Deb and I are missing our old home.  We really loved it there.  

Sunday was a wonderful celebration.  I was honored to give one of three charges to Rev. Sally Colegrove at her installation as pastor of Windham Hill Church.  It was so joyful and felt so right. Sally and I met at church camp 25 years ago and have a long and involved history of ministry and friendship.  It's great to have her here in Maine (she has served as a dean at PL for three years).  She's now on the OMC. 

I promised you an update on Alan Bartlett who joined the Marines at the end of the summer.  Here he is.   Are you as proud and impressed as me?  I present to you Private First Class Bartlett.  He is at Infantry School at Camp Geiger, NC.  And this time Alan, unlike when you were a middler camper,  I didn't even have to call your mother when you shaved your head!  I'm kidding.  You have the entire PL community behind you, keep in touch.  Vaya Con Dios Alan!

So onto staff hiring and the details of the office.  My PDA (which Jonathan Doughty call's "the oracle") was in very tidy order when all of the above started, now everything is in red and beeps at me randomly throughout the day.  "Get Trip Camp Licenses"  "register the truck" "document the adopt a cabin program" and it goes on and on.  So... I remind myself that the best thing about schedules is - we make 'em up!' So I guess I'll just make up a new one. 

Bundle up, remember, summer's coming. 

I close with words our church in South Freeport sings at the end of worship every week.

Go now in peace, never be afraid, God will go with you each hour of everyday.

Bryan

a March 17, 2004  b 

Can the thin veneer of snow outside my window help convince me that there is still lots of time between now and the start of the season?  Uh, not so much.  I'm trying to breath deep and be very Zen about the whole thing, and frankly, I am largely successful.  Still, there are moments when I look at my list, then I look at the calendar and feel less like Buddha and more like Chicken Little.  Now perhaps Chicken Little was, in fact a Zen Buddhist, and I certainly mean no disrespect.  After all you know how rumors work.  Maybe Ms. Little was sitting in meditation, calmly asking her students "What is the sound of the sky falling?" and the rest is just a big misunderstanding.  

By now you should have a copy of the camp brochure in your hands.  If not you can order one from Cathy.  It's always a good feeling to get that accomplished.  So far I've heard about one error.  In the description for "A Day At Camp" there is a reference to it being on a Sunday.  In fact that day is a Saturday.  It is sure to cause some confusion.  Ah, the perils of copy and paste.  

On March 5-7, we had a fantastic deans' retreat at camp Mechuwana in Winthrop.  If you haven't seen the pictures take a look.  I think you'll see that people appear to be engaged and having a good time.  Thank you to all who attended, it really was great to see everyone and feel so much enthusiasm for PL.   I really need to publicly thank the OMC, and in particular Pat Seaward and Joanne Barltett who worked on the organization of the event.  We had deans come specifically for the retreat all the way from Michigan, Arizona and California!  I think we are all excited and eager for the summer season.  

Prior to that I spend four days at a  board of directors meeting for the UCC Outdoor Ministry Association   It was a good meeting proceeded by a planning meeting for the next biennial Consult.  On the off years we try to have our spring meeting at the future Consult site which in this case is Silver Lake Conference Center in Connecticut.  This was the camp I attended and worked at for many years.  Not having returned in about 15 years was cause for some reflection.  In fact, I've written the experience up.  You can read about it here.   I am really hoping that some OMC members, or just lovers of PL will attend the Consult March 4-7, 2005.  

I've also spent time with the PL Vision Team.  Commissioned by the coordinating council we are meeting every two weeks to make a presentation to the council in May concerning recommendations for the long term future of Pilgrim Lodge and for the fiftieth anniversary in 2006.  It's a great group with people of divergent backgrounds.  More on this soon.  

I'm now in the process of hiring summer staff (and some year round staff).  It's a pretty involved process, if all continues to go well we will have another stellar staff this year.  Speaking of staff, Justin who served on  grounds and maintenance last summer was in a very serious car accident and is in rough shape in a Seattle hospital.  Yesterday he was again in surgery all day and into the night.  Please remember Justin and his family in your prayers.  

Finally, a reminder: Jump Start Weekend is coming April 23-34.  Getting camp open is a big job and I need your help!  It really is a community effort and a great way to volunteer for ministry.  Summer is coming.  Yee Ha!

Let the wild rumpus start!

Bryan

June 2, 2004

The staff is arriving; the supply trucks are delivering; the loons are singing and the weather, uh, lets skip the weather for now.  Summer is here!  I'm particularly excited about the beginning of our new weekend volunteer program.  This Friday and Saturday is the beginning of a project filled summer that I hope you will participate in.  We are going start by roofing the staff housing, Balbrook.  I went up on the roof to spray a massive hornets nest this Spring and almost went through.  That moved it up on the priority list.  I have no idea if we'll have just Don and my maintenance staff, or a huge crowd that will bang that job out in a day.  Please come up and help if you have the time.  And don't be deterred if you have zero roofing experience, we need people willing to work on the ground too. 

The biggest news since my last entry is the arrival of two staff members.  Janean Boutin is our new office administrator.  You can see a picture and story about her on our news page.  She started in late March and has whipped our office into amazing shape.  We are lucky to have her on our team.  Not only is she really good at her job, she is a lot of fun to work with.

Next, we started with a new seasonal maintenance supervisor, Steve Jones.  Steve has done amazing work, and lots of it.  He's already power sprayed the entire boardwalk (both sides of the lodge) and sprayed wood preservative on them.  In spite of all this rain, the boardwalk is NOT SLIPPERY!  With the help of newly arrived maintenance team member Artie Flanders, Steve also has the entire shower house painted inside and out.  There are before and after pictures of this little miracle on the news page as well.

As if that were not enough, just two weeks ago my summer assistant Ben Bigney landed directly from his gig playing jazz piano on a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico.  He has been prepping the place for the comfortable arrival of the summer staff.  Returning staff members already on site include Jessica Doughty: waterfront director and challenge director: notably Pilgrim Lodge's only double director, and Darci Locke who is being promoted from kitchen assistant to first cook.  Tonight I expect Ms. Sarah ecclesiopolitical - we can do it, whoop-this-world-into-shape' Bigney to arrive and begin working on this summer's mission program.

Now, you might be wondering with all this spectacular help, what have I been doing with myself?  WELL, let me tell you all about the Pilgrim Lodge Vision Team.  In March of 2003 I met with the coordinating council for a  standard check-in report.  I realized that there were a lot of things that I needed to discuss, including our approaching 50th year anniversary.  I couldn't squeeze it all in to my allotted time so it was agreed I'd meet with other conference staff, which we did last June.  The scope of the items I presented was such that we decided to form an 'ad-hoc' committee to look at some of these questions.  The matter went back to Coordinating Council and the short term, high energy 'Pilgrim Lodge Vision Team' was born.  This team met every two weeks from January to May to ask a series of questions about the future of Pilgrim Lodge.  I did my best to resource this group, answer their questions and not influence the direction of their conversation. The team consisted of yours truly and:

-Diane Bennekamper, minister of the church in Cumberland and former moderator of the conference;
-David Gaewski, Conference Minister;
-John McCall, pastor in South Portland;
-Mark Schussler, Conference Business Manager;
-Pat Seaward, geologist for the state of Maine, OMC member and member of the Winthrop church;
-Ian "Jack" Steeves, Interim Minister, honorary PL staff member and Outdoor Ministry Committee Member;
-Dick Thomas, director of Chewonki Camp and member of the Wiscasset church;

So, this mega-team made a two-part presentation to the Coordinating Council during a retreat at the beginning of May.  The presentation included three sections: what could and should be done to the maintain and enhance the existing site and program? What is the possibility and benefit of building a year-round facility? What could and should be done concerning the fiftieth anniversary?  To my surprise, the council voted to look at the feasibility of a year round facility and authorized a new working group to determine the cost of a feasibility study.  Once that information has been gathered, they will decide how to proceed. Stay tuned as the story develops.

Also on the horizon: my sabbatical.  I am very humbled and blessed that after seven years, the conference is offering me a three month sabbatical period.  I will be leaving August 8 and combined with accrued vacation, personal and study leave time, will be gone through the fall.  I am intending to spend a month in Turkey visiting early Christian sites along with a group being led by two scholars I have read extensively and admire: John Dominic Crossen and Marcus Borg.  I went to Turkey, and some of these sites about fifteen years ago, but to return with the study I have since done, and with these two professors is an amazing opportunity.  During my absence the camp will be managed by the aforementioned Ben Bigney.  Along with help from Janean and Steve, I am sure to get a good rest knowing that the program is in such capable hands. 

We had a little trouble with the website last week.  Sorry if you got hung up.  We are back up and running, but this glitch has prompted me into a long overdue web update.  Unfortunately, it's kind of like when the electric, septic and water systems get upgraded at PL.  If everything goes well, you just know you can still turn on the light and run the water.  This overhaul will be in the guts of the system to reign it in since it has spider-webbed (no pun intended) into quite a massive collection of files and links.  It'll keep me out of trouble. 

Outdoor Ministry Committee meets this Saturday at PL.

So here we go.  We are at the top of the roller coaster and getting ready for a fantastic ride.  Please keep PL in your prayers for a safe and meaningful summer. 

SEE YOU FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, and every week thereafter!

Yours,

Bryan

July 13, 2004

This director's blog entry is dedicated to Kristen Mitchell.  Kristen: med student, lover of PL, answerer of urgent pleas for help.  I found myself short a lifeguard and Kristen basically dropped everything to help out for a few weeks.  Thanks Kristen!

What a summer!  As fast paced as ever.  We have only a few (albeit amazingly gifted) returning staff members and lots of folks either new to staff or new to PL.  Check them out on the staff page that photographer Sarah Bigney put up on the website a few weeks ago.  There you will find a photo and profile for each of the gifted people here serving our campers this summer.  Speaking of Sarah the photographer, have you seen the photos this year.  She was so good last year that it doesn't seem possible, but she keeps getting better and better!  Sarah also is handling the mission program 100% this year.  She worked at Hogar Esperanza, an orphanage in Chile last year and has given everything she's got to make the presentation interesting and fun.  If you would like to contribute, send your donation payable to "Maine Conf. UCC" and marked "PL Mission Project" and send to Sarah Bigney, 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345"  Your money will go directly to the orphanage. 

We started with the tried and true Vintage Ventures.  It was a small group again led by Jackie Davidson and we all decided that next year we are going to get the word out to the masses since this over 55 years program is the best kept secret at PL.  Women in Wilds set new records for attendance.  Ann Withee-Heald did a bang up job with the program centered around the book The Red Tent.  We had a new record number of women.  Our staff was just coming in and we were all learning our jobs.  Then came a week of staff training followed by our first youth camp of 109 Sr. High campers.  The place was busting at the seams.  We had a few glitches getting into the groove but  the campers and counselors were very understanding.  With a home-written program by deans Tom Hancock and Pam Burnham, it was a great week at PL.  Next we had two smaller groups (I assume because of the fourth of July).  Thanks to Deans Kathy Dunklee and Deb and Scott Letourneau, as well as Tim and Irene Hall.

ALERT- just stopped typing because of state health inspection: we passed with very high marks - go PL!

OK, I'm back.  Now we're back to capacity with the sweetest third and fourth graders deaned by Allie and John Rimkunas and Rocky Ackroyd.  Talk about energy!  I think the photos tell quite a lot of the story.

Of course, there was also the tremendous SpiritQuest '04 on the island.  Jonathan and Jessica Doughty are just amazing.  What a huge effort, and all to allow twenty-five 7th and 8th graders a chance to camp and canoe and enjoy one another in God's presence.  Also Bill Walsh should be mentioned who provided all the food for the week.  (how's the arm Bill?).  Their indomitable spirit was not quenched by the pouring rain.

In addition to these fantastic deans, we've seen a huge group of volunteer counselors.  Last week (Celebration Sensation) the entire camp staff was from one church, All Soul's in Bangor.  What tremendous  gifts they give!  My hope is they receive as much. One dean wrote to me: "Let me tell you that one of our young counselors confided to us that he had quite a spiritual awakening during the week, and that another told us that the experience has given him a whole new sense of self-confidence.  The ministry goes on at several levels, doesn't it?  From my perspective, each week at PL is unique"  Pretty cool. 

We also have several volunteers helping out staff this week.  Betsy Robertson from South Freeport is here, painting, cooking, and helping out all over as is former staff member Karen Tate who is visiting from North Carolina with her friend Will Gray.

One of my great joys this summer has been watching my son Eric.  The staff and the campers are all so sweet to him and he responds in kind.  As a daddy who is very  busy all summer, I am very blessed to have regular visits from him (and Andy, his pal for the summer) and to play whenever possible.  He truly has become the morale officer.  I can't fathom that next week is his fourth birthday!

The weather has been just weird.  No real hot hot days yet, and it changes from blue sky to pouring rain in a heartbeat.  I know, I know, this is New England, but even for New England it's been changing like crazy.  L

I try without fail to be nothing but positive in this log, but I must express one true disappointment.  We really have pushed the Weekend Work Project Program and so far have had very little response.  Don Isham has been here every Friday and Saturday often with no volunteers (except Jack Steeves, my personal hero who comes every Friday, formal program or not).  So, please say a prayer and get yourself up here to bang nails and help out. Thank you to those who have in fact shone up to help.  We've also put a lot of money out for materials and had very little response to our plea in Mainestay with one very notable exception: Patco Construction of Sanford Maine is run by Mark Patterson and his brothers, who are all former campers.  They made a donation of $2000 toward the project.  Thank you guys, your helping us bridge the gap and boost our spirits.  That is not to say we have not had some other large donations, including some from churches.  Some of them may have been in direct response the MaineStay article but Patco was the only one that mentioned it in particular.

For those of you far away, or too busy to come up this year, PL is still astoundingly beautiful with golden light streaming across the lake at sunset, life-changing worship in the chapel, rude and hilarious choruses of the announcement song, tons of great energy, quiet moments of reflection and wonderful tremendous people exploring the presence of God together. What a blessing:

 Come and sit together in a circle of friends, be at home, be at peace, be at rest.

Yours,

Bryan

August 10, 2004

This is it.  Adios until Noel.  Yesterday I drove out the camp road with Eric and we decided to turn right instead of the usual left and we took the long way home full of experimentation and adventure.  Sabbatical is here, and this entry is my last official PL duty until my return at Christmastime.  Technically Sabbatical is three months, but those three are combined with other time off to amount to almost five full months away.

It was strange leaving as campers were arriving.  I think these next two weeks will be odd.  The logic of the personnel committee was that my family and I never get to spend any time together in the summer, which is prime family time for most.  So they wanted me to find out why Maine is called vacationland.  I am blessed that camp is in very capable hands.  The staff has gelled and under the direction of camp veteran Ben Bigney and I am already starting to let go.  Ben will be updating this page.  How often is up to him.

Thursday the staff threw a surprise party for me and my family.  Artie came to my cabin and told me Sarah had fallen through the floor of Balbrook due to an infestation of carpenter ants.  Nice ploy.  I was relieved that Sarah's leg was still intact as was the floor with nary an ant to be found.  They each wrote down something I was to do on my sabbatical and I am happy to report that today, on the first day, we have checked off the first item on the list: Eric and I went frog catching (we engage in a catch and release program).  We bought a new net just for the occasion and we did indeed catch some frogs.  The staff also gave us each homemade staff T-shirts, wrote beautiful cards and gifts, made a gorgeous and delicious cake and notably, every single one of them was there.  They also sang us a song, based on my proclivity for the Wizard of Oz, written just for the occasion:

Ding Dong, the boss is gone
Sleep 'till 10
& don't tell Ben
Ding dong, the wicked boss is gone

Flip all the brooms side down
Stay online,
all day long
Don't need your stupid radio

He's gone on sabbatical
Ho Ho, that fool that fool
So we're in charge
Let's run amuck now

Don't bother washing pots
He's not here,
so we don't care
Come on, the party's in S-1!

Ding Dong the boss is gone
We'll miss him, sure
don't mop the floor
Golden treats for all
the boss is gone!

I must make mention of my deep gratitude to Laurie Shannon who has come on up to fill in for the last several weeks of camp on the waterfront.  I really appreciate her willingness to drop everything and with ease and grace enter a staff community that had already formed.  She has been a breath of fresh air for everyone.