Christian Science @ Camp

The PURPOSE of Camps Newfound and Owatonna is "to be a place where Christian Science is lived and loved, through challenging limitations, nurturing spiritual growth, promoting spiritual discovery and boundless thinking, and having fun." Truth and its demonstrations of healing permeate every aspect of daily life at Camp. Staff members begin each day with individual quiet study of the weekly Bible Lesson before the campers wake up. After breakfast, campers and counselors in each cabin spend a half-hour-long "Quiet Hour" working with the Lesson together or individually. At Morning Meeting, the entire Camp joins together to read aloud a section of the Lesson, sing, and share inspiration for the day. At activities, counselors and campers, alike, comfort, and care. The Martin House is home to our practitioner, who prays for the idea of Camp and often meets with campers or counselors to regroup and re-focus thought in a healing direction. If a child needs nursing care, he or she visits the Birches, our on-site nursing facility. (In extreme emergencies, Camp is easily accessible to a local hospital 5 miles away and a parent is contacted immediately.) Our senior staff, which includes a Camp Mom at each camp, as well as our counselors, are trained to meet any emergency with spiritual strength and practical skill. At activities, counselors and campers, alike, work together to support one another through any challenge — be it fear, doubt, or discouragement. They also learn the meaning and spiritual demands of true unselfish competition and real accomplishment — frequently recognizing and celebrating even the smallest step of progress for any camper or team. Metaphysical preparation is the starting point for every trip out of camp, too. The human footsteps follow the leadings of Truth and make for the truly remarkable experience of Camp. Sunday School for more than two hundred campers meets out-of-doors in small co-ed groups of 6-8 campers. Most Wednesday testimony meetings are also co-ed and feature delightful and often compelling testimonies from campers and staff. Hymn Sing is led by a different cabin of campers each week and includes brief readings chosen by each camper in the cabin. On staff and available round-the-clock are a Journal-listed Christian Science practitioner and a Journal-listed Christian Science nurse to meet anyone's immediate need for healing.