The News from Magruder September 3-9

The final days of our summer season came this week with our Labor Day Family Camp which started last Friday. On of the first evenings of the camp, we took the group wave jumping. Tom, who has been a camper for several decades went wave jumping for the first time. It was a special moment for him and our staff. It's an awesome thing to witness something happening for the first time. 

As we stood on the beach, watching campers enjoy the ocean there was a smoky haze in the air. The sun was still high in the sky, but it was the color it normally takes on as it sits behind the horizon. We are far from any of the forest fires raging in Oregon right now, but reminders like smoke in the sky set up residence with us this week. Much like the news of the fires this week, regardless of what we did here on the coast, the knowledge that parts of our dear state was burning loomed in the background. It was our regular meal conversation, our regular prayer request. 

Our Labor Day Family camp left on Monday. We spent time with old friends and new ones. Tom also got on the trampoline for the first time. It was a proud weekend for all of us to see him take on those challenges he has seen here at camp for so long. When the campers left, we put on our swimsuits and began the work of taking down the trampoline and swim boundary lines. This is big symbolic act that represents the end of summer to the permanent staff. We unhooked them from their D links, pulled them in, soaped them down, rinsed, dried, folded, and tucked them away on a boathouse shelf. 

As we worked through the afternoon, the sun remained shrouded in a smoky haze. We frequently made comments about how odd it felt. At the end of our trampoline breakdown, we deflated the giant blue doughnut. Everyone laid on it. This was very relaxing work for us. We sprawled out like we

Smith Lake with trampoline and swim boundaries freshly removed

were laying in a hammock. Everyone laughed as they sunk deeper and deeper. Some of us fell asleep. It was a nice way to close out our time together. We have seen a lot this summer. We've worked ourselves into late nights. We've had uplifting moments and disappointing moments. Now, it was just six of us laying on a giant trampoline while it deflated. It felt lazy and satisfying and intimate.

We welcomed the Campus Compact of Oregon, an Americorps training event. A day later we would welcome seniors from Oregon Episcopal School. There is something uplifting about spending days welcoming and cleaning up in the kitchen with young people on a mission. There is a great deal of energy and hope and courage. It's one of my favorite ages to work with, because they are so gifted and excited for new work, and they are also still molding who they are. They listen more readily, trust a little easier, put themselves on the line more quickly. 

These young people have changed our world this summer, and they will return to their other respective worlds soon. I hope they go out seeking the same kind of change there. We are quite literally in a world that is burning right now. But, I feel optimism after weeks like this living in loving community. I know we can not avoid tragedies. But, I have seen that there is love to counteract the terrible things. I know there are people among us seeking to make the world better. I have faith in them, and in all the powers guiding them.

This weekend we welcome the Annual Men's Retreat, Linfield Concert Choir, PSU Ambassadors, and the women of Primera Iglesia Ebenezer. Pray with us that their time will be fruitful.