Friday 17 – Sunday 19 May
With sole use of the campsite, the owners telling us to make ourselves at home and “take over”, beautiful views, an amazing sunset, and opportunities for star gazing, it is perhaps no surprise that we returned to Churchill Farm campsite, near Buckfastleigh, for our fourth time for this year’s church camp. Those of us from the Korean and English-speaking congregations who were camping enjoyed a campfire on the Friday night, and the chance to talk and get to know each other better. We were joined on Saturday by several other church members who came for the day. Games, including a quiz and a treasure hunt, were followed by a trip to nearby Buckfast Abbey. The evening BBQ lasted around 4 hours, with much sharing of food – including barbecued octopus! Use of a coach to bring church members from the Mint to the campsite meant the Sunday morning worship, taking place in one of the campsite fields, was attend by around 50 people. Celebrating Pentecost outside was both a spiritual experience, with mindful prayers at the start and end of the worship, and an engaging one, with interactive prayers involving both fire and water, and also creating a giant cross out of bunting which spanned much of the field. The picnic lunch which followed was a time for fellowship, and more sharing of food! All in all, a very fulfilling weekend, and an experience I hope we can repeat and even build on next year.
