“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song.” ~Psalm 149
It has been yet another fabulous week at Camp Westminster on Higgins Lake as all staff and campers alike glorify the Lord through acts of song and dance! It is the conclusion of our Performing Arts and Music, Art and Drama (MaD) camps, which end in a showcase presenting what the campers have worked on all week! It was exciting to experience this from the counselor perspective, as I have spent the last three years leading the song and dance with Calvin Presbyterian Church from Zelienople, Pennsylvania who arrives every summer to teach this particular camp!
It has never ceased to amaze me how much campers grow and improve in just one week. While at first they may appear to be stage shy and apprehensive, by the end of the week they are right at home in the spotlight. Not only do they grow in their abilities to perform, but they grow in their faith as well.
This summer’s theme is “All Things New,” which is especially apparent when observing campers find a new understanding of their relationships with peers and looking at old surroundings with new eyes. It has always been amazing to me how much more you can learn when you look at things from a new perspective. For me, this new way of looking at things taught me how to put myself in the shoes of someone who is not as comfortable being on stage as I am. I realized how much courage and dedication it takes to overcome this fear, as well as a good humored ability to laugh at oneself in the face of a muffed line or missed cue.
As with all things in life, some things come easier to us than others; and though we all started from different points on the spectrum, by the end of the week all campers were working together in harmony to create a fantastic performance. As Saturday rolled around everyone anxiously awaited the arrival of family members and fellow campers to demonstrate their newly honed skill set. It was a gratifying experience as campers used their many talents to glorify the Lord. It was truly a blessing to watch as I think it reminded all of us that song and dance are one of the most rewarding ways to praise the Lord.
Kelly Kress, counselor
