Chop Point for me has always been the place where things come back. Summer after summer, no matter what happens during the year, something drags me back. I listen to stories, I try to find connections, I try to figure out just how exactly people end up at Chop Point, but four years later, I’m still coming up empty. Some say it’s fate but I refuse to believe that it’s entirely coincidental that so many incredible people happen to be in the same place at the same time. No, there’s something here, something that makes sure anybody who needs to be here ends up here at just the right time. Feeling the presence of God has always been difficult for me, but this year I felt it in just about every interaction I had during my time at Chop Point — from crazy sailing adventures to drinking iced coffee with my friends to singing songs during chapel to just sitting on the dock and watching the river. While I was at camp this year I had a conversation with one of my counselors about times our souls felt at peace and of the dozens of stories we both told, the majority of them had one thing in common: they happened at Chop Point. There is undoubtedly something special that happens to you while you drive down the two miles stretch of road that leads here that continually draws us here no matter how long we’re away. Even now that I left, I’m sure I’ll be back soon. I don’t think my story with Chop Point has ended quite yet, but until then my soul will remain at peace knowing that at some point, the universe will figure out a way to bring me back home.
2018
And We’re Off and Running
Things move so fast here during the transition from staff training to the community program that sometimes we forget to take a step back and take a look at all the pieces of the camp puzzle falling into place around us. Check-in started bright and early at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday with parents and excited campers lining up out the door. The plan was to start swim tests right away after the kids got their cabin assignments, but as a few of our bravest early swimmers found out, the Kennebec current was in a fairly bad mood. We switched gears into some fun large group games on the lawn – Drip-Drip-Drench, Ultimate Frisbee, and the overwhelming crowd favorite, Sponge Dodgeball. The current subsided after about an hour and most of the campers were able to take their swim tests and get started with their afternoon water activities. The water was a little choppy and the wind was really ripping after lunch but the first time windsurfers did an incredible job bearing with the difficult conditions right out of the gate. A few brave sailors headed out for an exciting afternoon on the Kennebec as well. After dinner, we all gathered in the lodge to finally show the campers our lineup of Counselor Skits, along with a staff-written song and dance, that the staff has been working very hard on for the past two weeks. There were endless laughs and a very slight amount of controlled chaos on stage that the kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy.
As the week progressed we were are all excited to start our daily Bible discussions and work
through the story of Jesus and his miracles with the campers. We bounced around between all
four books of the Gospel and shared some of our favorite parables to spark some very productive
dialogues with the kids. We finished up this morning with a chapel service featuring some of our favorite worship songs and a panel of counselors answering questions about their walks with God over the last few years.
The final few evenings were a whole lot of fun for the athletically and creatively inclined
campers alike – with Sports Night, Capture the Flag, and Skit Night all making a triumphant
return from last year. The summer is off to a fantastic start, and we’re looking forward to
interacting with lots of folks from the area at the wrap-up barbecue this evening. We’ll be back
with more updates soon, as we say goodbye to our community week friends and train our eyes
forward for the start of first session. Thanks for reading, and thanks for being part of our Chop
Point family.