Gotha campground to host peace camp

GOTHA  In a world where this year can best be summed up by the words “Pray for ___,” a local camp program is focusing on one thing: Peace.

The 10th annual Family Peace Camp — presented by the Action for Peace team of the Atlantic Southeast District of the Church of the Brethren — takes place at Camp Ithiel in Gotha from Sept. 2 to 4. With a focus on pathways to inner peace, the camp provides an opportunity for families to get away for the weekend, spend time together and be immersed in a peaceful environment.

Berwyn Oltman, a retired pastor who serves on the Action for Peace team, said the denomination stems from Historic Peace Church. According to the official Church of the Brethren website, “Brethren have considered participation in war to be unacceptable for Christians and have based this understanding on the teachings of Jesus and on other New Testament texts.”

“International peace and reconciliation is important to us,” Oltman said. “There (is much) violence in our world and all the international disputes and conflict. We think there are better solutions to solve problems between groups and nations. Each year, we choose a theme related to that, we host people of different denominations, and we have activities for all ages — children, young people and adults.”

This year, however, the focus is more on inner peace. Pastor Belita Mitchell, the lead pastor at Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren in Pennsylvania, is this year’s camp resource leader. Mitchell is involved in peace and justice work, as well as gun violence prevention, and speaks on behalf of Heeding God’s Call, a ministry against gun violence. 

A former moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, Mitchell will speak to campers about spiritual qualities that help people deal with violence and how to respond to conflict situations by acts of kindness, love and reconciliation.

“For the past two years the focus has been not so much on peace and justice but on the spiritual undergirding for people of peace,” Mitchell said. “I’m combining the two primary foci of my work in my ministry: Spiritual development and deepening faith, and peace and justice. 

“Since the camp has chosen to go in the direction of inner peace, our sessions will be geared primarily on pathways to inner peace,” she said. “I believe there are several different ways to achieve inner peace. A lot of our time together will be spent exploring that spiritual nature of inner peace.”

Mitchell hopes campers will learn from each other through active dialogue and through reading of the biblical Scriptures.

“I suspect that most of the people in attendance will be coming from the background of understanding the importance of being a peacemaker, being followers of Christ who was the Prince of Peace,” she said. 

Camp registration is ongoing and activities include the following: a variety show, swimming, worship, campfire, morning watch, table games, puzzles, music, active games, good food, free time and a quiet walk.

FAMILY PEACE CAMP

Camp Ithiel, 2037 Hempel Ave., Gotha

DETAILS: Registration for the Family Peace Camp is ongoing. Adult registration is $25, and meals are $2 each. Lodging is available in dorms at the camp for an additional fee, and scholarships are available for the first 12 non-Brethren who register.

CONTACT: Phil Lersch, (727) 544-2911 or Phil [email protected].

WEBSITE: brethren.org

Contact Danielle Hendrix at [email protected].