On a late summer evening, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Bedford wrapped its arms in a welcoming embrace around participants in Rural & Migrant Ministry’s Summer Overnight Leadership Camp, by graciously hosting an evening meal and use of the Church’s beautiful grounds. St. Matthew’s parishioners June Blanc, Laurie and Paul Sturz, and Mary Farley chatted as they laid out a feast of breaded chicken, salads, and snacks galore before the campers arrived. It was the first year the Church has hosted RMM; the dinner was arranged after Farley — who is also President of the Bedford Farmers Club — struck up the idea with RMM’s Executive Director, the Rev. Richard Witt. St. Matthew’s Rector, the Rev. John Zahl, his daughter, Daphne, 11, and their affable pug, Oscar, welcomed early arrivals to the Church, along with Associate Rector, the Rev. Drew Courtright. We were also blessed to by joined by Bishop Matthew Heyd. After spending the day on a field trip to a Connecticut ropes course, beach and library, half of the 70 campers, ages 8-17, soon descended on St. Matthews, wearing dayglo T-shirts emblazoned with the word, “Expectation” — the theme of this year’s camp experience. “We are so glad have you here tonight!” beamed Zahl. “We’re so thrilled to welcome you all. We’re going to have a fun evening!” Witt led everyone in singing Grace: “God, we thank you/God, we thank you/For our food/For our food,” sung to the tune of “Frère Jacques.” The campers devoured their dinner, going back for seconds. Parishioner Herb Foster, who co-chairs the Church’s communications committee along with Blanc, fretted about running out of food before the second group of campers and counselors arrived. But his fears were soon assuaged when more trays of chicken and salad appeared, just in time. “It’s the miracle of the loaves and chicken,” Farley quipped. And, it was the miracle of dessert, provided by a mobile ice cream parlor — a bright red, converted bus called “Ice Cream Emergency,” and its self-proclaimed “chief scoopologists,” Ed and Carol Lachterman. The campers fidgeted and giggled as they waited their turn, asking for flavors like Cookie Doughlicious and Cookie Monster. “Would you like a cherry?” Carol Lachterman asked a youngster with a cup of strawberry, as the bus rocked to ’70s music. “Would you like sauce? I have chocolate, caramel and marshmallow. Whipped cream? Sprinkles?” “Which flavor did you get?” Zahl asked a pair of little girls, their mouths blue with ice cream. “Is it yummy?” He introduced them to the Church mascot. “This is Oscar,” he said. “He’s a pug. Pugs are the best. They’re just the sweetest, weirdest, cutest, best dogs ever.” The scene was joyous pandemonium. The campers, counselors and volunteers tossed footballs, sprinted across the Church’s vast playground, and huddled in groups, shouting and laughing. Their energy was electrifying. Soon, Witt raised a hand, a sign that everyone needed to listen. It was time for Vespers, he said, as the campers hushed to the beat of a conga. Before leading the contingent down a beautiful path through some of the Church’s 70 acres, Witt spoke of the cemetery they would pass by on their way to the outdoor Chapel. “We want to be quiet as we pass the cemetery,” he said. “We want to show respect for the people who are buried there. They were all wonderful people, and they made it possible for us to be here — just as someday, our energy is going to make life possible for others.” Just ahead sat St. Matthew’s Chapel-in-the-Woods, its stone Altar, timber Cross and pews quietly waiting. Soon, a choir filled the woods with music. A young girl rang the Chapel bell, and the witnessing began. One by one, campers, counselors and volunteers shared their experiences. They spoke of the deep friendships they had made at camp; of the unbearable pain of losing a brother, followed by the miraculous joy of finding a sister; of the right to self-expression as a means of social change; of the confusion of being gender queer. Bishop Heyd spoke about the theme of Expectation, as it’s found in the Bible. “The subtitle to the Bible could be ‘Whoa, I didn’t expect that,” the Bishop said, riveting the group. “All the way through, almost every story is about confounding expectations.” Invoking the stories of Moses, Jesus and the Disciples, Heyd said that life was not what they expected. “That’s the story of our lives, too,” he said. “Different than we expect, sometimes harder than we expect, struggles we don’t anticipate.” But, he said, the second part of the Bible, and of our lives, “is that God surprises us with love. Bigger than we expect.” Heyd told the group of the story of Hagar and her son, Ishmael, who suffered deeply and unjustly. “But the story of Hagar is the story of God being with you through struggle, God being with you more than you expect … The story of Scripture is about love changing the world. And that’s something to expect, too.”
