AN UPDATE FROM THE ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE |
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This month, we will be hearing from Fr. Anthony Yazge. Fr. Anthony served as a counselor and session priest at the Village for many years. Most recently, Fr. Anthony served as Camp Director from 2006-2020. Fr. Anthony is currently the parish priest at Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Fishers, IN. Read below for some spiritual nourishment from Fr. Anthony. |
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When I came across this photo my eyes couldn’t leave it. A million thoughts started running through my head trying to interpret what I was seeing. What do you see? At first glance, I saw a tree on the side of a hill where the ground below it had eroded and it is hanging on for dear life so as to not tumble down the hill and perish. That reminded me of how so many of us seem to be feeling with the events of the past 10 months of our lives. Then my mind saw in the tree an image of a human being climbing up the side of a hill. It is all of us, determined faithful Christians seeking higher ground. We are seeking to rise above all of the absurdity and sickness of this world looking for refuge that lies within the Kingdom of God. I see us nearing the top of the mountain where true life and freedom awaits. A life where the peace of Christ resides within us that leads to the path of salvation. |
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I share this image and these brief thoughts to remind us to see the good in things. To see the potential and the promise of what God provides if we are to be faithful and patient and are willing to endure and struggle amidst times that may seem too difficult or frustrating. My guess is the past 10 months have not gone as any of us planned but if we look closely, if we believe with our whole being, we can see the ray of hope that emanates from God. We can see Him calling to us and inviting us to join Him. We can rest assure that He is here to guide us, to love us and to save us.
I invite you to continue the climb with me as we seek God in all things. I invite you to constantly place your hope in God before we place our hope in men and women. I invite you to pray for ourselves and the world. I invite you to experience a life transfigured and transformed by God through His sacraments and prayer. Remember the words of our Lord from the Gospel of St Mark, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.”
I believe in Him and I believe in you!
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We cannot wait to welcome campers back to the Village this summer! We still have space available for girls during sessions 1A, 1B, 2B, 3B, 4A, and 4B. For boys, there is still space available during sessions 1B, 2B, and 4B. If your preferred session is full, you can always sign up on a waitlist. To register, click here. To see the most updated availability for each session, click here.
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We are excited to share that we exceeded our fundraising goal to re-side the chapel! We have raised $36,534! Once the project is complete, any extra funds will go towards caring for and maintaining our chapel. This will help us ensure we can continue to worship in St. Ignatius Chapel for generations to come! We will be sure to post pictures and updates once the improvements have been made. Thank you for your continued support and generosity. This project would not have been possible without all of you! |
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ALUMNI VIRTUAL HANGOUT
with Fr. Joel Gillam
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Join us on Sunday, May 9th at 6 PM EST via Zoom for our May Alumni Hangout. Fr. Joel Gillam will be our guest speaker. He has attended the Village as a camper, staff member, and session priest. We are looking forward to hearing from him!
This will be our last alumni hangout until September, as we will be taking a break during Summer Camp. We are looking forward to seeing you all!
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Registration for two exciting events will be opening soon! More information and registration information will be coming, but save the dates for Adult Camp and Alumni Weekend!
Adult Camp will be taking place from September 17-20, 2021 at the Village. It is open to anyone ages 21 and older.
Alumni Weekend will be taking place from November 5-7, 2021 at the Village. Families are welcome!
Stay tuned for more registration details!
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These soft and comfortable AV t-shirts are available in the bookstore! We have sizes small-XXL, and will ship any order nationwide!
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Support the Village while shopping on Amazon! Choose "Antiochian Village Camp" on Amazon Smile. This will donate a portion of each purchase to Camp! We appreciate your continued support!
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I was very lucky to grow up in a clergy family that lived near the Village. Many of my earliest memories include time spent at the Village, surrounded by incredible people. It was an awesome way to grow up! As a camper and staff member, new relationships were formed. This is, perhaps, the greatest impact the Village has had on my life.
Did the Village teach me a love for chanting? Most certainly.
Did the Village teach me a love for Youth Ministry? Without question.
But the greatest impact has been the relationships that were formed at camp. Those relationships have lifted me up when I was down, guided me when I went off track, and provided an extended family when far from home. As a camper, phone calls and letters with friends that were made at the Village became the lens through which I gauged other friendships. During college, we were often planning the next trip to get together before we even finished the trip we were on. While in seminary, it was a former counselor’s house where I spent most of my Sundays, spending time with friends, easing the burden of being away from family. When my mother died, the support felt from my fellow Villagers gave me the strength I needed to get through a difficult time. Most recently, it was a great blessing at my wedding to be surrounded by friends and family who all have ties to this very special place so many of us call home.
What is it about these relationships that make them so powerful? I think it is the shared experience of having come to such a unique place, having been through such a transformative experience, and now seeing the world differently. This is most aptly understood, I think, through the lens of the Feast of the Transfiguration. As we hear in the hymns of Vespers: “Come, let us go up into the mountain of the Lord.” Those of us lucky enough to have spent time at the Village understand that pull to go back to the Lord’s mountain. Through our relationships – our conversations and our rehashing of stories – we return to that mountain, even if for a moment, and are strengthened by those moments.
We often heard “take the Village home with you.” I believe that this is done through the relationships formed at the Village, reminding us that it was good for us to have been there.
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Greg Abdalah is the Pastoral Assistant at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Phoenix, AZ and Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He and his wife Diana are the proud parents of future camper Eleanor. |
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