ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE CAMP

December 2023

Hey AV! Life is God! I wanted to talk to you all about how the Arts and Crafts program at camp has affected me and the impact it has had on my life. When I was growing up at camp, I loved going to Arts and Crafts in the afternoon because it was a place where I could get my hands dirty and create something. Even if the result was not what I had imagined, I loved walking out of that shack with a physical thing that I had made. Through this creation I've learned so much about myself, but I've also learned a lot about God. In case you didn't know, I have been the Arts and Crafts program coordinator for the last two summers, and the first thing we always do before starting a craft is read a prayer specifically for artists:

Almighty God, You are the Divine Artist. I come to You with humility. I thank You for the talent that You have lent me. And most of all, I thank You for the gift of life that You have entrusted to me.

Dear God, I turn myself to You through my projects and ideas, let me be Your instrument to spread Your Holy Name for You and Your Son Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

With this prayer, we give thanks to God for creating us and for giving us the ability to create since we are made in His image and likeness. We also ask Him to work through us in order to create things for the purpose of glorifying Him. This is a lesson I am still working to remember in my daily life, but it is a useful one. Everything we do should be to glorify God.

I want to thank everyone who has already donated to AV because this is such an important part of life at camp as well as outside of it. Kids, and adults, of all ages love to create things (I am in art school for that very reason), but safety must come first, and due to the many many years of use, the shack is in dire need of a makeover. With a new space, the program will be more popular than ever. There will be more space for people to sit and work, the new wash station will help keep everything (and everyone) clean, and the building itself will be safer. By donating to this renovation effort, you will be supporting the creative, and therefore spiritual, development of our young people. God bless you all. Please keep the AV family in your prayers as we keep you all in ours, and have a wonderful and blessed Nativity season!

-Mollie Marshall

Arts & Crafts Coordinator, 2022-2023

New AV Thrift Shop!

Looking for a last minute Christmas gift for your camper? Give the gift of camp! Purchase a gift certificate for their registration tuition.

Email frchris@avcamp.org for details.

Register For Upcoming Events!

Winter Family Camp - Registration now open!

Join us January 12-15, 2024 for family fun and sessions from incredible guest speakers Paul & Cindy Karos!

If you are interested in volunteering and helping us out with childcare and the kitchen, please reach out to our Director of Programs, Ella, at ella@avcamp.org!

Register your family here!

Winter Camp - Registration now open!

Join us February 16-19, 2024 as we welcome guest speakers Fr. Anthony Baba, Adella Al-Dehneh, & Chris Al-Dehneh!

Winter Camp Staff & Volunteer Applications are Open Now and are due December 31!

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please fill out our volunteer application online!

Mark your calendars! Camper registration opens January 7, 6pm EST.

Join us with your family on May 24-26 for Family Camp!

Our guest speaker will be Bishop JOHN Abdalah

Registration opens January 17th. For more information visit

avcamp.org/programs/family-camp/

Upcoming Programs

Stay tuned for registration opening for our programs!

Village Updates

NAMIE HALL UPDATE!

Renovation on Namie Hall is well underway! The new siding, windows and roof are about halfway done. We can't wait to be able to use this space to hold events, host guest speakers, and more.

Thank you so much to those who have contributed to this project and made this transformation possible!

SHRINES UPDATES



Work continues on replacing the shrines of St. Raphael, St. Thekla, and St. Artemius!

Kitchen Manager - With so many programs and guest groups throughout the year, we are in need of someone to join our year-round team and run the AV Camp kitchen.

If you or someone you know are interested in either position please email frchris@avcamp.org.

We're always dreaming about the future here at AV...from projects, to programs, to staffing...and we want to share those dreams with you! Click the link below to check out our Updated Dream Board, which now includes program and staffing dreams, as well as completed dreams over the past 3 years...and feel free to send us your ideas of what you'd love to see here in the future!

Our Nookstore is online - check out all the merchandise from sweatshirts to Christmas ornaments. AV swag makes great Christmas gifts! Don't forget our new thrift store as well!

Hey AV Alumni! Do you love flipping through our photo albums when you come to visit? Well our Director of Communications Constantine Kallaur has spent the last year scanning all of our photos from our photo collection going all the way back to 1981! In an effort to preserve the history of The Antiochian Village, we are in the process of digitizing as much content as we have. God willing, we'll have every session video going back to the 1990's online in the near future as well.

Check out our SmugMug photo-site below to re-live the AV memories!