UOC's All Saints Camp marks 25th anniversary (08/24/03)

UOC's All Saints Camp marks 25th anniversary

by Hieromonk Daniel Zelinsky

EMLENTON, Pa. - All Saints Camp of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. celebrated its patron's feast day and the 25th anniversary of the camp's spiritual ministry among the youth of the Church on Sunday, July 22. Several buses and hundreds of people arrived in Emlenton, Pa., the site of the camp, to share in the mutual celebration and memories that formed and continue to form generations of faithful of the Church.

All Saints Camp, dedicated in 1978, is a family facility of 95 acres nested along the banks of the Allegheny River in the scenic hills of Western Pennsylvania. Preparation for the anniversary celebration began long before the festivities. Sunday's events brought much spiritual joy and reunited generations of participants of many past encampments, who were able to compare their experiences and moments of joy with youth.

Metropolitan Constantine, Archbishop Antony and the clergy from the western Pennsylvania, Penn-Ohio and New York deaneries of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. celebrated divine liturgy.

In his remarks, Metropolitan Constantine, the ruling hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., journeyed back 25 years to when he blessed the camp property and reflected upon the importance of the spiritual, social and national achievements of the campers and their counselors over these 25 years.

The choir of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish of Youngstown, Ohio, sang the responses. Altar servers/campers represented the youth from several parishes of the Church. As soon as the liturgy came to conclusion the joyful sounds of the Ukrainian folk music and traditional Ukrainian cuisine was offered to the participants of the celebration. While the adults shared their memories and hopes, the youth found joy in the attractions that were offered for the children.

The camp officially opened its gates to the first Church encampment of 2003 - Church School Camp, which is followed later in the summer by Teenage Conference and Mommy/Daddy and Me Encampments that are offered together with the Consistory Office of Youth Ministry.

One of the directors of the Church School Camp, Debra Burgan said: "The season has started. As always first days are going to be hectic; however, when the last days of the encampment come closer it becomes difficult to get ready for good-byes until the next year! We are home here, we are one family in Christ!"

An older lady sitting in the shade said: "I come here every year. I feel younger here. I learn, I pray and make new friends!"

Speaking about friends - for the last several years, the camp officially hosts a number of children/youth of the workers of the Ukrainian Embassy and Consulates in the United States. It is so wonderful to see the children born here in the United States and those that were born in Ukraine share their common heritage, learning from each other and most of all offering prayers on behalf of their families and the blessed future of America and Ukraine.

The facilities become more beautiful each year through the ongoing dedication of work of the director of the camp, Stephen Sheptak, and his staff of dedicated volunteers like Bohdan Hryschyshyn and Walter Zebel, who have dedicated much of their lives to the camp's mission since its inception. Of course, the generous financial and physical contributions of many others have made the camp so successful.

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