Letter 3-2006. Easter camp at Blestølen.
15th April 2006
Dear friends,
I had planned to let you hear from me during my practice. But the programme was tighter than expected, and long letters were not on the top of my priority list those four weeks in parish practice in Nedre Stjørdal. I have lots to tell about it though. More words about my experience of being a pastor will hopefully come in not too many weeks.
The last week, after practice, I have attended my tenth Easter camp with Ringerike Ten Sing. It is worth a letter. It was great to be in Jerusalem in Easter last year, and I miss it this year. At the same time it is something about Easter camp, and I must say that it this year again was a good experience to be together with these nice youth. It is a good sign when not only the participants, but also the leaders, would like the camp to last longer.
The solidarity programme with fundraising for Bangladesh has been part of the programme at our Easter camp for several years. This year it was not only a part of the programme, but really integrated in the camp so much that even Banglahanne was surprised by the commitment and joy showed by giving money. The partial goals of 500 – 2500 kroner (about 80 - 400 USD) were soon fulfilled, and the results got much audience. Stine had to snow bath every morning. We were lucky, it snowed some nights, and the new snow outside the door was perfect for rolling around and making angels. I had to stop singing the beautiful morning song I am known for. It was probably good for my voice. Morning song is hard for the voice, even after song lessons and chant practices. Rannveig had to go skiing. We don’t know how many years it is since it happened last time. Shoes and skies of right size were happily given by those who wanted to watch. The next travellers to Bangladesh from Ringerike, Lars and Snorre, also had to assist with the entertainment when the goals were fulfilled. Lars lost some hairs from his eye brows and Snorre lost all hair on a leg. But the youth didn’t stop there. Associations, services, games and lotteries made the money grow, and we could count 5000 kroner before the camp was finished.
Other programmes were more or less like normal. We had a great Palm Sunday service where the groups were responsible for the different parts of the service. The evening of songs and lyrics showed that there is a new generation of creative Ten Singers in addition to the standard posts shown seven years in a row. Tournaments were seriously held. “The Tommels” (yes, my little sister and I) got to the final match in the ice hockey tournament and though we had nothing to do against “The New Band”, both we and others were surprised about our play.
The trips mostly went to Solobua, where there are good places for sitting down in the snow, eating your lunch and singing after a short skiing. Blestølen Games was held in wonderful weather, and the ski jumpers did their best. I was happy that the creative movements in the air did not make any big difficulties when the bodies landed in the snow. Snow wrestling and double rolling down the hills were activities giving me the chance to get out the possible extra energy I might have had.
The big news this year was the Easter lunch the last day. We ended at Wednesday this year, and wanted to do something special this day, and so we chose to put all the next days into a few hours around the table. We started by painting Easter eggs with which we decorated the lamps around, hopefully enjoyable for the next camp starting the same evening. Then we observed Maundy Thursday by washing of hands and Holy Communion around the table. We changed from purple to black table cloth before a crown of thorns was placed on the table and the passion was read. At the end everybody got a candle from the holy fire of Orthodox Easter Eve in Jerusalem last year before the white table cloth was put on the table, and the table was covered with candles and flowers and joyful songs filled the air. The end was a camp lunch even better than the breakfast served by the leaders the previous day, when the participants from their beds could order what they wished. I have no problems understanding that we this year again sang: “Blestølen, here we are again. It is so great here, that is what it is.”
Pictures from the camp can be found at http://www.ringeriketensing.com/galleri/
Best wishes for a happy Easter from Hanne.
Dear friends,
I had planned to let you hear from me during my practice. But the programme was tighter than expected, and long letters were not on the top of my priority list those four weeks in parish practice in Nedre Stjørdal. I have lots to tell about it though. More words about my experience of being a pastor will hopefully come in not too many weeks.
The last week, after practice, I have attended my tenth Easter camp with Ringerike Ten Sing. It is worth a letter. It was great to be in Jerusalem in Easter last year, and I miss it this year. At the same time it is something about Easter camp, and I must say that it this year again was a good experience to be together with these nice youth. It is a good sign when not only the participants, but also the leaders, would like the camp to last longer.
The solidarity programme with fundraising for Bangladesh has been part of the programme at our Easter camp for several years. This year it was not only a part of the programme, but really integrated in the camp so much that even Banglahanne was surprised by the commitment and joy showed by giving money. The partial goals of 500 – 2500 kroner (about 80 - 400 USD) were soon fulfilled, and the results got much audience. Stine had to snow bath every morning. We were lucky, it snowed some nights, and the new snow outside the door was perfect for rolling around and making angels. I had to stop singing the beautiful morning song I am known for. It was probably good for my voice. Morning song is hard for the voice, even after song lessons and chant practices. Rannveig had to go skiing. We don’t know how many years it is since it happened last time. Shoes and skies of right size were happily given by those who wanted to watch. The next travellers to Bangladesh from Ringerike, Lars and Snorre, also had to assist with the entertainment when the goals were fulfilled. Lars lost some hairs from his eye brows and Snorre lost all hair on a leg. But the youth didn’t stop there. Associations, services, games and lotteries made the money grow, and we could count 5000 kroner before the camp was finished.
Other programmes were more or less like normal. We had a great Palm Sunday service where the groups were responsible for the different parts of the service. The evening of songs and lyrics showed that there is a new generation of creative Ten Singers in addition to the standard posts shown seven years in a row. Tournaments were seriously held. “The Tommels” (yes, my little sister and I) got to the final match in the ice hockey tournament and though we had nothing to do against “The New Band”, both we and others were surprised about our play.
The trips mostly went to Solobua, where there are good places for sitting down in the snow, eating your lunch and singing after a short skiing. Blestølen Games was held in wonderful weather, and the ski jumpers did their best. I was happy that the creative movements in the air did not make any big difficulties when the bodies landed in the snow. Snow wrestling and double rolling down the hills were activities giving me the chance to get out the possible extra energy I might have had.
The big news this year was the Easter lunch the last day. We ended at Wednesday this year, and wanted to do something special this day, and so we chose to put all the next days into a few hours around the table. We started by painting Easter eggs with which we decorated the lamps around, hopefully enjoyable for the next camp starting the same evening. Then we observed Maundy Thursday by washing of hands and Holy Communion around the table. We changed from purple to black table cloth before a crown of thorns was placed on the table and the passion was read. At the end everybody got a candle from the holy fire of Orthodox Easter Eve in Jerusalem last year before the white table cloth was put on the table, and the table was covered with candles and flowers and joyful songs filled the air. The end was a camp lunch even better than the breakfast served by the leaders the previous day, when the participants from their beds could order what they wished. I have no problems understanding that we this year again sang: “Blestølen, here we are again. It is so great here, that is what it is.”
Pictures from the camp can be found at http://www.ringeriketensing.com/galleri/
Best wishes for a happy Easter from Hanne.
posted by Hanne at 8:14 AM
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