The Jesus Camp

 

The Bristol (U.K.) and district had some twenty Brethren Assemblies (cf my earlier blog); which were in fellowship with each other.

They worked together each summer on what was called the "Bristol Boys and Girls Holiday Camps". It is I who dubbed them Jesus Camps. They took place at the north Somerset coastal villages of Brean and Berrow.

Camp lasted for a week; three of the weeks for boys and three for girls.

Attendees were either children from Brethren families; or non Brethren children from various Brethren Sunday schools.

We set out from Bristol in the back of a Furniture Removers van (health and safety had not been invented!)

We slept in Army surplus bell tents; on top of straw mattresses called Palliasses   (which we dubbed "friendly donkeys); covered by Army surplus and very itchy blankets).

Eight boys to a tent; with an older young man as a tent leader who did not sleep in our tent but was our leader for the week. In the above pic (1960) he was one Phil Wraight (middle and be-spectacled back row).  He was Brethren, a keen Christian from a middle class Assembly in charge of we working class lads.

I, an aspiring keen Christian,  loved Camp.  

I loved the camaraderie. 

I loved the daily routine (excepting sports on the beach).   

1. Rise and shine.  

2. Use the latrine; and wash up/brush teeth in cold water.

3. Breakfast:  I have no memory of the food so it must have been O.K.

4. Tent inspection -  were the tent flaps rolled up correctly, and our blankets and paillasses folded correctly.

5. "Quiet Time" with the tent leaders - prayer and scripture study.

6. Sport on the beach (of which I will say no more).

7. In the afternoons

Three long walks during the week. I loved them. First north along the beach to Brean Down. We claimed up the side of the Down, (forbidden nowadays) and explored the Napoleonic Wars era fort as if no one had ever before seen it.

Note the Fort

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Second to Brent Knoll, an outcrop of the Mendip Hills.

We walked through the Somerset levels along the drainage canals (called Rhynes, but pronounced Reens.)

I imagined that I was walking through the fields of  Galilee with Jesus.

Third  south along the beach, to the Victorian seaside resort Burnham on Sea.

Always exploring the wreck of a small fishing boat, there from year to year.

Most importantly going to an Ice Cream parlour in Burnham on Sea to get what Americans would call a Sundae, but we called a Knickerbocker Glory.

2s6d or half a crown (the same amount in pre-decimal U,K. Coinage).

Two and  sixpence for a Knickerbocker Glory.

We thought that we had died and gone to heaven, even though we knew that we were in Burnham on Sea!

As for the Jesus bit of the Jesus Camp.  I'll tell you more about this in a day or two; and also about the cast of characters in the top photo'