As the summer draws to an end, I’m struck with new waves of nostalgia and a bit of sadness. This is not a new feeling for me at the end of the summer, rather, one I’ve lived with my entire life. Yes, I was always excited for school to start in the fall and to see all my friends I hadn’t seen all summer, but the end of the summer meant the end of camp and it meant that all my new friends would be leaving to go back to their homes and that I wouldn’t see them for an entire year. It also meant that our lives would go from being packed with people and activity to a quiet country life with not much going on. When I was a bit older and working at camp instead of attending, the end of camp was a bit more welcome, as it meant the end of working 6 days a week and very long hours. It didn’t matter how happy, sad, burned out, fed up, homesick, or otherwise, the last night of camp always seemed to bring out the emotion in everyone. (Granted, sometimes this meant staff trying not to laugh during the Vespers service, but mostly it meant lots of tears.)
It was a Brush Ranch tradition that each Sunday evening there was a Vespers service. This was often similar to the Devotional service, but was usually much more somber and serious. There was always an underlying theme or message and it was delivered in various ways. My favorite Vespers services were the ones that included our oldest and most skilled campers performing a modern dance routine through the trees in the forest. There were stories read, songs sung, and lessons learned. Sunday night Vespers was also when the Camper of the Week was announced. Being Camper of the Week was a REALLY big deal, I’ll have to write another post that will go into detail about that…And then, each Vespers service ended with the entire camp singing Taps:
Day is done
Gone the sun.
From the lakes
From the hills
From the sky
All is well
Safely rest.
God is nigh.
(Side note: in 2002, I was backpacking through the Dolomites in Italy and it was dumping snow on us and there was a goat herder playing taps on a horn. It echoed through the canyon we were descending into and made the entire scene very surreal.)
On the last night of camp (even if it wasn’t a Sunday), the entire staff came together for Vespers and performed several songs, spoke words of wisdom, and danced in the forest, all around a huge bonfire with the campers watching, flames reflecting in their tearful eyes.
I was a part of many, many final Vespers services, both as a camper and as a staff member. The experience from both sides is quite different and I’d like to share each one, however, this post would be far too long if I shared it with you all at once, so I’ll be posting about the rest of Vespers in the days to come. Until then, I’ll leave you with one of the songs we traditionally sung at final Vespers:
Goodnight, goodnight
Time sends a warning call
Sweet dreams descend on all
Time, time sends a warning call
Does anyone have any photos of final Vespers? I can’t find any in my collection!
I have yet to find anything else in life quite like Vespers. Another great post Alden…….
As many times as I did final vespers, I never tired of it and considered it an honor to pass it along to other campers and staff.
I spent many summers at BR. Vespers was always so touching! Not a dry eye! Love those memories!
Yes it is definitely the most memorable moments of my “Camp” career. If anyone is curious the recitation the staff read was called “Desdarada”. I’m not sure of the author but when you find it and read it I hope it still moves you like it still does to me.