Quilt Camp!

I am writing from my room at Lutheridge--at long last, I've made it to Quilt Camp!

I say at long last, because I wanted to go last year.  But last year's Quilt Camp happened just before our big accreditation visit, and I knew I wouldn't enjoy it even if I could get away from work, which I probably couldn't do.  I was determined to go this year.

This year, it was unclear that the retreat would happen, given that there's a pandemic raging across the country.  But the camp folks figured out how we could be socially distanced and masked and reduce our risks.  It seemed worth the risk to me.  We are not working in close proximity to each other; we're spread out across the camp dining hall.  We could open windows and doors, if we want additional air flow to reduce risk.  There are only 13 of us.  Here's a sense of how the room is set up:

I had some vacation time that will vanish if I don't use it before Oct. 31, so I am even happier to be here, using that time for a real treat of a get away:  quilts and Lutheridge and the mountains and a trip to the apple orchard that's still open!

I'm also interested to see how this retreat will work.  The retreat  is mostly long periods of unstructured time.  One devotion in the morning, and a sharing time in the evening (sharing as in more like show and tell than emotional sharing). The room is open around the clock--last year, one group of women worked until 3 a.m.

This schedule is unlike the Create in Me retreat schedule, where there was more Bible study and worship.  Of course, if we have a Create in Me retreat this year, the schedule might be different too.  I know that the planners for this Quilt Camp retreat have been very focused on how to do this quilt retreat safely.

Truth to tell, I'm fine with less Bible study or small groups or any of the other things a retreat schedule might have traditionally.  I really want to get this quilt finished:

I'm also interested to see if we could do something similar at my church--and I'm interested in what I can learn for how we might run the Create in Me retreat safely.

More to come . . .