For the second year in a row a group of around 50 young people from across Durham Diocese descended on Auckland Castle for a weekend camp. Our curate, Rev’d Bryony and our Young Church leader Clare helped to lead the camp alongside colleagues from Shildon Parish.
The kids arrived on Friday afternoon and we camped in the grounds of the castle which was a beautiful setting at night as we enjoyed a campfire, toasting marshmallows and singing (led by Rev’d Bryony – her time with the Girl Guides coming in useful!) After that we allowed the kids to stay up to watch the fireworks from the nearby Kynren show.
Clare leading the aikido workshop
Saturday, the weather still staying good for us, involved a series of workshops with Bryony offering a juggling workshop and Clare running an Aikido martial arts workshop – complete with swords! We also had a wide game and a samba drumming session (look on Facebook for the video).
Samba Drumming
The day finished with a disco at which the curate embarrassed herself trying to learn the ‘whip nae nae’ dance (if you’re not sure, ask a young person what that is!)
Sunday morning involved a special service led by the young people in the chapel of the castle. Our theme was ‘Who is my neighbour?’
Service in Auckland Castle Chapel
The kids put on a drama interpretation of the Good Samaritan set at our camp – with the ‘Good Samaritan’ being the naughtiest child on camp who’d kept everyone awake! We then considered how God works in the world through each of us, as Teresa of Avila said:
‘Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look out to the earth, yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now.’
After the service we did a Treasure Hunt in the beautiful deer park at Auckland Castle.
This yearly youth camp is part of philanthropist and committed Christian Jonathan Ruffer’s vision to regenerate the area of Bishop Auckland and beyond, involving the community in the life of Auckland Castle. Many of the young people on the trip had never been camping before and indeed many of their parents can’t afford to take them on a holiday. This was an incredible experience that we were able to offer these young people.
A big thank you to Alison Tweddle of Auckland Castle, Lucy Mann, Youth Worker and Rev’d David Tomlinson from St John’s Shildon for making it all happen and especially to our very own Clare Taylor for giving up part of her precious summer holiday to volunteer.
– Rev’d Bryony Taylor, Curate