Hey y’all! (That’s how we say ‘Hello’ in Tennessee, at least!)

Will and I worked at a United Methodist camp in North Carolina that specialized in sailing.

A little about me — I’m a UMC clergywoman originally from Tennessee, with detours in Boston and North Carolina before arriving here at the LEC about a month ago. My husband Will and I have had a busy time of unpacking and getting to know a new state. We hope to make Fruitland Park our home for a long time.

I have been very busy traveling around the area and speaking with pastors and friends of the LEC to hear about all the great things that are already happening here. But even though I’m just beginning to learn about the ministry here, I am already dreaming about what ministries can be produced and enriched at this site.

Be on the look out in the next week for more information about the dreaming that has been happening around here and some exciting new programs that will be coming to the LEC in 2012!

In the meantime, feel free to leave me a comment about your favorite current events at the LEC, or something you would like to see happen here that might meet a need personally, spiritually, or for your church or other organization!

What is the difference between a vacation and a retreat??  I think it could be a fine line.  Both can be renewing, uplifting, and refreshing.  Both can also be exhausting, and could leave you returning with less energy then when you left for the retreat (vacation).

Bass Pond at the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC

Retreats usually have a spiritual purpose, but vacations can also help your faith grow in many ways.  There are many similarities.

My wife and I just returned from a vacation.  On this road trip, we visited family in the beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch Country of Lancaster County.  Then we spent a few days in the mountains of western North Carolina and visited the Biltmore Estate.  We ended the time with three relaxing days on what I think is one of the most beautiful beaches in Florida, the beach along 30A in Walton County on the panhandle.

For me, this was a perfect vacation.  There was visiting with people I love, seeing some of God’s most beautiful artwork of creation, and relaxation.  I heard great music at two venues, had a few really good meals, and got a bit of sunburn.  I took some photos (a hobby I love) and did the sightseeing thing.  What more could I have asked for – and I am now back home refreshed and ready to get back to my vocation and day to day life.

Retreats should also have most of these components.  Every retreat should allow time for visiting with people who you love, or folks you just met, but who have similar life goals.  Retreats can be enhanced by being held at beautiful locations, where one can walk and pray in the creation God gave us all.  And, retreats should offer times to relax.  I am amazed how many retreat events come here and have a schedule so full, I wonder how they will have time to hear God speak.

Maybe that is the one big difference between retreats and vacations.  A goal of a retreat is to hear God speak and to grow from God’s words.  The goal of a vacation is to rest, see interesting places, and visit family and/or friends.  However, if you keep your heart open, God can speak to you on vacations.  You just have to listen.

Continue your journey with Christ!!

Jess

Jane and Albert

This morning at our morning praise time for the Foster Family Camp we co-sponsor (this is a partnership with the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home) we looked at the text from 1 Corinthians 12 in which Paul compares the church (Christ’s Body) to a human body.  Can the eye say to the ear, “I don’t need you” etc?  This is a text that says so much about who the Church is and/or should be, and it also shows all of us how we deeply need each other.

In any ministry (or even in any business) we need to have many people with many gifts to make it the best ministry possible.  I cannot sit here in my office and run the Life Enrichment Center.  I need the help of many wonderful folks, with many gifts I do not have.  If it was not for the staff and volunteers, this place would be in bad shape.

I wanted to continue my “I’ve have people” segments that I started a few weeks back.  I count my blessings often when I think of these folks.  In today’s photo you see one volunteer with one staff person.

The chef is Albert Edwards.  Albert came to us 2½ years ago, and has worked hard to help us improve our food service.  He, working with other key folks I’ll introduce later, plans menus and produces meals to make our retreat guests smile.  This job is hot and involves many long hours, and they do it very well.  I thank them.

Jane Zwiefka is in her second year of volunteering for us and helps in two main areas; housekeeping and dining room/kitchen.  Jane, and her husband Ron, came to us from Wisconsin and have been one of those assets that helps make LEC the welcoming place it is becoming.  Thanks so much.

More people (staff members) will be introduced in coming weeks.

Continue your journey with Christ!!

Jess Schload, Director

The Prayer Labyrinth at LEC

Back in the 1980’s I had the pleasure of serving a church in northeastern Indiana. This small church, surrounded by farm land just outside Ashley, Indiana, was a family church with wonderful folks who were committed to family and to this church – The Pleasant Chapel Church of the Brethren. I could say a lot about the church and the people, but my purpose here is to write about their support for the then young pastor.

With the limited resources of a small country church, they did what they could to support my family, my leadership, and my personal spiritual growth. One way they did that was to encourage me to go on retreat 3-4 times a year. On these times I would pack up my little Ford Escort with some books and a Bible, plus plenty of writing materials (no laptops or pads to take in those days), and I drove to Three Rivers, Michigan. My destination was a silent retreat facility that to this day is truly holy ground for me; The Hermitage.

Everyone handles days of silence differently. This is not something that works for everyone. For me, it was a much needed rest and a Sabbath time for reading, prayer and reflection. But the first day was always the same. I would get to my room and rest on the bed and fall asleep. When I arrived at the retreat center, I would realize how tired I was, and at first, I would fight the sleep. As the retreat times continued, the gentleman who was my spiritual director at the Hermitage encouraged me to let the sleep happen. So for a couple of hours I would sleep. Refreshed after my rest, I would then take walks on the wooded paths, sit outside and read or write, and pray. I would also spend a bit of time doing some planning for the church.

I spent two to three days there each time. I always came back renewed and rested, physically and spiritually. I will always look back to that place and those retreats as a key time in my spiritual journey. Ministries like the Hermitage are vital, and in today’s “connected” world we should try to “retreat” even more. A reminder for me, and an encouragement for you.

Continue your Journey with Christ!!

Jess Schload, Director

Notes:

1. Learn more about the Hermitage and their ministry at http://www.hermitagecommunity.org/

2. The Life Enrichment Center has a private retreat log unit that is available for your use. Learn more at http://www.lecretreats.org/page.asp?PKValue=175

3. Pleasant Chapel Church of the Brethren Facebook page is HERE

I had too much fun last week!!  Way too much fun.  I had the privilege of being the camp director for our “Grandparents and Me” camp.  I have been doing this four summers now, and I look forward to it each year.  I have been working and/or volunteering in the camping/retreat ministry for nearly 30 years, and this program is the one I believe I enjoy the most.  I also think it is a camp that has more power to help faith grow than any I have done in the past.

Seeing grandchildren having so much fun in a Christian environment with the grandparents is a special experience.  Listening to the kids tell me about how great grandma or grandpa is an up lifter.  Having a talk with the grandparents as they share about how much these children mean to them makes me want to be a grandparent.

In this camp we played, went swimming, sang fun and worship songs, had worship together, looked a Bible stories, made ice cream, went for a hayride and boat ride and so much more.  But what we really did was grow.  The kids grew closer to their grandparents.  The grandparents grew closer to the children.  However the most exciting part of the camp is that we all grew closer to Christ.  Some of the children had little church experience, some grew up in church.  One major goal of the grandparents was that their grandchildren would grow in faith.  I believe they all did, and I believe the grandparents did as well.

If you are a grandparent, come to this camp.  Don’t think about it – do it!!  You will not be sorry.  The dates are set for 2012.  June 25-28, July 23-26 and July 30-Aug 2.  We will have the registration open early in 2012.

Continue your journey with Christ!!

Jess

A Retreat Center like LEC needs a lot of folks to operate a ministry that reaches so many people.  When I went to seminary, I had an outstanding theological education, but I never learned about cooking for 300 people, or budgets of $1,000,000

Phyllis and Sharon Planting a new garden

or more.  I knew nothing about housekeeping, reservation software, or administration of a staff.  Marketing and promotion were foreign concepts, and fixing a toilet is still a challenge.

However, I have people!!!  I am so fortunate to have staff that does know about many of these things.  The Life Enrichment Center has nearly 20 employees and we depend on up to 40 volunteers to work together to make this special and holy place ready for those who come for retreats.  I would like to use this space to introduce you to some of the staff over the next weeks.  These are people who have a passion for one thing – serving Christ by providing hospitality to the retreat guests and others who come to LEC.  Our goal is to become known as the retreat center where you feel a Christian welcome, you are expected, and that we are prepared to serve you.  Let us know how we are doing so we can continue to grow.

Today I want to introduce you to two volunteers.  Sharon Henry and Phyllis Simmons have taken over the landscaping of the Center during the summer months.  When you come, I hope you enjoy their work.  Phyllis and her husband Rick volunteer here and other camps throughout the year.  They are deeply committed to the ministry, and we are fortunate to have them.  Rick does many maintenance items while Phyllis helps in housekeeping, front desk and dining room hospitality.

Sharon and her husband Joe have been here nearly a year.  They are full time RV folks (live full time in their recreational vehicle).  Joe has done a lot of trimming of trees and mowing, as well as dining room hospitality and Sharon works the front desk as well as the landscaping.  Phyllis and Sharon also have completed a number of sewing projects for the center.

It is volunteers like this that make this ministry possible.  Next time I’ll introduce you to our food service crew.

Continue your journey with Christ!!

Jess Schload, Director

The Life Enrichment Center in Fruitland Park, a ministry of the Florida Conference, is pleased to announce a new staff person for program development.  The Rev. Melissa Cooper will begin her new position on September 1, 2011.  Rev. Cooper is originally from Tennessee, but comes to the LEC by way of Camp Don Lee, a UMC camp on the North Carolina coast. She is a graduate of Boston University School of Theology, and is ordained United Methodist Deacon. Melissa is married to Will, who loves being a “camp husband.”

Melissa has recently been a writer for the re:form Traditions: Methodist confirmation curriculum and the upcoming re:form Ancestors Bible study curriculum, and contributed to the recent book The Practice of Love: Real Stories of Living into the Kingdom of God.

Melissa enjoys studying and practicing prayer practices and spiritual disciplines, playing board games, and swing dancing.

At the LEC Rev. Cooper will be working with both LEC and Conference staff to develop both summer camp programs and adult educational events to be offered to Florida Methodists and others.  Rev. Jess Schload, the director of the Center states: “This is an exciting new direction for LEC and we look forward to her arrival and offering many new and meaningful programs to meet the needs of the Conference.”

We hope you will warmly welcome Melissa to the Florida Conference.

The Church celebrated Pentecost this past Sunday.  As you know, this day helps us in the Church remember the coming of

Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each one of them. Acts 2:3

the Holy Spirit to the Apostles.  The Day of Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Church.  Now, over 2000 years later, here we are, still seeking the Spirit, still trying to be the Church to this world and still remembering that day recorded in the second chapter of Acts.

Many people wonder, is God real?  Is the Spirit really with us?  As we look around this world, and sometimes even our churches, we have to wonder.  There are wars, natural disasters, people doing horrible things to other people.  We see churches that have infighting, causing splits.   It seems, so often, that the Spirit is not here, not in the hearts of others, and maybe not even in my heart.

But then, when we really look, we see the signs.  We see people doing wonderful acts of love for others and we know….God is with us.  We see volunteers giving up their time to reach out to others in need and we know…. the Spirit is here.  We see the love of a mother for her child and we know…..Jesus did make a difference.

This weekend we hosted the Brain Injury Association of Florida.  As their staff told us, these are people who were perfectly normal, but had a sudden accident and their lives were changed forever.  Maybe it was a car wreck, or a fall.  These folks here this weekend are survivors, but their lives are changed.  Some have physical challenges with walking or speaking.  Some have more mental challenges as a result of the accident.  But they are alive, and with the help of their loved ones (caregivers), they are leading good lives.

As I watched these folks here at LEC this weekend, I saw love;  I saw happiness;  I saw caring.  I saw the Spirit of God at work.  It is times like this that I have the privilege of seeing the good in this world right here on the shore of Lake Griffin.  And, as a result, I am again assured that God is alive and the Spirit is upon us.

Continue your journey with Christ!!!

Jess

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To continue my thoughts in the last post, I subscribe to a weekly email service from the photographer Dewitt Jones (Click here to sign up for Dewitt’s weekly mailing).  I like his work and writings.  He is deeply spiritual in his thinking and photography.  This past week he quoted John Muir:

“It was not like taking the veil,

no solemn abjuration of the world.

I only went out for a walk and finally

concluded to stay till sundown

for going out, I found

I was really going in.”

When one goes on retreat, we hope, we pray, that God will meet us in the time we are in sessions, in the times we fellowship with the others on the retreat, and in the worship we attend.  However, at the retreat center we also have the option of being with God in the natural creation that surrounds us all.  We get to go out and reflect on how God is speaking to us.  To watch a sunrise or sunset or to enjoy a quiet walk on the “Path of Silence”.  To walk and pray the Labyrinth and maybe see the fish jump after an insect down by the dock.  We can sit in the shade or sun and read, write, pray, or just … sit.  I am a strong believer that our community times are strengthened by those solitude times.  I also believe our solitude and community opportunities can be richer in the midst of all that God created in this beautiful world.  If you are here, or at any camp or retreat center, do not miss the opportunity to “go out”.

Continue your journey with Christ,

Jess

Note: All photos taken on the LEC site

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The people and groups that visit LEC come for many reasons.  Most come to attend meeting, worship, and grow in their faith.  Much of this takes place in our air conditioned meeting rooms.  So why not just do these meetings at a hotel, or even at the church.  There are many reasons why getting away to be able to concentrate on your goals is important.  I will write about a number of these in the near future, but I wanted to start today with one that I know folks enjoy at our site.  LEC is fortunate to be located on a beautiful site along the shore of a central Florida lake.  Our many acres of beauty allow for a person on retreat to spend some wonderful outdoors time during breaks in their sessions.  We offer walking trails, benches and bench swings, docks, trees and wildlife.  All of this can become a vital part of your growth experience, which can be a lot more difficult in a hotel parking lot.  We work hard to keep the site inviting and able to provide you with a true look at God’s creations.  On our property we have seen many birds, eagles, hawks, cranes, turtles, and of course, alligators.   We often get asked about the gators, and safety.  They stick to the lake, and as guests, you can enjoy them without worry.  Check out the photo that Bill Thomas captured a few weeks back of an alligator going upright to swallow a fish.  Great shot Bill.  I took the other shots and all are on our campus.  Our site is a beautiful place to walk, meditate and pray.    Come see us soon and bring your camera.

Continue your journey with Christ!!

Jess