Bement Camp launched its 60th camp season this June, entering into the first of five camp sessions and preparing to nurture roughly 300 children who come mostly from New England but also from as far away as Texas, California and even China.
While there were no 60th anniversary celebrations, there were a number of improvements made this summer at Bement Camp, including the creation of a new paved road, an upgraded Challenge Course, renovations to the bathhouse that included a new floor and a fresh paint job, and other upkeep to the property.
While these enhancements make the camp look better, the camp’s director, the Rev. Jill Williams, will tell you that the facilities are only a small part of what draws campers; the real draw is the heart of Bement.
“I think campers come here because no matter who you are or where you’re from or what your background is, we really talk a lot about acceptance and love and hospitality,” said Jill, who is serving as director for the second year and as a member of the Bement Camp leadership team for the third year. “The kind of personal attention you get here, you can’t get at other camps. Here we have one counselor to five campers, which is lower than most camps.”
As she began the summer’s first session with about 40 campers in late June-early July, Jill said the camp was looking toward its mission statement: “We’re walking together, building relationships, serving community, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.”
Activities are based on the mission statement, she said, and so when campers leave, they leave with life-long friends, a sense of who they are in the world and a sense of who they are in Christ. “You can’t get that anywhere else,” said Jill.
You can meet more campers here.
Meet Jill
The Rev. Jill Williams wears many Diocesan hats.
She is the youth missioner for the Diocese. She’s the curate at St. Francis, Holden, and she is the director of Bement Camp.
For Jill, serving in all of her roles feels like coming home because she grew up at St. Francis, Holden, and she attended Bement Camp for many years as a child.
Jill began as a Bement camper at the age of 7, and she worked her way up through the staff while she attended Florida Southern College. After college, Jill discerned a call to ordained ministry, and went to seminary. The two latter years of college, and her years in seminary mark the only years she was separated from Bement.
After seminary, Jill became the chaplain at Bement for two years. Then she became the youth missioner and, last year, she was named camp director.
Why Bement for Jill after all these years? Because Bement is a place where she grew up and developed her love of God and a faith in herself as well.
“This place was important in helping me grow and finding out how to be secure in who I was,” she says. “It challenged me to see things differently and surrounded me with a Christian environment.”
Jill is married to the Rev. Andrew Williams, rector at Trinity, Ware, and St. Mary’s, Palmer. During the summer, the couple lives at Bement Camp. During the year, they live in Ware.
Giving Back to God
Two years ago, Ed Smith of England attended a camp much like Bement Camp, and as campers do at Bement, he learned about trust and respect and acceptance.
Ed was 16 years old then, and although he was a member of a Christian family, he had never thought of himself as Christian. But at camp, something within him stirred, and he developed faith in God. Says Ed, “I thought, ‘How can I take that step that shows I’m Christian?’ so I got baptized.”
Fast forward two years, Ed graduated from high school in England and entered what in his country is called “The Gap Year,” or the year that students can take between high school and university to gain life experience.
Ed’s first project in his gap year was to serve as a camp counselor at Bement for 12 weeks.
Born in Michigan before moving to England, Ed says his arrival at Bement in early June was somewhat shocking as it was his first time back in this country. After a few weeks he felt settled, though, and quite ready for campers.
Says Ed, who will travel and work throughout the remainder of his Gap, “I wanted to share my faith and encourage other people’s faith and help them learn about God.”
