2022 Fall/Winter Newsletter

“Elmer” Joins the Massanetta Team

By Clayton Rascoe, Executive Director

September saw the addition of a new “mechanical staff member.” Late in 2021, through the generosity of an anonymous donor couple, we were able to purchase a new Kubota tractor Due to supply chain issues, the purchase did not arrive on our campus until September 19th of this year! But he is here now, and we are thrilled to be putting him to work.

This new member of our team will lovingly be called “Elmer.” When given the opportunity to name the new tractor, the couple immediately thought of Elmer Chittum, a long time Massanetta Staff member. When asked about Elmer Chittum’s impact, they responded, “ For many years, Elmer Chittum oversaw buildings and grounds at Massanetta. Whatever needed repaired, painted, made to run like new, mowed, shoveled, raked or supervised. Each year, he managed the summer staff employed to help in these areas, always with a smile and something humorous to say. Together, he and Frances were hands and feet of Massanetta providing services for all who came while raising their family on the campus as well.”

Executive Director Clayton Rascoe

Board of Trustees

• Craig Nygard, President

• Sarah Morgan, VicePresident

• Clayton Rascoe, Secretary/Treasurer

• Gary Blackmon

• Lynne Clements

• Howard Dudley

• Dennis Griffin

• Elizabeth Hepler

• Warren Lesane Jr

• Carol Lown

• Jarrett McLaughlin

• Addie Peterson

• Debbie Reese

• Kim Row

• Pam Snyder

• Shelda Wills

• Amy Woynicz

Published by: Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center

Rachael Brannock Newsletter Editorial/ Design Staff

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Massanetta Springs provides a place for all people to experience God through renewal, discovery, and hospitality.

It seems fitting to have a new “Elmer” continue to oversee so much of the upkeep of the grounds. While we haven’t heard anything humorous from him just yet, he has gone about lifting, pushing, bush-hogging, and many other tasks in a very professional manner with no complaints about the tasks to which he’s been assigned.

We would like to thank the donors of the new Tractor which will serve us for many years to come. It is through the generosity of the Massanetta Community that we are able to continue to move our ministry forward in so many

Exciting New Programs Coming to Massanetta

As we continue to celebrate and steward some of our favorite long-standing programs, we’re excited to be trying new things as well. We’re anticipating over 150 people for our new Keep Awake! Matthew 25 retreat for high school students and their leaders, and we’re looking forward to sharing what we learn after that November event. Looking ahead, we have two other new youth programs we’re offering in 2023:

Confirmation Retreat, February 3-5: Knowing that every congregation handles the confirmation process differently, we’re excited to offer a retreat that seeks to bring different ideas and experiences about church together. This retreat focuses on broader questions of why we join the Church, what we want our churches to be like, and how we can actively engage in that work. Participants will join mixed small groups to hear ideas from people from different congregations, and also have time with their home group to continue with their own lessons and curricula. Whether your congregation has one confirmand or a large group, we can all learn something from each other’s church experience and faith journey!

Mission @ Massanetta, summer 2023: Ok, this isn’t exactly a new program– many of you have come to serve in the Shenandoah Valley through Massanetta before! But it is a relaunch of this service program that rested through the peak of pandemic. We’re rekindling relationships with local nonprofits, sprucing up our devotional materials, and looking for groups who might like to join us as we reconnect with our neighbors in this important, service-oriented way. If you have a group that might like to join us, contact Sarah Grace Hall (Program Assistant) at sarahgrach@massanettasprings.org.

First Presbyterian Church of Norfolk works with Renewing Homes in participation with Mission@Massanetta

Centennial Preparations Involve TLC around Massanetta

We’ve celebrated our first century of ministry in so many ways this year. One of them has been providing some much needed TLC to areas around our campus. Over the past year, through the generosity of Massanetta donors, some of the care we’ve given our campus has included:

• Repaint the Stewart/Calvin/Knox Building, all the window sills on the historic hotel, Hodge Lodge and the Gate House.

• The Gate House has received new energy efficient windows and vinyl siding

• Foundation Repairs at Wilson Cottage

• New roofs have been installed on all the buildings of Unit A at Camp Massanetta

• 10+ “problem trees” have been removed, 60+ stumps ground, and harmful vegetation removed from the Lake Campbell dam

Most of our centennial celebrations have revolved around highlighting the people, programs, and ministry that has been so impactful. (And rightfully so) However, we didn’t want the year to get away from us without acknowledging the ways this physical place strengthens and nurtures the faith so many, and the things the Massanetta community has made happen to keep this place doing just that for the next 100 years.

Stewart/Calvin/ Know building before painting

Stewart/Calvin/ Know building after painting

Hodge Lodge after painting

Hodge Lodge after painting

John Bell Headlines Centennial Day Celebrations

Not only were registrations for Bible and Church Music Conference up from 2021, we had an additional 70+ register to come for our Centennial Day Celebrations on July 27th. The day started with devotions at the Springhouse, and from there the day was packed with teaching, preaching, food, fellowship, and a whole lot of fun.

Rev. Dr. Christine Roy Yoder, Columbia Theological Seminary’s Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) and Dean of Faculty, led a morning Bible Study on Proverbs, followed by a wonderful walk through Massanetta history from former Executive and Program Directors, Fred and Laura Holbrook.

And our 2022 Speakman Chair of Preaching, Rev. John Bell, of the Church of Scotland and Iona Community was absolutely fantastic in both his workshop on “Singing with the Global Church,” and in his preaching and worship leadership that evening. Bell was to be our Speakman Chair in 2020 before the pandemic, and we were so grateful for him to reschedule to be with us on the Centennial Celebration night.

The Centennial Celebration Committee also commissioned a piece of music by Jacob Dishman (who we proudly claim as “one of our own”) that was sung by a choir on Sunday night, and then led by Jacob Dishman and Laura Holbrook as a congregational song on Wednesday night. Rev. Jenny McDevitt’s carefully crafted liturgy was fantastic all week, but especially so as we celebrated 100 years of ministry on Wednesday night.

Massanetta would like to thank the Centennial Celebration Committee, Blake Traynham who created the centennial logo, the many volunteers, staff, and guests who made our celebration of 100 years so special this summer.

Rev. John Bell leds worship at the 2022 Bible and Church Music Conferences

The 2023 theme is “Instruments of Peace,” as in the Prayer of St. Francis, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”

2023 Bible Study Leader - Dr. Ryan Bonfiglio

Ryan Bonfiglio teaches Old Testament at Emory’s Candler School of Theology. He also serves as director of The Candler Foundry, a new initiative that seeks to bridge the gap between the church and the academy by making seminary-level learning accessible and engaging for the broader public. Ryan is the founding director of TheoEd talks, an ecumenical speaker series that seeks to do for the Bible, theology, and spirituality what the TED series has done for technology, entertainment, and design. Bonfiglio previously taught at Columbia Theological Seminary and served as the John H. Stembler Scholar in Residence at the First Presbyterian Church (USA) of Atlanta. His research and teaching interests include biblical metaphors, the Sabbath, and the Bible and poverty. His wife, Jamie, is an ordained Presbyterian minister and together they have an energetic and hilarious 8-year old son named Leo. Ryan is a former NCAA wrestler and wrestling coach and suffers from a life-long love of Philadelphia sports.

Netta Day Camp: A Place To Hear “New Stories

“This was our first year doing Netta Day Camp and my son loved it! We are not a religious family so I was a little concerned he would be confused or feel left out of some conversations (and bible study time) but was pleasantly surprised to find he enjoyed learning new “stories” (his words) and was very open to discussing those topics. I love that he was exposed to religion in such an open and caring environment and that he felt no pressure or bias surrounding it…Thank you to everyone who cared for these kids and made this camp possible. We plan to sign up again next year!”

When we send out evaluations to parents after a session of Netta Day Camp, we often find out little things that we are doing well or need to improve upon. But every now and then, there’s a parent who lets us know, we did our best to fulfill our mission “to be a place for all people to experience God through renewal, discovery, and hospitality.” The quote above is one such example.

How wonderful is it that this camper was able to slip right into camp and hear some of the core stories of our faith as simply “new stories?” How great is it that he was in an environment where he was immediately able to enter the discussion alongside other campers who had grown up with these stories?

When Massanetta programs are at their best, we truly create “a place for all people.” As Netta Day Camp’s reach in the local community grows, creating this sort of environment will be essential. According to our registrations, nearly 30% of all Netta Day Camp participants self identified as nonreligious or not identified with a church. Welcoming in every camper, regardless of where they might be on a faith journey (or not yet on a journey), is a great measure of how successful our program is. And who knows how the seeds of “new stories” heard might sprout and grow? We look forward to finding out as Netta Day Camp continues to create a safe, fun, and welcoming environment.

- 2022 Netta Day Camp Parent