It’s always hard to explain what Lit Camp is.
Two summers ago, I went to Lit Camp for the first time. Last weekend, I went again, and I enjoyed it just as much.
“Lit Camp” is short for “Literature Camp” and it’s an educational/social weekend for people would love literature, planned with a Christian worldview in mind. Anyone is welcome, but most of the attendees have Anabaptist connections and the average age is maybe thirty.
It’s not a “pack your tent” type of event. Here’s where it’s held:
The mansion, nicknamed the “castle” has a huge kitchen and plenty of bedrooms, bathrooms, and sitting rooms— perfect for an event like Lit Camp. There were about seventy people in attendance (according to one of the cooks) and it lasted from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.
Some people arrive at Lit Camp with a few friends, others come alone. I had traveled with others two years ago, but this time I just went alone. I was assigned a bed in the girls’ dorms in the basement. When I got downstairs, I discovered one of the dorms with nine beds was still empty, so I claimed one of the beds for myself… and waited to see if anyone else showed up. No one did! Ahh, sweet luxury, I felt like the queen of the castle, well, expect I was still in the cellar.
Lest you feel sorry for me, the daytime had plenty of time for socializing. I chatted with many old acquaintances and made new ones. Meals sitting outside on the picnic tables, listening to so many new ideas were a pleasure.
Friday evening, the first speaker, Dr. Paul Lamicela, taught on the importance of reading the book of Revelation in relation to the rest of the Bible, and understanding the role poetry plays in the symbolism. Throughout the weekend, we listened to lectures on storytelling, writing, and reading literature.
My favorite topic was Carita Keim’s “Why You Should Read Challenging Fiction”. I’ve read some of the great classics—Lewis, Austin, and even Moby Dick. But there’s a lot more out there! Hannah K.’s lecture on organic storytelling inspired me, too.
During one session, everyone who wanted to could join a critique group to read and critique a small piece of writing everyone brings with them, either prose or poetry. I shared excerpts from a recent PCBE article I wrote about a tomato farm.
Several storytellers took the stage. Obi dramatically re-told the Arthurian legend of “Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady”— an amazing one-man performance, and now I finally know the source of the phrase, “What do women want?” (The answer: sovereignty. And it was written in the 1300s!)
The cooks served delicious food all weekend. Saturday evening we had a “feast” served outside, followed by stories and singing around the campfire.
Sunday morning we walked up the hill to a nearby chapel, for a worship service with more singing, scripture readings, and a short message. After Sunday lunch, I said good-bye to a few friends, and drove back across the beautiful state of Pennsylvania, green summer all around me, home to Lancaster.
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