March 2022 Newsletter

Scrapbook Retreat

PICTURED: Scrapbook retreat group picture and more images from the weekend

Theme for Summer Youth Camping Season

The Fruits of the Spirit

• Jesus and KINDNESS – The woman at the well (Jesus and the woman crossing boundaries of race, religion, gender; the woman then showing kindness to those who had rejected her by preaching good news to them.)
• Jesus and JOY – Turning water into wine (religion is about more than the rituals that the water containers represented–it’s also about celebrating together!)
• Jesus and PEACE – The temple cleansing (There is no peace without justice; peacemaking is not wimpy.)
• Jesus and LOVE – Post-resurrection fishing (Jesus’ love/forgiveness for the (male) disciples who had abandoned him; blessing them with abundance.)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. “
— Galations 5:22-23

As part of resident youth camp, a camp pastor cares for the spiritual growth of all participants. Morning devotions, afternoon Bible times, evening campfire worships, and cabin devotions give campers and staff the opportunity to explore their faith and be encouraged in their faith journey. While teachings are Bible-based and from a Mennonite perspective, campers of all faiths are respected and welcome to participate.

PICTURED: Summer camp fun (See more on our Facebook page)

Who’s been helping

Thank you to all of our volunteers this month:

• Peter Conrad
• Cindy Headings
• Cindy Martens
• Eldon Martens
• Neal Trantham
• Ronald Weaver
• Rodger Weaver

Come volunteer

RMMC relies on the help of volunteers to keep the ministry going. Your help with any camp tasks is greatly appreciated! If you have interest in volunteering, call (719-687-9506) or email ([email protected]) RMMC.

• • Long-term volunteers: help in Food Service, Maintenance, and Housekeeping. Service term can be for up to a year if so desired.

what you said

A parent shared the following: Her son was in Resident Camp last year, had a great time, and told me to tell whoever needed to know. Any time he is having a bad day now, he remembers back to camp last summer. Also, whenever his clothes get washed, his camp shirt is the first shirt he wears again.

Things I appreciated about the weekend:
“The ability to relax and focus on me and my tasks. Got so much accomplished. I was able to regenerate and find peace.” – Scrapbook Retreat participant 

“I felt safe with COVID protocol at camp” – Scrapbook Retreat participant 

Did you know

Forest Service to address beetle and forest fire risk at camp boundaries

With respect to the forest Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp calls home, change comes in small and large ways. For a good while, the trees on the road to camp, to the Crags trailhead and around camp facilities were dense and thick. With the arrival of the Spruce Beetle in 2015, change began to move from small to large ways (see recent article from Mennonite Creation Care Network “ROCKY MOUNTAIN MENNONITE CAMP AND MDS: VOLUNTEERS TAKE ON SPRUCE BEETLES”

Camp and the Forest Service each responded to the infestation which began in 2015 with people and machine removal of trees. Now in 2022, the beetle impact is greatly reduced thanks to our efforts (i.e. remove infested trees, pheromone packets) and to the natural cycle of beetle infestation (7-10 years).

The Raspberry Mountain Fuels Reduction Project will be a large change in the forest to how we experience hikes to Raspberry or Pig Rock as the trees on those trails (see brown area in map East of camp) will be harvested and taken away in trucks as were the trees along the side of the road on the way to the Crags.

While the forest will look dramatically different, the desire for a healthy forest is a good one and will benefit Rocky Mountain camp reducing the threat of fire at a time when the climate is drying.

Below is an overview of the large change coming to camp’s part of the forest.

WHO? – The US Forest Service is proposing vegetation removal and hazardous fuels reduction treatments in the area around the Catamount Reservoirs on Pikes Peak Ranger District.

WHAT? – The proposed Raspberry Mountain Fuels Reduction Project is intended to reduce risks of catastrophic wildfire to adjacent communities, improve forest resiliency to insect and disease infestations, improve watershed health and aquatic habitat, and protect infrastructure and developed recreation sites (e.g., campground, trailheads, Pikes Peak Highway corridor, and critical municipal water source infrastructure) in the project area.

The project proposes 2,540 acres of vegetation treatments located approximately 15 air miles west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Elevations range from 9,300’ to 10,200’. Predominant tree species are Engelmann spruce, blue spruce, limber pine, aspen, and bristlecone pine (to a lesser degree). Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine can be found scattered acres the project area in lesser amounts and generally near the lower elevation sites.

HOW? Traditional logging is proposed on up to 510 acres near the Mennonite Camp, the Crags Campground area, and the west side of Orchette Gulch. These areas may employ timber harvesting to address existing spruce beetle mortality and continued infection as well as to provide added safety to an adjacent campground, multiple trailheads/trail systems, and a small housing development. Treatments in this area would partially tie into vegetation treatments that have occurred at the Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp. Treatments in this area would primarily focus on sawtimber cutting and removal off site. Post treatment landing piles would be burned.

WHEN? – Implementation could begin as soon as summer 2022. Hand treatments and mastication would take place during the late spring, summer, and fall timeframes as conditions allow. Traditional timber removal operations would primarily take place in the winter to minimize soil disturbance and to deconflict from the primary seasonal influx of Forest users to the project area. The timber sale area located near the Crags Campground and Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp would specifically be a winter only job due to high recreational use during the warmer months.

PICTURED: Image of the proposed “Raspberry Mountain Fuels Reduction Project” with camp property and location highlighted in the blue box.

Mark your calendars

• Spring Mennonite Quilters Retreat – April 21-24
• Memorial Day Work & Play 2022 – May 27-30
• Colorado Roots Music Camp I – June 5-11
• Sr. High Resident Camp – June 12-17
• 6&7 Grade Wilderness I – June 12-17

Make A reservation