Weekend

Yesterday Tom drove us up to walk around the Gray Center, the Diocese of Mississippi's Conference Center and Campground. It's a beautiful gem of a facility. The conference center is at one end-- a large building with dining room, guest rooms for more than 100, and 2 or 3 meeting spaces (that can be divided for smaller groups). There are also three cottages for smaller groups to use; each will sleep 16 people. A largish chapel is also there. It's light and airy, and designed to be a flexible space; the altar, and the platform on which it rests, are moved easily, and the seating is all chapel chairs, quickly rearranged to suit a group's worship. There's also a small outdoor chapel (altar and wooden benches) down by the road.

At the other end of the property is the campground: Camp Bratton-Green. Rustic facilities, here: ample, but low-tech (no frills). Cabins, large meeting room, craft shack, dining hall, pool and chapel (again, indoors and out). I spent lots of years at church summer camps, and felt quite comfortable. There was a Vocare group using the space while we were there, so we were careful to stay out of their way, and sort of tour behind them-- poking our noses into places as they moved from one part of their schedule to the next.

Both facilities, as well as an environmental education center called EarthLab, are contained within some 700 acres of beautifully forested land. Tom describes this place as part of the heart of the diocesan community, and I can see why.

Last evening the vestry hosted a dinner for us, once again laying out food that was way too good. I don't like sweet potatoes, not at all, but Faye did something magical to these. She's promised me the recipe, and I intend to collect. They were incredible-- although I will say they didn't quite send me into the raptures that my classmate expressed a few days ago. Remember "When Harry Met Sally?" That's nothing. You should have been there "When Dave Met Fat Tuesday's Lemon Pie.").