When my husband and I first moved to Vermont, we knew that this was most likely our last move, for a very long time. The first thing my husband inquired about was, if it was legal to be buried on your own land (it is), because he believed he had found nirvana and had no intention of leaving. We realized that every other move we had made, had been short term, so it didn’t matter if we chose the wrong gym or supermarket or church, no big deal. We weren’t going to be there long enough for it to matter. But Vermont was going to be different. This was going to be our home. This is where our children would say they actually came from, even though they were born in Trenton.
It occurred to us that we would have to be more selective, particularly about the church we chose, because Vermont, as a state, is a small town and it’s kind of hard changing churches without folk noticing you’re gone. Luckily for us, although raised Lutheran, we had been attending a non-denominational church in Newtown, PA., before moving north and decided that this allowed us a little latitude in choosing our next church. We agreed that any church we chose had to be close. I tend to volunteer for everything and that would not work if it was an hour from our house (like the Lutheran church was).
So, long story short, after about a year of visiting different congregations, we found our new church, the Lamoille Valley Church of the Nazarene. Truth be told, we didn’t choose it so much out of doctrine, but out of how the church felt. Our son was immediately welcomed as a blessing and I felt like it was a place where we could make friends that would last a lifetime. And that is exactly what happened.
The funny thing is that this is such a tight knit church, everyone assumes that you know everything there is to know, which we did not. I work very hard to not be a busy body, but that sometimes means I miss valuable pieces of information. Then add to the fact that I am always saying, “Where’s Hunter?”, my attention span is rather short. So imagine my surprise when the last Sunday of July rolls around and we get all gussied up for church, only to discover the doors locked and not a soul in sight. Repeat that for the following Sunday and as you can well imagine, I was beginning to wonder if the rapture had come and gone and we had missed it!
The next Sunday I was smart enough to call and the secretary apologized, saying that every year the church closes for two Sundays, because everyone is at Ithiel Falls Camp. The next year we were ready, or so we thought (please remember this was over twenty years ago and we didn’t have internet where we lived). We assumed Ithiel falls was something you did on Sundays, but we were wrong.
Ithiel falls camp meeting is a week and a half long, non-denominational, Christian, revival camp, set above the Lamoille River, on the Hogback Road. It is very much like stepping out of time. There is NO cell phone service, so leave your digital bibles at home. People come from all over the country to worship in a magnificent old barn. It’s austere in it’s beauty and in it’s creature comforts, but no one seems to notice. Every year brings different worship leaders, adult pastors and youth pastors from all around the country and sometimes even the world. Some people stay on the property and some people stay in tents. The camp provides three meals a day in a large, picnic benched, cafeteria style room. There is handicap accessibility to a slightly more comfortable dining area. The church is also handicap accessible but keep in mind there is a pea stone floor, so some assistance might need to be rendered. A handicap accessible bathroom is also available. They also have teen programs available for teens age 12-17, who have their own counselors and pastor. The teens all stay is some very rustic dorm style cabins. Now when I say rustic, I am being generous. I have a fantasy about earning enough money to build new dorms, but until then, the kids seem to be excited, despite the lodging.
The daily schedule revolves around spending time with God, prayer meeting at 7:30 a.m., bible studies for all ages at 11 a.m. and evening service at 7 pm. I will admit that for those of us who live and work here, it’s a little bit challenging to get to all that the camp has to offer, but we try very hard to attend the evening service. I have often been a little bit jealous of the folks who come from away and get to just immerse themselves, bug bites and all, in the experience.
My favorite day is of course, Sunday. The service starts at 10:30 am and is heralded the same way meals are, with the ringing of a large school bell. We all sidle into the church, some with pillows in hand to offset the hard wood benches. The music is what gets me every time. It is hard to describe so I won’t bother. Video Jul 22, 10 41 09 AM. You will just have to listen to it yourself. It starts with the music director and singers, but then always crescendos, as voice after voice in the congregation is added. The music is half of the service and that is probably why I love it so much.
When the service is over, EVERYONE is invited to stay for lunch. The meal is simple, but sufficient and the highlight is usually the pies, that have been brought in from those of us who are local. As you sit inside or out, you begin to realize that you may have traveled back in time without knowing it. Children run around outside, playing game in their church finery. Its funny because even though the setting is rustic at best, most still put on their Sunday best. Old timers sit under the tent and share their stories and teenagers clump, as they are want to do, but the most notable difference is that they are looking at each other and not at their phones, because they simply don’t work at the camp. There is a landline for communication, but it is only used for the most basic communication. Yes, there is the occasional sound of a car as it passes, but mostly it feels like 1950 in small town America.
Ithiel Falls just celebrated it’s 12oth year. it was founded in 1899 by a Methodist pastor named Ithiel T. Johnson in the town of Johnson, Vermont. The idea was never to replace your regular church, but to serve as a way to revive the spirit, once a year. I would have to say that Pastor Johnson succeeded. Even if you don’t want to stay at Ithiel falls, everyone is welcome. parking is a bit tricky, but you will get the hang of it. Handicap parking is available in front of the church, but most of us just drop off those that can’t walk and the rest of us drive a quarter of a mile in either direction and park on the road.
This is a quintessential, early New England experience and should not be missed. So put on your best flatlander outfit (or not) and join us. Hope to see you!
