Russell the Pirate didn't make it, but we are having a great time at Vocare International Conference!

We are winding down day two of Vocare International Conference 2009 at Day Spring Conference Center in Parrish, Florida. This is only my second weekend at a flat, beach-like camp (and in the same month!). I grew up in the mountains of east Tennessee and have spent time at Episcopal camps in the mountains, or at least hilly areas, of north Alabama and north Georgia, so Honeycreek near Brunswick (site of Vocare #18) and Day Spring are a new experience for me, but a good one.

Even though Russell the Pirate is not here with me, I brought some of his sense of adventure. This morning I adventured on my own for a sunrise jog around the camp, which was a nice way to start the day. Since the good beginning things have continued to go well. I have met a lot of great fellow Vocati from across the country - California, Nevada, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Florida (of course), and surely some others I am forgetting.

It is great to learn more about the Vocare traditions in other dioceses and make new Episcopals. This evening at dinner I think I finally found the right table mix, because we all shared jokes! I don't know if every Diocese of Georgia and Diocese of Atlanta Vocati loves to tell and hear jokes like I do, but I consider it a bit of a tradition in our Vocare and was excited to extend it here. I was most happy to learn a new pirate joke - What are a pirates favorite cookies? Chips-a-hoooooooooy (with the pirate accent of course) - so awesome!

More stories and pictures from the conference to come, so stay posted all you fans of our amazing blog!

Rector? Damn near killed her!

So this past weekend (Feb 27-March 1) was Vocare #18 for which I was the Rector.  Now being the Rector is kind of what you would imagine; you're the guy (or girl, but in my case guy) in charge, the decisions run through you.  I loved being Rector, truely loved it and whats more it was an honor.   One of the challenges I faced on the weekend was somewhat unexpected though.  On past Vocares that I have been on staff for, I was a Family Group Leader.  Family group leader really suits me.  It is right in my wheelhouse.  I was able to really get to know the participants on the weekend, make strong connections.

The challenge I ran into as the weekend went on was that I was somewhat disconnected from the experiances the pilgrims were having.  I mean, I was there but I wasn't at the same time. My job was to ensure that things went smoothly, or as smoothly as possible.  My job wasn't to be a Family Group Leader.  As I said before I loved being Rector.  I want to make that clear.  It is an experiance I will take with me always.  But part of the job of being Rector and being on staff for Vocare in general is to give up what you want, for the sake of the participants.  The weekend wasn't about me.  It was about them.  As I said at closing, if it seemed like I was stressed and running around like crazy trying to get things taken care of it was only because I wanted their Vocare experiance to be as special as mine was.  I hope that it was.

Matt