It was late summer and the mornings, as Pastor Ethan would say, ‘had a little bite’. We were gathered to see and appreciate evidence of God’s aesthetic sensibilities and say silent, personal prayers. Most days the dawns were good, we could hear native birds from around the river bend. I watched the bottoms of the fat clouds blush. Sitting on the yellow grass, I looked at our cabins arranged in a horseshoe shape around the rec hall and the dining hall and I felt remote from them. Before true daylight, the river looked gold instead of brown.

On the hill, Pastor Ethan would give us pep talks. We were 16, we were ready to become leaders, and we had to be spiritually ready to lead. Pastor Ethan made church sound like a spiritual gym. ‘Has your spirit worked out today?’ We would all become spiritual strongmen, Lou Ferrignos and Arnold Schwarzeneggers of Christ. We had to, in order to be spiritually ready to lead.