Lakota Pilgrimage
Calvary's Lakota Pilgrimage is an annual ministry for, and with, the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. Calvary has been involved in this ministry since the summer of 1992. For the past 10 years we have partnered with Christ Church, Winchester. Additional team members have come from other churches plus a church school in the Diocese of Virginia. In 2006 our team included members from the Diocese of Nebraska.
The purpose of the pilgrimage is to hold a week long Bible Camp (Vacation Bible School) for the children in the area of Porcupine, a village located in the heart of the reservation, a few miles north of Wounded Knee. Team members must be at least 14 years of age, and membership is open to teens and adults. This past summer (2007) our team included 24 teens and 12 adults. While on the reservation all team members, youth and adult, have the same responsibilities. Team meetings are held several times during the year to prepare for the Bible Camp, get to know each other as a team, and learn what to expect while serving on the reservation.
For the past 15 years we have been guests of Christ the King Roman Catholic Church and Our Lady of Lourdes School while in Porcupine. Our Bible Camp is held at St. Julia's Episcopal Church a quarter mile down the road from Christ the King. St. Julia's has no running water or kitchen and bathing facilities, hence the use of Christ the King.
A typical day of Bible Camp starts with breakfast around 7 a.m. After breakfast the vans are loaded with supplies for the day and taken to St. Julia's. Team members take turns staying at St. Julia's to set up craft and game activities and going on the runs to pick up the children. Camp starts around 9 a.m. when the last of the vans returns and St. Julia's becomes a swirl of activity. Children have the opportunity to play softball, nerf football, basketball, jump rope and many other activities outside. One of the favorite activities of the younger children is riding on the shoulders of our teens and racing around the church yard. Inside St. Julia's is the craft room where there is a new craft activity each day. In the sanctuary is an area for coloring and visiting.
In the middle of the morning we have crackers and plenty of water available for snacks. With temps hitting the 100's on many days it is important to stay hydrated, so we keep the water flowing. The activities continue until about 11:30 a.m. when we gather everyone for music and our Bible story of the day. Each year we learn new songs and sing old favorites as we get ready to see our Bible Story acted out. The children are invited to participate in the story and love take turns being different people from the Old and New Testament.
After our Bible story comes lunch, always a favorite activity. After lunch the children climb back aboard the vans to return to their homes. Some team members stay behind to clean St. Julia's and made things ready for the next day.
The rest of our day is filled with opportunities to explore the reservation and learn about Lakota culture. For the past several years we have been blessed with the presence of our friends, Ron and Gypsy (Catherine) Kills Warrior during our week in Porcupine. Ron and Gypsy have opened many doors for us and we are grateful for the gift of their friendship.
Future of the Pilgrimage
Due to declining attendance and participation by the Lakota people in the Episcopal churches on the reservation, there is concern that some churches might be closed or consolidated. At this point it is not known whether St. Julia's will be open next summer for our Bible Camp. We are in continuing dialogue with clergy on the reservation as to what shape the Lakota Pilgrimage might take in the future.
Grace House
Calvary is in the planning stages of a youth mission trip in August 2008 to Grace House, an Episcopal Mission in St. Paul, Virginia. Grace House has served needy families in Appalachia since 1922. Groups who go to Grace House in the summer are paired with families in need of home repairs who do not have the resources to make the repairs themselves. Calvary hopes to partner with Grace Church, the Plains and St Paul's on the Hill, Winchester for this trip. More information will be posted as soon as it becomes available.
Memorial Scholarship
A $1,500 one-year scholarship is awarded by the congregation to a graduating senior at Warren County High School, funded by the income from the Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Community Program Support
As a congregation, Calvary supports the following community programs with our time, talent, material, and financial contributions:
- Front Royal Warren County Council of Churches
- Front Royal Warren County Ministerial Emergency Fund
- Congregational - Community Action Program (C-CAP)
- Community Transitional Housing Project (CTHP)
- Warren County Council on Domestic Violence
- Literacy Volunteers of America
- Blue Ridge Hospice
- Warren County Senior Center
- Virginia Emergency Foster Care
- Northwestern Community Services
- Habitat for Humanity
- Meals on Wheels
- Warren County Domestic Violence Shelter
- Warren County Hospital Lifeline
- My Brother's Table
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