The Rev. Tuesday Jane Rupp, Rector of St. Paul’s, Woodbury & Canon Sarah Louise Woodford
Sarah: Could you tell us about Camp Washington’s new summer offering, Women’s Camp?
Tuesday: “I’m really, really, excited to share the Women’s Camp that we’re going to be hosting this summer at Camp Washington. All of us deserve some time for refreshment and rest and renewal, and I know that some of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life have been going to camps or to retreat sessions that are specifically for women and women-identified people. I wanted very much to give that same opportunity to other women. I’m also really excited that we’re offering this at the same time as Mini Camp, which is for children ages 5-10, because I know sometimes for parents with small children, it is so difficult to find the time and the place for their own renewal. So, this gives an opportunity for a parent to come and really do something for herself, for themselves, and still have the needed connection with very young children. We are really hoping that folks will take advantage of that.”
Sarah: What are some physical and spiritual benefits of being on retreat?
Tuesday: “I’m a person who really loves being at home, and I always hate anytime I have to travel, anytime I have to even go overnight or two to a hotel. And whenever I go on retreat, I always come back and say, ‘I’m so glad I did that.’ Some of the spiritual benefits are the sense of opening up, of being able to experience parts of yourself that sometimes have to be more contained, because the needs and wants of everyday life really require that we kind of keep moving. A retreat is the opportunity to stop, and there’s time for us just to breathe. There’s time for contemplation. There’s also time for doing the kinds of things that give you a sense of pleasure and refreshment that sometimes you may not have the time to do when you’re in your regular schedule. The benefits can differ from person to person, but in my experience, you come back from that time away, remembering an important part of who you are and what you’re about.”
Sarah: How did Women’s Camp come to be?
Tuesday: “Well, a couple of things. One is that I have the real privilege of being able to do some spiritual renewal kinds of activities at Camp Washington with adults. For the last several years, I have led, or co-led, Quiet Days during Advent and Lent, and the feedback that that we’ve gotten is that the people who come to these one day retreats were really glad they came. We wanted to try a retreat that was longer. The other piece that brought this idea to life is that a few years ago, I went on a week-long retreat in the mountains of Utah with other women—and we were running and hiking and getting outside. It was one of the best experiences of my life. And I came away from that thinking, ‘I would just love to share all the benefit of a retreat like that with other people.’”
A retreat is the opportunity to stop, and there’s time for us just to breathe.
Sarah: What can folks expect from their time at camp?
So, our concept of camp has aspects of both traditional camp and activities appropriate for adults. We will be outside, being part of nature—but, we’ll also have some of the creature comforts that really, I think, we crave as part of a time of rest and renewal. The activities are different than what the kids will be doing. If you were the kind of kid that loved indoor recess, this is the camp for you.”
Sarah: What are you the most excited about?
Tuesday: “The theme this year is Book of Hours. So, what I’m excited about is collaborating with Art Director Kathryn Coneway. We are working on what would a really woman-centered Order of Prayer look like—even for a couple of days. We’ll be doing artwork together as well as journaling. And we’ll be thinking about the Order of Our Lives. As the Psalmist says, ‘Teach me to number my days’ (Psalm 90:12). How are we incorporating that into prayer? We want to use lots of different ways of experiencing that. Sometimes it feels like when we talk about Benedictine or monastic practice, it can feel like it’s very head-oriented. We’re looking for something that is a full-body experience: it’s something we can do with our hands; it’s something we can do with our feet. We’ll have yoga. We’ll have other exercise options that people can choose. There’ll be times for reflection together. There’ll be time to connect with people who are skilled in healing arts who can offer massage or other kinds of healing therapy. It’s a full-body experience that will center us on the question: What are the hours of our day when we can stop and appreciate where we are?”
Sarah: Is there anything else you’d like our wider diocese to know?
Tuesday: “I would add that if you are someone like me who’s like, ‘I don’t want to pack; I don’t want to leave overnight,’ I would encourage you, if you’re feeling on the fence, to take the risk and try it. And I would wager that anyone who takes the risk to come would feel that it was really worth the time that they had spent. If you’re feeling nudged, if you’re feeling intrigued, then maybe this is your invitation from outside of yourself to try this out. See how it might impact your life, not only for those two days, but in the days and weeks to come. Maybe that’s the still small voice inviting you to take time away.”
Women’s Camp will run at Camp Washington from July 6-8 for ages 21+. You can register at: https://campwashington.campbrainregistration.com/. The Rev. Tuesday Jane Rupp is the Rector at St. Paul’s, Woodbury.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length.