"Joy that can't be taken"
Each summer, our camp community joins in spiritual unity to focus on an inspirational theme. The metaphysical theme for the CedarS 2024 season is JOY, as in,
"The joy that none can take away is mine;
I walk with Love today."
Christian Science Hymnal # 139 & 503
God gives each of us the freedom to experience joy, consistently and reliably. This is a joy rooted within a deep spiritual foundation. True joy can’t be taken away by people, moods, or circumstances.
When we face challenges, we can face them with joy, knowing that we are never alone. . . Divine Love is right there with us, leading the way.
Joy doesn’t mean putting on a fake smile and pretending everything is okay. Joy is about experiencing the real comfort and hope that Christ Jesus promises us in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). This summer at camp, we’ll explore the Beatitudes as a guide to being “blessed,” or supremely happy.
A key to feeling true joy is selfless giving. As Mary Baker Eddy writes, “Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it” (SH 57:18). Being in a camp community provides many wonderful avenues—at once challenging and rewarding—for living unselfishly and sharing joy.
We expect this theme to bless our camp community, the families who send us campers, and the world! Our joy-full experiences at camp have a ripple effect that knows no limits.
We invite you to explore the many reference to joy:
656 references in the Bible
494 references in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy
200 references in the Christian Science Hymnal
over 100,000 references in JSH Online
Search Terms: joy, rejoice, happy/happiness, blessed
Theme T-shirts
Coming soon!
Questions to Ponder:
How would you define joy? When have you felt true joy? How can you find a joy that can't be taken by people, moods, or circumstances? What do the Beatitudes reveal about the nature of joy?
“Joy cometh in the morning...”
(Psalms 30:5)
This theme will give us a great launching point for recognizing joy and comfort of God's Love-- and sharing it more widely!