Brotherhood of St. Andrews Presents New Altar to WIngmannJune 8, 2018 • Jeff Gardenour  • CHILDREN & YOUTH • DIOCESAN FAMILY • REACHING OUT

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CAMP WINGMANN
Bishop Greg Brewer, center, last summer blessed the new altar that was built by and presented to Camp Wingmann by the Brotherhood of St. Andrew Dunnellon chapter.

A ski boat, tubing activities and a summer camp director will not be the only new things this summer at Camp Wingmann. Youths also will get the chance to pray and reflect before a new altar.

Former Camp Wingmann director Deke Miller announced last year that the Brotherhood of St. Andrew presented a new altar for the spacious retreat in Avon Park. The multipurpose altar was officially dedicated and christened last July by Bishop Greg Brewer. But this marks the first summer that the altar will be used throughout all six camp sessions.

“The altar is now being used as a portable altar, allowing it to be utilized inside as well as outside,” said Father Ed Bartle, an associate rector at St. George’s Episcopal Church in The Villages and the Diocesan Coordinator for the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.

The chapel, which was constructed by the Brotherhood of St. Andrew chapter in Dunnellon, is made of Southern yellow pine and took approximately two months to build, according to spokesman Skip Simpson. Cost of the materials was $250.

“The pine was factory-weather sealed and then resealed at completion,” Simpson said.

Bartle said the idea for the new altar came at a meeting of chaplains in February of 2017 at Camp Wingmann. The chaplains presented the idea to Miller.

“The camp director at that time wanted to form an outside chapel,” Bartle said of Miller. “He wanted it to be in the natural environment. We asked Deke and he said he would love to have this outdoor chapel. So, the brothers in the Dunnellon chapter said they would take care of it.”

Bartle said Bishop Brewer loved the new altar: “He went out and blessed it. I think he was thrilled with it.”

The new altar has been such a big success that Bartle said expansion is being planned. “We’re hoping to continue to build that chapel area out there now. Put in some natural seating. It’s just out in the open,” he said.