Building Community Beyond Campus: The St. John's Episcopal Church Camping & Kayaking Weekend
A Twelve-Year Tradition of Fellowship and Adventure
Every Labor Day weekend for the past twelve years, students from Boys Home of Virginia have traded their campus routines for sleeping bags, campfires, and the flowing waters of the James River.
This beloved annual tradition, organized and hosted by St. John’s Episcopal Church in Glasgow, Virginia, brings together students, staff, and community members for a weekend that exemplifies the power of partnership and the importance of connection.
The event takes place on private property in Natural Bridge, Virginia, where church members Dave and Courtney Van Osten graciously open their riverfront land to host the weekend’s festivities. But as the Van Ostens are quick to clarify, this is truly a St. John’s Episcopal Church initiative—a small congregation with a big heart for ministry beyond their walls.
A Small Church With a Big Impact
St. John’s Episcopal Church averages about twenty members on a Sunday morning, but what they lack in numbers, they make up for in dedication and creativity.
The camping and kayaking weekend emerged from a simple question: What ministries could a small church realistically pull off that would make a meaningful difference?
“We were just looking for ministries that we could do with small numbers of people,” Dave Van Osten explains. Under the leadership of their former priest, Reverend Becky Crites, the congregation began “thinking outside the four walls of the church” to find ways to serve their community.
Given the Episcopal Church’s long historical connection to Boys Home and the Van Ostens’ location on the James River, the camping and kayaking weekend was a natural fit.
Twelve years later, the event runs like clockwork, with everyone knowing exactly what to expect and how to make the weekend memorable.
A Weekend Full of Adventure
The weekend follows a reliable rhythm that students and staff have come to love. Boys Home arrives Friday evening around six o’clock, bringing approximately twelve older students, a few staff members (currently led by Josh Brown), and a custom-built trailer loaded with single kayaks and a couple of canoes.
Once tents go up under the big canopy—added after that first sweltering year—it’s pizza time. That big canopy, added after that first sweltering year, becomes essential, giving everyone a shaded spot with tables and chairs to eat when it’s hot and a dry place to gather when rain rolls in.
Saturday is when the adventure really begins! This is when the group drives to Arcadia to paddle down to Alpine. About halfway through, they pull over and enjoy lunch on the riverbank.
Dave likes to point out the old stone structures along the way—remnants of the James River and Kanawha Canal dating back to the 1800s. Back then, boats hauled iron ore down to Richmond and ferried passengers up and down the state.
You see all kinds of wildlife out there. Bald eagles circle overhead. Turtles pile up on logs in the sun. Blue herons stand perfectly still in the shallows, waiting for fish. Deer and wild turkeys wander the property, and when night falls, coyotes start calling from somewhere in the woods. One year, a young boy heard them and nearly tore through the side of his tent trying to get out. Everyone still laughs about that.
Saturday afternoon’s pretty relaxed—frisbee, football, hanging out. Some years, a few boys want to visit Natural Bridge or check out the nearby caverns. Dinner shows up courtesy of Christ Church Episcopal in Buena Vista, a congregation that’s been part of this weekend from the beginning.
On Sunday morning, there’s a shorter paddle trip from Natural Bridge Station to Glasgow, where it meets the James and Maury Rivers.
The highlight for many students is “the shoot”—a fun rapid near the end where water funnels through a narrow passage. Boys love playing in it, some making multiple runs, others body-surfing through in just their life jackets. It’s pure joy, and the laughter echoes across the water.
Worship, Fellowship, and Community
After loading the boats, everyone gathers on the riverbank for a worship service led by Reverend Anne Grizzle, Boys Home’s former chaplain. And although she’s retired, she continues to lead this special service, solidifying the tradition.
The weekend wraps up at St. John’s Episcopal Church, where members share a potluck lunch. Members from a neighboring congregation, Union Baptist Church, join as well. These moments of fellowship remind us that we are all growing together as one body of Christ.
Memorable Moments and Lasting Impact
Over twelve years, countless memories have been made. There’s the story of Josh Eng, a student who attended five or six times. On his first trip, he had no idea how to swim, but with some patient instruction, he overcame his fears and learned! This is a powerful metaphor for the transformative power of life at Boys Home.
Over the years, the Van Ostens have watched the boys return, even after graduation! They get to experience watching these boys grow up and develop into confident young men. For Dave and Courtney, continuing the Episcopal Church’s longstanding relationship with Boys Home feels meaningful.
“It’s neat for us as a small church to continue that relationship and build on it,” Dave reflects. “We get to see boys who have come, watch them develop, and turn into adults. It’s a pretty cool process.”
A Tradition Worth Keeping
Experiences and partnerships like these represent what Boys Home is made of: community, building experiences that foster true growth, confidence, and true belonging.
As the Van Ostens like to say about the weekend’s format: “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” After twelve years, this Labor Day tradition remains as refreshing and impactful as the waters of the James River itself.
If you’re inspired by adventures like these and are curious whether the young man in your life could benefit from experiences that help him develop confidence and personal growth, reach out to Boys Home of Virginia in Covington!