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Long time camp leaders describe work with youth

John Hubbe and Mary Lu Vait co-led the Intermediate Camp July 12 to 18 for two boys and eight girls in four cabins, simultaneous with the Junior High Camp.

Mary Lu Vait and John Hubbe brought meaning to wilderness.

They took to heart the theme, “Into the Wilderness,” each day.

“N-Sid-Sen has more wilderness than most other church camps,” John said. “Each day we took a wilderness moment, being quiet to listen to a bird or the water, to look up to the canopy of trees above and, with telescopes set up by an astronomer, to look at the universe and stars as part of the wilderness. We hiked to Inspiration Point and spent time every afternoon swimming, canoeing or paddleboarding.”

“We did crafts and games and ran in Stillwater,” he added.

Mary Lu and John have been coming to N-Sid-Sen since 1990 when she first came as a cabin leader with their daughter Laura in kids camp. Since then, they have been cabin leaders and camp directors for all ages. For 20 years Mary Lu came as camp nurse.

John has served on the Outdoor Ministries Committee for many years and now is on the newly formed Council of Stewardship for Camp N-Sid-Sen. John said that council is to give the new site manager support.

For many years, they came from Shalom UCC in Richland and since 2018, from Westminster UCC in Spokane.

John particularly appreciates the name, N-Sid-Sen, described in the camp’s history book in Chapter 5 as being suggested by elders of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe who were consulted when the camp started in the 1930s. They were told it means “Point of Inspiration.”

In a recent phone conversation with tribal leader Caj Matheson, John asked to confirm the meaning. Caj’s wife found the words N Sied Esten as meaning “a place to lay my head and wake up inspired.” Young people in the tribe were sent to a place to be inspired.

“It’s meaningful to me that young people come here and gain a different perspective to see the world and be at peace. What we try to do here is to give a different perspective on the world and life,” John said.

“I also witness that kids enjoy each other and being together. They have a sense of ownership,” he said.

Mary Lu added that Melanie Childers, the new pastor at Shalom UCC in Richland, came for the week as camp chaplain. She wrote skits about animals and used puppets to engage the youth at morning watch and campfires.

For information, call 208-689-3419 or visit n-sid-sen.org.

 

Pacific Northwest United Church of Christ Conference News © October 2026

 

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