a question for discussion--"A Christian Ministry in the National Parks"

We arrived at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon yesterday, around 5:30 pm.  It was a long, long drive.   Five million (!!) people visit the Grand Canyon each year, but only 10% of those go to the North Rim--it is farther away from everywhere, there are no museums, bus tours, etc.  Which is partly why we picked it--also it is not so far from Zion and Bryce Canyons, our next stops.


Anyway...after checking in at the beautiful Grand Canyon Lodge, we were reading the postings of activities happening for the week.  There was a sign for "interdenominational Christian worship" that happens in the auditorium every Wednesday at 6 pm and every Sunday at 10 am.  It was 5:50 pm on Wednesday, so I that I would check it out.  Kenny declined, and portered all of our stuff through the trees to our little room at the farthest edge of the accommodations.


I went to the auditorium, which is a magnificent space made of towering loges, decorated with Native American symbols, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Grand Canyon--mah nora hamakom hazeh--how awesome is this place.


The worship is organized by ACMNP, "A Christian Ministry in the National Parks."  Begun in 1951, they provide young Christians with opportunities for ministry in the national parks, helping them to get work with a concessionairre--there are different ones in different parks, like Aramark and Foreveresorts.  In their off-time, they organize worship and do "informal" ministry for people visiting the park.


The 3 young women and one young man were lovely, energetic, clean-cut, kids from Texas, Ohio, and Arizona.  The worship was very casual, lots of spontaneous prayer from the kids, about 15-20 people were there for the 30 minute worhip, which was primarily  hymns, mostly what I would call "modern" ones, written in the 1990s or later.  Mostly about how Christ died for us.  The message was on The Lord's Prayer, which I have studied pretty extensively (for a Jewish person).  The young lady who spoke about it gave a very fresh-faced explanation--simple, sweet, like she was, nothing very deep or thought-provoking.  


The only hymn I could completely participate in was "Sanctuary," which we sing in Jewish Renewal settings and in my community, The Jewish Fellowship of Chester County, often with the Hebrew words added.  I call this a "cross-over" kind of hymn, one in which many many people can participate.

Oh lord prepare me To be a sanctuary

Pure and holy Tried and true

And with thanksgiving I’ll be a living Sanctuary For you

V'asu li mikdash v'shachanti betocham. 

(tranlsation=Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them)

The Hebrew is from Exodus/Shmot 25:8.


A woman sitting next to me started singing harmony, it was very beautiful.  I then joined in with the Hebrew, not loud, just there.  After it ended, the woman next to me said, "That was beautiful, thank you."


So my question for discussion is--does anyone feel uncomfortable with the idea of "A Christian Ministry in the National Parks," and their relationship with the employers there?  Does it smack of favoritism in hiring?  What would happen if "A Muslim Ministry in the National Parks" wanted to meet in the auditorium for worship on Fridays?  Or if Chabad sent teams of young folks to do Jewish worship and outreach in the national parks?  The young people were very clear to say that no money from the government supports their work, but the more I thought about it, the less benign I felt about it.  


I went to the ACMNP website, acmnp.com, to try to figure out how they coordinated with the concessionairres, but could not.  


Let me hear what you think....