Beaver Lake, Saratoga, New York
The Sister’s search for a new location and the Diocese of Albany’s plans for a Spiritual Life Center both took a significant step towards realization at a joint meeting of the Diocesan Standing Committee, Trustees, Council, and Commission on Ministry on Saturday, November 3 at St George’ s Church in Clifton Park.
Mother Miriam and Sister Mary Jean left Peekskill at 6:30 that morning, in the rain. We reached St. George’s at 9 for a 9:30 meeting, to find the sun out and many of the group already gathered. By 9:30 some 55 people had arrived
The meeting took the form of an “all-day” Eucharist, a business meeting, a fellowship meal, and some networking time, all rolled into one — and everything fitted together. We began, seated around a table in the parish hall, with the Liturgy of the Word and a couple of hymns.
Matt Baker, director of the Diocese’s present conference center at Beaver Cross, explained how he had come to be convinced that simply upgrading Beaver Cross, an option that was considered carefully, was not adequate to meet present or future needs. Mother Miriam spoke about the Sisters’ role in the projected Center. The Sisters’ presence will serve as a nucleus of the ongoing prayer of the whole body, both by direct active prayer support and by a quiet undergirding. Father John Sorenson, chairman of the site selection committee, then explained at some length how the committee had visited a number of sites and finally agreed unanimously to recommend the Beaver Lake site in Saratoga County. Then we sang another hymn and broke for lunch. The Council and Trustees met separately over lunch, and each voted unanimously to accept the committee’s recommendation of a site and to proceed with negotiations for purchase and with the various needed studies.
After lunch half of us piled into cars and drove to the completely undeveloped and heavily wooded site. We tramped through the woods to a clearing overlooking the once and future thirty-acre lake. The beaver breached their dam forming this lake a few years ago, so it is now Lake Maybe. Bishop Herzog finished the Eucharist on the hood of the Beaver Cross pickup truck.
Photo courtesy of
Fr. John Sorensen, Trinity, Plattsburgh
The Beaver Lake property is in the town of Greenfield, just north of Saratoga Springs, and a few minutes’ drive on good county roads from the Northway/I-87. It comprises 280 acres of woods and is approximately square. Preliminary engineering studies report that repair of the dam is quite feasible, and the plan is to restore the lake for non-motor boating. The environmental engineers and architectural consultants have begun the master plan for a conference center, a youth camp space, the convent, and a library resource center. Studies have been begun on water, environmental and wetlands regulations, and local zoning laws.
Those involved in this planning, including Mother Miriam representing the Sisters, are all very excited about its prospects. A number of things in the process seem to say that God is very much at work here. The committee members originally had widely differing opinions, and all of them have changed their minds several times.
The Beaver Lake property was not even on the original short list. Yet the final decisions have all been unanimous. And the property is almost exactly where the first finger was put on the map, saying, “This is where the perfect spot would be to suit everyone in the Diocese.” Many people are praying for the development of this center; As Bishop Herzog reminded us, “Unless the Lord build the house, their labor is in vain that build it.” At this time it looks very much as though the Lord wills to build this house, with the prayers and support of many people. +