The Western Diocese of the Episcopal Church and Waynesville artist Teresa Pennington are teaming up to help the church raise money to renovate the recently purchased 299-acre Lake Logan tract and its surrounding buildings.

The church purchased the land and buildings from Champion International last year as part of a consortium that worked with The Conservation Fund to buy more than 4,000 acres from the papermaker. The other organizations who ended up owning parts of the tract were the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the U.S. Forest Service and the Boy Scouts.

The Episcopal Church plans to relocate its youth camp to the site, but it won’t be ready to begin operations until 2002. For now, church officials are in the midst of an $8 million capital campaign to pay off the $3 million mortgage for the property and have money left over to complete renovations.
The color print by Pennington is available for $85 from the T. Pennington Art Gallery on North Main Street in Waynesville. Pennington is donating a portion from the sale of each print to the Lake Logan Episcopal Center capital campaign.

The lake property has, since the lake was built by Champion, been off limits to anyone except a few Champion employees. It will soon, however, be the home of Camp Henry, a camp for young people that has outgrown its old site in Black Mountain. Camp Henry has been a part of the Episcopal ministry since the 1950s. The Black Mountain site was recently sold to Montreat College.

In addition to the youth camp, however, The Rt. Rev. Robert H. Johnson, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina, said the site has the potential to become one of the most well used by the church. The land around the lake can never be developed due to protected covenants. He said the Lake Logan property, once its 28 buildings are renovated, will be able to accommodate any number of church-related activities, including retreats, seminars, and adult programs. There are also plans to offer environmental education programs for school children and young adults, Elderhostel programs, to build a trail system, and a “group challenge” course.

“... now people see the opportunity for parish weekends, vestry retreats, clergy conferences, music camps, and environmental camps  all sorts of future programs,” said a recent article in the Highland Episcopalian, the newsletter of the Western Diocese.

“This capital campaign presents a great opportunity to Episcopalians and others in western North Carolina to turn Lake Logan Episcopal Center into an extraordinary home for Camp Henry and the many other ministries that we envision,” said John Morrison, one of the co-chairs of the capital campaign committee.

If the $5 million investment in new construction and renovations occur on the property, it will make Haywood County home to major sites for two Christian denominations. The Lake Junaluska Assembly has been a major meeting and gathering place for Methodists since it was built in the early 1900s.

Bob Brannon, who helped put together the coalition of groups that purchased the Lake Logan tract, said the economic and educational impact of what the Episcopal Church is doing should not be overlooked.

“You know, having a group like the Episcopal Church make such a significant investment in Haywood County is good for everyone one, not just Episcopalians,” Brannon said. “We all know what Lake Junaluska means for us in terms of the economy, and now the Episcopal Church is going to be bringing people and youths here from all over the region.”

Brannon said he can’t think of a better spot than Lake Logan for youths to learn about the environment of Western North Carolina.

“On behalf of Episcopalians in Western North Carolina and all people interested in the conservation of Lake Logan, I thank Teresa Pennington for this beautiful drawing and the prints she is offering for sale. Her generosity in sharing the proceeds from the sale of the prints is an example of the good spirit of the people in Western North Carolina,” Johnson said at a small gathering last week in Pennington’s downtown Waynesville gallery.

Johnson also pointed out that the Lake Logan Episcopal Center and Camp Henry are not reserved just for Episcopalians. He said youths from other denominations attend programs at Camp Henry now.

Only 1,500 prints are available for sale. In addition, Pennington has produced 350 smaller prints, which are for sale for $12, and 350 sets of note cards, which are for sale at $15. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these items also will be donated to the fund drive.

Information about the Lake Logan print may be obtained by calling T. Pennington Art Gallery at 828.452.9284.

 

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