An Introduction to Canonicus

The first Canonicus

Many of our guests ask us where the name "Canonicus" came from and how it relates to our Baptist Camp and Conference Center. We are proud to be part of a tradition that has roots in the very birth of our nation. Canonicus was Sachem of the Narragansett tribe at the time of Roger Williams, a settler (and a Baptist!) responsible for founding the state of Rhode Island. Our site is situated very close to the area that Canonicus and his people called home.

The generous nature and commitment to peace of Canonicus was evidenced in 1638, when Canonicus and his brother Miantonomi gave Williams a great tract of land, which included all of the Providence area and beyond. In 1883 a memorial to this great leader was erected in Providence, to commemorate the man of whom Roger Williams said, "were it not for Canonicus...Rhode Island would not be."



The development of Canonicus

Canonicus Camp and Conference Center came into being in 1948 under the name 'Baptist Plantations'. This followed the acquisition of the 157 acre Sweet farm by the American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island (ABCORI). We have been running a resident camp program on the site every summer since and a day camp for nearly as long! The site was developed to include extensive woodlands and meadows and a 20 acre lake, giving us the ideal surroundings for both traditional camp programming and getting away from it all to focus on God. Over the years a number of special gifts have established some of the most precious areas of camp, including the Outdoor Chapel and Prayer Island. In the past decade our ministry has expanded to meet the needs of local congregations and the community, in addition to children.

As we became more aware of the ever growing need for people to have space to think and learn where they could appreciate the beauty of God's environment, Canonicus instituted a program of growth that continues to this day. These developments have included the establishment of three retreat houses and a modern conference center, designed to allow people to enjoy our facility in comfort without detracting from the beauty that surrounds them. These aims are reflected in our mission statement, formulated in 1995:

"The mission of Canonicus Camp and Conference Center is to extend and enhance the ministry of local congregations of the American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island to the community by providing opportunities and resources for spiritual and personal nurture, and for creative recreation and education in the context of God's natural environment."

The camp hymn

This song, written by Paul Shaub (former camp director) to the tune of the Ash Grove, is currently displayed in Shaub Lodge, used as a dining hall for summer camp. It reflects the sense of wonder and beauty that Canonicus provides. Our motto "to sense our belonging with all God has made" comes from the last stanza.

Oh Lovely Creation
(To the traditional tune "Ashgrove")

Oh, lovely creation,
Thy charm is before me.
Thy beauty enchants
And thy vistas appeal,
Thy woodlands and waters,
Green fields, noble ash tree,
And every mood of sunlight
Are refreshing to feel.

My pride and my pleasure,
To walk leisurely thy pathways,
To hear singing of thy songbirds
In forest and glade,
My profit and treasure,
To drink of thy spirit,
To sense my belonging
With all God has made.