Leadership in some key roles in the Tennessee Annual Conference Camping Ministries will be changing soon, and the future looks bright. The Tennessee Conference Board of Camp and Retreat Ministries is pleased to announce that Sarah Ratz will serve as the new Director at Beersheba Springs Assembly starting in September. Rev. Dickie Hinton, who has served over the past 30+ years as a camper, leader, board member, Tennessee Conference Camping Board Chair, Site Director, and as Conference Camping Executive Director, will retire December 31. Russell Casteel, current Director at Cedar Crest Camp, will now also assume the role of Tennessee Conference Camping Executive Director following Dickie’s retirement.

Ratz (pronounced "Rates") comes to Beersheba Springs with over 10 years experience as Director of Judson Collins United Methodist Center in Onsted, Michigan. She also has served as the North Central Jurisdiction representative to the United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association since 2015. Ratz has a positive Christian, team-building style of leadership and a proven record of success in her past professional positions. As the Director of Beersheba Springs Assembly, Ratz will oversee all aspects of the conference center, including hospitality, food service, maintenance, program development and office management. Her leadership will also strengthen partnerships with conference and local church ministries and the local community.

"I'm beyond excited to join the Tennessee Conference and the amazing staff at Beersheba Springs Assembly in ministry," said Ratz. "I believe that God has been preparing me for this role and I'm looking forward to all of the amazing ways that God will continue to move at Beersheba."

Ratz will work closely with Russell Casteel in his new Executive Director role to further the mission and ministry of Beersheba Springs Assembly and Tennessee Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries. Russell says,

I could not be more excited to have Sarah with us in Tennessee. She is a camp professional, and I know that leaders and camps around the country appreciate her gifts and graces in camp and retreat ministry. Sarah is a perfect fit at Beersheba Springs to carry the torch that Dickie Hinton helped keep lit for so many seasons. I’m forever grateful for our United Methodist connection and our camping certification program. From Mississippi to Michigan and now to Tennessee we get to share in connectional work together!  If not for that program, I would never have met Dickie OR Sarah; now I have the joy to call them friends in ministry and do the good work of camp and retreat together with trusted colleagues. Thanks be to God for our connection!

A farewell for Sarah in Michigan is being held this Sunday September 3, at Springville UMC from 2-5pm. The church is located at 10341 Springville Hwy, Onsted, MI 49265; (517) 467-4471.