How did you come to be involved with camp ministry?
Funny you should ask that question, since I came about being involved in an interesting way. When I graduated from college, there was yet another depression in the economy, so I needed to think about what I wanted to do. I decided I needed to go somewhere where I would be paid to think about my future. I ended up in the Army Reserves. I went there like Private Benjamin without a clue as to what it would take to be in this man’s army! Anyway, long story short, while in basic training, we went to boot camp where we camped out and played army. It was there that I discovered that I could love camping if I had better equipment and better circumstances going on outside of my tent. Moving forward a few years, I became acquainted with United Methodist Camp Ministry while volunteering at my church offices, Genesis UMC in Milpitas, California. At that time, Junius Dotson (now General Secretary of Discipleship Ministries) was my minister. He had started a high school camp named Camp David. As he and the staff were planning for camp, I asked if I could volunteer, he said yes, and the rest is history! My first UMC camp experience was at Lodestar, a camp in the California-Nevada Annual Conference. I absolutely loved my camp experiences from the very start and I have been involved with camp ever since, almost 20 years later!
Where have you served? Also, tell us about what else you do?
After being a camp counselor for about 10 years, what I call "boots on the ground," I had the pleasure of being kicked upstairs to the Cal-Neva board. I have served on the board for about 10 years. Being a member of the board has allowed me to contribute to camp in different ways, but I often miss my boots-on-the-ground experiences. I must admit, though, I am not sure that I could handle those Leap of Faith and other high ropes elements the way I used to! As a result of being active with the Cal-Neva board, I was blessed to be invited to become a member of the United Methodist Church and Retreat Ministry.
While serving on the UMCRM Association Board, I have continued to meet wonderful people who are involved in camp and who regularly confirm my motto that “Camp People are Great”! When I joined the board of UMCRM I noticed that I have a lot to learn. I gave myself a break because I also realized that I was probably the only person on the board who does not work with the United Methodist Church or camp. In my day job I am an attorney/mediator for the State of California. So it’s no wonder I lack the camp/retreat ministry expertise that my fellow board members have. When UMCRM offered the Immersion Experience this January, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the first Immersion Class, hoping to gain even more knowledge in a deeper and quicker manner. It was a great, great opportunity to meet more wonderful camp people but also to be immersed in the United Methodist way of camp. If you have the opportunity to take this class, I highly recommend it. [ed. note: the UMCRM Immersion Experience will be offered again in January 2020!] If you ask me what else I do, anyone who knows me knows that the great loves of my life are camp, my family, volunteering with my sorority, and hanging out at the lake with my husband and friends.
What are the greatest blessings of camp for you?
One of the greatest blessings of camp for me is being a part of the joy that I see camp bringing to the kids who come. For instance, in my first year of being a camp counselor, I met a young lady who was in need of attention. I was there to give it to her, and I know I helped change her path. As a result, my own life was changed. When it is right, it is so right. I see kids “get it” there at camp; I see camp profoundly affect their lives and the lives of all who they touch. But to be honest, the greatest blessing of camp for me is what it does for me. I always feel closest to God at camp. Some of my favorite places in the world are at camps, Lodestar being number one for obvious reasons.
How would you like to see the UMCRM Association respond to our ministry's greatest challenge(s)?
OMG, I would like to see our camps become more ethnically diverse. If you are reading this article, you know how great camp is. I want the greatness of camp to be shared with a large number of ethnically diverse kids. Being African American myself, I definitely want more African American kids to have these wonderful camp experiences. I am optimistic; so optimistic that I think we could solve half the world’s problems at camp! Let’s keep this thing going!
What would you like the UMCRM community to know about you?
In the movie Field of Dreams, the visionary child promised, “if you build it, they will come.” I keep hearing that message when I think about what God wants me to do and how God might use all my years in camp. If I could create the camp that I wanted to create, the camp that I think God wants me to create, that camp would be predominantly African American. For some reason, at least in Northern California, not that many African Americans go to camps. But I believe that if I build it, they will come, and it will be great! I have had the honor to experience a predominantly African American camp that was the most awesome camp that I have ever witnessed. Mine may not be as awesome as Kids Across America (whose mission it is to build Christian leaders,) a highly-funded ministry beautifully located on the water in Branson, Missouri. But if I can achieve this dream, I will have accomplished one of the greatest missions in my life. I want to see many more of God’s children becoming disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world through camp. These new disciples need to be diverse. I am scared, but I know I can make this vision a reality.
Thanks, Sharon, for your service with the UMCRM Association and beyond, and for taking the time to help us all get to know you better. We hope you will realize your camp dream, and we hope some of us can be a part of making it come true.
