For those in attendance at the National Camp and Retreat Leaders’ Gathering in Texas in January, you’ll completely understand when I say, “Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!!!” It was such an incredible joy to know that so much of what we all do in camping ministry is hopeful, compassionate, service-oriented, environmentally conscious, and designed to bring others to know the loving embrace of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. We have all committed ourselves, whether our service is paid or volunteer, to welcoming diverse people of all ages, facilitating faith-building challenges, providing environments for encountering God, and regularly hearing life-changing testimonies.
My exposure to Christian camping started at Jumonville in Western PA during Hurricane Agnes as an 8th grader, and despite not having a dry item of clothing all week way back then, each of the subsequent 52 summers (except 2020) I have made it a priority to return to camp. During the 3 summers of my college years, I was on paid Program Staff that rotated among the 3 sites in Western PA: Wesley Woods, Jumonville, and Camp Allegheny. I was given the opportunity to direct 3 different camps, one at each site, during my third summer. It was clear to me then that it was a much better choice than being a bank teller to get business experience. I remember telling my father that “this is the last time in my life that I can get paid for something I love to do.” After moving to the Lehigh Valley, I volunteered as a counselor and Program Director at Pocono Plateau, Innabah, and Gretna Glen in Eastern PA. Coming full circle, I moved back to the Pittsburgh area in 2019 and have volunteered as a Dean at Jumonville since then.
All of those experiences have given me a love for Christian camping that is not site-specific. We all know many others whose experiences are all about where they were when “it” happened, but for me, I encountered God in all of these places and know that the sites that we provide are simply the settings that God uses to reach many more people than would be possible at a single location. I believe the nationwide United Methodist camping program is as good as it gets, and the bi-annual UMCRM National Gatherings reinforce that for me every time.
This year, when we were all asked on the first night of the Gathering to help fund a special initiative for the National Summer Staff Exchange Program, I felt a nudge. I knew that the entire cost of $12,500 was more than I had ever given to any single need, but it wouldn’t happen if someone didn’t step up. I knew that having camping experiences in different settings had changed my life and given me a vision for camp and retreat ministries that wasn’t site-specific. I knew that after 52 years, it was time to encourage others to have similar experiences. As a volunteer Program Director, I have learned more than anything that it is my job to invite and God does the calling. I was called to teach high school math and computer science so I could volunteer every summer for 45 years, but I am so very thankful for those within the UMCRM community who have committed your lives to making this a life-long vocation.
If the Summer Staff Exchange initiative adds to your ranks and sustains the pipeline of dedicated, highly-skilled, and visionary Christian camping leaders, it will be well worth my financial investment. In closing, I’m inviting you, especially camp supporters who are older and not actively involved professionally, to consider how God is calling you to give back. Please join me in inspiring and equipping dedicated United Methodist Camp leaders for future generations.
Carlen Blackstone has served as a summer staffer, volunteer dean, and camping board member at various United Methodist camps across Pennsylvania for over 50 years. She has provided foundational funding support for the new UMCRM Summer Staff Exchange Program.
Thank you, Carlen, for your passion and generosity!
