While most Interim Directors are experienced camp leaders who have retired after along career in camp and retreat ministry, they are not the only ones who can be Interims! For younger camping professionals, serving in an interim position could be atime for personal discernment or a transitional opportunity when committing to a site for 5-20 years is not yet the right career path. The Interim Director’s class provides a way to learn new skills and decide if this is the next right way for you to serve in camp and retreat ministries.

It is now common practice for some nurses to travel around the country serving for short periods of time while also enjoying getting to know a particular locale and its culture and beauty. Similarly, trained Camp/Retreat Interims can move to camps, conference, and retreat centers for short periods, offering their expertise while enjoying the beauty of the sites and their surrounding area.

Some settled camp directors have attended the Interim Director Training to learn new skills for leading during a liminal time – when you know you cannot go back to the way things were, but cannot know where you are going. These days, we are all leading through liminal time, as the church and society change in ways that cause anxiety and conflict. The Interim Director Training addresses working with and within anxious systems.

This year's Interim Director course will be offered in a weekly online format with an optional one-day in-person component following the Great Gathering at Lake Junaluska. Participants will create a community of practice that they can continue to connect with as they move into serving in new ways and places.

Gareth Kalfas, Executive Director of Chanco on the James, the summer camp and retreat center of the Diocese of Southern Virginia, offers this testimonial: 

"I have attended multiple training sessions led by Melinda Trotti and highly respect her as a trainer. Melinda clearly understands our field and does a great job delivering content in a way that trainees understand. She has both the real world experience and the background knowledge that anyone hoping to become an Interim Director needs. I would highly recommend that anyone considering taking their first Interim position attend the Interim Director Training with Melinda."

Learn more about the Interim Director Training and Register Now