In granting the American Camp Association $40 million, the Lilly Foundation determined that character and its formation among campers and staff is a crucial matter for study and implementation. The UMCRM Association was one of 14 camp networks to receive a 2026 planning grant to strategize for implementation in 2027-29.
So, what is character? Philosopher Lao Tzu said: “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
Given this, character as a concept is value-neutral. It is what we think, say, do, repeat, and become as humans in this world. In the "Tale of Two Wolves," a Cherokee parable, an elder teaches his grandson that an internal battle rages within everyone, imagined as two wolves: one evil (anger, envy, greed, ego) and one good (joy, peace, love, kindness). Which of the wolves will prevail? The one we feed the most.
As United Methodist followers of Jesus in camp and retreat ministry, we are in the business of character formation as we lead discipleship programs. And those of us who lead are characters, too! How can we help our campers and staff to spend more time and effort feeding the good wolf within? How do we set about a disciplined life to feed the good wolf within ourselves?
The UMCRM grant from ACA focuses on three aspects of character: Spirituality, Integrity, and Leadership. We believe that spiritual practices help form the integrity of our leaders as disciples. Over the next few months, we will be developing a strategy to implement a targeted character/discipleship effort for camp and retreat leaders at every level: volunteers, executives, board members, seasonal and year-round staff.
We need your help in responding to surveys and participating in focus groups to assess where we are now, where we need to go, and what we need to do to get there. Please pray that this wonderful opportunity may bear fruit in all of our shared ministries. Stay tuned for updates and ways to engage in our Character At Camp Initiative in the coming weeks and months.
Meet the UMCRM Character At Camp Initiative Co-Coordinators:
Dr. Gabby McHarg serves as the Director of Children and Family Ministries at Fuquay-Varina United Methodist Church (NC). After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill and the University of Cambridge with degrees in developmental psychology, Gabby taught preschool and was a postdoctoral researcher and later the Assistant Director of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development. In 2022, Gabby followed God's call to combine her education and skills in child development with her passion for ministry with children of all ages and abilities by joining the staff at FVUMC full time, and is excited to continue to blend all of her gifts and experiences together with UMCRM. She brings United-Methodist-grounded faith, research skills, and expertise in children's faith development to her leadership in the Character At Camp Initiative.
Rev. David Berkey has been a United Methodist Conference-level camp and retreat executive for 31 years in Eastern PA, Florida, Cal-Pac, and Michigan, and recently retired from that role. He served as a pastor, youth and camp leader in the NY Conference for 15 years before entering camp ministry full-time. David has served on the national boards of the American Camp Association, the National Council of Churches Outdoor Ministries Committee, and the UMCRM Board of Directors/National Camp & Retreat Committee. He is an ACA accreditation visitor, has taught faith formation in the UM Camp and Retreat Certification program, and is a regular workshop leader at regional and national events. After having served in a volunteer capacity on the design team for the Inside Out ecumenical summer camp curriculum for 25 years, David has now stepped into the role of Project Manager. David brings deep knowledge and experience of the UMCRM context and a passion for Christian spiritual leadership to his role with UMCRM's Character at Camp Initiative.
