UMCRM Association Blog

Shaping the Future of UMCRM Together

Jen Burch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 23:50:17 GMT

Across our network, there’s a shared awareness that this is a meaningful moment in the life of camp and retreat ministry.

Leaders are navigating changing participation patterns, evolving expectations around faith formation, and ongoing questions about staffing, sustainability, and connection to the broader Church. At the same time, we continue to see the deep and lasting impact of this ministry. Lives are being shaped, leaders are being formed, and communities are being strengthened.

It’s also a natural moment for us to pause and look ahead. UMCRM’s current strategic initiatives will conclude at the beginning of 2027. This gives us a timely opportunity to listen, discern, and set a direction that reflects where our ministries are today and where we believe God is leading us next.

A Process Grounded in Listening

This new strategic planning effort for UMCRM is rooted in a simple but important commitment: to listen well. We began our work by paying close attention to the small group conversations that took place during the Association Meeting at the Great Gathering. Many of you shared thoughtful reflections, challenges, and hopes for the future of our ministries. That feedback is already helping to ground this process in the lived realities of our network.

From there, we have moved into a season of deeper listening. Right now, we are conducting interviews with a diverse group of members, partners, and constituents, ensuring that a wide range of voices and experiences are shaping what comes next. In April, we will invite the full UMCRM community to participate in an online feedback survey. This will be an important opportunity for everyone to contribute perspective, insight, and hope for the future.

At every step, this work will be guided by what we are hearing. The data will not simply inform the process—it will drive the direction of UMCRM’s work over the next three to four years. This effort is being guided by Mitzie Schafer (UMCRM Board of Directors & GSB Fundraising), who is bringing both expertise and deep understanding of our ministry context to the process. She is working alongside a Strategic Planning Team made up of UMCRM volunteers, as well as the Board. Together, this group is helping to create a process that is thoughtful, inclusive, and grounded in the real experiences of camp and retreat ministry. At the same time, this is not simply a board-level initiative. It is a shared effort across the entire UMCRM community. The future we are shaping belongs to all of us.

What to Expect in the Months Ahead

As we move forward, the process will continue to unfold in a clear and intentional way:

Now through spring: Listening through interviews and broad community input
April: Full-network survey launches
Summer: Continued reflection and preparation by the Strategic Planning Team
August: Deep analysis of what we’ve heard and development of recommendations
Early November: Adoption of a new strategic plan by the Board

We are still early in the process. While the Board has begun exploring feedback from the Association Meeting, the deeper work of identifying themes and shaping recommendations will take place later this summer as all of the data comes together.

This process is not just about organizational direction; it’s about strengthening the ministries you lead every day. The insights gathered through this effort will help shape how UMCRM:

Supports leadership development
Creates meaningful connections across the network
Develops resources that meet today’s needs
Advocates for the value and impact of camp and retreat ministry

In short, this work will help ensure that UMCRM continues to serve as a strong, relevant, and forward-looking partner in your ministry.

An Invitation to Be Part of What’s Next

You will have opportunities in the coming months to share your voice, reflect on your experiences, and help shape what comes next for UMCRM. When those invitations come we hope you will engage fully. Your perspective matters, and it will help shape the direction of this shared ministry.

This is a meaningful moment for UMCRM. Not just to plan, but to listen, to discern, and to move forward together with clarity and purpose. We’re grateful to be on this journey with you.

Reusable Water Balloons: A Camp-Tested Review - Guest Post by Kelley Price & Neena Selfridge

Jen Burch — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:14:29 GMT

Camp and water games – the perfect combination. I love the smiles on the faces and the joyous laughter as campers play games to get each other and themselves soaking wet. But I dreaded the hours filling up and tying disposable water balloons. No matter how you stored them after filling them up, a good portion of them would pop before they were even used. Then when it was time, the balloons were used once and over with. Finally, of course, there was the clean-up. Disposable water balloons are a massive pain to clean up. You have to pick up a gazillion pieces afterwards, and inevitably, some always get left on the ground. Not great for program flow and definitely not great for the environment.

I had heard of and researched “reusable water balloons” a bit; but I just wasn’t totally sold. However, after using the reusable water balloons that Neena Selfridge, Summer Program Director at Camp Penn, brought along with her last summer at camp; I saw the light!

Here's Neena's take:

I have used two different kinds of "reusable water balloons" for my Pre-K - 2nd Grade Day Camp (about 50 campers) for the last two summers at Camp Penn, and I have also been involved in leading/setting up water games programming for elementary age sleepaway camps for the last two years. I have used the more popular kind, which is the silicone/soft rubber ones with magnet closure that you fill with water. I also tried a less common variety off of Amazon which is like a very large. dense cotton pom pom. I would say both have their pros and cons.

PROS:

Both varieties of reusable balloons require very minimal clean up (just picking up the items and leaving them out to dry or running the pom pom variety through a dryer).
Both kinds can be used over and over, not just year-to-year or event to event, but also many times within the same activity.
Both kinds are easy to store, most varieties coming with some sort of a mesh bag to keep them in.
Both kinds can be dropped into buckets or (preferably) kiddy pools full of water right before the activity and kids can self-fill/wet them over and over again.
Both kinds are more sturdy than the typical single use water balloon, so are easier for little kids or children with poor motor skills to use without breaking them immediately.
Both kinds are a major cost saver because bunch-a-balloons (the best disposable option) are pricey even when they're purchased on sale.
Activities or free play with reusable water balloons lasts a LOT longer than with the disposable variety.

CONS:

If you do not let either variety fully dry out before storing them, they smell kind of smelly/gross.
With the silicone magnet kind of reusable water balloons, if they are thrown at someone's face or thrown too hard at anyone, the magnet can hurt or even bruise someone.
The easiest and most effective way to set up either kind of reusable water balloon is to fill one or more small pools and then dump them on in there, but this does take time to fill with a hose.

Overall, I definitely have come to prefer reusable water balloons over disposable ones and I actually prefer the large pom-pom variety to the silicone ones for little kids. They don't mind the difference, and no danger of anyone getting a magnet to the face!

Think about all the time you will save having the campers refill their own water balloons! The fun will be part of the filling up process! And not having to pick up all the balloon pieces is a huge time saver and blessing to the environment!

The opinions shared here are from Kelley Price, Dean at Wesley Forest Camp, and Neena Selfridge, Summer Program Director at Camp Penn and volunteer at Wesley Forest (Susquehanna Conference Camps, PA). They are for the benefit of fellow UMCRM members and friends and are not an endorsement of any specific product, nor does this reflect an official position of the UMCRM Association, although we appreciate the commitments to thrift, safety, maximum fun, and Creation care!

Engaging With Character At Camp: Feeding The Wolf + Meet Our Team

Jen Burch — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 06:03:04 GMT

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.

Raising Leaders: Who Shows Up and Who They Become

Jen Burch — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 19:55:37 GMT

Every summer begins the same way. Cars pull in. Luggage is unloaded. Nervous laughter mixes with anticipation. Young adults step onto camp property carrying excitement, uncertainty, hope, and more than a few invisible burdens. They arrive with resumes half-written, faith still forming, leadership they don’t yet recognize, and questions they’re not always ready to say out loud.

Over the past several months, this blog series has explored what the 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study reveals about these young adults who serve at our camps, and about the environments we create for them. We’ve looked closely at what motivates today’s staff, how support and agency shape their growth, why burnout is not inevitable, where training makes the biggest difference, and how leadership emerges in the lived experience of camp. This final post draws those threads together, returning us to the people at the heart of the data: the young adults who arrive at camp each summer and the leaders they are becoming through the experience.

Who Shows Up at Camp

Nearly 800 summer staff from 47 UMCRM camps participated in this study, offering one of the clearest snapshots we’ve ever had of the people saying “yes” to this work.

The median age was 20.
More than half (56%) were returning staff, many coming back to the same camp.
Only 41% identified as United Methodist, meaning most arrived from other Christian traditions or backgrounds.
16% identified as LGBTQIA+.
18% identified as people of color.
11% were international staff.

Our camps are welcoming young people with diverse backgrounds and stories. Faithful stories. Questioning stories. Joyful stories. Heavy stories. And all of them matter.

What They Carry With Them

Most staff arrived with some connection to faith. Nearly three-quarters grew up as regular church participants, many with experience in camp, mission trips, or youth ministry. And yet, the study reminds us that faith formation doesn’t end with familiarity.

By the end of the summer:

93% said their personal faith was strengthened
91% said camp gave them greater clarity about their life direction or calling

At the same time, many staff reported feeling unsure about leading faith conversations or offering spiritual guidance, especially in unplanned, vulnerable moments. This isn’t disinterest; it’s faith still taking shape.

Camp doesn’t meet young adults after formation is complete. It meets them in the middle of it.

The Weight They Don’t Always Name

The data also reveals something we can’t afford to ignore.

At the beginning of the summer:

40% of staff had no mental health indicators
41% had one or two indicators
19% had three or four indicators

In other words, nearly 60% arrived carrying at least one mental health concern. Anxiety. Overwhelm. Trouble sleeping. Feeling very down or hopeless. Thoughts of self-harm. Questions about identity and worth.

These staff weren’t less capable. But they were more vulnerable to burnout, to exhaustion, and to environments where support was inconsistent. And yet, many still grew. They grew because camp didn’t ask them to be perfect. It asked them to show up.

Belonging Is Not Experienced the Same Way

One of the most sobering findings emerged when researchers looked at support and agency across demographics.

While 18% of respondents identified as people of color, only 9% of staff in high-support/agency environments were people of color. In contrast, 20% of staff in low-support/agency environments identified as people of color.

The data doesn’t explain why people of color are feeling less supported, but it does invite reflection on ways camps could adapt and improve systems of support. Because the research findings clearly show that support and agency impact growth, faith outcomes, leadership confidence, and burnout, camp leaders must take seriously our commitment to equity in this area.

Belonging must be designed. Support must be intentional. Agency must be shared.

Who They Become by Summer’s End

Despite everything staff carry (and sometimes because of it,) the transformation is real.

By the end of the summer:

98% said they grew in their leadership abilities
97% said the camp experience had a significant positive impact on their life
98% said they had a positive impact on specific young people
94% said they felt more confident in themselves

Last summer, leadership wasn’t taught in theory. It was formed in cabins, kitchens, chapels, and quiet moments of responsibility. Last summer, camp didn’t remove challenge. It paired challenge with meaning. This is where the truest value of a United Methodist summer staff experience is found.

The Heart of the Matter

This series has never been about perfect programs or flawless summers. It’s been about designing experiences that meet young adults where they are and walk with them toward who they are becoming.

The data has shown us:

Purpose matters more than pay

Support and agency change outcomes

Burnout results from systems, not weakness

Practice builds confidence

Leadership grows when trust is real

Belonging must be intentional

Most of all, it has shown us that camp remains one of the church’s most powerful formation spaces, precisely because it holds complexity with care. Each of these insights drawn from the research inspires possible action items, shifts in policy or practice, and new ways to bring intentionality to helping summer camp staff thrive.

A Closing Word

Every summer, young adults trust us with a season of their lives. They bring their questions. They bring their faith. They bring their whole selves. What they become next is shaped, in part, by what they experience with us. Thank you for the faithful, demanding, holy work of raising leaders—often before they know they are ready.

This concludes Raising Leaders: New Data Every Camp Director Should Know. To explore the full research behind this series, you’re invited to read the complete 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study Findings Report.

Celebrating 2025 Solomon Cramer Grant Projects - Part 2

Jen Burch — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 03:18:02 GMT

Since 2017, the Solomon Cramer Fund has supported sending young people to United Methodist camps. The annual grants have helped camps to develop innovative programs and reach new people in new places, widening the circle of leadership and campership.

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage UMC camps to consider the breadth of our ministries by focusing on the following four priorities:

Experiences that minister with youth living in poverty
The intentional development of young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership with Camp & Retreat Ministries
Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation
Opportunities for increasing racial/ethnic diversity within ministry participation and leadership.

Twenty-one programs received Solomon Cramer Fund grants in 2025, the most that have been funded in a single year. This week, the UMCRM Association is celebrating a second installment of completed programs. Every year we are inspired by the ways grant recipient camps are extending God’s love to young people who might not otherwise have an opportunity to experience camp.

Grow Day Camps/Experiential Leadership Institute - North GA Conference

Camperships were funded for 10 day campers from low-income and racially diverse families in metro Atlanta, hosted by Impact Church. Grow Day Camp provides access to camp experiences for families previously untouched by NGCRM overnight camps. The mobile camp program includes faith-based learning and youth mentorship, and supports leadership development through the Experiential Leadership Institute (ELI) for high schoolers. It aims to foster community, spiritual formation, and self-confidence.

Joaquin, a rising 5th grader, started the week apprehensively, but it was clear after the first day that he was going to have a wonderful week. Every day, Joaquin looked forward to Grow Day Camp. At Grow, Joaquin was able to participate in worship, field games, archery, crafts, and so many fun activities. More than anything, Joaquin looked forward to spending time with his counselors and the other campers in his living group. "It feels like the group actually cares about me," Joaquin shared, "I already know I really want to come back to Grow Camp next year, and I want to tell my friends to 'Come to Camp,' too!"

Each week, Grow campers spend one day out of their camp session going to Glisson Camp and Retreat Center, a sister ministry in North Georgia. This day trip provides an opportunity for Grow campers to see some of the overnight camping opportunities available to them. Plus, this provides an opportunity for sites even in the heart of the city to spend intentional time in nature. On this day trip, campers go on creek hikes, play at the pool, and have lunch at Cane Creek Falls. This adventure to Glisson was the high point of Joaquin's week. "I love swimming at the waterfall!" Joaquin yelled, "It feels just like Disney World!"

Mental Health At Camp - Pecometh (MD)

This project introduced a part-time mental health support role into summer camp programming to enhance camper and staff well-being. The position provided training on inclusivity and mental wellness, allowing more campers and staff—especially those from diverse backgrounds—to thrive. The goal was to retain staff and provide spiritual and emotional safety that encourages return campers and future leaders.

Diego, a returning staff member, was initially apprehensive about serving at camp without his cousin and was unsure about his ability to stay on and succeed. Extra mental health support enabled him to excel. He quickly stepped into leadership roles and was a trusted member of the staff. He overcame his adversity and was able to impact hundreds of our campers.

New Neighbors Become New Leaders - Potosi Pines (NV)

This initiative revives a leadership training program for teens, specifically reaching out to the Pacific Islander church community in Las Vegas. Youth from this underserved group receive year-round mentorship and are trained to become camp counselors and spiritual leaders at Potosi Pines.

Cooperative Parish Camp Initiative - Camp Quinipet (NY)

The grant funded 5 scholarships for children of formerly incarcerated women, in partnership with the New Hour nonprofit. Through a week of overnight camp, the children experience healing, fun, and spiritual nurturing in a supportive environment. The project addresses poverty and emotional trauma related to incarceration. The collaboration involves local UMC churches and the NYAC Church and Society committee.

On the way to camp for the first time from the New Hour Brentwood location, the campers were incredibly nervous, asking lots of questions about how camp works and how they will make friends here. The car ride home at the end of the week was a completely different conversation. The hesitation and worry were all gone. They felt comfortable at camp, they made friends, and they had gotten involved in new activities they hadn’t tried before. The girls in the program really came out of their shells, finding the confidence to perform for the whole camp. They had worked incredibly hard all week during their dance elective and it was an absolute pleasure to see smiles on their faces when they were performing. The boys’ cabin bonded together throughout the week and really grew as a group. As we watched them all say goodbye to each other, we could see the true friendship and connections they had made in just a week. During the drive home, the campers were exclaiming how they want to come back every year and would like to be counselors when they grow up. Seeing this passion for summer camp grow in these children and seeing their outlook change throughout the week was remarkable.

Beloved Community Day Camp Program - Susquehanna Conference (PA)

The grant supported camperships for new campers as part of a new strategic plan to help congregations connect in new ways with young people and their families. We had 4 great Beloved Community Pilots with 4 different local community settings this Fall. The goal was for the congregations to build relationships with new families in their communities through a collaborative Camp experience in the communities where the youth live. Some of the events were hosted by single churches and others were groups of churches coming together with Susquehanna Conference Camping Leaders to plan and lead the events. Close to 125 children participated, most of whom had never been to camp before. It was especially exciting to see a much higher participation among children of color in this model of camping.

Native American Culture & Faith Camp - Camp Norwesca (NE)

This initiative offers outdoor Christian camping to youth in rural western Nebraska, many from economically disadvantaged, Native American families. Activities promote environmental stewardship, spiritual formation, and leadership. Campers explore faith through devotions, peer relationships, and nature immersion.

On the final evening, during campfire worship under the stars, one camper volunteered to share a reflection, expressing gratitude for learning how faith, culture, and nature connect. They shared that the week helped them feel more confident, more curious, and more connected—to God, to others, and to the world around them. This moment reflected the heart of the week: building understanding, faith, and community through shared experiences made possible by this grant.

Helene Scholarship Fund - Camp Tekoa (NC)

This new fund provides camperships for children whose families were severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. Two campers had the opportunity for a time away from the devastation and heartbreak they are living through. While at camp they experienced God in nature, through the written and spoken Word, through caring staff and fun, meaningful activities.

One camper said it was like a breath of fresh air to get away from the destruction she sees everyday at home and be in a place where she felt safe and loved. She went on to say that she would be able to go home and tell her parents that with God, they would be able to arise from the destruction of Hurricane Helene.

Campers in Leadership Training - Pocono Plateau (PA)

This program fills a gap for up to 3 young teens (13–15) who have aged out of the day camp but are too young to stay home unsupervised. It provides a leadership training track where CILTs assist with Bible lessons and activities and are mentored by camp chaplains and staff. Camp serves a growing, underserved population in rural Pennsylvania that migrated from NYC post-COVID.

Kaeden’s mother was grateful that he spent his days outdoors, in Bible study, unplugged, and in community with others. If it was not for our program, he would have been home alone Monday through Friday while his mother worked. Kaeden stepped up quickly and showed a passion for helping younger children play games and participate in activities, even singing and dancing! It was beautiful to witness him grow in his abilities and confidence throughout the course of the summer season.

Summer Camp Fee Assistance - Camp Uskichitto (LA)

30 campers were able to attend camp through this support. Already, the camp partners with churches which fund 50% of camp fees for campers in need. This new fund covered the remaining cost for families that would not otherwise be able to pay the rest.

One mom of 7 was delighted by the inclusion of her neurodivergent children in Camp Angel Tree, for kids with an incarcerated parent. She reflected: “They accepted ALL of my kids, regardless of their background and difficulties. For the duration of my children's time at Uskichitto, they were just kids, just siblings! My over-watched and judged autistic child got to go swimming, throw axes, shoot a BB gun, use a bow and arrow! All of these things I knew he was capable of, but society doesn't always see, they see a high risk. Abel not only got to just be 12, he got to be included and not judged. He truly broke out of his shell and immersed himself in living his best life. Normally his communication is very limited; he is considered nonverbal. He spoke up during chapel and expressed his own religious views, saying, "God is good; He has a plan."

The UMCRM Association is blessed to steward this grant in Rev. Cramer's memory. He would be amazed to see how God multiplies these gifts to transform lives, strengthening individuals, churches, and communities. The application for 2026 Solomon Cramer Grants will open on February 20th.

Meet the 2027 National Gathering Design Team!

Jen Burch — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 01:25:24 GMT

We’re excited to introduce you to the Design Team and the roles they’ll be serving in:

Co-Chairs: Hope Montgomery (Camp Magruder, OR)

and Jeff Wilson (Camp Lake Stephens, MS)

UMCRM Staff: Jessica Gamache (Director, PA)

and Jen Burch (Communications & Registrar, CO)

UMCRM Board Liaison: Nick Coenen (Pine Lake, WI)

Worship Chair: Rev. Amanda Crice (TWK Conference, TN)

Marketing/Communications Chair: Audrey LeSage (Camp Glisson, GA)

Main Stage/Keynote Chair: Gillian Mager (Lazy W Ranch, CA)

Exhibitor Chair: Erik Bengston (Lake Michigan Campground, MI)

Hospitality Chair: Ryan Siver (Camp Fontanelle, NE)

Workshops Chair: Stephen Ward (Camp Lookout, GA)

We cannot wait to share more as plans continue to take shape! Stay tuned for updates on our theme, speakers, workshops and more. Be sure to save the dates: January 24-28, 2027!

Raising Leaders: “I Didn’t Know I Was a Leader Until Camp”

Jen Burch — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 05:58:37 GMT

Many summer staff don’t arrive at camp calling themselves leaders. They come to camp because a friend invited them; because they loved camp once; because they wanted to help kids have a good week; because they weren’t sure what was next, but camp felt like a place to figure that out. And then, sometimes without realizing it, they begin to lead.

The 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study names this reality clearly and consistently: Camp is one of the most effective leadership formation environments young adults experience.

Leadership Growth Was Nearly Universal

When staff were asked to reflect on their growth at the end of the summer, one outcome stood above all others. 98% of staff agreed they grew in their leadership abilities.

It wasn’t just a feeling. It showed up in multiple ways across the data:

Leadership confidence was the strongest area of growth measured from pre-summer to post-summer
Growth in leadership appeared regardless of role, experience level, or camp size
Even staff who struggled in other areas still reported leadership growth

This wasn’t accidental. It was embedded in the experience itself. Unlike classrooms or workshops, camp doesn’t teach leadership by talking about it.

It teaches leadership by asking young adults to:

Care for others when they’re tired
Make decisions in real time
Navigate conflict with compassion
Hold responsibility that actually matters
Learn from mistakes (quickly and publicly)

The study’s findings reflect that experiential model. At the end of the summer:

94% of staff agreed they felt more confident in themselves
98% agreed they had a significant positive impact on specific young people
91% agreed camp gave them greater clarity about their life direction and career

Leadership wasn’t abstract. It was lived.

Confidence Grows When Support Is Present

One of the most powerful insights emerges when leadership growth is viewed alongside support and agency. Staff who experienced high support and agency reported the strongest leadership outcomes:

99% of high-support staff agreed they felt more confident in themselves
98% said the camp experience had a significant positive impact on their life
95% reported greater clarity around vocation and calling

Leadership didn’t grow in isolation. It grew in community with others. It grew when staff felt trusted, supported, and connected to the mission.

However, it’s important to name something honestly. Leadership growth often occurred alongside exhaustion.

40% of staff finished the summer feeling exhausted or burned out

This doesn’t negate leadership formation, but it does shape how it’s remembered. Staff who experienced burnout showed weaker overall outcomes, even when leadership growth was present. The data suggests a simple truth: Leadership formation is strongest when challenge is paired with care.

What Camp Teaches That Other Spaces Don’t

Many staff named camp as the first place they:

Were trusted with real responsibility
Felt accountable to a community
Saw their actions visibly affect others
Practiced leadership rooted in values rather than performance

This is why leadership growth appeared so consistently across the data. Camp doesn’t just train leaders, it treats young adults like leaders. And they rise to that trust.

Why This Story Matters Beyond Camp

These leadership outcomes aren’t just internal wins. They are stories camp leaders can and should share with:

Boards and conference leaders
Donors and supporters
Parents and churches
Young adults discerning what comes next

Camp isn’t just staffing a summer. It’s shaping leaders who carry these skills into congregations, workplaces, and communities long after the season ends.

Try This This Month

Reach out to one former staff member, not to recruit them, but to listen. Ask them how camp shaped their leadership, confidence, or sense of calling. Then write down their words.

Those stories, paired with the data, are some of the most compelling evidence we have of why camp matters and why investing in staff formation changes lives.

Up Next in the Series

In the final post of this series, we’ll look closely at who today’s summer staff are (their faith backgrounds, mental health realities, and expectations) and what the data invites us to do differently as we care for emerging leaders.

Until then, thank you for the ways you continue to call young adults into leadership—often before they know they’re ready. Want to explore the full research behind these findings? You’re invited to dig into the complete 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study Findings Report.

Celebrating 2025 Solomon Cramer Grant Projects - Part 1

Jen Burch — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:22:09 GMT

Since 2017, the Solomon Cramer Fund has been sending young people to camp by granting scholarship funds to United Methodist conference camp/retreat ministries. Through these grants, camps have developed innovative programs that reach new people in new places, widening the circle of leadership and campership.

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage UMC camps to consider the breadth of our ministries by focusing on the following four priorities:

Experiences that minister with youth living in poverty
The intentional development of young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership with Camp & Retreat Ministries
Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation
Opportunities for increasing racial/ethnic diversity within ministry participation and leadership.

Twenty-one programs received Solomon Cramer Fund grants in 2025, the most that have been funded in a single year. The UMCRM Association celebrates the completed programs. Here are some highlights from the grant reports. We'll feature more projects next week!

IGNITE 2025 - Aldersgate (RI)

IGNITE was born from a vision of faith in action—of equipping young people with the tools to recognize injustice and the courage to respond. Because of your support, we were able to bring that vision to life. Campers met directly with lawmakers at the Rhode Island Statehouse, served at ministries working with unhoused neighbors, and reflected deeply on how their faith calls them to be agents of justice in the world. Many of the youth who participated in IGNITE shared that it was the most impactful week of their summer.

One camper described it as “eye-opening,” while another said, “I didn’t know faith could look like this, serving, learning, showing up for people.” These moments wouldn’t have been possible without you.

One of the most powerful moments of our inaugural IGNITE week came after packing lunches in the church basement. Our campers walked to a nearby park with the pastor and a caseworker from a local service provider. There, they handed out lunches, not just as an act of charity, but as a starting point for real conversations. Campers sat side-by-side with unhoused individuals, listening to their stories with compassion and respect. They watched as the caseworker moved from person to person, checking in, offering support, and helping several individuals begin the paperwork to access housing and medical services. For many campers, it was the first time they had seen social work and ministry in action, not in a classroom or a sermon, but on the sidewalk. That afternoon changed something in them. One camper shared, “I always thought helping meant just donating things. Now I see how important it is to be present, to really know people.” It was a lesson in dignity, advocacy, and incarnational ministry and a reminder of how faith becomes real when it shows up in the park with a sandwich and a listening ear.

Catalyst in Special Needs Ministry Leadership - Camp Bays Mountain (TN)

This initiative equipped youth and young adults with special needs to serve as summer camp staff, offering them roles in worship leadership, maintenance, crafts, and more.

With the generous gift of this grant, Bays Mountain brought onto the summer staff four young staff members who have special needs. They all contributed significantly to the summer program. Director Jeff Wadley says, “there is no way we could have had a successful summer camp without them.” Participants indicated that they had gained skills such as pool cleaning, using the commercial dishwasher, starting campfires, weed trimming, and laundry. They also noted that the highlight of the summer was their close community with each other. One staff member was promoted to Lead Support Staff, excelling in his ability to communicate, delegate, and problem-solve. This talented young leader will go into a skilled trade after high school and we hope he will continue to serve at camp.

Soma Partnership - Camp Lake Stephens (MS)

This project expanded a successful pilot to provide a full week of Christian day camp to Hispanic children ages 6–10 from the Tupelo, MS area. The project is made possible through a partnership with a local multi-ethnic church.

Two weeks after our camp week, the pastor of Soma called our office. Four kids were picked up by a van on the way to camp every morning in a town between CLS and Tupelo, where Soma church meets. Two of the moms met for the first time while awaiting camper pickup and dropoff. While both families were sporadic attenders at Soma Church, the moms had never met until they started conversing at daily camp pickup each morning and evening. They became friends and discovered they had grown up within 30 miles of each other in Mexico and migrated to the US to the same town of 6000 people. After the camp week, the families began meeting together once a week for dinner, also attending church together almost every Sunday. One week of day camp not only positively impacted the campers, but resulted in two families becoming great friends, sharing meals together, growing in their faith together, and leaning on each other as they navigate how to create home in their new town.

Rural UMC Outreach Scholarship - Camp Lookout (Holston, TN)

This scholarship program supported youth from three small, rural UMCs in the Holston Conference, covering 50% of camp fees. Each church worked with the campers’ families and the congregation to provide the remaining funding needed for camp tuition.

One mom reported, “Both of my boys have had wonderful experiences at Camp Lookout. It was their first time away without siblings, and they felt completely comfortable. Upon pickup, I noticed social and spiritual growth, particularly with empathy and kindness to others.”

Camper Scholarships - Ceta Canyon (TX)

56 campers (28 boys & 28 girls) attended a weekend "Mentor Camp" free of charge. The program was provided by the Potter County Sheriff's office to help build positive rapport between the School Resource Officers and youth from two schools. Sheriff Brian Thomas reflects, “We give them some Jesus, teach them how to change tires and change oil, we do Low Ropes course with them that teaches them that they have to work together to get to the end goal. We let them fish, hike, zip line and feed them, and explore Ceta Canyon and its beauty! My SRO's volunteer to come spend the weekend with the kids and we have school staff that also comes out! This is something these kids will never forget and will remember these officers for life!”

Traveling Day Camp - Camp Chestnut Ridge (NC)

This mobile day camp program partners with churches to bring camp experiences to underserved communities, including children experiencing homelessness or living in foster care. The initiative fosters long-term connections between campers, families, and local churches, offering full or partial scholarships. The program has a strong legacy of inclusivity and leadership development, especially among diverse camper populations.

Duke Memorial UMC partnered with Families Moving Forward, a local agency in Durham, NC that helps shelter children and their families while providing support for families facing housing instability. Camp staff would pick the campers up from Families Moving Forward and bring them to Duke Memorial for camp activities. During a lunch break one of the boys came up to a staff member and asked if they were able to come back next week. Camp gave them an opportunity to play, build relationships with peers and with caring adults. I believe this is an example of the love of Christ in action. This partnership, and the 12 camperships from Solomon Cramer grant funds, made it possible for these children to experience normalcy, community, and love during a time of great instability in their lives.

Summer Spirit Community Day Camp at Covenant UMC - Gretna Glen (PA)

Held in Lebanon, PA, this Day Camp program is a partnership among Covenant UMC, Transformando Vidas (a Latino church plant), Ebenezer UMC, and Gretna Glen. It serves Spanish-speaking children, many from single-parent, low-income homes, with a week of Christian day camp close to their community. Activities include games, crafts, devotions, and faith-building in a culturally responsive environment. The initiative also integrates campers and families into the local faith community.

We served 30 campers from 12 different families, 10 of whom were new to this church. After the week of camp, 4 of those families have stayed in contact with the church and the church is continuing to invite the other families to events. This church has been inspired to explore other ways to be engaged with its community.

We give thanks for the stewardship of these gifts to make Christ's love known in creative ways in so many places. Next week we'll feature more 2025 Solomon Cramer Grant project stories. The following week, the application period will open for 2026 grants.

Raising Leaders: Training Gaps and Opportunities

Jen Burch — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 04:54:17 GMT

Training Gaps and Opportunities: Where Staff Feel Least Prepared

The realization doesn’t usually happen during staff training. It happens a few days later on a bunk bed at night, on a dock at sunset, or during a walk back from the dining hall. A camper asks a hard question. Or two campers are locked in conflict. Or a moment opens that feels holy and fragile, and a summer staffer isn't sure what to do with it.

The 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study helps us name something many directors have sensed for years: our staff are deeply committed to campers, but many don’t feel fully prepared for the moments that matter most.

Training Is Working in Key Areas

In addition to being asked about their level of burnout (which we explored in the previous post in this series), at the end of the summer, staff were asked how prepared they felt after staff training in a variety of areas. By nearly every structural measure, staff training across the UMCRM network is doing important work. The strongest areas of preparation were clear:

Understanding the mission and core values of the camp
Knowing camp policies and procedures
Leading camp activities and fulfilling their primary role
Working effectively with fellow staff

Overall, 93% of staff agreed that after staff training they felt prepared and empowered for their role at camp. That’s no small thing! It speaks to the care, intention, and professionalism camp leaders bring to training. But when the data is disaggregated, an additional story begins to emerge.

Where Staff Felt Least Prepared and Why It Matters

When staff were asked to reflect on areas where they felt less prepared, a different pattern emerged. And this pattern showed up consistently across camps. The lowest-rated preparation areas were:

Leading or facilitating Bible study or devotions
Initiating conversations with campers about God and faith
Spiritually guiding camp participants
Managing camper conflict

These were not marginal gaps. They were among the lowest-rated preparedness areas across the entire survey. This matters because these skills sit at the heart of camp ministry. They are often the moments when staff feel the most pressure and the least confident.

Faith Leadership: Willing, But Unsure

One of the most important nuances in the data reveals that despite feeling underprepared in these areas, staff are having a positive impact on campers’ lives and faith. In fact:

98% of staff agreed they had a significant positive impact on specific young people
93% agreed they were strengthened in their own personal faith
91% agreed camp gave them greater clarity about life direction and calling

So what’s going on? United Methodist summer staff are stepping into these moments anyway. They’re showing up with courage, care, and heart. But many are doing so without the confidence they wish they had.

This gap doesn’t reflect a lack of commitment. The data doesn’t suggest staff lack faith. It also doesn’t suggest they lack commitment. The data suggests summer staff lack practice, which shows up as a lack of confidence. Practice and confidence are things that training can shape.

Through the survey, we learned a significant number of young adults serving on staff:

Did not grow up leading faith conversations
Worry about “saying the wrong thing”
Assume spiritual leadership requires expertise rather than presence
Feel unsure how to navigate conflict without escalating it

Training often tells staff what matters, what their tasks are, what they are required to do. What they’re asking for (implicitly) is help learning how to do it.

Connection: It’s also worth noting how these training gaps connect to burnout. We know from earlier findings that:

40% of staff finished the summer exhausted or burned out
Staff who felt unprepared in emotionally demanding areas often carried a heavier internal load

When staff feel uncertain in moments of conflict or faith guidance, those moments take more energy. Over time, that contributes to exhaustion, even when the summer is meaningful. While preparation doesn’t remove challenge, it can change how heavy the challenge feels.

What This Means for Camp Leaders

This data invites a subtle but powerful shift in how we think about staff training. Not as a transfer of information nor as spiritual instruction alone, but as rehearsal.

Rehearsal for hard conversations
Rehearsal for moments of doubt
Rehearsal for conflict, emotion, and care

Even brief practice opportunities like naming what to say, how to listen, or when to ask for help can dramatically increase confidence.

Try This This Month

Choose one moment from your upcoming staff training where faith, conflict, or emotional care is likely to surface later in the summer. Instead of adding more content, build in five minutes of practice. Here are some examples:

Invite a returning staff member to model how they responded to a hard camper question.
Walk through a real conflict scenario and name three ways a staff member might respond.
Offer simple language that gives staff permission to say, “I don’t have the perfect answer, but I’m here with you.”

These small rehearsals don’t lengthen training. They deepen it. They give staff confidence before the moment arrives and remind them they don’t lead alone.

The data suggest those few minutes could color the entire summer.

Up Next in the Series

In Post #5, we’ll turn to one of the most encouraging findings in the entire study: leadership development. We will explore why leadership growth was nearly universal, and how camps can better name, nurture, and share that story with staff, boards, and donors.

Until then, thank you for the intentional ways you prepare young adults not just to work at camp but to lead with care and courage.

Want to explore the full research behind these findings? You’re invited to dig into the complete 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study Findings Report.

Community & the Comfort Zone: Reflection on the Great Gathering - Guest Post by Katie Lamoureux

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:58:17 GMT

It’s always fun to be the “new kid,” right? Where do you sit at lunch? Who are the cool kids? As one of the newer conference camping executives, I definitely arrived at the UMCRM Executive Summit and the OMC Great Gathering feeling like the new kid. What I discovered instead was a community that welcomed me with open arms. Camp people, after all, tend to be a little nerdy—and probably not who the world would label as “cool”—so naturally, I felt right at home.

What stood out most was the deep love shared for camps, for the outdoors, and for the incredible diversity of people who experience these sacred places across our connection – both in our UMC context and in the broader community of mainline denominational camp ministries. We are people with a deep call to ministry—one that doesn’t always look like traditional ministry or fit neatly within the institutional church. That calling is as unique as each camp and retreat center. Though we find ourselves in different places financially, physically, and culturally, we come together around a shared understanding of the profound importance of camp as sacred space—past, present, and future.

I cannot say enough about the holistic richness of the Great Gathering. The worship was deeply meaningful and served as a powerful reminder that impactful worship is rooted in intention, not spectacle. Again and again, we were reminded that camp plays a vital role in faith formation, leadership development, and in helping people discern God’s call in their lives.

One insight that stayed with me came from keynote speaker “Dr. G” Gilboa. It centered on the difference between danger and discomfort. As camp leaders, we walk a thin—but courageous—line: guiding children and youth (not to mention young adult leaders and camper parents) through discomfort while maintaining safety. In a world where discomfort is often mistaken for danger, camps remain places where managed risk is not only expected, but embraced. In many ways, the disruption of leaving one’s comfort zone is why people come to camp—to step away from daily life, to be changed, and sometimes to discover how they might help change the world.

I believe this willingness to lean into discomfort and disruption is at the heart of who we are as camp people. I’m often asked about the relevance of camps in today’s church, and my response is simple: camps don’t fit comfortably into our traditional ideas of church—and they shouldn’t. Instead, camps can continue to serve the wider church by being faithful disruptors, inviting people into deeper, sometimes uncomfortable questions, and helping push us toward new expressions of faith and spirituality. The feeling of risk is intentional, and moving through it helps us grow.

While taking on my new leadership role over the past several months has brought change, risk, and a departure from my own comfort zone, I am finding that the values I share with my fellow camp people help to keep me grounded. We welcome “the new kid” and the ones who are different, we seek after God in unexpected places, we create experiences that are as safe as possible while inviting challenge and managed risk. Reinforcing these values among 450+ camp people at the Great Gathering underscored the fact that none of us do this work alone– we can lean on an amazing, diverse community of support and inspiration as we face ministry challenges and navigate the wilderness of a changing church and world.

Rev. Katie Lamoureux joined the Mountain Sky Conference in 2025 as the Coordinator of Camps and Campus Ministries. She’s also the half-time pastor of Fruita United Methodist Church on Colorado’s Western Slope, and a mom of 3. She loves coffee dates, waterfalls, trail running, a good 90's movie, punk rock music, the Texas Rangers, and the Dallas Cowboys.

Raising Leaders: Burnout Is Not Inevitable

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:04:00 GMT

Burnout Is Not Inevitable (What the Data Tells Us About Protecting Staff Well-Being)

Camp has always been demanding work. Long days, deep emotional investment, constant presence – the demands come with the territory. But the 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study makes something clear: Burnout is not just a personal issue, it’s a structural one. The good news is that the same data that reveals the risk to summer staff also points toward real, actionable ways to reduce the factors that lead to burnout at camp.

How Common Was Burnout in 2025?

At the end of the summer, staff were asked to reflect on their overall state of being, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. The results were sobering:

40% of summer staff reported feeling exhausted or burned out in at least one of those three areas by the end of the summer.
Burnout was not limited to one role, gender, or age group. Burnout appeared across counseling staff, support staff, and leadership staff.

It’s important to note that burnout didn’t mean staff had a “bad summer.” Many still reported growth and impact. But it did affect how deeply camp shaped them and whether they wanted to return.

Why Burnout Matters More Than We Might Realize

The study found that staff who experienced burnout showed significantly lower outcomes in nearly every area measured. Compared to staff who did not report burnout:

Burned-out staff agreed less strongly that they were strengthened in their personal faith
They showed less growth in self-confidence
They were significantly less likely to feel a sense of calling toward ministry or church-related work
They were less likely to express a desire to return to camp in the future

In contrast, staff who did not experience burnout showed statistically significant growth in self-confidence and in their openness to vocational discernment.

Burnout doesn’t erase impact, but it does diminish it.

Three Factors That Strongly Predict Burnout

The research identified three factors that were most strongly associated with end-of-summer exhaustion and burnout.

1. Lack of Sleep

Sleep emerged as one of the clearest predictors.

52% of staff reported averaging less than 7 hours of sleep per night during the summer
Staff getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep were 2.5 times more likely to report burnout than those averaging more than 7 hours

This finding held true regardless of role or prior camp experience. Sleep wasn’t just a comfort issue. Sleep was a formation issue.

2. Incoming Mental Health Challenges

Staff entered the summer with a wide range of emotional and mental health realities. Based on four indicators measured at the start of the summer (overwhelming anxiety, feeling very down or hopeless, thoughts of self-harm, and dissatisfaction with life):

40% of staff had no mental health indicators
41% had one or two indicators
19% had three or four indicators

Staff with one or more indicators were twice as likely to report burnout at the end of the summer. Importantly, many of these staff also reported feeling supported at camp—suggesting that support helps, but cannot fully offset exhaustion without structural care.

3. Low Support & Agency

As we explored in last week’s blog post, support and agency were the strongest overall predictors of staff experience. When it came to burnout specifically:

Staff in low support/agency environments were 2.5 times more likely to report burnout than those in high support/agency environments
Low support was associated not only with burnout, but with declines in faith-related outcomes over the course of the summer

Burnout was far less common among staff who felt valued, supported by supervisors, and connected to the mission of their work.

What This Means for Camp Leaders

Burnout is a signal, not a failure. The data invites us to shift how we talk about burnout. It is not a sign that staff are weak, but rather a sign that systems, schedules, or support structures need attention. Camp will always be intense. But intensity without margin leads to depletion, and the data shows that depletion directly impacts formation, faith, and retention. Preventing burnout doesn’t require eliminating challenge, it requires designing for sustainability. Here are three places to start:

1. Treat sleep as mission-critical

When half of staff are sleep-deprived, the system (not the individual) needs adjustment. Small schedule changes, protected off-time, and clearer night-duty rotations can have outsized impact.

2. Normalize mental health care

Nearly 60% of staff entered the summer with at least one mental health indicator. Clear pathways for support, proactive check-ins, and permission to ask for help are essential, not optional.

3. Build support into daily rhythms

Burnout drops dramatically when staff feel supported by peers and supervisors. Support doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be consistent.

Try This This Month

Review one week of your typical summer schedule and ask two questions:

Where is rest protected?
Where is it assumed?

Then ask returning staff what actually helped them recover during the week and what didn’t. Listen carefully. The data suggests their answers matter more than we realize.

Up Next in the Series

When S'more Mail returns in January, our Raising Leaders blog series will take a deeper look at staff training. We'll specifically highlight where staff felt most prepared and where the data revealed clear gaps, especially around faith leadership and conflict management.

Until then, thank you for the ways you continue to care for your teams with wisdom, humility, and courage.

Want to explore the full research behind these findings? You’re invited to dig into the complete 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study Findings Report.

Raising Leaders: Support & Agency—The Most Powerful Predictors of Staff Thriving

Jen Burch — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:10:10 GMT

If there is one theme in the 2025 Summer Staff Impact Study that every Camp Director should pay attention to, it’s this: Support and agency shape everything about a staff member’s experience. When young adults feel cared for, trusted, and included, their growth skyrockets. When they don’t, the opposite is true, even if everything else seems to be going well. This isn’t just a trend. It’s one of the most consistent and compelling findings in the entire study.

What We Mean by “Support & Agency”

The study used four survey items (each strongly connected to staff growth) to measure whether a staff member experienced high, moderate, or low levels of support and agency:

“When I was feeling down, exhausted, or not at my best, other staff members helped and supported me.”
“I felt like my opinions and input were valued.”
“I was confident that my specific tasks fit in with the mission of the camp.”
“I felt supported by leadership staff and supervisors.”

Using these items, researchers created a Support/Agency Index and placed staff into three groups:

46% experienced high support/agency
14% experienced moderate support/agency
40% experienced low support/agency

The differences between these groups were striking.

High Support & Agency = Higher Impact Across the Board

Staff who experienced high support/agency consistently showed stronger outcomes in every area measured, including leadership, faith, confidence, clarity of calling, and desire to return.

Some highlights:

98% of high-support/agency staff agreed that the camp experience had a significant positive impact on their life.
(Compared with just 73% of low-support/agency staff.)
99% of high-support staff said they felt more confident in themselves at the end of the summer.
(Versus 87% among low-support staff.)
98% of high-support staff said they were strengthened in their personal faith.
(Low-support staff also grew in their faith—but only 86% agreed.)
95% of high-support staff said they gained greater clarity about their life direction and career.
(Compared to 88% among low-support staff.)

These aren’t small differences, they’re transformational. High support and agency almost guarantee a strong summer. Low support and agency almost guarantee struggle.

Low Support & Agency = Increased Burnout & Decline in Faith Outcomes

Low support doesn’t just reduce the positive outcomes, it actively contributes to negative ones. According to the report:

Low-support staff were 2.5 times more likely to experience burnout than staff in the high-support category.
Staff in the low-support group showed statistically significant declines in 10 survey items from pre-summer to post-summer—including six items directly related to belief, faith relevance, and connection to the church.

In fact, the low-support/agency group was the only cohort to show widespread decline in faith-related outcomes. This matters deeply. It’s not just about how well staff perform, it’s about how camp impacts their whole life. If burnout is the fire, low support and agency are the fuel.

Another important insight emerged when the research team examined support and agency across different demographic groups. Although 18% of all respondents identified as people of color, only 9% of those in the high-support/agency group were staff of color—while 20% of those in the low-support/agency group were. This disparity doesn’t point to any single cause, but it does invite all of us to reflect on how we can foster staff cultures where young adults of every background feel supported, valued, and empowered. Strengthening belonging isn’t just good practice, it’s a tangible step toward ensuring that every staff member has the opportunity to thrive.

Why Support & Agency Matter So Much to Today’s Young Adults

The data confirmed something many directors already know intuitively: Young adults want to be part of something meaningful, and they want to know they matter.

This aligns with broader generational themes, but the camp environment magnifies it. When staff feel:

trusted,
listened to,
included in decisions, and
cared for by peers and supervisors,

they experience camp not just as a job, but as a community of belonging and purpose. And that experience transforms them.

What This Means for Your Camp

You don’t need a major culture overhaul to raise support and agency. Small, intentional changes make a huge difference.

Here are three starting points:

1. Build micro-moments of voice and choice.

Ask staff for input on cabin assignments, activities, worship elements, or daily rhythms. Even simple choices reinforce a sense of agency.

2. Strengthen supervisory presence.

The data is clear: staff want leadership that is approachable, attentive, and supportive. A five-minute end-of-day check-in can shift a whole week.

3. Create clear pathways for peer support.

High-support/agency staff consistently mentioned leaning on fellow staff when overwhelmed. Pair new staff with returners, create prayer or reflection partners, or set up small support groups. Support and agency don’t happen by accident, they happen by design.

Try This

Identify one small decision you typically make without staff involvement. Then bring your returning staff (or a small focus group) into that decision. Ask them: “What do you think would make this work better for the team next summer?”

The goal isn’t to hand over control. It’s to send the message: “Your voice matters here.”

Up Next in the Series

In Post #3, we’ll turn to one of the most sobering findings: burnout—and the three key factors that predict it. You’ll walk away with practical shifts that can protect staff health, strengthen your program, and increase retention.

Until then, thank you for continually finding ways to nurture, uplift, and champion the young adults who serve at your camp.

Ready to explore the full data behind these findings? Dive into the complete 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study Findings Report.

"Welcome Home": Connecting At the OMC Great Gathering - Guest post by Audrey LeSage

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 19:46:36 GMT

“Welcome Home” is a phrase shared at Camp Glisson during our opening amphitheater programs each week of summer camp. Campers are invited to be themselves for the week, and welcomed into a community of people who are eager to get to know them and ensure they experience deep, real belonging. This is not a unique concept, but it is a powerful one. We camp folks work all year long to embrace our guests and campers with the most transformational forms of hospitality, and that gets to be our job. Many of us first received this welcoming embrace as campers ourselves. It was in just such an experience of belonging where I first explored my own calling into camp ministry.

As folks who do this incredible work as our job, it’s easy to forget just how impactful it can be to spend time as a “camper.” Gatherings of outdoor ministry professionals are a welcome reminder of how it feels to be on the receiving end of intentional preparation, barrier-breaking inclusion, and the embrace of a community that seeks to embody the love of God. In these rare and valuable times apart, we get a chance to be campers again: to visit a new place away from home and norms, to connect with people who come from different places and experiences, to learn and grow and be challenged – and I am so thankful for that.

At the Great Gathering, I had no shortage of meaningful connection moments. I was embraced by old camp friends in warm hugs, I was inspired by colleagues from other denominational camp ministries who have overcome similar challenges to the ones my ministry is experiencing now, I had opportunities to learn and grow from some of the most unique workshops, and I was refreshed through worship experiences led by such a cool variety of voices.

As we jump back into the hustle of camp life at home, I reflect on some really meaningful moments of connection from the Great Gathering. At open mic night I got to play in a band of longtime camp friends who now serve in leadership at three different camps. I shared in some incredibly meaningful mealtime conversations around the table. I took part in a ‘reunion’ of 11 people who have all been interns at Glisson over the years, who now serve in a variety of camps and support roles throughout our connection. And I was able to embrace a friend in a hug in person for the first time after multiple years of friendship from our Disciple Bible Study Intentional Leadership Group.

In this season of gratitude, I am so thankful for my chance to be “welcomed home” for a week among the OMC community, and can’t wait for the next one in 6 years!

Audrey LeSage serves as the Outpost and Sparrowwood Program Director at Glisson Camp and Retreat Center in North GA.

Raising Leaders: What Today’s Young Adults Are Really Looking For in a Summer Role

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 02:24:54 GMT

What Are Today's Young Adults Seeking In A Summer Role?

If you’ve been working in summer camp for a while, you may have noticed a shift in what motivates young adults to spend their summer in ministry. The 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study provides concrete data to match that intuition, pointing us toward simple, powerful changes camp leaders can make right now as we prepare for next year’s hiring season. The clearest takeaway? While paying a fair wage is important, today’s young adults are driven more by purpose, belonging, and joy far more than by paychecks.

The Top Motivators for Staff in 2025

For first-year staff and returners alike, across the UMCRM network the study revealed three motivators that rose above everything else, each showing strong patterns in the data:

1. To have a positive impact on others

This was the #1 motivator on both the first-year staff list and the returning staff list.

Among first-year staff, 93% said this was “very” or “extremely important”.
Returning staff reported nearly the same result: 95% also said it was “very” or “extremely important.”

Young adults want meaningful work. They want their efforts to matter. They want to see the lives of campers change, and know they played a role in it.

2. To experience community and make friends

Community consistently ranked near the top:

81% of first-year staff rated this “very” or “extremely important.”
85% of returning staff said the same.

Belonging isn’t a bonus—it’s essential. Staff consistently named friendships, connection, and shared purpose as central to their decision to serve.

3. To have fun

Fun landed at the top of the list as well:

79% of first-year staff said having fun was very or extremely important.
83% of returning staff echoed that priority.

Camp remains one of the few work environments where joy is part of the job description, and young adults are actively seeking that. Here’s the contrast that should grab every Director’s attention:

Only 32% of first-year staff and 32% of returning staff said “earning or saving money” was very or extremely important—placing it at the bottom of the entire motivation list.

Purpose. Community. Joy. These are the magnets; not money.

A special insight about male staff

While most motivation patterns were similar across genders, the study did identify one key difference: Male staff placed significantly higher importance on “a friend or mentor encouraged me to apply.” In other words, personal invitation matters, especially for those harder-to-recruit positions, and especially for our young men. Whether it’s encouragement from a peer or a nudge from an adult who believes you’ll be a great counselor, those individual connections helped to get guys to apply for camp positions.

What This Means for Recruitment

These insights give camp leaders an immediate advantage. Too often, recruitment messaging emphasizes schedules, job descriptions, pay rates, and responsibilities. Those things matter, but they do not spark initial interest. Insights from the research suggest three simple shifts Directors can make:

1. Lead with purpose.

Frame recruitment around impact, transformation, and meaningful relationships. Consider language like:

“Make a difference in someone’s life this summer.”
“Shape faith, confidence, and joy in the next generation.”
“Help campers experience God in new and powerful ways.”

Your staff already believe this is why they’re showing up—98% told us so.

Showcase authentic community.

Use photos, videos, and stories that highlight connection, shared laughter, and belonging. With over 3/4 of staff naming community as a top motivator, it’s crucial to let applicants see the relationships waiting for them.

Don’t shy away from joy.

Fun isn’t frivolous. For 79% of staff, fun was a deciding factor. Show the playful side of camp: messy games, campfires, unexpected silliness, and moments of delight.

Finally: make the invitation personal.

Especially for male staff (and honestly, for everyone) a direct invitation makes all the difference. A mentor, youth pastor, former counselor, or camp leader saying, "I see something in you" is often what tips a young adult from “maybe” to “yes.”

Try This This Month

Pick five former campers, youth group members, or local college students and send them a personal message inviting them to consider serving on summer staff. No mass emails. No generic announcements. Just one leader saying, "I think you'd be extraordinary at this.”

That single, personal note may be more persuasive than a dozen job posts.

Bonus: Leverage your camp alumni and recent past staff. Prompt them to make a personal invitation to someone who they know would be a great summer staff member. Additionally, think about other adult leaders like youth workers, parents of current and past staff, and clergy, asking them to identify young adults (especially young men) whom they know and could extend an invitation to. Provide an easy action item: a postcard to share, or some sample text and a landing page link they can give to a promising camp staff prospect.

Up Next in the Series

In our next post, we’ll explore the most powerful predictors of staff success: support and agency, and why these two factors change everything about how young adults experience camp.

Until then, thank you for the steady, faithful work you do to invest in the next generation of Christian leaders.

Want to explore the full dataset behind these insights? Dig into the complete 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study Findings Report.

Raising Leaders: New Data Every Camp Director Should Know

Jen Burch — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 04:49:02 GMT

Introducing UMCRM’s Winter Blog Series for Camp & Retreat Leaders

Every summer, emerging leaders arrive at our camps with a mix of excitement, hope, questions, and potential. They show up ready to serve and ready to grow. And this year, we gained our clearest picture yet of how the camp experience shapes them.

Thanks to the UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study, implemented in partnership with Sacred Playgrounds and United Methodist camps across the country, we now have data that confirms what so many camp leaders see firsthand: a summer on staff is one of the most transformative leadership experiences a young adult can have. During our October 22nd Community Conversation, Dr. Jake Sorenson walked us through those results, and the research insights are already reshaping the way we think about staff care, training, and recruitment.

Today, we’re launching Raising Leaders: New Data Every Camp Director Should Know, a multi-week blog series designed to turn these findings into practical insight for your ministry as you prepare for the year ahead.

Why This Matters Now

The numbers tell a compelling story:

98% of summer camp staff agreed they grew in their leadership abilities.
97% said camp had a significant positive impact on their life.
93% felt strengthened in their personal faith.

And yet, the data also highlights real challenges:

40% finished the summer exhausted or burned out.
52% reported getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night.
Staff who experienced low support and agency were far more likely to struggle and far less likely to return.

These insights give us a clearer path forward. They affirm what’s working, spotlight what needs attention, and equip us to care for our staff with greater intention and compassion.

What to Expect in This Series

Between now and early February, we’ll share short, focused posts on topics such as:

What today’s young adults are truly looking for in a summer role
How support and agency shape staff well-being, return rates, and faith growth
Practical ways to reduce burnout before it starts
Training gaps staff identified—and how to strengthen your program
Leadership development outcomes you can confidently share with donors and boards

Each post is built to offer something tangible: a tool, a conversation prompt, a training tweak, or a fresh lens on supporting the leaders who pour so much into your ministry. You’ll see them in S’more Mail, on the UMCRM website, and through our social channels.

If you miss one, don’t worry—we’ll collect the entire series in a downloadable resource at the end.

A Note of Gratitude

UMCRM is grateful for our partnership with Sacred Playgrounds and for Dr. Jake Sorenson’s guidance in unpacking these findings with our network. The work of our researcher-colleagues helps all of us move forward with greater clarity and purpose.

A Final Word as We Begin

Camp continues to be a place where young adults discover their voice, deepen their faith, and learn to lead with courage. When we invest intentionally in their experience, we invest in the future of our ministries and the future of the church.

This series is for you—the leaders who make that possible every day of the year. Thank you for the extraordinary ways you support and guide these emerging leaders.

Watch for new posts throughout December and January. If you’re ready to dive deeper right now, you’re invited to explore the full 2025 UMCRM Summer Staff Impact Study Findings Report.

Why the UMCRM Job Board Works (and How to Make It Work for You)

Jen Burch — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 01:56:51 GMT

If you’ve ever posted a camp or retreat job, you know how hard it can be to find the right person. Too often, there just aren’t enough applications, and many of those who do apply are not quite ready for the unique demands of camp life. Directors often end up hiring someone who has great potential but may not be fully qualified simply because the position needs to be filled. In this reality, getting your opening in front of the right audience—people who already understand the calling, pace, and purpose of outdoor ministry—makes all the difference. That is where the UMCRM Job Board shines.

When the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church posted its opening for the Senior Director of Camp and Retreat Ministries at Warren Willis Center, they tried several well-known job sites. On one large commercial platform, 75 applicants responded, but only 17 were truly viable, and the posting cost $900. Another church-focused website charged $500 for seven applicants, and only one was qualified.

Then they listed the role on the UMCRM Job Board for free. That posting reached 41 engaged viewers and 29 active users, and nearly all were people already connected to Christian camping. The Florida Conference’s HR consultant described the experience this way: “Your reach is targeted and people are driven to you specifically for a purpose. … You walk the walk with your partners. … For a solid return on investment and a broad reach, UMCRM is the way to go.”

Behind those results is a community of more than 1,500 S’more Mail recipients, including the 250 active users of the job board last month. Faith-focused camp and retreat leaders regularly engage with S’more Mail and the UMCRM website every week. This means your posting is seen by professionals who already share your values and understand the calling of camp ministry.

Best Practices for a Job Post that Attracts the Right People:

To get the best results from your listing, take time to make it intentional and authentic. Here are a few practices that can help:

Lead with your mission. Job seekers drawn to ministry want to know why your camp exists and how their work will make a difference. Describe the spiritual heartbeat of your site and the transformation you see in campers and guests.

Be clear and specific. Outline key responsibilities and realistic expectations. Avoid vague language. Share what success looks like in the role and what kind of person thrives in your community.

Be transparent about pay and benefits. The Outdoor Ministries Connection (OMC) Compensation Survey found that an organization’s budget is the main factor influencing salary levels. Including a salary range in your posting saves time for both you and applicants and demonstrates fairness, integrity, and respect for those considering the role.

Use inclusive and welcoming language. Write your listing in a way that encourages people from varied backgrounds and experiences to apply. Let your hospitality show through your words.

Reflect who you really are. Let the tone of your post match your camp’s personality. If your ministry is creative and high energy, let that enthusiasm come through. If your site is known for peace and reflection, use words that convey that spirit. Authenticity attracts alignment.

A job posting is a reflection of your ministry’s culture and of the larger field of camp and retreat leadership. When camps describe their work clearly, pay fairly, and welcome diverse applicants, it strengthens the entire profession.

Better postings lead to better hires. Better hires lead to healthier ministries. Healthier ministries form faithful leaders for the church and the world.

Ready to Post?

Posting on the UMCRM job board is not only about filling a position. It is about joining a network that connects people called to serve through Christian hospitality, discipleship, and community. Each posting strengthens the wider field, signaling that the work of outdoor ministry continues and that new leaders are being raised up.

When you post through UMCRM, your job does not disappear into the noise of the internet. It is shared in weekly communications where engaged readers click, share, and forward opportunities to their circles. It is part of a living ecosystem of relationship and referral, not just recruitment.

The UMCRM Job Board is free for both job seekers and employers, easy to use, and deeply effective. Whether you are hiring a program director, head cook, or executive leader, your listing will reach people who already believe in the power of camp and retreat ministry.

Important note: The UMCRM Job Board is not appropriate for seasonal positions like counselors, kitchen staff, or lifeguards. Your fellow UMC camp leaders (our primary audience) are seeking to fill those same positions each season!

Every great camp story begins with the right people around the fire. Let us help you find yours.

Post an employment opportunity today

Current State of the Camp Insurance Market: Guest Post by Jeff Evans, Sovereign Insurance

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 04:47:49 GMT

The camp insurance market has shifted drastically over the past five years, with especially sharp changes in the last 1-2 years. This has led to camps all across the country, being faced with premiums multiplying and coverage pullbacks. There are a few reasons for this:

Lack of Competition. Five years ago, there were two or three more insurers willing to provide adequate coverage at a competitive rate for camps across the US. Currently, there are perhaps three or four carriers total who are even considering offering quotes on camps.
Property Issues & Claims. Camp property is traditionally frame construction and in high protection class areas (areas that are difficult for fire departments to access). Most insurance company modeling identifies this combination as extremely undesirable. This results in higher rates and worse terms/conditions on policies.
Liability Exposures & Pricing. Traditionally, liability insurance costs for camps has been less than $10,000 for your average sized camp. Given that the operations of camps often have ropes courses, zip lines, shooting ranges, etc., the average liability claim was four to five times the annual premium paid. With social inflation continually pushing up the average claim payout as a result of bodily injury, this number is growing much faster than insurance premiums have.

Summary: In recent years, insurers in the camp space have lost millions on property and liability claims. As a result, most have either exited the market or raised premiums significantly while reducing coverage. Our experience is that there are camps all across the country that do not purchase property coverage because it is either (1) unavailable, or (2) not affordable. Some camps are buying liability-only policies that exclude a number of their primary exposures such as water activities, zip lines, and climbing apparatuses. Unfortunately, even though your renewal offer might have a significant premium increase and lower limits, there is a good chance it still might be your best option.

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Thanks to Jeff for sharing this overview of our current insurance landscape. It's a tough moment for camps, but there's some comfort in understanding the wider perspective.

So I'm Becoming a Home Missioner (And You Probably Have No Idea What That Means)

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 04:02:14 GMT

Grab your coffee. Let me tell you a story.

I felt the call to ministry in middle school. Maybe you know that feeling during youth group where you just know God is calling you to something? That was me. But I never felt drawn to becoming a pastor. While I can fill a pulpit when needed, ordination just never felt like my path.

After college, I started living with this posture of openness. When needs would arise, I'd say "Ok God, if you can use me, I will serve." Doors would open. Sometimes things didn't work out the way I expected, but I kept trying to say yes when I felt the Spirit's leading. Staying focused on my calling instead of chasing after what the world says I should want? That was hard sometimes. But I kept showing up.

For years, I thought becoming a Deacon might be my next step. As a United Methodist, that seemed like the only option for continuing my ministry journey as someone not becoming an Elder. The world has this way of telling us that all ministry positions are just stepping stones to becoming clergy (“real ministers”). I know that's not true, but this subtext is pervasive, both in and outside the church. Here's the thing, though–Jesus taught that we're all called to be ministers.

I could have found purpose as an Elder or a Deacon. I don't believe there's only one right path in life. But I never felt that pull toward the commitments of a clergy person. Looking back, I can see the Spirit was leading me somewhere different.

There's something powerful about lay leadership. When a layperson leads, it reminds everyone that ministry isn't just for pastors. It shows that we can walk through life together, sharing the hope of Jesus side by side. Church isn't something we watch happen, we're all part of it.

When the Pieces Started Coming Together

I'd heard the term "Deaconess and Home Missioner" for years. Honestly? It went in one ear and out the other. I had no idea what it meant.

My friend Christina, who recently was consecrated as a Deaconess, changed that for me. She's been living out her calling in incredible ways here in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference. When I heard she was going through the DHM program, I was inspired to actually figure out what this was about. Some people's testimony carries weight because of how they serve, and Christina is one of those people.

I wanted to know if becoming a Home Missioner would help me grow in my faith journey and learn more about ministry. So I started asking questions.

Here's what I discovered: The United Methodist Church has three orders of ministry, not two. Most people know about Elders and Deacons. Those are the clergy orders. But there's a third order specifically for laity called Deaconesses and Home Missioners, which has been around for over 150 years.

Deaconesses and Home Missioners are laypeople called to make a lifetime commitment to ministries of love, justice, and service. We're part of a covenant community. The motto captures the foundational ethos: "I serve neither for gratitude nor reward but from gratitude and love; my reward is that I may serve."

The Community I Found

United Women in Faith runs the discernment and formation process, and they've built something special. Instead of creating barriers for lay people called to ministry, they remove them. They pay for all the classes. You can take classes online or attend intensives like the one I did in Chautauqua, New York. They understand life is complicated and offer real compassion as candidates work through discernment.

The people I met through the program blew me away. They came from all over the world, serving in wildly different contexts, education, social work, community organizing;... all kinds of ministry. We weren't working toward the same job or position, but we all felt called to ministries of love, justice, and service.

Learning about how God is working in different parts of the world, in contexts so different from mine, opened my eyes. Just being in conversation with this community helped me see God's presence in places I would have overlooked before. We shared our discernment stories with each other, which helped each of us work through our own calling.

The classes were some of the best I've ever taken. The teachers brought real wisdom. They didn't just assign books. We talked with people who had lived these experiences firsthand, who had devoted their lives to this work. That mix of practical application and deeper learning was exactly what I needed.

Nothing felt like busy work. Even the classes I wasn't sure about turned out to be engaging and valuable. The discussions helped all of us continue discerning as we followed the Spirit's leading. I could take what I was learning and immediately apply it in my own context.

I made friendships that will last a lifetime. I didn't expect that, but it might be one of the greatest gifts of this whole process.

What Grounds the Work

I serve as Coordinator of Missions and Outreach for the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, and I'm becoming a Home Missioner. These four pillars shape everything I do:

Alleviate suffering
Eradicate causes of injustice and all that robs life of dignity and worth
Facilitate the development of full human potential
Share in building global community through the church universal

These give focus to ministry no matter what context one is serving in. They're not abstract ideas, they're the framework for how we engage with the world.

One aspect that really speaks to me is that Deaconesses and Home Missioners believe discernment is a lifelong journey. There's no finish line. We just keep discerning together, learning together.

I've been on this journey since middle school. At this stage of my life, I now know that journey of faith and service doesn't stop; you just keep listening, keep following, keep saying yes when the Spirit leads. Being part of a community that embraces that reality, that doesn't expect you to have everything figured out, that walks alongside you in ongoing discernment – that has been a priceless gift.

Maybe You're Feeling It Too

I'm sharing this because maybe something is stirring in you right now.

Maybe you've felt a similar call but couldn't name it. Maybe you've wrestled with whether to pursue clergy orders, but keep coming back to feeling called as a layperson. Maybe you just know deep down that church isn't something to watch, it's something we do together.

Or maybe you've never heard of DHMs before and you're curious about this path that's been quietly changing the world for over 150 years.

The discernment process is a gift in itself. If you feel called to love, justice, and service as a layperson, a vocation as a Deaconess or Home Missioner might be worth exploring.

What if that persistent nudge you've been feeling isn't random? What if it's been pointing you somewhere specific this whole time?

You can learn more at uwfaith.org/what-we-do/deaconess-and-home-missioner.

The journey of discernment doesn't end, it just goes deeper. And you don't have to walk it alone.

Is the Spirit stirring something in you? Ready for another cup of coffee while we talk about your calling?

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Curt Franklin's camping ministry journey began in the early 90s as a camper. In 2000, he attended a leadership camp and began serving as a counselor, launching a path that took him through summer staff roles to full-time camping and youth ministry leadership in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, where he now serves as Coordinator of Missions and Outreach and Youth Ministries and is a United Methodist Home Missioner.

Camping ministry remains one of his passions because of its unique ability to create sacred space where people encounter God through nature and community, experience unconditional love, take steps in their faith journey, and learn to recognize God's voice not just on the mountaintop but in everyday life.

Curt lives in Springfield, IL with his wife Kristin, who serves as the Episcopal Office Administrative Assistant for the IGRC, and they serve together in ministry. Contact Curt

Investing in Young Leaders: Aldersgate’s Staff Scholarship

Jen Burch — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 04:44:01 GMT

Summer staff are the lifeblood of camp and retreat ministry. Year after year, young adults set aside internships, summer jobs, and other opportunities because they believe so deeply in the mission of camp. They pour themselves into creating sacred spaces where children and youth can encounter God, build friendships, and grow in confidence. Their impact is immeasurable. And yet, how often do we pause to invest back into their journeys?

At Aldersgate Camp and Retreat Center in Rhode Island, staff support has taken on a creative and inspiring form: a Staff Scholarship Program designed to affirm the gifts of young leaders while equipping them for what comes next.

A Scholarship with Heart and Purpose

Each summer, Aldersgate offers at least one $500 scholarship to a member of the staff team, funded by a donor who is passionate about young adult faith formation. Staff are invited to apply by responding to a prompt connected to the summer’s worship theme. This summer, the theme was Micah 6:8—“Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.” The application asked staff to reflect on how they would live out those principles beyond the summer, in light of Aldersgate’s mission “to be a sacred space, empowering all in faith and friendship to change the world”.

Submissions can take any form: essays, paintings, videos, even songs. International staff are welcomed and supported, with translations provided if needed. Each application is anonymized and carefully reviewed by a small committee of board members and chaplains who served at camp that summer. The winners are then celebrated at the staff banquet, alongside honors like the Spirit of Aldersgate and Kid’s Choice awards.

Since the scholarship program’s inception in 2018, the camp has awarded 17 scholarships, totaling $8,500!

More Than Money

The financial support makes a meaningful difference; helping cover tuition, books, or other educational pursuits. However, the scholarship is about far more than dollars. It sends a powerful message: You matter. Your contributions to this ministry are recognized. Your future matters to us, too.

By tying the scholarship to the camp’s worship themes, Aldersgate reinforces that camp is not only for campers but also a place of transformation and faith development for young adults. Sharing the winning submissions publicly also allows the wider community to see camp staff as leaders, artists, theologians, and visionaries.

Could Your Camp Do This, Too?

The brilliance of Aldersgate’s program is its simplicity. It doesn’t require a large endowment or complex infrastructure. It started with one donor giving $500 and inviting friends to join in. From there, a tradition grew—one that blesses staff and enriches the entire camp community.

Other camps can do this, too. Imagine:

A single scholarship underwritten by a board member or alum.
An application prompt tied to your camp’s summer curriculum theme or mission.
A celebratory announcement at the end of the season that honors the depth and diversity of your staff.

Even small recognitions can ripple out to strengthen staff loyalty, deepen alumni connections, and encourage donors.

Strengthening the Future

When we invest in summer staff, we are investing in the future of the church and the world. Aldersgate’s Staff Scholarship is one example of how camps can creatively affirm and empower young leaders. I encourage other ministries to dream about how you might adapt this idea for your setting.

Supporting staff isn’t just an extra, it’s essential. Because when our young leaders feel seen, celebrated, and supported, the entire ministry flourishes.

Thanks to Aldersgate's Director, John Spelman, for sharing this story. Photos of scholarship recipients were shared with permission from Camp Aldersgate RI.

Keeping Your Camp & Retreat Ministries Safe, Connected, and Ready for Ministry: Guest Post by Sharon Asmus, GCFA

Jen Burch — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 06:05:28 GMT

At United Methodist camps and retreat centers, technology is more than a convenience—it’s a necessity. From online registration systems to Wi-Fi in meeting spaces, the right tools keep your ministry connected, organized, and protected. But with technology comes responsibility: keeping systems secure, data safe, and networks running smoothly.

That’s where UMC Technology Support comes in. Our team exists so you can focus on ministry while we handle the tech challenges—large and small. We monitor systems 24/7, solve problems before they cause disruption, and make sure your data and devices are secure.

Four Keys to Technology Health at Your Camp or Retreat Center

During the 2025 National Camp & Retreat Leaders' Gathering, we shared practical ways to protect your ministry’s technology and ensure reliable service:

Internet Reliability & Safety
- Choose a reliable internet provider—especially if you’re in a rural setting.
- Protect your network with encryption, strong passwords, and up-to-date firmware.
- Avoid public Wi-Fi when possible; use a VPN for added protection.
Computer Safety
- Enable disk encryption on all ministry devices.
- Install antivirus or advanced malware protection and keep systems updated automatically.
- Avoid using personal devices for ministry work.
Cloud Applications & Third-Party Vendors
- Confirm vendors meet security standards (SOC-2 compliance).
- Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts.
- Take advantage of UMCRM partner discounts like UltraCamp.
Email & File Security
- Use ministry-branded email addresses tied to your camp’s domain.
- Store files in Microsoft OneDrive or SharePoint for easy access and smooth staff transitions.
- Restrict file access and review permissions regularly.

Security Awareness: Everyone’s Responsibility

Did you know 91% of data breaches begin with an email? Cybersecurity isn’t just for your IT person—it’s for every staff member and volunteer. Ongoing training, phishing simulations, and strong verification practices protect your guests, staff, and reputation.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re running a weekend retreat or managing a full summer camp program, technology is an essential ministry tool. UMC Technology Support is your partner in keeping it reliable, secure, and ready to serve—so you can focus on what matters most: transforming lives through the camp and retreat experience.

Learn more: gcfa.org/technology-support-services
Contact: ConnectionalRelations@gcfa.org 833-UMC-GCFA

Sharon Asmus joined us for an UMCRM Community Conversation on September 10th which featured many additional resources for smart tech and cybersecurity. Access the recording and Sharon’s full slide deck FREE in the UMCRM Digital Store.

Quiet Day: Guest Post by Nick Coenen

Jen Burch — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:39:09 GMT

Several years ago, I made up a holiday. You’ve probably never heard of it, but if you are in the camp industry, you can probably appreciate it. Quiet Day.

Even before I explain it, we would all use a Quiet Day, right? In a highly caffeinated, highly distracted existence with relentless notifications on your phone, your watch, your soul…we could sure use some quiet.

In my experience at camp, a place often designed for quiet, it is often anything but that for those of us called to the roles of leadership, hospitality, and safety. There is always a camper who needs someone to listen, an activity to be prepped, a budget spreadsheet to update, or a fire that needs to be put out.

Yes, when I explain to non-camp people that my summer camp day typically starts at 7:30 am, before breakfast is served, and ends around 10:00 pm after the last campfire embers are extinguished, they realize that while a camp job “sounds fun,” it can be extremely exhausting.

Quiet Day.

As a site director, I get a span of time each year where there is constant motion. We are making meals, providing beds, lighting campfires, and walking alongside people all day, every day, for months at a time. Even when I go home, I'm aware that there are people scattered around the camp property, under my care, even when I sleep.

That good work and holy responsibility is a gift. When people are at camp, I hope they feel like they are loved and cared for in a unique way, with a depth of Christian hospitality. Providing this care is a calling God has put on my heart, as I’m sure it has for you as well.

This year, on September 11th, Pine Lake Camp will have its Quiet Day. That will be the first day since May 20th that there is no one staying at camp. After 114 days, it's...quiet. While that is somber in some ways, especially during an endlessly rainy couple of days, it is so good to mark this annual milestone.

One of my favorite musicians, Chris Renzema, has a song titled "Let the Ground Rest." In it, he sings of that biblical principle of sabbath, of rest, of letting fields fallow for a season. While we might try to hurry toward the next goal, God’s wise timetable is guided by a greater order and purpose.

I feel that sense of hurry, already putting together plans, programs, contracts, staffing, and schedules for 2026. But on Quiet Day I'm trying to breathe deeply the sense of thankfulness for another great summer, another great season. For all that happened, all that grew, for all that God invited us to be a part of.

As fellow, dedicated, committed, called camp professionals, I invite you to do the math to find your Quiet Day. Don’t just work endlessly; take a moment to reflect on just how long you have been in motion, and receive the grace to stop for a moment. May we let the ground rest. Not for long, but for the required season, so it can be ready once again to invite everyone in, to draw close to God, to love and be loved, to be restored, and for us all to gather round the campfire again.

Wherever you are, I know you did all you could to make this the best summer it could be. I’m proud of you, and I know campers and staff were moved by your efforts. In your own way, acknowledge that good work and give thanks!

Nick Coenen is the Site Director at Pine Lake UM Camp in Westfield, WI. He just completed his 20th summer at Pine Lake along with his wife, Jamie, and all four of their kids (who work on staff, of course).

Summer 2025 Snapshot of UMC Camp Ministries

Jen Burch — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:16:14 GMT

Summer at camp is a story of laughter around the fire, friendships forged, and lives touched by God’s love. But behind the scenes, each camp leader has their own story too: the joys, the challenges, the long days, and hopefully a little rest at the end of it all. To get a sense of how United Methodist camps are doing after this summer, we asked leaders to share a quick snapshot through a five-question survey. Forty-three camp leaders responded, giving us a glimpse of the trends, challenges, and bright spots happening across the country.

When it comes to camp leader well-being, the overall story is encouraging, with some caution flags. In our quick 2025 survey, most leaders—over half—described themselves as feeling “fresh/normal” or “invigorated/energized” after the summer, which is a testament to the resilience and passion in this ministry. This finding echoes 2024’s OMC Director’s Survey results, where 61% of UMCRM leaders also reported finishing the season steady or energized. At the same time, about four in ten leaders this year admitted to being stressed, exhausted, or even burnt out. These numbers remind us that while many directors are finding balance, there is still a significant portion who are stretched thin. Together, the data shows both the strength of leaders who are faithfully carrying this work forward and the ongoing need to care for those who may be running on empty.

Just as leaders are experiencing both strength and strain, a similar mix shows up in the ministries themselves. Overnight camp enrollment continues a slight downward trend: 42% of UMCRM sites reported decreases in 2025, while only 30% saw increases and 26% held steady. This reflects a broader trajectory identified in the 2024 survey, which found that fewer than 40% of camps across the network were filling 75% of their overnight capacity and that one-third had lower enrollment than the year before. At the same time, day camp programming remains a bright spot. Both our quick survey and the 2024 data show day camps holding steady or growing, suggesting that families continue to seek out more flexible, close-to-home ways for children to experience the gifts of camp.

Staffing shows a hopeful shift. While the 2024 survey reported that more than half of directors felt understaffed heading into summer, our 2025 snapshot reveals progress: 67.5% of UMCRM sites hired the number of summer staff they anticipated or even exceeded their hiring goals. This marks a shift in the right direction, showing that recruitment strategies are beginning to bear fruit. Yet stability depends on filling year-round roles, where about one-third of ministries are still carrying vacancies, closely matching last year’s 31% vacancy rate. Filling these longer-term positions remains critical for stability, continuity, and leadership development across the connection.

Programming tells a similar story of balance and adaptation. In 2025, most UMCRM sites offered between 3 and 11 weeks of summer camp, averaging about 7.5 weeks. That’s almost identical to the 2024 survey, which showed the median at 8 weeks, with most camps clustering between 5 and 9 weeks. This steady rhythm reflects the careful discernment of leaders: offering as many opportunities as possible within the limits of staff capacity and camper enrollment.

Putting the pieces together, a picture emerges of a shifting camp and retreat landscape. Traditional overnight camp enrollment is trending downward, even as day camp remains steady or grows in many places. Leaders are working hard to sustain both models, balancing what families are seeking with what staffing and resources can support.

Our summer story is one of both resilience and transition. Camp leaders are showing up faithfully, building programs that continue to change lives, and navigating challenges with creativity and grit. At the same time, families’ needs and patterns are shifting, and our ministries are adapting—whether that means reimagining overnight camp, investing more deeply in day camp, or finding new ways to recruit and retain staff. Yet the story of camp is always bigger than one season. It is written in every camper who discovers God’s love, every staff member who grows in leadership, and every community strengthened by this ministry. May we continue writing that story together—with resilience, hope, and faith in what God is doing through camp ministry.

Faithful Frameworks: How UM Camps Shape Summer Curriculum

Jen Burch — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 05:29:08 GMT

Summer camp is one of the most formative environments for faith development in young people, and at the heart of that experience is the spiritual framework we build together. Whether it's a morning devotional around the fire circle, a Bible study under the trees, or a late-night cabin conversation, the curriculum we choose (or create) matters.

According to the 2024 OMC Directors’ Survey, 30% of responding United Methodist camps reported writing their own camp curriculum. [If your camp is one of them, join the conversation with UMCRM peers.] The camps choosing to create their own program material rather than purchasing a published curriculum tended to have more robust year-round staffing and were more concentrated in the South, factors that may influence both the capacity and the calling to create original content.

Interestingly, the survey also indicates that camps that write their own curriculum reported placing slightly less emphasis on “Christian education” and “Familiarity with the Bible” as desired camper outcomes. This doesn’t suggest a diminished commitment to faith formation; rather, it may reflect a broader or differently focused theological lens, such as an emphasis on spiritual practices or relational discipleship.

Of course, original curriculum writing demands a commitment of significant time and resources. It’s no small thing to prayerfully design a set of summer-long discipleship programs that are developmentally appropriate, theologically sound, and spiritually engaging. UMCRM affirms the thoughtfulness and theological imagination that go into creating original curriculum, and our Association is committed to supporting leaders who take on this meaningful work.

While some camps craft their own curriculum, the most prevalent curricula utilized by United Methodist camps are collaborative resources like InsideOut. Developed by a team of experienced ministry leaders, including representatives from the UMCRM network, InsideOut annually offers a new, rich, theologically grounded framework for summer camp faith formation. Its content is a testament to the power of shared resources in strengthening our connectional ministry, reducing the burden on individual leaders and ensuring that campers across the country have access to high-quality, intentional faith formation curriculum.

One may be asking, if a resource like InsideOut is available, why would a camp choose to write their own curriculum? Perhaps it is cost-related. Or perhaps camps choose this path in order to align more closely with their unique ministry context. Writing curriculum in-house allows teams to reflect their regional culture, theological priorities, and specific camper needs. It can foster deeper staff ownership and create space for faith formation that feels particularly resonant for their community. For some, writing curriculum may also be a theological expression or a way of ensuring that the faith formation experience at camp is closely aligned with their camp’s mission and the broader ministry goals of their Annual Conference.

For those writing their own curriculum, UMCRM seeks to be a resource hub — sharing models, theological frameworks, and opportunities to connect with others doing similar work. For those using InsideOut, our Association continues to invest in its excellence and relevance, ensuring that each new season's product reflects the real needs and hopes of today’s camp leaders and participants.

Our commitment is to walk with you, whether you write, adapt, borrow, or blend. We believe that the diversity of approaches strengthens our movement. Each camp brings a unique voice to the larger song of United Methodist camp and retreat ministry, and UMCRM is here to amplify and support them all.

No matter the format, the curriculum you bring to camp matters. It is a sacred investment in the spiritual lives of young people, and we are grateful for every leader who pours time, prayer, and creativity into this work. Looking ahead, UMCRM is exploring opportunities to gather those who write their own curriculum through a roundtable, webinar, or resource exchange — a space to share ideas, best practices, and mutual encouragement. We believe that every approach has value when rooted in thoughtful discipleship and care for the next generation. If you or someone on your team writes original curriculum and would be interested in connecting with others doing the same, we invite you to join the conversation so we can learn from one another.

Interim Camp Director Training – It’s not just for retirees

Jen Burch — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 03:43:35 GMT

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

Facing Today’s Challenges Together: Research Insights

Jen Burch — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 03:39:11 GMT

If leading a camp or retreat ministry feels harder than ever right now, you’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone. The data from the OMC Directors' Survey, which is conducted every two years, reveals what United Methodist camp and retreat leaders identify as the greatest threats and challenges in our ministry. A comparison of the threat assessments from United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) in 2022 and 2024 paints a clear picture: we’re up against real, complex challenges. But they also show something else just as important — we’re all in this together.

There is power in knowing that we’re not alone. Each time UMCRM surveys directors across the country, it offers a snapshot of our shared struggles and hopes. Comparing 2022 and 2024, we can see not just what’s weighing on us today, but how our priorities and pressures are shifting. And right in the middle of this busy summer season, there’s real comfort and strength in knowing we face these hurdles as a connected community.

2022 Threat Assessment and the NEW 2024 Threat Assessment

What’s stayed the same — and what’s new:

Financial stress: still at the top

Finances remain the biggest concern across our ministries. In 2022, rising costs, inflation, and overall funding gaps topped the list. By 2024, directors are naming financial threats in more detail, splitting them out into costs, general finances, fundraising challenges, and broader economic pressures. It’s clear we’re all juggling multiple fronts, from food prices to staff paychecks.

Facilities taking center stage

A big shift since 2022 is how often infrastructure is now coming up. In 2024, aging buildings, deferred maintenance, and facilities that simply aren’t built for today’s groups have jumped to the second most cited threat. It’s a wake-up call that while we pour energy into programming, we can’t afford to ignore the physical spaces that make ministry possible.

Staffing headaches continue

Staffing was the #1 issue in 2022 and still ranks in the top three. Directors everywhere are wrestling with recruiting, training, and keeping quality summer staff, plus making sure we have enough year-round team members to safely run programs. If you’re burning the midnight oil over hiring or scheduling, you’re in good company.

Denominational shifts still ripple through

The fracturing of the UMC was the second biggest concern in 2022. By 2024, it’s slipped down the list but still lands firmly in the top ten. Along with it, directors are pointing to changes in local church engagement and camper numbers. The way churches connect with camps is evolving, and it’s something we’re all figuring out together.

Why this matters right now

Hearing these survey results mid-summer might be both a relief and a weight. Yes, it’s tough out there, but your camp isn’t the only one bearing this weight. Our shared reality means that within our UMCRM Association we can stand shoulder-to-shoulder, lean on each other, and find solutions we couldn’t come up with alone.

You’re not isolated.

Whether you’re staring down a crumbling cabin porch, worrying about next week’s numbers, or trying to fill one last staff slot, directors across the country are wrestling with the same problems.

Community is our lifeline.

Connecting with fellow leaders at conferences (like the OMC Great Gathering and UMCRM Immersion), in online spaces, or just through a quick phone call, does more than bolster our ministries. It protects our mental and spiritual health, too.

This work is still sacred.

No matter how long the threat list grows, the core truth doesn’t change: camp and retreat ministry transforms lives. Maybe today more than ever, young people and adults alike need the holy space we provide.

Let’s keep each other going

So here’s the encouragement for you, right in the middle of your packed summer: keep sharing. Be open about what’s hard and where you’re hopeful. Ask your peers for ideas, prayers, or simply a listening ear. (Connect in our FB group, reach out via our member directory, or call our support line: 724-766-9783). Our collective wisdom and shared heart for this work are among the strongest resources we have. Together, we can keep these sacred places thriving, and keep changing lives in the seasons to come.

Counselor Appreciation Gifts

Jen Burch — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:52:03 GMT

Whether in celebration of Counselor Appreciation Day (July 14th), for some extra love after an especially challenging week, or as a mid-season pick-me-up, consider a counselor care package with some symbolic elements.

A stick of gum, sticker, or roll of duct tape to remind you to stick with it and stick together.
A candle, headlamp, or LED light to remind you to shine your light in each other's and your campers’ lives.
A matchbook (lighter? flint?) to light your fire when you feel burned out.
A mini fan to help you keep your cool.
A water bottle, Gatorade, or electrolyte drink packet to remind you to hydrate and keep filling up at “the well” of Christ’s love.
A safety pin, Sharpie, pocketknife, or pencil to remind you to stay sharp.
Hand sanitizer or mini Dr. Bronner’s soap to remind you to “keep it clean.”
A pack of Smarties for the days you don't feel so smart.
A bandanna or paracord so you’ll be flexible, prepared, and ready for anything.
A coffee gift card or Starburst to give you a burst of energy.
Bandaids or travel kleenex because it’s hard sometimes.
A Snickers to remind you to take time to laugh.
A kazoo, squirt gun, something sparkly, or silly hat to remind you to find fun in everything you do.
A chocolate kiss to remind you that you are loved.
A bag to help you keep it all together.

… you get the idea. Use your creativity to create simple, special gifts that your counselors will love! Share your additional ideas in the comments.

A Future with Promise: 3 Hopeful Trends for United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries

Jen Burch — Thu, 22 May 2025 04:40:34 GMT

Across the country, United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries continue to be places where lives are transformed, faith is nurtured, and communities are strengthened. The Outdoor Ministries Connection (OMC) 2024 Directors’ Survey Report offers a valuable snapshot of where denominational Christian outdoor ministries are today and where we might be headed.

Based on responses from 249 ministry organizations – including many from the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) network, the research shows outdoor ministries in motion: recovering, adapting, and rediscovering our purpose. While it’s clear that change is inevitable, our calling to offer sacred space remains as vital as ever.

Three key trends identified in the report offer guidance and inspiration:

Rediscovering Our Roots in a New Day

One of the most important insights from the survey is that our connection to churches and denominational identity is evolving. While only 26% of camp leaders described their ministries as having a “strong” connection to congregations or denominational teachings (down from 41% in 2016), this shift presents an opportunity, not a crisis. It invites us to ask: What does it look like to nurture faith in today’s campers? How can we creatively integrate our Wesleyan theology into experiences that are hands-on, relational, and relevant?

The good news is that many camps are already finding new ways to embody their faith. While still a growth area, clergy involvement has slightly increased after a dip in the early 2020s. Among UMCRM camps, structured Bible study remains common, and many are writing or adapting curriculum to fit their unique context. These efforts are planting seeds for the next generation of discipleship.

This is our moment to reimagine faith formation not as something separate from camp life, but woven into every story shared around a campfire, every worship song under the stars, and every quiet moment by the lake.

Signs of Renewal and Momentum

After the challenges of the pandemic, there’s no denying the momentum building in our ministries. The numbers tell a story of resilience and growth:

Fundraising is on the rise, with 48% of camps reporting higher revenue than the previous year.
Staffing is stabilizing. In 2024, 44% of camps were fully staffed—more than double the number in 2022.
Director morale is high, with 60% describing themselves as feeling “energized” or “fresh,” compared to just 12% two years ago.
Retreat and conference use is growing, with 29% of camps reporting 75%+ weekend occupancy—a major rebound from 2022.

Even as traditional summer camp enrollment numbers remain relatively flat, there is evidence of growing interest in year-round ministry like family camps, leadership training, outdoor education, and spiritual retreats. These programs reflect the evolving needs of our communities and our ability to meet them with creativity and care. This is a season of renewal and reinvention, where we can build on what’s working and boldly try new things. The Spirit is moving.

Responding to What Families and Campers Value Most

An encouraging theme in the survey is that the elements people love about camp—connection, growth, and belonging—are more important than ever. Across all regions and denominations, the top priorities for camp programs were clear: participant safety, community-building, and character development.

Interestingly, “fun for all participants” now ranks above many traditional religious outcomes. And the desire to “unplug from technology” has become a defining feature of the camp experience, with 88% of directors affirming its importance. These shifts aren’t signs of decline—they’re signs of where our culture is searching for hope, meaning, and rest. Isn’t that exactly what camp is designed to offer?

We don’t have to choose between relevance and faithfulness. As United Methodist ministries, we are uniquely positioned to respond to the spiritual hunger of this generation with practices rooted in grace, justice, and intentional community. Our camps can be places where faith is not forced, but formed gently, deeply, and lastingly.

The Outdoor Ministries Connection (OMC) Survey results suggest a threshold moment for leaders in United Methodist camp and retreat ministries. Our challenges are real—but so are the opportunities. We’re being invited to do what we do best: listen deeply, lead with love, and create sacred spaces where all people can encounter God, connect, and find renewal.

The research findings don’t just highlight change; they point to growth, strength, and potential. So let’s move forward with hope, trusting the God who brought us this far and who guides us onward. We will keep trying new things, building partnerships, and welcoming all who enter our gates. Along with our OMC colleagues, the UMCRM community will seek to apply the insights from this data set to spur growth and innovation in Christian outdoor ministry.

10 Essentials For Child Safety At Camp

Jen Burch — Thu, 15 May 2025 05:04:01 GMT

Camp ministry leaders know that our programs offer unique experiences for young people to connect and grow in faith outside of the local church context. We are also well aware that there are special considerations and challenges related to child safety at camp. A recent article in Leading Ideas highlights the “Ten Non-Negotiable Rules for Child Safety in Churches.” Let’s dive into the nuances of each of these important points as they relate to the camp context.

Never be alone with a child who is not your own. In my time in ministry, we had a saying, “When three are gathered, all is well.” However, the rule of three can sometimes be a logistical nightmare. Our general policy is the “two adult rule,” which can be next to impossible in the camp setting. Do two counselors leave a cabin unsupervised while they escort a camper to the nurse? What do you do if a camper needs to go back to the cabin to grab a sweatshirt during campfire? In an ideal scenario, you have enough adults and a communication system (like radios) to summon an additional adult to accompany the counselor and camper to wherever they need to go. When that isn’t possible, choose a non-related camper to be the third, and remember that the camper needs to stay with the other camper so as not to leave a child alone with one adult (such as the camp Nurse or Director). Furthermore, I train my staff that if they need to talk to a camper in “private,” they must do so within proximity of another adult, both visually and within earshot, to create a third person present while maintaining the need to address the camper away from others.
Background checks for everyone, every year. While this is not the current recommended practice within our denomination, based on the national guidelines I recommend that full-time staff (including clergy, who often think they are “one and done” during the ordination process) do background checks every two years and new and returning volunteers or seasonal counselors yearly if you can (sometimes it is cost prohibitive). At least run your returning volunteers and staff through the sex offenders registry and then have them on a two-year schedule for a full background check.
Establish a six-month rule for all volunteers. I don’t disagree with this rule. All volunteers should be involved in a faithful pattern of commitment to the church before serving in children and youth ministry. You never want to give someone immediate access to children and youth because you need a “warm body” to meet ratios. Be sure to contact references and ask them the all-important question: “Do you have any hesitation in recommending this person to live and work around children and youth?”.
One-on-one conversations with every potential volunteer. This is another pretty straightforward practice. To have someone join your team without meeting and having a conversation is like hiring an employee without an interview. At times I’ve encountered individuals who want to serve for their own purposes, be it healing or wanting to be near their own congregation’s children and youth to better “watch” and sometimes assure the experience THEIR campers will have. Volunteers should be interviewed like any other staff person and held to the same standard of professionalism and commitment to the mission.
Simple and non-negotiable, check-in and check-out procedures. This was one of the hardest lessons I learned. It is imperative that you have a central location for check-in and check-out and that all staff and volunteers have specific responsibilities during this time. Have someone in the parking area directing the campers and their adults to check in. This prevents a church’s volunteer driver from dropping the campers off without checking them in. It ensures proper forms are completed. This also prevents (if prohibited) teens from driving themselves and checking in without a parent or guardian. Other staff gather their campers and escort them to their living area. THIS is the time that parents, guardians, or other adults can tour the camp accompanied by staff. Adults should NEVER be allowed to roam about camp unsupervised. You don’t necessarily know them; they have not been background checked, and this is a prime opportunity for adults to have unsupervised access to campers. The same principles are practiced in reverse on check-out day to ensure an intentional, documented hand-off of care of each camper from the camp leadership back into the responsibility of their parent or guardian.
One-foot-in, one-foot-out of bathroom supervision. Your staff and volunteers should maintain the privacy of campers while they use the bathroom and/or shower while still having the ability to supervise. The staff or volunteers should stand in the doorway of the facility, one foot in, one foot out, with door open so they hear if there are problems while children are using the facilities. They will also be able to hear if toilets are not flushed, or showers and sinks are left running. Adults themselves should always shower, dress, and use the facilities privately, away from campers.
Use floaters and management-by-walking-around. A floater is an excellent way to have that extra layer of supervision and accountability as well as having a ready adult able to assist when a “third” is needed. This person can be your nurse, program director, a pastor, etc. A radio system is also an important tool for rovers.
Install safety mechanisms such as cameras and signs. In camp ministry, the ability to do this might be with peripheral cameras at strategic points around the grounds, but it is impractical to have cameras everywhere. Locked or monitored gates at the entrance also prevent uncontrolled access to the property. Signage and locked doors can prevent access to unauthorized areas such as private residences, offices, supply storage, and unstaffed program zones like waterfront, climbing, ropes, and the like.
Practice ongoing training. This is crucial. Often, especially if we have a returning staff or volunteers, we feel we don’t need to cover in depth training topics such as bullying, emergency procedures, or child abuse. Every year should be treated as Year One. Staff will not always remember the nuances of abuse reporting procedures or chain of command in a crisis. If a staff never had to implement these procedures, or if it’s been a year since they thought about them, much of the details are easily forgotten. As well, policy and practices often change from year to year due to updates locally or nationally. If an issue comes up mid-season, take the opportunity for a teachable moment. I once had a counselor not assist (through reminders and supervising) in the application of sunscreen on our youngest campers because they didn’t want to be accused of “touching” campers. The result was severe sunburns! We were able to discuss this as a staff and generate ideas on how to ensure that campers apply their sunscreen. It is also important to train your staff on camp incidents that some adults might interpret as abuse: sunburns, physical activity such as push-ups for punishment, or unwanted nicknames are just a few examples. Your staff must think beyond the technical definition of abuse and consider behaviors that families would be concerned about, especially when children are away from their care overnight at camp.
Put all important policies into writing. Each ministry setting needs to have a WRITTEN set of policies and procedures that are known to both staff and other adults. It should be shared and practiced as a routine part of how you do ministry. Too many times, I’ve experienced ministries that wrote a policy and filed it away. The written policy should be an active part of your ministry which is reviewed on an annual basis. I also have my staff sign that they have read, received training, and understand our policy. This prevents upon incident that they “didn’t know.” I have even had former staff move on to positions working with youth within a church, skip formal training because they “had it at camp staff training,” and upon incident try to claim that they “had no idea” why a behavior was wrong. I was able to pull out the training documentation and provide it to the local church to verify that indeed the person had received both the policy and training and had signed that they understood proper procedures and guidelines.

Establishing and maintaining these best practices in the camp setting requires time and quite a bit of intentional effort. However, it is truly priceless to build trust and create safe environments for all. These are acts of Christlike love for “the least of these,” precious and vulnerable people who have been entrusted into our care. Our faithfulness in attending to these principles preserves the good reputation of not only our camps, staff, and volunteers, but that of The United Methodist Church and even of Christians.

Kelly Peterson will soon be retiring from her role as Executive Director of Camp Fire Heart of Iowa, culminating a remarkable 49 years of service in camp and youth development. A former Chair of the UMCRM Board of Directors, Kelly has also served on the Division of Young People’s Ministries (UMC Discipleship), as Executive Director for Camp, Retreat, and Young People’s Ministries for the Cal-Nevada Annual Conference, as Director/Owner of a private camp, and more. She has been instrumental in the development of the Safe Sanctuaries and Safer Sanctuaries abuse prevention resources for The UMC. For fun, you’ll find Kelly enjoying movies, sports, music, and travel. In retirement, she’ll be able to focus more energy enjoying her new grandbaby and having adventures in the Airstream camper!

2025 Solomon Cramer Grants Awarded

Jen Burch — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 01:44:41 GMT

Since 2017, the Solomon Cramer Fund has been sending young people to camp by granting scholarship funds to United Methodist conference camp/retreat ministries.

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage United Methodist Camps to focus on the following four priorities:

Experiences that minister with youth living in poverty
The intentional development of young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership with Camp & Retreat Ministries
Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation
Opportunities for increasing racial/ethnic diversity within ministry participation and leadership

Twenty-one programs from around the U.S. received Solomon Cramer Fund grants in 2025, the most that have been funded in a single year.

IGNITE 2025 - Aldersgate (New England Conference, RI)

This program targets youth from Providence and other Rhode Island cities, offering Christian day camp with swimming, games, worship, and Bible study. Youth counselors are trained in ministry and leadership. The camp removes barriers for urban families through transportation and full scholarships.

Catalyst in Special Needs Ministry Leadership - Camp Bays Mountain (Holston Conference,TN)

This initiative equips youth and young adults with special needs to serve as summer camp staff, offering them roles in worship leadership, maintenance, crafts, and more. The camp also runs a special session called Celebration Camp for adults with disabilities. Campers and staff participate in a supportive, faith-filled environment that fosters personal growth, independence, and spiritual leadership. Each staff member reflects on their development through beginning and end-of-summer evaluations.

Camper Diversity Expansion Program - Camp Istrouma (LA)

Camperships will be provided to support youth from underserved communities through local church partnerships in East Baton Rouge Parish. The goal for the first year of this new program is to offer 10-12 full scholarships.

Soma Partnership - Camp Lake Stephens (MS)

This project expands a successful pilot to provide a full week of Christian day camp to Hispanic children ages 6–10 from the Tupelo, MS area. The project is implemented through a partnership with a local multi-ethnic church.

Rural UMC Outreach Scholarship - Camp Lookout (Holston, GA)

This scholarship program supports youth from five small, rural UMCs in the Holston Conference, covering 50% of camp fees.

The Stuff They Don’t Teach You at School - Casting Christ’s Net - Camp Penn (Susquehanna Conference, PA)

The grant enables a $100 cost reduction in the individual camper price, offering transportation to and from the week of camp, and creating new electronic and physical materials in Spanish.

Scholarships and Summer Staff Development Initiative - Ceta Canyon (TX)

The grant will support a partnership with churches in the North Heights neighborhood of Amarillo to offer camperships for youth living in poverty. Additionally, grant funds will enable enriched spiritual development programming and mental health resources for the summer staff of 40 young leaders.

Traveling Day Camp - Camp Chestnut Ridge (NC)

Summer Spirit Community Day Camp at Covenant UMC - Gretna Glen (Eastern PA)

Christmas Youth Leadership at Camp - Horizon TX Conference

The grant provides camperships for youth from 22 non-white-majority UMC churches across Texas, to be used for summer camp programming or weekend camps throughout the year.

Grow Day Camps/Experiential Leadership Institute - North GA Conference

Camperships will be available for mobile day camps serving low-income and racially diverse families in metro Atlanta, hosted by Impact Church. With a strong emphasis on underserved communities, this provides access to camp experiences for families previously untouched by NGCRM overnight camps. The program includes faith-based learning and youth mentorship, and supports leadership development through the Experiential Leadership Institute (ELI) for high schoolers. It aims to foster community, spiritual formation, and self-confidence.

Mental Health At Camp - Pecometh (Pen-Del Conference, MD)

This project introduces a mental health support role into summer camp programming to enhance camper and staff well-being. The position provides training on inclusivity and mental wellness, allowing more campers and staff—especially those from diverse backgrounds—to thrive. The goal is to retain staff and provide spiritual and emotional safety that encourages return campers and future leaders.

New Neighbors Become New Leaders - Potosi Pines (Desert Southwest Conference, NV)

This initiative revives a leadership training program for teens, specifically reaching out to the Pacific Islander church community in Las Vegas. Youth from this underserved group will receive year-round mentorship and be trained to become camp counselors and spiritual leaders at Potosi Pines.

Cooperative Parish Camp Initiative - Quinipet (NY)

The grant will fund 5 scholarships for children of formerly incarcerated women, in partnership with the New Hour nonprofit. Through a week of overnight camp, children experience healing, fun, and spiritual nurturing in a supportive environment. The project addresses poverty and emotional trauma related to incarceration. The collaboration involves local UMC churches and the NYAC Church and Society committee.

Beloved Community Day Camp Program - Susquehanna Conference (PA)

The grant supports camperships for new campers as part of a new strategic plan to help congregations connect in new ways with young people and their families.

Campership Fund - Camp Wanakee (New England Conference, NH)

This fund provides emergency campership dollars after losing the long-time support from the state. This will fully fund 5+ camperships (or 10+ partial camperships) and help provide funding until a long-term fund can be established.

Minority and Accessibility Initiative - Warren Willis Camp (FL)

The Minority and Accessibility Initiative provides a summer camp experience for ten campers living in poverty from underserved minority groups. This initiative also supports a seasonal worship ministry leader skilled in ASL to expand and elevate our summer camp experience for children with hearing and visual disabilities.

Native American Culture & Faith Camp - Camp Norwesca (Great Plains Conference, NE)

This initiative offers outdoor Christian camping to youth in rural western Nebraska, many from economically disadvantaged Native American families. Activities promote environmental stewardship, spiritual formation, and leadership. Campers explore faith through devotions, peer relationships, and nature immersion.

Helene Scholarship Fund - Camp Tekoa (Western NC)

This new fund provides camperships for children whose families were severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. 35 campers will have the opportunity for a time away from the devastation and heartbreak that they are living through. While at camp they will experience God in nature, through the written and spoken Word, through caring staff and fun, meaningful activities.

Campers in Leadership Training - Pocono Plateau (PA)

This program fills a gap for up to 3 young teens (13–15) who have aged out of the day camp but are too young to stay home unsupervised. It provides a leadership training track where CILTs assist with Bible lessons and activities and are mentored by camp chaplains and staff. This camp serves a growing, underserved population in rural Pennsylvania that migrated from NYC post-COVID.

Summer Camp Fee Assistance - Camp Uskichitto (LA)

Up to 20 campers will be able to attend camp through this support. Already, the camp partners with churches which fund 50% of camp fees for campers in need. This new fund will cover the remaining cost for families that would not otherwise be able to pay the rest.

______________________________________________________________________

If you are interested in learning more or providing additional support for these initiatives or the many unfunded projects that applied, please reach out to the UMCRM Association. Support from additional donors and foundations would enable us to meet more of these worthy funding needs, supporting many more children and youth to experience Christ's love through United Methodist church camps.

Giving Back: A Reflection From Our Summer Staff Exchange Sponsor

Jen Burch — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:31:37 GMT

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.

Learn more about the Summer Staff Exchange

Thank you, Carlen, for your passion and generosity!

A Reflection on the National Camp and Retreat Leaders’ Event: Guest Post from Carlen Blackstone

Jen Burch — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 04:14:06 GMT

Every 2 years since 1976, there has been a gathering for all of the United Methodist camp and retreat leaders across the country. I have attended 8 of these National Camp & Retreat Leaders’ Gatherings over the years in Colorado, California, Georgia, and Florida, solely as a volunteer, first as a Camping Board Chair in Eastern PA and recently as a member of the Camp and Retreat Ministry Team in Western PA. Every one of them has reminded me convincingly that what the United Methodist Church offers in camping ministry is second to none. I say that because of the diversity of its sites for all levels of accommodation, the diversity of its programming for all ages, and more importantly than anything, the diversity of its leaders as professionals and volunteers.

While I was in college, I was on a rotating Program Staff in Western PA from 1976-78 (alongside Kevin Witt and others) and it hooked me on the incredible opportunities for spiritual and personal growth that Christian camping offers to all generations. Bishop Peter Weaver, when he served the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, called camping ministry the “Environment of Encounter.” When he gave the message at the 50th anniversary for the Jumonville Cross in 2001, he told us that “this cross can’t just be seen from 3 different states but from all over the entire globe because of the lives that have been changed here.” Having served at 6 different camp sites across Pennsylvania, I have realized that these life-changing experiences are not specific to any one camp or style: we encounter God in many different ways based on what each camp environment has to offer.

This year’s National Gathering, held at Camp Allen near Houston, TX, featured some very memorable moments as we explored the theme “WonderFULL.” Rev. Gary Lawson, who received the Legacy of Leadership Award upon his retirement from over 30 years of camp leadership, shared a message reminding us to experience all of the wonder that is around us and how often we should exclaim, “Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow” every day, multiple times a day, wherever we are. Another high point for me was meeting Mark Charles, who co-authored the book Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery, which identified the roots of our ongoing national struggle for a just society for all people, especially BIPOC communities. Christian camping has often catered to populations with enough resources and familiarity with the outdoors, but we are called to intentionally work at welcoming and inviting those who have been left out. The event included a plethora of workshops, inspirational keynotes, energizing worship experiences, thought-provoking Bible studies, and even a morning to completely relax and get a chair massage. Most participants are serving in full-time camp and retreat ministry, and there is increasing need for more to serve in staff and volunteer roles to keep these ministries sustainable and effective.

Denominational disruptions over the past few years have impacted camp and retreat ministries even as we continue to offer hospitality and open doors to all, many outside the United Methodist Church. Our organizations have needed to seek revenue from outside sources as funding within the denomination has decreased. The opportunity to reach children and youth solely from within UMC church communities has become less. However, this Gathering and my lifelong love for the life-changing opportunities in Christian camping make me hopeful about reversing these trends. In fact, it is God’s wonder that is so evident in the natural world, in the love shown by camp leaders to campers, and the commitment of volunteers to support the ministry with their time and resources. It is God at work when camps provide opportunities for challenge experiences, group games, Bible study, worship, and just hanging out together. It is God calling each of us at any age to be His disciples and walk more fully in the life of faith. Nothing else offers such a complete, immersive experience as Christian camping.

As a Volunteer Director/Dean for over 50 camping experiences, I have spent my life inviting others to be volunteers and planning experiences for us to encounter God. Therefore, I must conclude by inviting all who are reading this to do at least one of the following things to participate in this summer’s camping program:

Work on paid summer staff at one of our United Methodist camps. Few other job opportunities will be so fulfilling, regardless of pay.
Volunteer as a counselor for an event this summer by contacting one of the Executive Directors instead of thinking about why you can’t. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Attend a camping experience yourself and invite others to join you, especially if you’ve never gone before, because it might change the rest of your life.
Contribute financially to scholarships and facilities improvements. Money should never be the reason why a child or youth cannot attend camp.
Pray for God to be at work in WonderFULL ways this summer.

Celebrating 2024 Solomon Cramer Grant Projects

Jen Burch — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 07:05:48 GMT

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage us to consider the breadth of our ministries by focusing on the following four priorities:

Experiences that minister with youth living in poverty
The intentional development of young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership with Camp & Retreat Ministries
Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation
Opportunities for increasing racial/ethnic diversity within ministry participation and leadership.

Special consideration is given to Camp & Retreat Ministries that focus on more than one of those priorities and that are launching new opportunities.

Sixteen programs received Solomon Cramer Fund grants in 2024.

At The Lake Ministries (Western PA) - Lake rides and fishing charters for those with disabilities and special needs

The charter craft was fitted with custom-built exhaust insulation. This investment ensures proper insulation for hot, exhaust areas of the vessel as well as long-term noise reduction for the benefit of guests who are sensitive to noisy environments.

Camp Connect at Epworth by the Sea (South GA) - Counselor-in-Training program

Grant funding provided 5 high school graduates an opportunity to participate in intentional leadership development through training and hands-on experience as Camp Connect staff in order to bolster qualified staff applications the following summer. CIT Emerson reflected, “I was immediately welcomed by the counselors with open arms, and all my nerves rushed away. We were paired up with our team of counselors for the week, practiced skits & dances, and prayed over our incoming children. When campers arrived it was so moving to see all of the counselors change into “kid” mode, swooping in as “parent” for the week. In each and every co-worker, I saw how God moved through them, caring for & nurturing these kids as if they were their own. Epworth by the Sea is where I feel myself called to serve.”

New Covenant Impact Camp at Lakewood (IN) - Serving under-resourced campers from southeast Fort Wayne

Impact Camp serves children in the inner-city by providing a week of camp for free where they could experience the beauty of Creation, God's love, and community. Twelve campers were sponsored by the grant last year. One of them, Je’Caryous, has been in and out of the foster care system for most of his life. The trauma he’s experienced has caused him to turn into himself and not trust others easily. When he was given the opportunity to go to camp, he was nervous, but by the end of the week was transformed. His walk looked different. His smile was brighter. He was able to let his guard down. He said that he never liked to see himself in pictures before, but that he wanted to now because of the friends he made and his counselor who showed him love. In addition to being overjoyed about the high dive at swim rotation, he said he liked learning about Jesus being a servant because He helped people who had nothing.

Creation Vacation at Camp Magruder (OR-ID) - Serving families facing housing insecurity who would not otherwise have an opportunity for vacation

Creation Vacation offers low-income families in the Dallas, Oregon area an opportunity to take a beach vacation without cost, and to connect with church families who support the trip and make lasting connections. The structured programming does not just offer these families recreation, but also community, spiritual nourishment, and networking. It gives an aging church the chance to have an impact on families representing demographics that might learn nothing about their church otherwise. It allows camp the opportunity to provide an experience for a socio-economically diverse group of people. 56 campers were enabled to participate in the program this year.

Camp Norwesca LIT Program (Great Plains) - Empowering underprivileged youth and fostering developing leaders through Leaders In Training program

The LIT program equips future counselors with the necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes to be effective leaders who can positively impact their campers and contribute to a successful camp experience. 17-year-old friends Patrick and Cody were assigned to lead a large group activity designed to promote teamwork and problem-solving. The activity required them to guide younger campers through a series of collaborative tasks, each with its own set of challenges. With guidance from their mentors, Patrick and Cody prepared meticulously. They divided responsibilities, practiced their communication strategies, and developed a plan to keep the campers engaged. On the day of the activity, their combined efforts paid off. Patrick’s careful planning and Cody’s dynamic facilitation created a balanced and engaging experience for the campers. The activity not only succeeded but also fostered a strong sense of teamwork and excitement among the younger participants.

City Kids to Campers at Camp Tanako (AR) - Providing an outdoor camp experience for minority urban day campers from downtown Hot Springs

While in the past we just provided an opportunity for swim time at the pool, this year the grant enabled expanded offerings including archery, hiking, putt putt, and gaga ball. Through extra staff support, 300 campers were able to participate.

The Hope Project at Indicoso, Rivervale, and Pine Creek Camps (IN) - Providing a free camp experience for under-resourced campers from East Indianapolis

Five new African-American campers were welcomed through the grant this year. Toriah loved making new friends, especially at the pool and at worship. She also liked when the lights went out at bedtime. Mariah also enjoyed making new friends and participating in worship. She was excited to try so many new things and was thankful for the opportunity to slow down for naptime. Jazzmine focused on how new everything felt. She tried lots of new things for the first time at camp.

HOPE Camp at Jumonville (Western PA) - Serving at-risk youth with financial need

We received a follow-up from the foster parent of one of our first-time HOPE campers, reporting how she had not stopped talking about the incredible week she had, all the friends she made, and how much stronger her faith in Jesus had become since attending.

Ozark Mission Project Week at Mount Eagle Retreat Center (AR) - Subsidizing home repair mission week partnership with youth from Arkansas and Texas

The grant was used to offset the cost of 51 campers attending OMP Week at Mount Eagle. They were able to build wheelchair ramps, fix porches, frame out a restroom and so much more to serve our neighbors in the surrounding communities through this camp experience.

Ozark Mission Project (AR) Leadership Academy - Developing leaders among international students from universities in Arkansas through training and mission service

The 2024 grant sponsored an international student from Suriname to participate in OMP's Leadership Academy, a training program which prepares them for a summer of hands-on mission work, discipleship, and engagement with the community. Sponsoring these students equips them with life skills, rewarding mission experience, and financial support toward their college tuition. Jean-Yves was grateful for the people he got to help, the youth he got to lead, and the life-changing experience OMP provided for him during his time in our country. The impact he had on the hundreds of youth volunteers and community members is immeasurable. He also had an opportunity to present a sermon for the first time. He gave a compelling message about unity as members of the body of Christ and how all can use their diverse gifts for the glory of God and to serve others.

L.E.A.D. at Pecometh (MD, Pen-Del) - Developing leaders among underprivileged urban campers of color

The grant covered full camperships for seven campers to attend the LEAD program, which builds young leaders for both Christian and secular spaces. LEAD campers spend the week hearing from leaders in local churches, businesses, and nonprofits. At the end of the week, these campers formulate plans to use their new leadership skills to the benefit of their communities.

Open Arms Initiative at Pocono Plateau (Eastern PA) - Providing camperships, transportation, supplies, and leadership support for urban campers with financial need

The 2024 grant enabled the launch of a Day Camp program and provide half-scholarships for 17 campers.

Eastern UMC at West River Center (MD, Balt-Wash) - Providing a camp experience to under-served children

Originally, the grant intended to help families of incarcerated men to attend camp and have a sense of security and normalcy. Unfortunately, Camp Hope was not able to happen this year due to volunteer issues, so funds were pivoted to Eastern UMC. Eastern is a church in Baltimore with predominantly impoverished children and youth who would not ordinarily be able to afford to come to camp. 25 campers and 7 volunteers from this Black church community were able to attend the camp week.

Other 2024 grant recipients:

Camp Shine (Cal-Pac) - Serving campers on the autism spectrum who would not otherwise attend summer camp
Camp Wesley Woods (TN) - Reaching the Unchurched - Expanding campership access to campers with financial need who do not have a church home
Camp Days at Mount Shepherd (Western NC) - Asheboro Housing Authority partnership - Camperships and transportation for urban day campers who otherwise could not afford a camp experience

The 2025 Solomon Cramer Grant application will open next week. Consider applying for support of your mission-driven camp program for this coming summer season.

UMCRM Board Welcomes New Members, Officers

Jen Burch — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 05:47:18 GMT

The UMCRM Board of Directors meets via Zoom 6 times each year and gathers in person for one annual retreat. This year's Board retreat was held at Camp Allen (TX) prior to the National Gathering,

Out-going Directors Samuel Richardson (NEJ, Secretary) and Brant Henshaw (At-Large, Treasurer), were honored for their service, and the Board welcomed incoming Directors Sharon Godbolt (WJ), Erica Robinson-Johnson (NEJ), and Angie Sherer (NCJ). New officers were installed: Jeff Parsons (Bay Shore, MI) will serve as Board Chair, Patrick Roscoe (YMCA of Greater Houston) as Vice Chair, Josh Shaw (Tennessee Western Kentucky Conference) as Secretary, and Tony Prestipino (Wespath, Chicago) as Treasurer.

Bishop Peter Weaver (VA), Martha Pierce (Mountain TOP, TN), Mitzie Schafer (GSB, SC), and out-going Chair Dail Ballard will continue in their Board service.

Guest presenter Robin Scott (pictured above with incoming Vice Chair Patrick Roscoe) enriched the retreat with an experiential training session around Advocacy Leadership. In addition to financial oversight and program review, the board engaged in a visioning process to expand the Association's mission.

Reflections from the WonderFULL National Gathering in Texas

Jen Burch — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 03:24:42 GMT

200+ United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministry leaders converged at Camp Allen, TX January 27-31 for a WonderFULL week of inspiration, renewal, networking, and learning. View a growing gallery of photos HERE and contribute your own!

We began the week with intros from Dan Kirby (Gretna Glen, PA) and other members of the Gathering Design Team, praise music with the Ripe Worship team, preaching from Rev Gary Lawson, newly retired from Lakeshore Camp (TN), who encouraged us to look for opportunities for wonder and awe. "Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!"

Troy Taylor (Camp Magruder, OR) creatively introduced the scriptures and Bible studies for the week that we then reflected on in small groups.

Tuesday, Beth Jenson taught us about neurodiversity and the unique gifts of "neurospicy" people, whether we ARE them, live with them, or work and minister with them.

Tuesday night worship included spoken word poetry from Charles (Red Lion Poetry) and preaching from Bishop Cedric Bridgeforth from the Greater NW Episcopal Area on the topic of "Curiosity" and an exhortation to make space for one another's stories. The gathered community held a service of remembrance of our UMCRM saints who have passed on since our last National Gathering. Experiential prayer stations and labyrinth walks engaged our senses and invited creative connection with God throughout the week.

Wednesday we started the day with a block of free time -- some rode horses, some enjoyed a massage, some slept in, and others gathered with staff teams for an off-site adventure. As we regathered in the afternoon, we were treated to a keynote address by Dr. Darrell Hall, helping us to recognize adaptive ways to reach and effectively communicate with folks from all generations. Compass Points capstone graduates were recognized and the Legacy of Leadership Award was given to Gary and Vickie Lawson and Bruce Nelson. Rev Jenna Johnson (West River Center, MD) brought a message on God's presence in the "Unknown." We closed the day with a cupcake and campfire reception.

The final day's keynote was a panel conversation on the topic of Disaster Response with a team of camp leaders who experienced Hurricane Helene last fall: John Isley (Camp Tekoa, NC), Mike Huber (Lake Junaluska, NC), and Lucy Maynard (Camp Dickenson, VA). The afternoon and evening featured a lively Vendor Hall time with businesses that serve Camp & Retreat Ministries. (Follow up with our Vendors HERE). Thanks to over 100 gifts and pledges from the UMCRM community, we were able to meet a $5K giving challenge toward our 2025 UMCRM Association missional goals. Closing worship featured preaching and the celebration of holy communion with Rev Corey Jones (Warren Willis Camp & Conference Center, FL).

Materials shared on the Whova app, including workshop handouts and photos, will remain available to participants until the end of April. Links to Workshop materials and Main Stage recordings will also be shared with participants via email in the coming days. For those not in attendance at the Gathering, access to the collection of Keynote and Worship videos will be available for purchase.

An enthusiastic thanks, once again, to the resilient and creative Design Team: Nick Coenen (Pine Lake, WI), Allison Doyle (Lakeshore,TN), Hope Montgomery (Camp Magruder, OR), Jeff Wilson (Camp Lake Stephens, MS), Dan Kirby (Gretna Glen, PA), Jessie Spangler (Blue Lake, AL), Becky Kilian (Cedar Crest, TN), and TayLa Fugate (Wesley Forest, PA). Thank you, also, to the many other amazing volunteers, workshop leaders, presenters, and behind-the-scenes supporters who pitched in to make this National Gathering successful. We are already excited for 2027 -- stay tuned in S'more Mail for an announcement of the dates and venue for the next UMCRM National Camp & Retreat Leaders' Gathering.

WonderFULL Road Trip Journal - Guest Post from Meredith Petty

Jen Burch — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 20:57:53 GMT

As a celebration of connectionalism and our shared love for United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministry, Jarrett Snider (Program Director at Manidokan Camp & Retreat Center, MD) and I decided to drive a camp van all the way from Maryland to Texas for National Gathering 2025. In the months leading up to our trip we invited others to join, but (surprisingly) we could not find anyone who was excited to drive the 42+ hour round trip with us!

Our goal was pretty straightforward: drive most of the daylight hours, spend each night at a different UM site, and tour each camp the following morning before beginning the next leg of our journey.

The epic road trip began from Manidokan (MD) on January 25th and our first stop was Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center in Eva, Tennessee. Long led by the legendary and recently retired Gary Lawson, this stop was especially exciting because Lakeshore is also Jarrett’s home camp. I had heard SO MUCH about it but had never had the opportunity to visit. We spent some extra time here, making sure to see every special spot at camp and even to enjoy some chicken wings at a local place owned by a camp family. I’m so grateful to now have seen so many places that Jarrett has referenced regarding program ideas, ropes course experiences, and worship spaces.

Next up, we set Google Maps to route us to Camp Caney in the Louisiana Annual Conference. First off, I want to give a huge shoutout of appreciation to Jennifer Spurlock, the Retreat Coordinator at Camp Caney, who said “yes!” to being a part of our crazy endeavor only about 36 hours before we arrived! Situated on Caney Lake, this site was brand new to both Jarrett and me. We loved getting to stay in one of their camper cabins and enjoyed learning from Jennifer about Camp Caney’s history and traditions. Camp Caney is also home to (in my opinion) the best camp gate! If you’re looking for a new gate option, get in touch with them.

After a WonderFULL week at the National Gathering at Camp Allen, Texas (complete with amazing food, comfortable beds, the newly formed UMCRM Run Club, and SO MANY great workshop presenters & worship speakers) we set our sights on Cedar Crest Camp in Lyles, Tennessee. As someone who grew up at a pretty rustic and “spread out” camp, I’ve always been curious to see Cedar Crest. Audrey Jordan, Cedar Crest’s Program Director, was incredibly hospitable and gave us a tour on Saturday morning, after also returning from National Gathering. From big open fields to beautiful creeks to cozy new cabins, Cedar Crest felt like home and a breath of fresh air. After touring, it’s easy to see why they have started a trail run fundraiser!

As I reflect on our trip, I’m so thankful for the amazing community that is UMCRM. This past National Gathering was my 6th time attending, and they just keep getting better and better. I feel blessed to be a part of something so beautiful, where everyone is welcome and is excited to lend a helping hand. Next time you’re traveling, don’t hesitate to reach out to your fellow UM Camp and Retreat Ministries and plan a stop to check out some of the amazing sites in our network. Visiting other camps provides valuable opportunities to make connections, build relationships, and invite people into deeper community and participation with UMCRM. A mentor of mine once told me, “a rising tide lifts all boats” and the older I get, the more that rings true. We all have something to give and we all have something to learn. We might as well do it together and be better for it.

Jarrett and I are grateful to everyone who helped make this trip possible, including: Chris Schlieckert (Director of Camp & Retreat Ministries for the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the UMC), the staff of Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center (TN), Jennifer Spurlock at Camp Caney (LA), and the staff of Cedar Crest Camp (TN). Thank you all!

From WonderFULL to Reimagine: How Two 2025 Gatherings Will Shape Your Ministry

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 04:44:14 GMT

In the dynamic and ever-changing field of camp and retreat ministries, staying inspired, connected, and equipped is essential for leaders shaping lives and fostering faith. This year presents a remarkable opportunity for United Methodist camp and retreat leaders to attend two transformative events: the UMCRM National Gathering and the OMC Great Gathering. Each offers unique benefits, with the National Gathering focusing on the United Methodist mission and the Great Gathering fostering ecumenical collaboration. Together, these gatherings provide an unparalleled chance to deepen the impact of your ministry through practical tools, fresh perspectives, and a strengthened network.

Perhaps you are already registered for the UMCRM National Gathering, happening soon. This biennial event challenges leaders to embrace the awe and wonder in their ministries through the theme “WonderFULL.” With workshops, meaningful connections, and opportunities to reflect on their shared mission, attendees will leave inspired and equipped for the work ahead. Featured speakers include Beth Jenson, who brings practical leadership wisdom, and Rev. Dr. Darrell Hall, whose powerful messages connect faith, leadership, and spiritual growth. This event is a vital touchstone for strengthening United Methodist camp and retreat ministries through tools, relationships, and a renewed sense of purpose.

On the other hand, the OMC Great Gathering, with its theme “Reimagine: a Way in the Wilderness”, broadens the focus to an ecumenical level, uniting leaders from diverse denominations to address shared challenges and exchange innovative solutions. Workshops on sustainability, equity, and program innovation foster creative collaboration and provide actionable tools for thriving ministries. Inspiring speakers include Rue Mapp, founder of Outdoor Afro, who celebrates Black leadership in nature; Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a resilience expert who equips leaders to turn challenges into growth; and Brian D. McLaren, a theologian and activist advocating for a just and collaborative Christianity. This gathering fosters ecumenical dialogue, mutual understanding, and creative solutions, making it a transformative space for collaboration and innovation.

The synergy of attending both events lies in their complementary strengths. The UMCRM National Gathering provides a strong foundation in United Methodist identity, grounding leaders in their values and mission. The OMC Great Gathering expands on this by offering fresh perspectives, cross-denominational collaboration, and innovative approaches to outdoor ministry. Together, they create a holistic experience that equips leaders with strategies, relationships, and inspiration to strengthen their ministries from both within and beyond the denomination.

Imagine leaving these events not just with new ideas but with a network of supportive peers who share your mission. By building relationships at both gatherings, leaders can tap into a wealth of collective wisdom and create partnerships that enhance their ministries. Whether it’s learning how another camp incorporates sustainability practices, discovering new ways to engage youth, or finding inspiration in shared worship, these events empower leaders to dream bigger and accomplish more.

This is also a rare opportunity to prepare for the future of outdoor ministries in a rapidly changing world. The challenges of environmental sustainability, social equity, and spiritual engagement require creative and adaptive solutions. Attending both events ensures that leaders are equipped with the tools, connections, and confidence to address these issues faithfully and effectively.

Participating in the UMCRM National Gathering AND the OMC Great Gathering is not just about individual growth—it’s about strengthening the collective impact of camp and retreat ministries across the country. United Methodist leaders who attend both will end the year inspired, empowered, and ready to help shape a vibrant future for camps and retreats, ensuring they continue to be places of transformation, connection, and spiritual growth for generations to come.

Meet UMCRM's Newest Board Members

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 03:56:00 GMT

At its January meeting, the UMCRM Association will welcome three new members of the Board of Directors. Let's meet them!

Rev. Erica Robinson-Johnson brings extensive experience and deep commitment to the mission of UMCRM. With over 20 years of pastoral leadership, including a decade as Director of Connectional Ministries in New England, she has overseen multiple camp directors and developed executive leaders across several conferences. Her background in HR, legal oversight, and conflict resolution equips her to handle complex organizational challenges. A passionate advocate for safety and inclusion, Erica is dedicated to fostering environments where all individuals can explore faith freely and feel valued. Her strategic leadership, connections to episcopal offices, and collaborative experience with UMCRM during the pandemic further enhance her ability to support the Board’s mission and vision.

Sharon Godbolt, an attorney and mediator for the State of California, brings her passion for diversity, inclusion, and transformative leadership back to the UMCRM Board, where she previously served from 2014 to 2022. With nearly two decades of involvement in camp ministry, Sharon’s journey began at Camp Lodestar in the California-Nevada Conference and evolved from counselor to board member. Her deep love for camp stems from its power to change lives, including her own, and she actively advocates for increasing ethnic diversity in camp participation. As a graduate of UMCRM’s Immersion Experience, she offers a unique blend of legal expertise, heartfelt dedication, and visionary leadership to foster more inclusive and impactful camp communities. Sharon returns to the board with a renewed commitment to ensuring that all children, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, have the opportunity to experience the life-changing love of Christ through camp.

Rev. Angie Sherer has served as Vision Team Chair and volunteer director at Camp Otterbein, part of the West Ohio Conference, and has experience as a conference trustee. Currently serving in the Texas Annual Conference, Angie is known for her ability to organize and lead diverse groups, even across geographical distances. Her strengths in development, budgeting, and strategic ministry align well with the Board’s mission. With ongoing education including a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership, Angie offers fresh insights, a commitment to discernment, and a heart for ensuring that camps remain welcoming spaces where all can experience the transformative love of Christ.

"Excellent choices!", you may be thinking. "But how were these amazing leaders elected?" In a 2021 blog post we demystify UMCRM's Board Development Process.

We are grateful for these remarkable individuals' willingness to help guide the UMCRM Association in a governance capacity, sharing their depth of experience and insight while bringing their passion and a spirit of fun to our shared work. Please join in praying for them and all of our Association's leadership as they envision a thriving future for United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries.

T'was the night before registration...

Jen Burch — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 04:21:25 GMT

'Twas the night before registration, and all through the land
Camp leaders were stirring, excited and planned.
The dates were all set for a gathering bright,
January 27th through 31st, nearly in sight!

At Camp Allen in Navasota, so peaceful and welcoming
Preparations began for Methodist leaders incoming
The WonderFULL theme of this year’s event
A chance for renewal, crafted with intent.

Dr. Rev. Darrell Hall would lead with great care,
While Beth Jenson’s wisdom would be ready to share.
And the Ripe Worship team, from Philly they came,
Their music and passion would set hearts aflame.

Engaging workshops would spark deep reflection,
On topics of ministry, prayer, and connection.
Networking opportunities would help all to grow,
Meeting with colleagues, sharing what they know.

A time for encouragement, to strengthen the soul,
As leaders unite in their common goal.
To learn and to serve, with hearts full of grace,
At the UMCRM Gathering, in this special place.

So mark down the dates, don't let them slip by,
Register soon, the next weeks will fly!
For the WonderFULL Gathering, a time to be fed,
To Camp Allen in Texas, full speed ahead!

Merry Christmas, everyone! We look forward to seeing you at the National Gathering next month. There is still time to register by heading over to United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries - 2025 National Camp & Retreat Leaders Gathering! This experience is a wonderful gift to give yourself, your staff, and volunteers as you prepare for the new ministry year.

FLSA Reversal: An Opportunity to Reinforce Healthy Camp/Retreat Work Cultures

Jen Burch — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 04:12:40 GMT

On November 15, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas struck down the Department of Labor’s (DOL) regulation that raised the salary threshold for white-collar overtime exemptions. This ruling nullifies both the increase that took effect on July 1, 2024, and the planned increase scheduled for January 1, 2025. The threshold now reverts to $35,568 annually, retroactively applied as of July 1. This decision may have organizations wondering if they should reconsider their recent adjustments to staff compensation.

Read more about the reversal here, here, and here.

Many of our UMCRM camp and retreat organizations worked diligently to comply with the now-invalidated FLSA updates, making significant changes to salary structures to meet the July 2024 threshold of $43,888. These changes demonstrated a commitment to fair compensation and the well-being of staff.

As this ruling rolls back salary requirements, it may be tempting to reverse recent adjustments. The UMCRM Association encourages our member ministries to view it instead as an opportunity to reinforce your commitment to fostering healthy work environments. Maintaining or enhancing the compensation levels established these past several months not only demonstrates your organization’s values but also strengthens staff retention, morale, and program delivery, ultimately fostering deeper connections with campers and retreat guests.

Leverage the OMC Salary Study

UMCRM, in partnership with OMC (the Outdoor Ministries Connection), conducted a detailed salary and compensation study across 240 outdoor ministry organizations. The findings provide comprehensive benchmarks for roles ranging from Executive Director to Program and Maintenance staff. Key takeaways highlight the strong correlation between an organization’s annual budget and compensation levels, offering a critical framework for boards and leaders to evaluate and plan for equitable pay.

View the full report or explore the interactive tool

Utilizing the insights from the salary survey, you can ensure your staff's compensation is competitive, fair, and reflective of the work they do. Whether your budget is modest or robust, this study offers actionable guidance tailored to the diversity of our ministries.

Next Steps:

For Directors and Executives: Engage with your board to review your organization’s compensation strategy in light of this ruling.
For Boards: Access the OMC Salary Study to benchmark your pay scales and explore long-term adjustments that align with your mission and values.
For Staff: Advocate for fair compensation by sharing this resource and its insights with your leadership teams.

While the regulatory landscape may shift, our commitment to the people who make ministry possible remains steadfast. This ruling provides an opportunity to double down on creating workplaces that nurture not just the spirit, but the livelihood of those who serve our ministries.

For more information about the OMC Salary Study or additional resources, please contact UMCRM. Together, let’s continue building strong and sustainable ministries.

Reflections on the Annual Summit of Conference Staff & Execs: Guest Post by Jason Boggs

Jen Burch — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 03:39:49 GMT

Pictured, from lower left back row: Alan Rogstad (Pacific Northwest), Jason Boggs (Western NC), Jessica Gamaché (UMCRM Association), Arthur Spriggs (SC), Chris Schlieckert (Baltimore-Washington), Kevin Witt (Susquehanna, PA), David Berkey (MI), Bob Kahle (Great Plains), Apryl Miller (Eastern PA) ; from lower left, front row: Nancy Lane (IL Great Rivers), Todd Bartlett (OR-ID), Sharon Pajak (Desert Southwest), Dail Ballard (NC), Ann Marie Carley (West OH), Mary Thompson (Holston), Brooke Bradey (NY), Gary Lawson (TN-Western KY), Corey Jones (FL), Keith Shew (Dakotas-MN), and special guests Lee Padgett (retired), Kevin Johnson (UMC Discipleship Ministries) at the Scarritt Bennett Center, Nashville, TN, November 2024

The 2024 Summit was a well-timed gift, hosted last week at the Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville, TN. This was my second time attending the Summit as a Conference Chairperson and I have come to experience these gatherings as welcome places of mutual learning and support. This year’s Summit offered a diverse slate of presentations and activities from participants and ministry partners. One of the highlights of the Summit format for me is the peer-led TED Talk style presentations. This year’s talks included a ‘poetic ode’ to the often-misunderstood UMC Trust Clause, an overview of one participant's experience in leading through a strategic planning process, as well as a presentation and discussion about renewal leave and its benefits to leaders and their ministries.

We also had the opportunity to hear from several ministry partners. Lee Padgett presented on a strategic conversation that he had with Bishops at a recent gathering. His conversations focused on the relationship of Camp and Retreat Ministries with the wider vision of the United Methodist Church. We were tasked with listening for “aha” moments and discovered places of alignment and opportunities for sharing information in our own contexts about how Camp and Retreat Ministries are actively participating in the mission of the United Methodist Church.

One of our final gatherings welcomed partners from Discipleship Ministries. Panelists presented on their work and helped to foster a renewed sense of mutuality in relationship to the work of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries. The learning content of this year’s Summit highlighted the value of our connection and the relationships fostered by this gathering help to make it tangible.

The building and nurturing of relationships is the primary outcome for me in this moment. The relationships fostered during my first Summit experience (in 2023) proved to be an invaluable gift to my own ministry. These relationships provided a great deal of support and a wealth of knowledge to call upon in key moments throughout the year. As I emerge from this year’s Summit, I again feel a sense of support from the time spent together and look forward to continuing to grow in and through these relationships and

the gift of UMCRM.

Rev. Jason Boggs is a provisional elder in the Western North Carolina Conference of the UMC and chairs the Council on Camp and Retreat Ministry. He has served for many years in various camp staff and volunteer roles, in youth ministries, and currently pastors a thriving charge.

*photo credits: Dail Ballard

An Invitation to You, Our "Persons of the Year," from Gathering Co-Chairs

Jen Burch — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 04:46:14 GMT

In 2006, Time Magazine named their annual “Person of the Year” in an unconventional manner. Noting the sudden rise of social media, YouTube, and other content creators, the cover of the magazine didn’t have a photo of a person, but instead had a picture of a computer screen that declared “You” as the person of the year.

If this is the first you’ve heard of this award you’ve won, congratulations!

We’d like to propose a different angle on this award as we think about the upcoming National Gathering. Allison and I have been a part of the planning process for two of these events now and a common thread always arises in our meetings.

More than the speakers, the location, workshops, vendors, and everything else, the key component of every event is our community. All of the other components certainly add value, but they are really just the context for the conversations we have with each other.

When we hear an amazing speaker, we gather to share how it may have encouraged a new way forward for our ministry. We attend workshops where we hear thoughtful questions and comments from colleagues, giving unique perspectives to the topic at hand.

Isn’t this true at our camps and retreat centers as well? For all the planning and effort we put forth in an amazing program, we all know the success of our programs can rise and fall with the staff and campers who are present each week. Having a week filled with returning campers always reminds us that the program could fade totally away and they would still have the best week of their summer.

The community we have in our organization is special. We have a wide range of experience, perspectives, and insights. To be that robust community takes all of us. For those who are new to this career, you can hear common experiences from fellow new leaders and the long-view wisdom from veteran camp and retreat ministry pros. Conversely, if you have been doing this for a while, isn’t it always good to hear the bright optimism and enthusiasm of those who are just wrapping up their first couple of summers?

If you have never been to a UMCRM National Gathering event before, we invite you to join us in Texas in January. We are confident this is a community that can help you both grow professionally and encourage you personally.

If you have been to a National Gathering and haven’t registered yet…we understand. Your schedule is endlessly full and “one more thing” is easy to put off for another day. But consider this as doing something for yourself as well. For all the deadlines that loom, could this be a countdown on your phone that you can look forward to as an oasis? It’s helpful to our planning team to know that you’re coming, and your registration fees may be paid in the new year if needed. We encourage you to sign up today, and hope you will bring fellow staff members and a few board members or volunteers, as well.

While we can’t promise a Time Magazine cover, the truth of that sentiment can still apply in a way. The most important part of the UMCRM and the National Gathering is certainly “You,” but even more, we like to think it is about “Us.” A community called to ministry in beautiful, unique, quiet settings that are set apart so God can move in the lives that seem immovable. We are blessed to steward these “WonderFull” places. Let’s gather together to remind each other of that blessing this January!

Nick Coenen has served as the Director of Pine Lake Camp in the Wisconsin Conference since 2005. He is Co-Chair of the 2025 National Gathering Design Team along with Allison Doyle from Lakeshore Camp (TN). His ministry is fueled by the love of Jesus, his amazing spouse Jamie Coenen, and Count Chocula cereal.

Expanding Horizons: Formation of a National Summer Staff Exchange Program

Jen Burch — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 04:28:16 GMT

The United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) community has long recognized the profound impact that summer staff have on the life and vitality of our camps and retreats. These young adults bring passion, energy, and fresh ideas to our ministries, making them invaluable members of our teams. As we look toward the future, we see these young people being the next generation of camp and retreat leaders who will shape our collective ministry. Right now, we have the opportunity to lift up these leaders and strengthen their connection to these holy spaces that God has called us to steward. As part of this effort, we are excited to share a new initiative designed to deepen their experience and connection within the broader UMCRM network: the National Summer Staff Exchange Program.

What is the National Summer Staff Exchange Program?

Scheduled to launch with a pilot in the Summer of 2025 and full implementation planned for Summer 2026, the National Summer Staff Exchange Program is designed to broaden the horizons of summer staff by connecting them to the wider UMCRM community. This program will allow participants to work at different camps across the country, experiencing the diversity and shared mission of our ministries firsthand.

Through this exchange, summer staff will have the opportunity to be a part of the camp experience at a variety of locations. It’s more than just a chance to travel—it’s an invitation to become part of a larger movement, helping them see their role as integral to a collective ministry effort. By the end of their summer exchange experience, these young leaders will have a broader understanding of the impact they can have in camp and retreat ministries and how their unique skills and passions can contribute to meaningful, lifelong work.

Why is This Initiative Important?

This initiative is a key part of UMCRM’s strategic vision to create a comprehensive professional development pathway for students, non-executive staff, and leaders from diverse backgrounds. The program offers a unique opportunity for summer staff to work at different camps, experiencing new ministry settings and approaches that broaden their understanding of the field. By being exposed to different environments and methods, participants will gain a deeper appreciation for the shared mission and values that unite our UMCRM network. This broader perspective not only enhances their professional skills but also strengthens their connection to the larger camp and retreat ministries community.

The National Summer Staff Exchange Program is designed to do more than just develop skills—it’s about inspiring young leaders to see themselves as part of a larger movement. When participants see how their work at their home camp connects to the bigger picture, they’re more likely to envision a future within our community. By June 2027, our goal is that at least 75% of non-executive association members will report improved career development opportunities. With this program, we are laying the groundwork to achieve that goal by nurturing a sense of purpose and commitment among young staff, encouraging them to pursue meaningful, lifelong careers in camp and retreat ministries.

How UMCRM Members Can Get Involved

To successfully launch the National Summer Staff Exchange Program, we need input and collaboration from a diverse range of UMCRM sites. This fall, we are assembling a task force to design the program framework. We invite members who are passionate about developing young leaders and who are committed to enriching the camp experience to consider joining this task force.

The task force will be responsible for:

Logistical Coordination: Designing the platform and processes for site exchanges, including participant matching, housing, and scheduling.
Participant Support: Establishing guidelines and resources to ensure a positive and enriching experience for all involved.
Program Goals: Defining the core goals and outcomes of the exchange program to align with UMCRM’s strategic vision.

Task force members will also have the unique opportunity to serve as pilot sites for the first year of the program. This hands-on involvement will provide crucial insights and help shape the program’s success.

Why Your Involvement Matters

The task force’s work will lay the foundation for a transformative experience that can shape the future of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries. As a task force member, you’ll be contributing directly to the growth and development of our young leaders and helping to build a sustainable future for our ministries.

Your camp’s unique perspective is vital. Each of our sites has something special to offer, and bringing together a diverse group ensures that the exchange program reflects the full richness of the UMCRM community. By participating, you’re not only enhancing the professional development of summer staff but also strengthening the connections that bind our network together.

Next Steps: Join the Task Force

If you are interested in being part of this exciting initiative and serving on the task force, please reach out to UMCRM’s Director, Jessica Gamaché at jessica.gamache@umcrm.org. We encourage participation from camps of all sizes and locations to create a truly diverse and representative task force.

Together, we can provide our summer staff with an experience that broadens their horizons, deepens their commitment to camp and retreat ministries, and inspires them to consider this work as a meaningful career path. Let’s build something extraordinary, starting now.

Join us in creating a brighter future for UMCRM and the young leaders who will shape it.

For more information or to express interest in joining the task force,

please contact jessica.gamache@umcrm.org

Community Voices Shaped the New UMCRM Strategic Initiatives

Jen Burch — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 04:13:02 GMT

At the heart of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) is a commitment to listen, learn, and grow together. This month, the UMCRM Association Board established a set of strategic initiatives designed to shape the future of our community over the next three years. These initiatives, grounded in feedback from our members, reflect the collective vision of our camp and retreat leaders' network.

In the spring of 2024, we conducted a survey to capture your insights, experiences, and hopes for the future of UMCRM. The results of this survey were instrumental in shaping our new strategic directions. (View the survey results)

In this blog, we will highlight how your voices influenced these initiatives and why your involvement is crucial to their success. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected, and more impactful UMCRM community.

1. Leadership Development: Building a Comprehensive Pathway for All

Goal: By June 2027, UMCRM will create a comprehensive professional development pathway for students and non-executive staff, especially those from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds. The initiative aims to ensure that at least 75% of non-executive members report enhanced career development opportunities within camp and retreat ministries.

Leadership development emerged as a key priority from the survey. Many members expressed a desire for more robust training opportunities and certification options beyond the traditional roles. You asked for diverse and meaningful pathways for professional growth that reflect the evolving needs of camp and retreat ministries.

How Your Feedback Shaped This Initiative:

Expanded Certification Opportunities: Respondents highlighted the need for more certification tracks that go beyond the traditional Director role. To address this, we are working to introduce new certification tracks in areas such as fundraising, marketing, food service, hospitality, etc., starting in October 2025. This initiative directly responds to feedback about recognizing the unique contributions of various roles within our camps, such as maintenance, food service, and administrative roles.
Increasing the Value and Rigor of UMCRM Certificate Program: You told us that the value of certification needed to be elevated, with more rigorous standards and ongoing education requirements. As a result, we will be moving toward increasing the requirements for achieving and maintaining the UMCRM Certificate by adding proficiencies, applicable hours, and continuing education requirements starting in 2026. This will ensure that our certification reflects high standards and professional excellence, addressing concerns raised in the survey about better equipping leaders for the future.
National Summer Staff Exchange: The development of a new National Summer Staff Exchange Program will be designed to broaden the horizons of summer staff by connecting them to the wider UMCRM network. By working at different camps across the country, participants will experience the diversity and shared mission of our ministries, helping them see their role as part of a larger, impactful movement. This exposure aims to inspire them to consider a career in camp and retreat ministries by showing how their skills and passions can contribute to meaningful, lifelong work. The program is scheduled to launch in Summer 2025 with a pilot, followed by full implementation in Summer 2026, providing training and support to foster a positive and enriching experience.

2. Advocacy: Amplifying Our Voice and Impact Together

Goal: By December 2026, UMCRM aims to enhance advocacy efforts to showcase the value of camp and retreat ministries, ensuring that at least 80% of Annual Conferences recognize and support the impact of these ministries on their congregations and communities.

Your feedback was clear: advocacy needs to be a stronger focus for UMCRM. Many of you mentioned the importance of advocating for our ministries, especially in a time of budget cuts and organizational transitions within the broader church. You emphasized the need for better communication with decision-makers and more robust tools for self-advocacy.

How Your Feedback Shaped This Initiative:

Strengthening Relationships with Conference Leaders: Many respondents expressed the need for deeper relationships with Bishops, Directors of Connectional Ministries (DCMs), and other conference leaders. In response, we will immediately begin work to develop dedicated resources on the UMCRM website specifically for Conference leaders, aligned with the UMCRM 7 Foundations. We are also expanding our UMCRM Advisory Team to enhance support and advocacy efforts, starting in June 2025.
Organizing Advocacy Events and Building Stronger Networks: Respondents suggested more direct engagement with decision-makers through events and presentations. Starting in September 2025, we will organize advocacy events or luncheons at already established United Methodist Leadership Gatherings to facilitate direct interactions between camp advocates and conference leadership. This initiative aims to foster stronger support for our ministries within the church hierarchy, a need highlighted in many survey responses.
Creating Effective Advocacy Tools: You shared that advocacy efforts often feel disconnected or underutilized. We heard your call for practical, research-based tools that clearly communicate the value of camp and retreat ministries. To address this, we are developing a user-friendly advocacy document that synthesizes research findings on the positive impact of our ministries. This tool will be available by March 2025 and will be complemented by training sessions on how to use it effectively in presentations and communications.

3. Networking: Enhancing Connection and Collaboration Across Our Community

Goal: By May 2027, UMCRM aims to enhance networking and collaboration among its leaders by leveraging ecumenical partnerships and increasing jurisdictional-focused programs. The objective is to ensure that at least 90% of participants report a stronger sense of connectedness and professional growth.

Networking was a recurring theme in the survey. Many of you highlighted the value of peer support, mentorship, and gatherings. You also expressed a desire for more opportunities to connect across jurisdictions and with ecumenical partners.

How Your Feedback Shaped This Initiative:

Doubling Jurisdictional-Focused Programs: Survey respondents underscored the importance of jurisdictional connections for support and collaboration. To enhance these connections, we will double the number of jurisdictional-focused programs by December 2026. This will include quarterly, virtual peer-to-peer support opportunities within each of the five jurisdictions starting in February 2025, and a mentorship program pairing experienced leaders with emerging leaders by September 2025.
Strengthening Ecumenical Partnerships: Respondents also called for stronger ties with ecumenical partners and more collaborative initiatives. We will be developing and piloting initial partnership initiatives, such as joint training sessions and co-hosted events, in Fall 2025. This will help broaden and deepen networking connections among faith-based camp and retreat leaders, responding to feedback about the need to break down silos and work more closely with adjacent ministries.

Get Involved: Your Participation Matters

These strategic initiatives were shaped by you—our members—who have shared your insights, dreams, and concerns for the future of UMCRM. Now, we need your involvement to bring these initiatives to life. Here are a few ways you can participate:

Watch for opportunities to join a task force or working group as they form throughout the fall season: Contribute your expertise by joining a task force focused on developing new programs like the National Summer Staff Exchange or expanding certification tracks. Your unique insights will help shape these initiatives and ensure they meet the needs of our community.
Spread the word: Share information about these initiatives with your colleagues, Conference leaders, and supporters.
Participate in new programs: Engage in programs and opportunities created by these initiatives, such as jurisdictional networking events, new certification tracks, or the summer staff exchange program. These programs are designed to enhance your ministry and strengthen connections across our network.

The new strategic initiatives are not just about setting goals; they are about building a future together that reflects the collective wisdom, passion, and commitment of the UMCRM community. We are excited to embark on this journey with you, knowing that each of you plays a critical role in the success of our shared mission.

Together, we can create a more vibrant, connected, and impactful UMCRM network. Let's turn these initiatives into action and continue to inspire, advocate, and lead with faith and purpose.

Your voice matters, and your involvement is essential. Join us as we move forward, embracing the opportunities ahead and building a stronger future for camp and retreat ministries.

Implementing the Fluctuating Workweek Method for Camp and Retreat Leaders

Jen Burch — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 03:43:33 GMT

Disclaimer: This article reflects information gathered from reputable sources including the U.S. Department of Labor, the UMC General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA), and finance professionals. However, the content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. For specific guidance on employment law or payroll management, please consult a qualified attorney or labor law expert.

The recent changes to FLSA laws have underscored the complexity of managing payroll for camp and retreat staff, especially when work hours vary significantly throughout the year. In June, UMCRM provided resources to help ministry organizations navigate these changes. Now, we want to highlight an additional option for compensating employees that could benefit your ministry: the Fluctuating Workweek (FWW) method of calculating overtime under the FLSA. This method may offer a flexible and cost-effective solution for camp and retreat organizations. In this blog post, we will explain how camp and retreat leaders can understand and implement the FWW method for their ministry.

What is the Fluctuating Workweek Method?

The Fluctuating Workweek method allows you to pay non-exempt employees (those who qualify for overtime) a fixed salary each week, regardless of the number of hours they work, with additional overtime pay based on a simple calculation when they work more than 40 hours in a week. This method is especially helpful in camp and retreat settings, where hours can be long and intense during the summer but drop off significantly during the off-season.

Key Points to Remember

Fixed Weekly Salary: Employees receive a steady weekly salary that does not change even if their hours fluctuate from week to week.
Overtime Calculation: If an employee works more than 40 hours in a week, they are paid extra, but at a half rate of their regular hourly wage for that week. The regular hourly wage is calculated by dividing their weekly salary by the total number of hours worked that week and thus will vary from week to week.
Agreement with Employees: There must be a clear understanding between you and your employee that their salary covers all the hours they work each week, no matter how few or many.
Variable Work Hours: This method is only for employees whose hours change week by week. If someone works the same hours every week, this approach is not an option.

Steps to Implement the Fluctuating Workweek Method in Your Camp or Retreat Ministry

Here’s a simplified breakdown to help camp and retreat ministry leaders implement the FWW method:

1. Identify Eligible Staff

Start by determining which of your team members are eligible for the FWW method. Non-exempt employees, like facilities directors, hospitality coordinators, or program directors, can benefit from this approach. Remember, only employees who qualify for overtime under the FLSA can be paid using this method.

Ensure Hours Fluctuate: Make sure that the employees’ work hours change from week to week. This method works well for roles that experience seasonal shifts in workload.
Get Employee Consent: It’s important to have a written agreement where the employee understands and agrees to the fluctuating workweek arrangement, including how overtime will be calculated.

2. Set a Fixed Salary

You’ll need to decide on a fixed salary that will cover all the hours an employee might work in a week, ensuring it’s enough to meet or exceed minimum wage requirements.

Estimate Maximum Hours: Think about the busiest time of year. For example, a facilities director might work up to 60 hours a week during the summer season when the camp is at full capacity.
Calculate Minimum Salary: At the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, the minimum salary for a week with 60 hours would be $435 (60 * $7.25). This ensures that the employee always earns at least the minimum wage, even when their hours are high.

3. Calculate Overtime Pay

Under the FWW method, overtime pay changes depending on how many hours the employee works each week:

Determine the Regular Rate: The regular hourly rate for the week is calculated by dividing the fixed weekly salary by the total hours worked that week.
Calculate Overtime Pay: Overtime is then paid at half the regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a week. For example, if your hospitality coordinator works 45 hours in a week and their salary is $435, the calculation would be as follows:
- Regular Rate: $435 / 45 = $9.67 per hour.
- Overtime Pay: 5 hours of overtime at $4.84 per hour (half of $9.67) equals $24.17.
- Total Pay for the Week: $435 (salary) + $24.17 (overtime) = $459.17.

4. Keep Accurate Records

While employees under the FWW method receive a fixed salary, it’s crucial to keep track of the actual hours worked each week to ensure the correct overtime is paid.

Track Hours Carefully: Use a reliable system to track hours worked each week. This is not only a good practice but also necessary for accurate overtime calculations.

5. Stay Compliant with Laws

Before diving into the FWW method, make sure it complies with both federal and state labor laws. While this method is allowed under federal law, some states have additional regulations on overtime and minimum wage.

Check State Laws: Some states may have restrictions or different rules regarding the FWW method. It’s always good to check with a labor law expert or consult your state’s labor department for guidance.

Specific Challenges for Camp and Retreat Ministries

Camps and retreats have unique challenges when it comes to managing employee hours:

Seasonal Fluctuations in Workload: During summer months, roles like facilities directors and hospitality coordinators may easily exceed 40 hours a week. This is when you will need to calculate overtime pay under the FWW method. However, during off-peak months in the winter, the same employees might work significantly fewer hours. The FWW method allows you to balance these seasonal variations without constantly renegotiating pay.
Long Summer Hours: Employees working long hours in the summer need to feel their compensation is fair and understandable. By clearly explaining how their salary and any additional overtime are calculated, you can help them feel more secure and valued.
Staff Morale and Communication: Employees, especially those deeply involved in ministry work, should understand that the fixed salary is meant to provide stability. Clear communication is key to maintaining morale and trust, ensuring everyone understands how their compensation works.

Practical Examples for Your Ministry Team

To make this more concrete, let’s look at some real-life scenarios in camp and retreat settings:

Example 1: Facilities Director with Fluctuating Weekly Hours

Your facilities director is paid a weekly salary of $435, with the assumption that their maximum workload could be up to 60 hours a week during peak summer months. Here’s how it works in practice:

Last week of summer camp: The director works 50 hours.
- Regular Rate: $435 / 50 = $8.70 per hour.
- Overtime Pay: 10 hours (hours over 40) at half the regular rate ($4.35) = $43.50.
- Total Pay: $435 + $43.50 = $478.50.
First week of retreat season: The director works 34 hours.
- Regular Rate: Since there is no overtime, the pay remains at the fixed salary of $435.

This example shows how the pay can fluctuate depending on the hours worked, while the base salary remains steady.

Example 2: Hospitality Coordinator Working Varying Hours

Your hospitality coordinator is paid a fixed weekly salary of $600. During the peak season, their hours can vary greatly:

Week 1: The coordinator works 48 hours.
- Regular Rate: $600 / 48 = $12.50.
- Overtime Pay: 8 hours at $6.25 (half-time) = $50.
- Total Pay: $600 + $50 = $650.
Week 2: The coordinator works 45 hours.
- Regular Rate: $600 / 45 = $13.33.
- Overtime Pay: 5 hours at $6.67 (half-time) = $33.35.
- Total Pay: $600 + $33.35 = $633.35.

Tips for Smooth Implementation

Train Your Payroll Staff: Make sure those handling payroll understand how to calculate overtime under the FWW method and are up-to-date on relevant laws.
Communicate Clearly with Employees: Regularly explain to your staff how their pay is calculated, especially in roles where hours fluctuate seasonally.

The fluctuating workweek method can provide a fair and flexible approach to managing payroll for employees in camp and retreat ministries. It helps balance the long hours of summer with the shorter hours of winter, ensuring your facilities directors, hospitality coordinators, and other key staff are compensated appropriately and in compliance with the law. By understanding the basics, communicating clearly, and staying organized, ministry leaders can simplify payroll while maintaining a fair and supportive work environment.

For more detailed information on the fluctuating workweek method, check out the guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Bonus: What the Fluctuating Workweek (FWW) Method is NOT

While the Fluctuating Workweek (FWW) method can be a helpful tool for managing payroll at camp and retreat ministries, it’s important to understand what it is not. Misunderstanding how the FWW works can lead to incorrect payroll practices, potential legal issues, and confusion among staff. Here are some common misconceptions about the FWW method and what it does not allow:

1. FWW is NOT a Way to Avoid Paying Overtime

A common misconception is that if an employee works 45 hours in one week, you can simply reduce their hours to 35 the following week to "balance out" the time and avoid paying overtime. This is not how the FWW method works. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime pay is required for any hours worked over 40 in a single workweek, regardless of how many hours are worked in the next week. The FWW method still requires that employees be paid overtime for those extra 5 hours at half the regular rate for that specific week.

Key Point: Each workweek is treated independently for overtime purposes. You cannot average the hours over two weeks to avoid paying overtime.

2. FWW is NOT a Fixed-Rate System for Every Hour Worked

The FWW method does not mean that you pay a single rate for all hours worked, regardless of how many hours an employee works in a week. Employees must still receive their fixed weekly salary plus half-time pay for every hour over 40. For example, if your hospitality coordinator works 45 hours in a week, you must calculate their regular hourly rate for that week based on their fixed salary and pay an additional half-rate for the 5 hours over 40.

Key Point: Hourly overtime pay rates vary by week since overtime under FWW is paid at half the regular hourly rate for each hour over 40 in a given week.

3. FWW is NOT a Method to Reduce Salaries When Employees Work Fewer Hours

Some may think that if employees work fewer hours in a week, they should be paid less. However, under the FWW method, the salary remains fixed regardless of how few or many hours an employee works in a week. If a program director works 38 hours in one week, they still receive their full fixed salary. The only adjustment occurs when calculating the overtime rate for weeks where hours exceed 40.

Key Point: Employees must receive the agreed-upon fixed salary for all hours worked each week, even if they work fewer than 40 hours.

4. FWW is NOT Suitable for Employees with Fixed Weekly Hours

The FWW method is designed for employees whose hours fluctuate from week to week. It does not apply to staff who work the same number of hours each week. For instance, if a camp administrator consistently works 40 hours every week, they should not be compensated using the FWW method, as their hours do not vary.

Key Point: The FWW method is only for employees with genuinely fluctuating work hours.

5. FWW is NOT a Simple Pay Structure for All Employees

The FWW method requires careful calculation each week to determine the correct overtime pay. It is not a "set it and forget it" system. Payroll staff need to be well-trained to calculate the varying overtime rates based on the fluctuating work hours and the fixed salary.

Key Point: The FWW method requires diligent record-keeping and accurate payroll calculations to comply with FLSA rules.

Ministry Impact Grant Reports, #12: Projects Completed at Camp Innabah (PA), Grand Mesa (CO), Hinton Center (NC), Mingus Mountain (AZ), and Wesley Woods (PA)

Jen Burch — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:36:17 GMT

The UMCRM Association continues to celebrate completed Ministry Impact Grants this week on the blog. Last year, we were blessed to distribute $1.7 million in grants, funding 68 United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects across the country. The common theme of this week’s projects is that they are the kinds of needs that can be hard to fund. However, it is indisputable that a good night’s sleep on a nice mattress can make or break one’s quality of life! Yet replacing mattresses at camp is a costly and time-consuming undertaking so it’s a project that sometimes gets deferred. This twelfth installment of Ministry Impact reports features five projects, completed at Camp Innabah (PA), Grand Mesa (CO), Hinton Center (NC), Mingus Mountain (AZ), and Wesley Woods (PA). Read the stories and join with us in giving thanks for these completed projects that will greatly enhance the guest experience these ministries provide.

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM will be celebrating completed projects in this ongoing series until all of the 2023 grant recipients have been featured. View previous project reports

Camp Innabah (Eastern PA) - Health Care Upgrades

The Ministry Impact Grant enabled Camp Innabah to improve the living quarters and bathroom for summer camp volunteer nurses housed in the 90-year-old Farmhouse building. The renovated bathroom, new flooring, and fresh paint have made the health care space more welcoming and sanitary. Goodbye to the 30+ year-old carpet!

Grand Mesa Camp (Mountain Sky, CO) - Mattress Match and Chapel Ramp

The grant award has increased the vitality of Grand Mesa Camp and renewed hope in the future of the ministry. The chapel ramp project provided an opportunity to develop relationships with several local contractors and to learn how to address the challenge of building and renovation in the camp’s remote region.

The second part of the grant-funded project was a fundraising and Adopt-A-Building campaign. The marketing team created an email, mailing, and social media campaign to reach churches, congregation members, campers and families, current and former camp staff, and alumni. Supporting churches received single-slide ads to be shown before or after service and a 5-slide presentation for use in worship. Altogether, this marketing blitz enabled the Camping Association to raise 73% of its funding goal by the end of the year; well underway to complete their goal in 2024. The Mattress Match initiative helped the camp to develop donor relationships and create momentum for a more sustainable ministry into the future.

Hinton Rural Life Center (NC) - Mattress Replacement

The grant allowed Hinton Center to purchase 97 new mattresses and mattress covers in the guest quarters that house Summer Mission volunteers, retreat guests, and confirmands in Hinton's Confirmation Retreat program. These badly needed improvements have been enthusiastically received by guests. We give thanks for the significant improvement in the comfort, cleanliness, and retreat renewal experience for Hinton's guests.

Mingus Mountain Camp (Desert Southwest, AZ) - Kitchen Equipment

Grant funding has enabled the food services ministry at Mingus Mountain to provide higher quality food, save money, and serve guests with increased hospitality. The new slicer helps in preparing fresh meats, cheeses and produce. The tilt skillet/brazier enhances cooking French toast, grilled cheese, soups, chili, hot dogs, scrambled eggs and more for larger groups. The staff has already been receiving great feedback: "Wow-the food is excellent and filling!" "The food was absolutely fantastic!” With care and maintenance, this investment will serve Mingus’s guests and campers for the next generation.

Wesley Woods Camp (PA) - Bunks and Mattresses

Now the nicest beds in camp, new bunks and mattresses replaced the ones that had outlived their usefulness at Wesley Woods. Guests are able to experience greater hospitality and good night’s rest. The new bunks also gave the space a needed facelift.

Ministry Impact Grant Reports, #11: Projects Completed at Western North Carolina Conference, Great Plains Conference, Pacific Northwest Conference, Grand Mesa Camp (CO), Mountain Sky Conference, and Camp Magruder (OR)

Jen Burch — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 01:09:10 GMT

The UMCRM Association is delighted to highlight more Ministry Impact Grants this week on the blog. Last year, we were blessed to distribute $1.7 million in grants, funding 68 United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects across the country. This week's featured projects all engaged professional services for expert advice and strategy support. Whether creating a fresh marketing plan or engaging a strategic planning process, these ministries invested in a sustainable future. Bringing in new perspectives and expertise can prove invaluable to help envision new possibilities and make needed change in an organization. This eleventh installment of reports features six projects, completed in the Western North Carolina Conference, Great Plains Conference, Pacific Northwest Conference, Grand Mesa Camp (CO), Mountain Sky Conference, and Camp Magruder (OR).

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM will be celebrating completed projects in this ongoing series until all of the 2023 grant recipients have been featured. View previous project reports

Western North Carolina Conference Council on Camps & Retreats - Collaborative Marketing Program

Three Western NC camps were given the unique opportunity to collaborate with Cube Creative for an entire year to rebuild websites, engage in targeted online marketing techniques, and redesign and purchase promotional materials. Together the camps launched a robust campaign at Annual Conference, including giveaways, raffle, bonfire and worship, and a Friday fun night with games and bounce house.

Each of the sites implemented long-dreamed-of marketing initiatives, and the Council’s preliminary research work has engaged beneficial networking and relationship building with key stakeholders. The ongoing data and research tools are in place to help the Council continue to develop marketing strategies and physical resources for sustainable camp ministry across the conference. This investment is expected to continue bearing fruit for years to come.

Great Plains Camps - Marketing

Leaders of the five camps across Kansas and Nebraska met with two nationally-recognized camp marketing professionals every other week for over a year to explore best practices to promote camper retention and recruitment. Registration trend data informed the implementation of new strategies, from an improved marketing timeline to evaluation processes for staff, campers, and families. Staff learned the value of scripting out tours and programs to seize opportunities to help people grow. The consultants helped to compare programs and communication plans with other industry best practices. The process motivated and equipped all involved to strive for continual improvement. This initiative already bore fruit in this camping season: enrollment was up for all five of our camps with no increase to the marketing budget. Parent camp champions have been engaged to help as references for prospective new camper families, and the scholarship fund has seen increased support.

Executive Director Bob Kahle reflects, “We came to understand that effective camp marketing is not about finding the biggest hill and screaming out for people to come to our camps. We

cannot compete with large marketing budgets and unlimited resources. Instead, we learned how to make our camps better and saw the power in encouraging campers, families and guests to trust us enough that they will want to talk about our camps to their friends. The impact of this project includes a new confidence and pride our staff have in our program, which is translating into other areas of our life and ministry.”

Pacific Northwest Conference Camping & Retreat Ministries - Strategic Planning

Grant funding enabled consultation with Kaleidoscope, Inc., on a strategic planning process. The outcome of that process has provided the Camping Board of Stewards a context for how each of the four camps serves the PNW Conference and surrounding communities. Identifying each site’s strengths and weaknesses will inform future programming

and capital development. Lazy F and Ocean Park camps worked this spring on site-specific strategic plans, building on insights gleaned from the Conference process over the past two years. Indianola and Twinlow camps will be continuing strategic work starting in the fall. In addition to the usable and concise professional report, the process with Kaleidoscope resulted in a significant amount of board training to help them think strategically about the role of the camps as a ministry of the PNW Conference and how they will serve the mission of the Conference in the future.

Grand Mesa Camp - Coaching

The grant funded consultation with an organizational coach and a team-building and visioning retreat for the staff and board. Throughout the coaching and team-building process, the leadership team discovered much common ground in their hopes and vision for the camp. Together they realized the need for a comprehensive leadership structure to implement the action steps to achieve those goals and visions. Following the retreat, the coach provided a final report outlining the goals, mission, vision, and talking points to continue the work begun at the retreat. A new board structure has been created and the team now has what they need to implement forward-looking strategies for the camp’s future.

Mountain Sky Conference Council on Retreat and Camping - Software, Coaching, and Social Media

The grant allowed this ministry, which spans 7 sites across 5 states, to accomplish three different goals. Flathead Lake Camp (MT) received support to purchase and implement Camp Brain registration software. The Mountain Sky Conference Camp budget matched the grant to cover the full cost. Buckhorn Camp (CO) engaged with a coach, Karen Grosz of Canvas Creek Team Building, to assist the staff and board with organizational development, and several other sites had an opportunity to receive strategic coaching. Finally, several of the camps utilized the grant support to create new marketing materials for promotional events and church visits. Overall, the grant support for all three initiatives strengthened camp operations and provided unique points of collaboration for the Council on Retreat and Camping across the region.

Camp Magruder - Marketing Support

The leadership of Camp Magruder knew they needed new strategies to reach a more diverse camper base beyond the United Methodist Church. The marketing support Camp Magruder received over an eight month period taught them a great deal about promoting camp and telling their story. The increased presence and visibility in their community has already made a noticeable difference. The advice received from consultant Casey Fuerst at TicTacToe Marketing led to many new community connections through church and school visits, discussions with retreat groups, and promotional materials shared in new places. The camp has developed a new, twice-a-month newsletter and increased communications with registrants as they prepare for summer camp. The team has created a more consistent social media presence, and an overall marketing strategy has taken the guesswork out of the process, focusing energy where it will yield the most effective results. This year’s marketing efforts produced an earlier boost in registration numbers and enhanced community-wide awareness about the opportunities camp provides.This investment in professional guidance will continue to pay back dividends in the coming years as these new materials, skills, and strategies become regular practices in the camp’s annual cycle of promotion. Marketing and growth are long-game endeavors that involve table-setting and relationship building, for which the Camp Magruder team is now better equipped.

Ministry Impact Grant Reports #10: Camp Aldersgate (East OH), Epworth Forest Camp (IN), Mount Eagle Retreat (AR), Lake Poinsett (SD), Pocono Plateau (Eastern PA)

Jen Burch — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 04:05:44 GMT

The UMCRM Association had the joy of distributing $1.7 million in Ministry Impact Grants last year, funding 68 United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects across the U.S. with a focus on future sustainability.

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM will be celebrating completed projects in this ongoing series until all of the 2023 grant recipients have been featured. Join us in giving thanks for the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. The projects featured this week all involved lodging spaces and residences. These buildings are central to the effective ministry of these centers. It is a great blessing to be able to devote resources to build and maintain these mission-critical spaces.

Camp Aldersgate (OH) - Retreat House Renovation

An old, unusable Director’s residence is in a prime location to be renovated into a new Retreat House. The 1,446 square foot building will be modernized and its floor plan reworked in order to facilitate growth into the future, for a fraction of the cost of a new build. The proposed work will add 26 heated beds to the ministry (increasing heated capacity from 46 to 72, “right sized” for the ministry’s current heated dining and meeting space). Warm weather capacity will increase from 120 to 146, blessing Aldersgate’s summer programs with needed support staff housing and improving camper experience.

The Ministry Impact Grant funding, combined with generous donor base giving to the project, enabled Camp Aldersgate to secure the completion of this massive project with lots of labor from staff and volunteers. The work is progressing slowly. So far the building has been stripped down to its bones, with old carpeting, wall boards, ceiling, and insulation ripped out. At the time of the report this spring, repair work to secure the building’s structural integrity was in progress. The entire floor plan has been reworked to meet future needs of this space. All needed material for the project is purchased, staged, and ready to go for the renovation and rebuilding work this summer and fall. The intent is for the refurbished building to be operational for Spring groups in 2025. 2024 guest groups who got a preview of the project lit up with excitement about the expanded capacity and new possibilities.

Epworth Forest (IN) - Lodge Renovations

Whitefield Lodge had succumbed to water damage and moisture issues that prevented it from being occupied. Water damage was removed and the entire interior was treated for mold. All the concrete floors were professionally ground down and sealed. All the walls were painted with volunteer help. All the lights were taken down and replaced with donated LED lights by a local church. The entire roof was replaced. Both furnaces were replaced and included air conditioning. These renovations will now allow more bed space, access to more handicap-accessible restrooms, and new options for future groups. Whitefield will be newly in-demand for guests preferring an air conditioned space. Next steps will include upgrades to electrical outlets in the dorm rooms and replacement of outdated windows. The improved space will be better maintained by managing the inside humidity through the humid summer season.

Mount Eagle (AR) - Intern Housing

The vision of establishing an intern program was limited by the lack of appropriate on-site housing. Through the grant, Mount Eagle was able to purchase a 12’ x 32’ shed that was then converted into a tiny house with a full kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living room with a dinette area. The space may be small, but it is truly cozy. Electric and plumbing was run throughout the building. It was insulated and drywalled and an HVAC system added. The tiny house was situated in Mount Eagle’s RV park to allow for direct access to water and electricity. The new space will make a significant impact on the future of this ministry. The internship program is made possible because of the generosity, investment, and commitment of the Ministry Impact grant. Leadership is excited to provide a new learning experience that invests in young adults as they are exploring their calling within the world of camp and retreat ministries. When not occupied by an intern, the tiny house can house volunteers and solitude retreats, as well. A win-win solution!

Lake Poinsett (SD) - Director Residence Repairs

The Director's residence is a key component to the life and health of camp and retreat ministries. When maintenance, upkeep, and upgrades to the Director's residence are deferred and funneled into other worthy projects around camp it can have a negative impact on the morale and health of those called to lead the camp. The grant blessed us by helping to catch up with that deferred maintenance and make the residence more usable, attractive, and comfortable for current and future leaders. This funding allowed an update of the flooring throughout the Director's house and replacement of the appliances. The flooring hadn't been replaced for over two decades and had seen its fair share of foot traffic, pets, and family life. The appliances were being held together by tape and rarely used by previous occupants because of their poor condition. The new vinyl plank flooring is economical, durable, and easy to maintain. New appliances allow for the current and future directors to be able to cook, host, and store meals with ease. Our homes contribute positively to our overall mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health, and this project makes an important contribution to the wellbeing of Lake Poinsett’s Director.

Pocono Plateau (PA) - Building Renovations

Grant funding, along with 400 hours of volunteer labor, made this amazing transformation possible. The project started with the much-needed roof replacement. Next, the shag carpet that was installed back in the 1970s was removed from the walls! This was replaced with sheet rock and painted gray with white wainscoating along the bottom half. All the windows in the Lake Room, lobby, and game room were replaced. An old wood burning stove was replaced with an HVAC split unit to provide both heat and air conditioning. The cracked, old floor was replaced with new vinyl wood plank flooring. More electrical outlets were added to make the space more functional. Concrete was poured to create a handicap accessible walkway and entry way into Lake Room, and the bathroom was refurbished to be handicap accessible as well. The Pocono Plateau community is astounded at the difference of the before and after experience in this space. It is bright, welcoming, comfortable, and professional.

Learn about other Ministry Impact Grant projects here

Navigating Challenging Times Together: A Call To Prayerful Action

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 18:00:31 GMT

At a time when our nation faces deep political divisions and has recently experienced the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump, I urge our community to come together to reaffirm our commitment to the values that unite us.

Our hearts are heavy with the pain and uncertainty that these events bring. We pray for the healing of those affected and for the restoration of peace in our land. As followers of Jesus and as members of the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries community, we are called to be beacons of hope and instruments of God's love in the world.

The events of last Saturday may bring up strong emotions among camp and retreat staff, volunteers, and perhaps some campers. I invite you to consider the following call to action, deeply rooted in the 7 Foundations of our ministry, to guide us in our response:

Extend Christian Hospitality and Community
- Share God's Love: When in conversation, engage others with compassion and kindness, especially those who may feel marginalized or threatened by the current climate. Simple acts of love and hospitality can create a ripple effect of positivity.
- Build Inclusive Spaces: Ensure our camps and retreats are welcoming to all, creating environments where everyone feels valued and safe. Let our actions reflect God's unconditional love for every person.
Develop Principled Spiritual Leaders
- Mentor and Support: Commit to mentoring children and young people in age-appropriate ways, helping them navigate these challenging times with faith and resilience. Encourage them to be servant-hearted leaders who promote peace and understanding.
- Lead by Example: Demonstrate through our own actions what it means to be a principled spiritual leader. Show patience, humility, and a commitment to justice in all that we do.
Nurture Christian Faith and Discipleship
- Pray for Peace: Let us come together in prayer for our leaders, our nation, and for each other. Pray for wisdom, compassion, and the healing of divisions within our communities. Integrate prayer into our daily routines as a practice of our faith.
- Promote Understanding: Engage in conversations that seek to understand different perspectives. Practice empathy and kindness, remembering that each person is created in the image of God. Use these interactions as opportunities to live out the teachings of the Bible and grow in discipleship.
Inspire and Equip Lives for Love and Justice
- Act in Love: As leaders and members of the camp and retreat community, organize and participate in service projects that address the needs of those in your local areas. Encourage campers and staff to engage in acts of kindness and service, which can bridge divides and bring us closer together. Through our collective efforts, we can inspire others to envision and work towards the beloved community of God's kingdom.
- Advocate for Justice: Stand up for justice and righteousness in peaceful and constructive ways. Let our actions reflect our commitment to the principles of our faith. Equip ourselves and others to be voices for justice, embodying the vision of a world where love and justice prevail.
Support Each Other: In times of fear and uncertainty, let us be a source of support and encouragement to one another. Reach out to those who may be struggling and offer a listening ear and a helping hand.

Together, we can be a light in the darkness, showing the world that love, faith, and unity can overcome even the deepest divisions. Let us hold fast to our faith and to each other as we navigate these challenging times.

May God bless and guide us all.

In faith and solidarity,

Jessica Gamaché

Association Director

United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries (UMCRM)

Learn more about the 7 Foundations of UMC Camp & Retreat Ministry

Ministry Impact Grant Reports #9, Projects Completed at: Camp Adventure (IN), Camp Mechuwana (ME), Ceta Canyon (TX), Cross Point (OK), Lake Michigan Campground (MI)

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 03:21:56 GMT

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM will be celebrating completed projects in this ongoing series until all of the 2023 grant recipients have been featured. Join us in giving thanks for the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. The projects featured this week are all in support of program needs. Innovation in programming keeps camp experiences fresh and exciting, and is also an attractive feature for prospective retreat groups, keeping these ministries sustainable year-round.

Camp Adventure (IN) - Activity Shelters

At Camp Adventure, the only indoor spaces are the cabins and dining hall. They dreamed for years of having roofed shelters at the remote ends of Kiser Lake to provide a shaded gathering space for campers in case of inclement weather. The grant, along with volunteer labor, made possible two new, metal-roofed, pavilion-style shelters which expand program options and increase the safety and quality of experience for campers, staff and guests.

Camp Mechuwana (ME) - Art Center

The first round of Ministry Impact Grants in 2022 funded Phase 1 of the new Art Center at Camp Mechuwana, including engineering, permits, earth work, electrical, and the base floor. The hope was that additional donors would get excited and be motivated to help complete the rest of the project, and the response was exactly that answer to prayer. The grant generated lots of new interest and energy and inspired an additional $60K in giving to the project. This Phase 2 grant helped to complete the septic, plumbing, siding, ramps, landscaping, and more, to make the building fully ready for use. The Art Center has enabled Mechuwana to offer expanded art programming. It has brought joy to campers and staff and has helped to attract new guest groups to the camp. The new space also fills a critical community need for a year-round gathering spot for art and meetings. It has felt like a rekindling of ownership and enthusiasm after the hard seasons of the Covid pandemic, helping the camp and community look forward to a bright future.

Ceta Canyon (TX) - Zipline Replacement

Thanks to a great outpouring of support from foundations and individuals, the camp replaced its previous 150’ single gravity zipline with a 750’ double canopy zipline. The Ministry Impact Grant provided the first 25% of the total cost of the project and helped to galvanize matching funds and other gifts to complete the work. The new setup allows more than double the number of guests to be able to enjoy the zipline experience at a time. The previous zipline access was difficult for campers trying to climb the 30-foot wall to the starting platform. Dismounting could also be unnerving and inefficient both for the guests and for the facilitators. The new zipline has easier access, more efficient and comfortable dismounting procedures, and provides a scenic “zipping experience” over the natural canyon landscape. This program upgrade is an exciting addition to camp for summer campers, and will revitalize the retreat season by attracting new guest groups.

Cross Point (OK) - Waterfront and Adventure Equipment

Through this grant, Cross Point was able to move from a state of decline to a strong, well-equipped program with a variety of safe and exciting options to offer campers and guest groups. The funding enabled the purchase of new lily pads and lifejackets for waterfront activity, several new tubes for towing behind the boat, towing tube connectors and ropes, repairs to the boat trailer, a new light for the boat, new harnesses and three auto-belay devices for the climbing tower, a gazebo for weather protection in the adventure area, and new picnic tables for the adventure gazebo area. Cross Point received a real facelift and started the new camp season with good equipment and refreshed enthusiasm for the ministry’s outdoor programs.

Lake Michigan Family Campground (MI) - Disc Golf Course

The grant supported building an 18-hole family disc golf course and 9-hole youth course named “Fairway To Heaven,” and it was truly a collaborative community project. The local Pentwater service club, individuals, and youth groups donated funds and volunteer power to help build the course. Eagles Wings Disc Golf, an international Christian organization that designed the course, helped with the build and will facilitate future disc golf workshops, tournaments, and camps. The design was approved by Mason County Disc Golf Association and the courses will be part of the annual Amateur Michigan State tournament every September. The course provides a fun new way for families to encounter the outdoors in a leisure activity that is easy to learn for all ages. Inspirational Christian messages are placed throughout the course pathways. Completion of the project included tee areas, chain baskets, public parking lot, benches, walkways, sponsorship campaign, and signage. The course opened in August of 2023, and saw over 1,395 hours of play in its first season, including visitors from 20 different states!

Read about previously-featured Ministry Impact projects linked here

Ministry Impact Grant Reports, #8: Projects Completed at Westview On The James (VA), Monte Toyon (CA), Jumonville (PA), Asbury Retreat (NY), and Aldersgate (RI)

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 03:07:53 GMT

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM will be celebrating completed projects in this ongoing series until all of the 2023 grant recipients have been featured. Join us in giving thanks for the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. The practical infrastructure projects featured this week are a reminder that caring for ministry properties has many dimensions that are integral to the sites' functioning and guest experience.

Westview On The James (VA) – Utility Task Vehicles

Grant funding enabled the purchase of two used vehicles: a Club Car Onward Electric golf cart and a Cub Cadet Challenger 750 Crew gas UTV, to help move people and supplies across the 780 acres of the Westview property. The Club Car is allocated to the health staff team during summer camp. The vehicle allows them to quickly move from the Infirmary to anywhere on campus when they are needed by campers and staff. The larger tires and suspension system allow this vehicle to tackle camp terrain as an electric-powered vehicle. This model was also selected because the back seat can be folded down to carry small cargo or folded up to allow for transportation of a camper while maintaining the “rule of 3.” The Cub Cadet is allocated to the property staff because of the ability to seat four individuals and have a full-sized dump bed for equipment and materials.

Monte Toyon (CA) – Bathroom Renovations

The restrooms were in need of an upgrade, including new, easier-to-clean tile floors in one building and new privacy partitions in another. These renovations improve the safety, privacy, and cleanliness of these important spaces, allowing for a more welcoming, inclusive, and pleasant guest and camper experience.

Jumonville (Western PA) – Infrastructure and Epic Fun Pool Update

At the Jumonville pool, grant funds made possible the replacement of old filters and plumbing, fixed the crumbling retaining wall substructure of the pool house, and installed a new metal roof. Old bathhouse sink and toilet fixtures were replaced, and an upgraded pool vacuum system installed. When all of the above projects were completed, they moved on to the fun stage! New seating options were added by the pool, a shade structure constructed, and an AquaZipN rope swing/zip line combo installed. This new, fun feature has been extremely popular with campers and staff.

Asbury Retreat (Upper NY) – Waterfront Improvements

The waterfront area and Inspiration Garden at Asbury Retreat Center have received needed TLC and lovely improvements. Waterfront drainage work was completed by a contractor, Asbury staff and volunteers. A 3-foot semicircular retaining wall was constructed to surround the prayer labyrinth, and the area seeded with grass. The water-damaged lower stone wall was repaired. The NOMADS (Nomads On a Mission Active in Divine Service) constructed five new benches and used donated blue stone to create an entrance to the prayer labyrinth. Perennial plants were planted to add to the natural beauty. New solar lights and signage add to the aesthetics and give direction to guests as they approach the prayer labyrinth. This area of the property will continue to be a place where people can experience God through prayer, worship, recreation, and just being close to God’s beauty.

Aldersgate (RI) – Brook Culvert and Cook Farm Site Prep

Grant funding enabled essential improvements at Aldersgate Camp. The new culvert structure ensures that campers, staff, and vehicles can safely cross Mosquitohawk Brook to access the Cook Farm property. The new culvert has significantly improved safety and transportation logistics, making the camp more accessible and secure for all participants. An abandoned and condemned house and barn were removed from the Beebe Farm property in order to clear the space for new program areas and future developments. The land was cleared of debris and graded to create flat, safe, usable spaces for camp activities. The replacement of the culvert across Mosquitohawk Brook and the preparation of the Cook Farm site have not only enhanced the safety and accessibility of the camp, but have also moved forward the infrastructure planning for a day camp program expansion.

Read about previously-featured Ministry Impact projects linked here

Ministry Impact Grant Reports, #7: Projects Completed at Rolling Ridge (MA), Twinlow (ID), Pecometh (MD), Overlook (VA), Mount Shepherd (NC), and Camp Horizon (KS)

Jen Burch — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 01:15:16 GMT

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM will be celebrating completed projects in this ongoing series until all of the 2023 grant recipients have been featured. Join us in giving thanks for the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. One of the goals of the grant was to support initiatives for future ministry sustainability. The sites featured this week observed that program innovation and upkeep are an integral part of keeping their ministries vital.

Rolling Ridge (MA) – Earth Center

In 2022, Rolling Ridge received a $15K Ministry Impact Grant to successfully complete Phase 1 of the 5-phase plan for an Earth Center for environmental education and eco-spirituality. Phase 1 saw the expansion of kayaking ministry and the launch of a composting ministry, along with a Land Acknowledgement initiative and partnership of land legacy with the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People. The plan for Phase 2 was to hire a part-time instructor/consultant to help envision and launch a comprehensive environmental education program of natural history and indigenous history. Rolling Ridge was thrilled to connect last fall with just the right person to move this vision forward. Todd Warfield, who is indigenous in heritage, Methodist in spirituality, and an herbalist by training, is well connected in the New England Annual Conference and is currently in the final stages of being confirmed as a Home Missioner. With Todd’s expertise supported in the first year by Ministry Impact Grant funds, Rolling Ridge will be able to move forward with the research, program design, and partnerships that will continue to implement the overall Earth Center vision.

Twinlow (ID) – Waterfront Safety

Twinlow takes the safety of campers, visitors, and staff very seriously. The CPR portion of their staff/lifeguard training was a weak point in their system, as the camp did not have enough CPR training materials. Fifteen staff using two training manikins was ineffective. The grant allowed Twinlow to purchase an adequate number of manikins, AED trainers, CPR masks, lifeguard tubes, and more. It provides wonderful peace of mind to know staff will be well trained and equipped for situations we hope will never happen. The grant also covered replacement boat paddles, life vests, and a few paddle craft. This project alleviated training challenges and will enhance waterfront safety at Twinlow for at least a decade. It also enables the camp to become a hub for low-cost CPR training for local churches and the community.

Pecometh (MD) – High Ropes & Challenge Course Upgrades

The Challenge Course has been one of the best investments ever made at Pecometh. In 1998, a group of volunteers built, with their own money, a low challenge course. The following year, a professionally built high course was added. Every summer, hundreds of campers learn team building, leadership, and cooperative skills. In 2022, 22 guest groups, composed of 600 guests, came to Pecometh because of the challenge course to help them achieve their group objectives. At that time, most of the camp’s climbing obstacles were in trees and would need to be retired due to tree growth in the very near future. New pole obstacles have an estimated 30 year life span, compared to the 7-10 year lifespan of tree obstacles. With the Impact Grant funds, Pecometh replaced two high climbing elements and made renovations to a third. They also were able to purchase necessary program equipment to support climbing activities. The new elements enable participation by larger groups. Campers and guests at Pecometh will have two new exciting challenge elements to enhance their experience this summer and for many years to come.

Overlook (VA) – Climbing Wall & Zipline

Camp Overlook utilized the grant to build a climbing wall that can handle 4 climbers at a time, with varying degrees of difficulty and adjustable features. Adjacent to the wall, a zero gravity zipline was installed to provide an exciting challenge for participants from a wide range of age, size, and abilities. Participants can climb up the wall or use a ladder to reach the launching point of the zipline. These new program elements will help campers and guests to experience success in the face of challenges, learning about themselves in the process. The project cost included ground preparation, tree removal, structure materials and professional installation, and activity gear. Additional donors pitched in to match the grant to fully fund project completion in time for summer camp 2024!

Mount Shepherd (NC) – Environmental Education Program

Mount Shepherd Retreat Center is passionate about teaching children and youth about the environment and and how God has called us to take care of the world around us. This project envisioned new ways to bring those lessons alive for campers and school groups year-round. Monday-Thursday in the “second season” (non-summer) is the camp’s period of least use over the year. In partnership with local school districts, they developed a daylong environmental education program for students to explore the natural world amid the beauty of Mount Shepherd. They are also implementing enhanced Creation care programming during the summer camp season. The new educational modules include:

- Pond Studies

- Educational Nature based hiking

- Wildlife studies

- Star Gazing (specific to our overnight camper program)

The grant money equipped the program with supplies such as fish nets, bug viewers, microscopes, telescopes and much more!

Camp Horizon (KS) – Challenge Course

This grant provided the catalyst Camp Horizon needed to launch a capital campaign to repair and improve their challenge course. The funds received from UMCRM springboarded the acquisition of an additional $150,000 from other donations. Camp Horizon’s challenge course is the iconic activity for their camp community, featuring 11 high ropes elements and 14 low ropes elements, first built in 1998. New course design technology offered the opportunity to improve the existing course while accomplishing needed repairs. The new course offers transformative learning experiences for hundreds of campers and guests each year.

Learn more and view previous Ministry Impact Grant project summary reports here

"Dis-illusionment" On The Path To Inclusion and Culture Change

Jen Burch — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:52:03 GMT

When I was in seminary, I had a Black classmate tell me that he would rather be in the South where the racism is clear and understood than the North where you never know how it will show up. This surprised me on two levels when I first encountered this sentiment, first that the racism of the North was as bad as he was indicating, and second that he would rather be in the South.

As a northerner, I carry pride of place, just as I imagine others carry pride of the place from which they come. It didn’t surprise me that there was racism in the North; I had seen it play out in high school and college in some pretty ugly ways. Even so, I didn’t understand how bad it was for my Black and brown friends. The disillusionment that I experienced was necessary and extremely important to my learning more about racism, how it shows up, and how it impacts my colleagues and friends. It also felt important for me to look in the mirror and see it within me. To be “dis-illusioned” is to be rid of an illusion – always a good thing, in my mind.

When we can let go of the illusion with which we are living, we have an opportunity to see more clearly how the world has been shaped (culture) and the impact that culture has on how all people live within the confines of that space. Every culture has been set up by those who previously held power to benefit those in power. The rules of the game were established to dictate how it is played and who will be successful in the game. This includes the culture of camp, which may not be the same across the country, but every camp has a culture.

As a Site Director of a retreat center and as the Executive Director for Camp and Retreat Ministry in the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference, I continue to learn about how we are different as people. These learnings come about because we make mistakes and/or someone points out to us how their needs are different than mine and/or the dominant culture. It could be something as small (to me) as the shampoo we offer. I have learned from several women of color that the shampoo that they would like to have provided also includes conditioner. I hardly give shampoo a thought personally, with my extremely thin hair. De-centering our own priorities and paying attention to the concerns of others can help apply broader perspectives in shaping the culture of today and tomorrow.

The steps we take will make a difference to those who offered the suggestions, if we are lucky enough to have them return, and/or others who have a similar need and experience how we care for them. Being seen, heard, understood and acknowledged are key elements for our campers and guests in having transformative experiences at our sites.

If we want our camps and retreat centers to be places where all are welcome, I think that it will require an experience of dis-illusionment, followed by introspection, engaging in conversation with our campers/guests, and then taking action to adjust how we do things. I invite you to take a look around at the culture of your place, ask others for their input, and consider the importance of “how we have always done it.” There well may be some illusions that will need to be deconstructed to enable something new to emerge. Incorporating those new insights, may your ministry's leadership be moved to take action toward making your site a place where all are welcomed and appreciated for who they are.

Rev. Todd Bartlett is the Executive Director of Camp & Retreat Ministries in the Oregon-Idaho Conference. He formerly served as Director of the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center near Portland and in parish ministry as an elder in the UMC. Todd engages issues of racism and inclusion as an active member of UMCRM's DEI Committee. He enjoys being outdoors-- especially on or around water, photography, and being engaged in the work of discipleship through camp and retreat ministries.

Strengthening Faith and Character: UMCRM's Advocacy in ACA’s Groundbreaking Initiative

Jen Burch — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:36:21 GMT

The American Camp Association (ACA) is engaging the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries Association (UMCRM) and other faith-based outdoor ministry associations regarding their groundbreaking initiative – “Character at Camp,” funded by a generous $45M grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. The project presents an exceptional opportunity for our United Methodist camps to apply for substantial sub-grants, with approximately 250 grants available, ranging from $50,000 for one-year projects to $300,000 for three-year projects.

Learn more about the initiative here

The UMCRM Association is dedicated to ensuring that our camps are well-prepared and positioned to secure these transformative grants. Our commitment lies in providing the necessary resources and support to help our camps articulate their role as vital spaces for character development among children and families. Faith formation and character-building are deeply intertwined with several of the 7 Foundations of UM Camp and Retreat Ministries and are central to the meaningful, missional impact of UM camps.

ACA has outlined some key attributes of successful grant proposals. Camps that prioritize cultural relevance and value the diverse perspectives of youth and families, or those that aim to increase accessibility to camp experiences, will be given priority. Therefore, camps interested in applying for these grants must develop comprehensive plans detailing how they will implement culturally responsive programs that cater to a wide array of campers, especially those historically underrepresented in camping experiences. This provides a fresh opportunity for camps to consider whom they are not yet effectively reaching, and to envision a more expansive way for our ministries to transform the world.

UMCRM has proactively positioned our camps to lead in these areas. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Team, through initiatives like the "Love in Action" virtual event and the DEI Guidebook, has highlighted our commitment to cultural responsiveness and inclusivity. Additionally, UMCRM’s annual Solomon Cramer Grants have prioritized support for programs serving campers and rising leaders from racial-ethnic minority communities. Our work as a community has united diverse voices, reinforcing our dedication to welcoming campers from all backgrounds.

Moreover, UMCRM has a long-standing tradition of providing invaluable resources that align with the “Character at Camp” initiative’s goals. Our ecumenical InsideOut curriculum is meticulously designed through a collaborative effort to foster character development through faith-based teachings. Programs and partnerships like this that support the “Character at Camp“ objectives will strengthen our camps' eligibility for these coveted sub-grants. Additionally, UMCRM camp leaders have gained significant experience in visionary thinking and grant writing through several years of the Ministry Impact Grant initiatives.

We encourage all our camp leaders to actively engage with opportunities like these and leverage the support that UMCRM offers in the coming seasons. Stay tuned for upcoming UMCRM resources, educational opportunities, and National Gathering workshops providing valuable insights and support for grant applications and program development.

UMCRM stands ready to advocate for and support United Methodist-affiliated camps throughout ACA’s “Character at Camp” grant project. By emphasizing our shared mission of faith formation and character-building, we are confident that our camps can secure these transformative grants and continue to make a lasting impact on the lives of countless young people and their families.

The first cycle of grant applications will open next year, but it’s not too soon to begin reflecting on the ways that our camps build character. ACA invites you to share your programs, stories, and photos. Let’s embrace this exciting opportunity together, strengthening United Methodist-affiliated camps as beacons of character development and inclusive community through faith.

Is Your Camp/Retreat Ministry Ready For The July 1st Labor Law Change?

Jen Burch — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 19:39:47 GMT

We know you’re focused on summer camp at the moment, but the UMCRM Association wants to be sure that camp leaders are prepared for an important labor law change coming up in just a couple of weeks. Starting July 1, 2024, a new law from the U.S. Department of Labor will drastically alter overtime pay eligibility for salaried workers. The new rule raises the wage threshold for overtime exemption, which might affect your ministry. Ministries must prepare for these changes by evaluating their payroll procedures and modifying the wages of employees who fall below the new levels.

Disclaimer: None of these resources should be construed as legal advice. Please seek legal employment counsel as needed.

Last week, the UMC’s General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) led a webinar and published a fact sheet helping to interpret the implications of the upcoming rule change.

View the GCFA Resources, including the June 5th webinar recording

This week, the American Camp Association (ACA) published an article addressing key wage issues for camps that provides camp-specific interpretation of the Seasonal and White Collar Exemptions.

Read the ACA article, Compensating Camp Staff in 2024: Key Issues to Consider In Setting Your Pay Policies

Here are the facts you need to know:

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) applies to organizations with annual revenue of $500K+ (does not include donations & grants) OR if you engage in interstate commerce (if your campers and guests cross state lines, for example) – pretty much all camps do this.

This is figured upon your 501c3 umbrella organization, so if your organization is part of your Annual Conference, that is the entity that will be considered.

Camp/retreat ministries need to comply with federal minimum wage laws unless your state has a higher minimum wage that you must meet.

“Exempt employees” are not entitled to receive time-and-a-half pay for overtime. For everyone else, you must track actual time for hourly workers on a DAILY and WEEKLY basis (on paper or online is fine). They must be paid time-and-a-half for any hours worked over 40 in a work week. Paid time off does not count toward that calculation.

There are 3 tests for an employee to be considered “exempt”: Job Duties, Salary, and Pay Rate. All must be satisfied.

1. Job Duties

Executive: managing a department, supervising at least 2 full-time employees

Administrative: not just job title, but duties listed in job description must be primarily office, non-manual work AND they make independent business decisions

Professional: generally won’t apply for camp/retreats; mostly applies to doctors, lawyers, software developers

2. Salary: The employee is paid a guaranteed, unchanging weekly salary.

3. Pay Rate: Right now this minimum rate is $684/week. The updated rule we must be prepared for: On July 1, this threshold increases to $844. On January 1, 2025, it will be increased again to $1,128/week. Anyone who makes less will be reclassified as non-exempt, must track their time worked, and will be entitled to overtime pay over 40 hours.

Ministerial Exception: The employee doesn’t fall under FLSA protection. They do not need to be ordained clergy, but their job duties must be carefully analyzed. You would need to document this and consult an employment attorney. State laws may come into play, as well. Also consider labor justice – don’t try to use this to unfairly compensate people in ministry roles!

Camp Specifics (starts 27:08 in GCFA webinar recording)

Most camps must comply with FLSA. Possible seasonal exemption: if you operate less than 7 months of the year OR if receipts from your camp’s 6 least-busy months equal no more than 33.3% of your camp’s 6 busiest months (based on previous calendar year). Those 6 months do not need to be consecutive. This calculation must be done every year to make sure your organization is continuing to meet the exemption requirements.

View the Dept of Labor Seasonal Exemption fact sheet

A salaried worker CAN be classified as non-exempt. They need to track their hours and must be paid at least the equivalent of minimum wage (federal, or state if that is higher). They receive their regular salary unless they go over 40 hours, in which case they are entitled to overtime.

If you have currently-exempt employees who will no longer meet the pay threshold and will be reclassified as non-exempt on July 1, then make sure that is communicated to them, they are set up for hours tracking, and they are trained in the new procedures. Do they know they cannot work off the clock? (They also cannot be considered an unpaid volunteer for the same duties they are normally paid for.) Will overtime require approval? (Note that you legally still do need to pay unapproved overtime). Review your personnel policies.

Consider PTO policies and break requirements. Are those different for your exempt and non-exempt workers? What does your state require regarding breaks for hourly workers? FLSA says a true meal break is at least 20 minutes in duration.

Housing and utilities are NOT considered part of the salary for threshold requirements. The exception is if a housing allowance is included on the worker’s paycheck.

If you are knowingly misclassifying your employees, you are at risk of a charge or audit and liability for overtime back pay for up to 3 years.

Part-time salaried employees are still protected by FLSA.

The UMCRM Association engaged legal counsel in 2019 to create a white paper full of robust FLSA information for UMC Camp & Retreat leaders. GCFA encourages us to share this with Treasurers.

View UMCRM FAQ White Paper - FLSA 2019

Still have questions?

Join the UMCRM webinar

Monday, June 17th at 1:00 pm PT / 4:00 pm ET with Tricia Baker from GCFA

Contact Jessica by Sunday evening if you have a question you would like to see addressed in Monday's webinar.

Ministry Impact Grant Reports, #6: Projects Completed at Aldersgate (NY), Beersheba Springs (TN), Butman Camp (TX), Camp Tanako (AR) , Circle J Ranch (WY), and Camp Rockfish (NC)

Jen Burch — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 05:26:51 GMT

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM will be celebrating completed projects in this ongoing series until all of the 2023 grant recipients have been featured. Join us in giving thanks for the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. These updates will increase the safety and sustainability of these ministries, and the grant enabled the completion of the type of projects that can often be challenging to fund.

Aldersgate (NY) – Lodge Maintenance

The leadership at Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center had been hoping to find funding for years for this long-overdue project. The grant enabled a needed and welcome facelift for the lodge which serves as the main gathering space and focal point of the site in all seasons. The project included painting of the exterior of Aldersgate Lodge, staining of the decks and boardwalks, new paint on all of the entry doors, and caulking the windows of the summer dining hall. The fresh look brings life to the site and has sparked interest from donors to become involved in ongoing upkeep of the property. The hub of Aldersgate was in great shape for the Aldersgate Day of Service, Open House, and its 75th anniversary party, and it’s ready for many more seasons of Singing on the Porch.

Beersheba Springs (TN) – Quad Playground Rebuild

The playground at Beersheba Springs Assembly is not only a safe and fun environment for our kids to play and grow, but is also a vibrant gathering place for the entire Assembly community. It symbolizes hope and a bright future, bringing joy to those who use it and sharing God’s love through play. The project included removal of the old playground and large cement pad, followed by construction of a deck with a tree in the center, providing shade and allowing children to essentially be "in the tree" where they can experience the tree canopy along with resident insects and birds. The tree deck/playground includes a slide, mini climbing wall, and a rope ladder along with rubber mulch for impact falls. For toddlers and younger children, an area including a wooden boat, musical fence, pebble harp, and hank drum includes two arbor swings for caregivers to sway with infants. Additional trees planted around the play area provide shade and a hammock area. The Gaga pit was moved closer to the play area, a new cement pad poured for pickleball, basketball, and other activities, and a grassy area set up for volleyball. The new playground will require only minor annual care as it serves guests and community for years to come. The Assembly leadership reported that this was a rewarding first success story for them in implementing a matching grant. They felt the experience of managing this grant helped them gain valuable skills to run a successful fundraising campaign, an added benefit for the ministry’s future.

Butman Camp (TX) – Kitchen Upgrades

The 68-year-old kitchen at Butman Camp was past due for a renovation. The grant funds supported the removal of ancient vinyl floor tiles in the kitchen, replacing them with a non-slip ceramic tile. The stained and crumbling ceiling tiles were replaced with new fire-resistant and washable ceiling tiles and insulation. These changes improved not only the aesthetics of the kitchen, but also made it safer, especially during high-traffic times. This process began a larger undertaking of renovating the whole kitchen and dining space to fully equip it for its next 68 years of service to Butman campers, guests, and staff.

Camp Tanako (AR) – Mattress Replacement

Are mattresses supposed to last 30 years? The situation at Camp Tanako had moved beyond just a normal wear-and-tear issue to a serious “must-have” need. Replacing all of the camp’s mattresses improves peace of mind for camper parents and makes all of the bunks more appealing for prospective guest groups, not to mention providing a better night’s sleep for all who visit Tanako. It is a monumental task to deliver and install 135 mattresses, but a team of volunteers helped to make it happen. The old ones were donated to local shelters for an eco-friendly, repurposed final chapter.

Circle J Ranch (WY) – Dorm Upgrades

Grant funds provided upgrades to Avery Dorm by replacing four old windows with new vinyl windows, retiring a rusty water heater and inefficient furnace, and installing a new, ADA-compliant 36-inch wide entry door and storm door. Some extra savings on the purchase of the windows helped to stretch this gift to also repair a leaky water valve and replace several furnace ducts, and to make similar upgrades in Ramsey Dorm. These improvements are helping to extend the length of Circle J’s guest season as well as making the facilities more accessible. The leadership observed that there are very few grants available to provide for ongoing maintenance needs for existing church camp facilities, so the UMCRM Ministry Impact Grant is unique and especially appreciated.

Rockfish (NC) – Lodge Flooring Replacement

“The Point” Worship and Conference Center at Rockfish is the camp’s most-utilized space and a hub of activity right on the lake. Its historic flooring formerly featured unfinished concrete partially covered with carpet remnants. Thanks to this grant, beautiful 25-year, luxury commercial-grade vinyl flooring was installed wall-to-wall, with a center space of versatile, wear-resistant carpet squares. The space was further enhanced with an audiovisual booth and sound-dampening measures. The flooring upgrades have enabled more dynamic use of the main room, as guest groups can now opt to orient the “front” of the room toward the lakefront view. The beautification of this special space shows hospitality and care to all of the ministry’s campers and guests and has been extremely well-received by groups hosting reunions, weddings, and other significant events. Praise God for enhanced safety, improved guest experience, and new ministry opportunities.

Building Bridges: A Reflection on GMC Inclusion by Jessica Gamaché

Jen Burch — Thu, 23 May 2024 18:30:20 GMT

As I walked up to the doors of a Global Methodist Church, getting ready to meet with an old clergy friend and colleague from my time with the Western PA Conference, I couldn’t help but reflect on the recent changes within our denomination. The formation of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) and the departure of many theologically conservative congregations like this one from the United Methodist Church (UMC) have undeniably altered our landscape. But amidst these changes, I held a sense of anticipation and hope for the opportunities that lay ahead.

Seeing my friend walking down the hall, we greeted each other with the warmth and familiarity that comes from years of shared ministry. Sitting in the soft chairs of his office, we delved into the heart of the matter—the transitions that had taken place and how they were affecting our respective ministries. He spoke candidly about his congregation’s journey to the GMC and the journey of other congregations like his. One reflection stood out to me the most: He shared of deep-seated fears among some GMC leaders about being excluded from the United Methodist camps that they had cherished for decades.

As he shared, a story unfolded—a story of disconnection, but also of the potential for reconnection. He told me about Heather Withrow, the President of Jumonville (PA), who had reached out to him with a simple but powerful message: “You and your church members are still welcome and wanted here. You are still part of the Jumonville family.” This gesture of inclusion resonated deeply with him and his congregation. It was a beacon of hope in a time of uncertainty.

Inspired by Heather’s example, I realized that we as camp and retreat leaders have the unique opportunity to build bridges and foster relationships with those who have transitioned to the GMC. Our camps aspire to be places of unity, healing, and growth. Now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to extend that mission to all camper families, guests, and supporters, regardless of their denominational affiliation.

I encourage each of our United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministry organizations to consider these steps toward strengthening relationships:

Open Communication: Just like Heather’s call to my friend, reaching out to GMC congregations in your area can have a profound impact. Let them know they are still valued and welcome in our camps. Assure them that the essence of our camp and retreat experiences remains unchanged. We can proactively communicate within staff cultures, in outreach with parents and camp families, and with campers and guests.
Empathy and Understanding: In our conversation, my friend emphasized the importance of approaching these discussions with empathy and a genuine desire to understand. By listening to their concerns and experiences, we can foster mutual respect and constructive dialogue.
Reiterating Our Mission: We discussed how our camp and retreat mission of providing transformative experiences in God’s Creation has remained steadfast. The spiritual growth, community building, and discipleship that our camps offer are as relevant and vital now as they have ever been.
Continuing Fundraising Efforts: My friend also mentioned the importance of continuing our fundraising asks with GMC churches. This shows that they are still a crucial part of our ministry’s fabric. While we should be sensitive to their financial realities post-disaffiliation, maintaining these asks demonstrates respect for their ongoing support and involvement. Camp/retreat ministries may need to create new systems and pathways for churches to provide financially for the ministries that are important to them.

Our camps can serve as models of true inclusion and unity, embodying the love and grace that Christ calls us to. By fostering environments where empathy, respect, and understanding flourish, we can bridge the divide between the UMC and the GMC. Camps and retreats are often places of wide welcome where different kinds of people can practice Christian community, and we will do our best to remain those kinds of places. As our UMC General Conference and local Annual Conferences navigate a new post-disaffiliation church, perhaps the kind of inclusion and welcome that we practice regularly at camp can set an example for the broader faith community. Maybe our skills of navigating differences with love can help the church move into a hopeful future.

As my friend and I concluded our conversation, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. Our discussion was not just a meeting of old colleagues; it was a reaffirmation of our shared mission. We are called to be intentional bridge-builders, reaching out with open hearts and open minds to strengthen our relationships with all those who seek the transformative experiences that our camps and retreat centers offer.

Together, we can model a faith that transcends divisions and embodies the unity and love that Christ exemplified. Let us commit to this journey of connection, ensuring that our camps remain holy spaces where everyone feels welcome and valued.

Jessica Gamaché has led UMCRM as the Association's first and only Director since 2019. Having grown up as a camper, Jessica first came to United Methodist camping leadership as Assistant Site Manager and Nature Resource Guide at Wesley Forest in Central PA. As Camping and Retreat Ministries Coordinator in the Western PA Annual Conference for eight years, she championed camping ministries in the local church, Conference, and beyond. She served 7 years on the UMCRM Board of Directors before stepping into her current role. Jessica and spouse Heath are parents to Skye and Leland. You will most often find her on Zoom or on the phone, surrounded by sticky notes in her home office in Pittsburgh, PA.

Ministry Impact Project Reports, #5: Pine Creek (IN), Blue Lake Camp (AL), Camp Lake Stephens (MS), At The Lake Ministries (W.PA), and Camp Uskichitto (LA)

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 May 2024 05:58:27 GMT

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

We continue to receive reports of completed projects and we celebrate the hope and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. Congratulations to these centers that successfully accomplished their grant-funded projects. These updates increase the safety and sustainability of the ministries.

Pine Creek (IN) - Bathroom Renovation

The volunteer team that worked on this project bonded into a cohesive group that will continue to work together on future projects. They gutted two “gang style” bathrooms in the camp’s 60-year-old, most frequently used building and remodeled it to provide eight individual upgraded bathrooms, each with a sink, commode, and shower. The space is now so much more aesthetically pleasing and easy to operate and maintain. Guest groups are thrilled with the upgrade. According to one patron, Pine Creek now has "some of the best bathrooms in the ministry"!

Blue Lake Camp (AL) - Insulation Replacement

Blue Lake’s largest and most used gymnasium had an original ceiling of hung insulation that was torn, falling, and allowing moisture to make it into the building. The grant enabled replacement of the old insulation with a spray foam insulation, enhancing the building’s appearance, solving moisture issues, and decreasing the energy needed to heat and cool this building.

Camp Lake Stephens (MS) - Pool Pavilion and Bathrooms

The new open-air pavilion with bathrooms opens up countless opportunities to utilize the pool and recreation area at Camp Lake Stephens in new ways. It also helps address three of the biggest limitations at the camp: lack of public bathrooms, limited protected space from heat / weather, and very few flat spaces. Camp Lake Stephens achieved the project’s goals for functionality and safety while including features that reflect the camp’s Creation Care values: All LED lighting and on-demand electric water heaters will draw very little power. And areas around the pavilion that will not be able to be mowed have been reseeded with native grasses in order to help stabilize the soil and help the space better blend in with the natural beauty of the site.

At The Lake Ministries (Western PA) - Boat Engine Installation

Last summer, diesel mechanic technicians installed a new engine/transmission, keel coolers, and a new propeller for the “JoAnn M”, the boat that is home to At The Lake Ministries. The new powertrain allows for a quieter environment for guests aboard the Passenger Vessel JoAnn M. Additionally, concerns about reliability and major repairs anticipated on the 44-year-old engine and transmission have been replaced with the confidence provided by the new equipment. This investment assures that At The Lake Ministries may reliably host many charters serving those with disabilities and special needs, for decades to come.

Camp Uskichitto (LA) - Septic System Replacement

“No future is quite as uncertain as one with unflushable toilets.” Without this generous grant, Camp Uskichitto had experienced a sudden, dire system failure that jeopardized the future of the camp. Now every flush at camp is yet another echo of loving strangers saying, 'We are with you! Keep spreading that Gospel.' The new, comprehensive and modern septic system replaced three antiquated systems to serve campers, staff, and guests in the entire south side of the campus. This gift to a small camp they’d likely never heard of, in a town they didn't know existed, to fix a septic system the grantors will likely never see, was a sign to Camp Uskichitto that Someone is looking out for their little camp. Thanks be to God.

Uniting Forces: Reflecting on the 2024 OMC Council Retreat: Guest Post by Jessica Gamaché

Jen Burch — Thu, 02 May 2024 02:12:35 GMT

In the heart of Alabama, amidst the rustic charm of Camp McDowell, leaders from various denominational backgrounds converged for the annual Outdoor Ministries Connection (OMC) Council retreat. OMC is a consortium of mainline denominational camp and retreat associations including Episcopal Conference Centers and Camps (ECCC), Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (LOM), Presbyterian Camps & Conference Center Association (PCCCA), Outdoor Ministry Institute of the United Church of Canada (OMI-UCC), Outdoor Ministry Association of the United Church of Christ (OMA-UCC), and United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries (UMCRM). Ten representatives from these organizations met for a visioning and planning process to organize collaborative ecumenical opportunities in the coming year and beyond.

The OMC Council, comprised of the Executive Directors and Board Chairs (or their representatives) from the participating associations, convened from April 22nd to the 25th to deliberate, strategize, and dream bigger for the future of outdoor ministries. The UMCRM Association was represented by Director Jessica Gamaché and Board Chair Dail Ballard.

The retreat kicked off with updates, each organization sharing the triumphs and challenges of their ministry over the past year. The core work of the event, though, lay in four primary initiatives aimed at strengthening the collective impact of OMC. Here are some highlights from those conversations:

Mission and Vision:

The Council approved the final versions of OMC's mission and vision statements solidifying their commitment to the work of OMC.
The mission of OMC is to provide opportunities for collaborative ecumenical relationships and endeavors among groups representing denominational outdoor ministries.
OMC’s vision is to be a platform for cooperative work between the representative bodies of outdoor ministries throughout Christian denominations in the United States and Canada. We dream bigger and braver to create a greater impact for all outdoor ministries.

Collaborative Initiatives:

The Council set a vision for several exciting new and existing ventures:
- Sustainable Pathways Event: Exploring synergies with the ACF fundraising conference to amplify educational opportunities for Executive Directors.
- Interim Director Training: Paving the way for another transformative training event in 2025, nurturing future interim leaders in outdoor ministries.
- The OMC Great Gathering: Plans are in progress for November 9-13, 2025—a momentous occasion where minds will converge, ideas will flourish, and bonds will strengthen.
- Regional Gatherings: Anticipate the inaugural ecumenical regional OMC gathering in 2026, set to unfold in the northeastern part of the continent, fostering connections and camaraderie.

Organizational Infrastructure:

The Council reviewed, amended, and finalized draft versions of organizational by-laws and financial control policies, laying a sturdy foundation for OMC's operational framework.

Incorporation Journey:

The Council committed to propelling OMC forward on the path to incorporation as a nonprofit entity. By March 2025, legal expertise will be engaged to navigate this pivotal milestone.

As the retreat wrapped up, the flame of collaboration blazed on. The Council plans to regather via Zoom this fall, guaranteeing that the energy sparked at Camp McDowell continues throughout the year.

With a collective vision and shared goals, the 2024 OMC Council Retreat is a testament to unity's power. Through their unwavering commitment to collaboration, these leaders have laid the groundwork for a vibrant future in denominational outdoor ministries— where differences are bridged by common purpose and outdoor spaces become inclusive sanctuaries for all.

All photo credits: Dall Ballard

Ministry Impact Grant Reports #4: Camp Lakewood (IN), Camp Lodestar (Cal-Nevada), Lake Okoboji (IA), Quinipet (NY), Mount Eagle (AR)

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:52:38 GMT

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM continues to receive reports of completed projects and we are eager to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. Congratulations to these centers that successfully accomplished their grant-funded projects.

Camp Lakewood (IN) - Climbing Tower

The grant funded construction of a 45 foot climbing tower complete with a platform at the top. It is designed with four climbing lanes, ranging from easy (even the youngest campers could make it up) to challenging (giving experienced retreat guests a run for their money!) The goal of the project was to add an attractional activity that would help to promote camp and give both new and returning campers an exciting element to grow physically, spiritually, and mentally. Before the tower had even been used by guest groups, it was already accompanied by God’s blessing. One of the five core volunteers who constructed all of the vertical climbing faces had attended a local church for a while but never felt a call to get connected or care. When invited to be part of the building team, he felt a push from the Lord and said “yes.” His involvement in this team effort has helped him to engage in discipleship in new ways. The biggest challenge of the project turned out to be a massive blessing, as well. The original company hired to set the telephone poles eventually completely cut off all communication, ghosting them and frustratingly stalling the project. When the camp turned to the local power company for help, they assisted in securing a new (and much praised) location, date and time for the work. When they received the bill for setting the poles they were blown away to find that it totaled just half the cost the original company had quoted!

Camp Lodestar (Cal-Nevada) - “Ministry In The Trees” Ropes Course

The High Ropes course at Camp Lodestar had been destroyed by a combination of insect infestation, drought, and high winds. The camp received a 2022 grant to begin to rebuild this program area, and this 2023 grant added a new element, the Golden Gate. In this challenge, two teams of folks on the ground must work together to assist the climber in balance. The course is a popular feature to bring in new campers and guest groups. The high ropes elements allow many campers to experience a sense of accomplishment, to learn group encouragement and success, as well as see the world around them from a different, very high, point of view.

Lake Okoboji (IA) - Low Ropes Challenge Course

Lake Okoboji has been making strides in connecting with local groups to get more people out to camp. The new 11-element low ropes course is an easy way to bring in church youth groups, school groups, and businesses to visit and experience time together for learning and growth. The challenge course will once again be a regular feature of the summer camp program progression; a wonderful asset since the old challenge course was phased out in 2012. The course provides powerful ways to explore overcoming challenges and difficulties by having faith, putting trust in Christ, and finding support in each other. Isaiah 41:10 says, “...fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Campers and guests experience what it looks and feels like to face fear and to trust during challenges in life and on the course.

Mount Eagle - Intern Tiny House

Mount Eagle has been laying the groundwork to start an internship program. Housing was the main roadblock to even consider this type of program and a barrier to hiring additional staff as the ministry grows. Grant funding enabled the purchase of a shed shell and construction (by NOMADS and other volunteers) of a fully functional, cozy tiny house that will accommodate a summer intern. The house will also be available for second-season volunteers and solitude retreats at Mount Eagle. The new lodging enables vision for the intern program to move forward and new ministry opportunities to become possible.

Quinipet (NY) - Otterbein Building Roof

As with many camps, Quinipet is an aging facility operating with limited funds. Protecting a building starts with a good roof, and the historic Otterbein building badly needed a new one. The new asphalt shingled roof is the first step in renovating this historic structure, which will increase the camp's capacity to house interns and pastors on retreat. The sparkling new roof has inspired donations and fresh energy for the next phase of the restoration.

Watch for more Ministry Impact Grant reports in the coming weeks and months as we feature all of the amazing projects made possible through the 2023 grants.

Updates on COVID and Communicable Disease for 2024 Summer Camps

Jen Burch — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 22:08:22 GMT

Dr. Laura Blaisdell and Dr. Tracey Gaslin of the Alliance For Camp Health (ACH) hosted an educational webinar on April 12th for camp leaders and wellness staff. What are our need-to-knows as we approach the summer camp season?

The full recording of the session is available HERE

Access the slide deck from the session HERE

Camps are encouraged to share this information with your summer health staff and volunteers. There are also considerations for Directors and Program Directors as you seek to promote optimum wellness among your staff and whole camp community.

A few takeaways:

Screening Questions: Intake upon the camper's arrival needs to include questions about how they're feeling today, possible infectious disease exposures, and recent international travel. If you have volunteers who come in for a day or the week, you will want to ask similar screening questions and have a plan for what you'll do if someone shows up feeling unwell.

Measles! The U.S. is seeing an outbreak. It is highly contagious, so if someone is presenting symptoms such as the characteristic rash, a "wait-and-see" approach is NOT sufficient. Be sure international staff are vaccinated as they are most vulnerable. Cases must be reported to public health. Have health center staff brush up on diagnostic criteria since they may not have seen it in real life due to herd immunity from the vaccine.

COVID: The highest number of cases at camp happened in summer 2023. The strategies we learned during the pandemic still work (and most are helpful in preventing many kinds of illness, not just COVID): vaccines, hand hygiene, ventilation & staying outside, isolate people with symptoms, mask and distance to prevent spread when exposed, strategically utilize testing.

Define "up-to-date" for COVID vax? To be considered fully-vaccinated this summer, a person needs to have received one COVID shot since fall of 2023.

Are we stocking COVID tests? Most camps will opt not to, as access to free and low-cost tests is no longer widely available. Campers who need to be tested may need to visit an urgent care clinic or their family physician.

Communicable Disease Plan: Make sure your camp has one. Review to make sure it is current for this season.

STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections): Be aware -- several infectious strains are on the rise nationally. Church camp staff are not immune.

Health forms: Be prepared to act on information that you learn from health forms. For example, if a camper has not been vaccinated for measles, will you permit them to join your camp community this week? Camps could be held liable if they had access to health information that they did not utilize in decision-making.

Find more great camp health resources including a pocket guide on MESH (Mental, Emotional, and Social Health), resources on ticks, medication management, and so much more on the ACH website.

Coming up:

Medication Management At Camp - Friday, May 10th, 10:00 am PT / 1:00pm ET. Free. Learn more & register

2024 Solomon Cramer Grants Awarded

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 01:14:32 GMT

The UMCRM Association is pleased to announce the recipients of 2024 Solomon Cramer Grant awards:

At The Lake Ministries (Western PA) - Lake rides and fishing charters for those with disabilities and special needs
Camp Shine (Cal-Pac) - Serving campers on the autism spectrum who would not otherwise attend summer camp
Camp Connect (South GA) - Counselor-in-Training program
New Covenant Impact Camp at Lakewood (IN) - Serving under-resourced campers from southeast Fort Wayne
Creation Vacation at Camp Magruder (OR-ID) - Serving families facing housing insecurity who would not otherwise have an opportunity for vacation
Camp Norwesca (Great Plains) - Empowering underprivileged youth and fostering developing leaders through Leaders In Training, Junior Counselor Program, and Summer Camp Scholarships
City Kids to Campers at Camp Tanako (AR) - Providing an outdoor camp experience for minority urban day campers
Camp Tekoa (Western NC) - Racial Equity Scholarships - Camperships for rising leaders from Korean and historically African American churches
Camp Wesley Woods (TN) - Reaching the Unchurched - Expanding campership access to campers with financial need who do not have a church home
The Hope Project at Indicoso, Rivervale, and Pine Creek Camps (IN) - Serving under-resourced campers from East Indianapolis
HOPE Camp at Jumonville (Western PA) - Serving at-risk youth with financial need
Ozark Mission Project Week at Mount Eagle Retreat Center (AR) - Subsidizing home repair mission week partnership with youth from Arkansas and Texas
Camp Days at Mount Shepherd (Western NC) - Asheboro Housing Authority partnership - Camperships and transportation for urban day campers who otherwise could not afford a camp experience
Ozark Mission Project (AR) - Leadership Academy - Developing leaders among international students from universities in Arkansas through training and mission service
L.E.A.D. at Pecometh (MD, Pen-Del) - Developing leaders among underprivileged urban campers of color
Open Arms Initiative at Pocono Plateau (Eastern PA) - Providing camperships, transportation, supplies, and leadership support for urban campers with financial need
Minority & Accessibility Initiative at Warren Willis Camp (FL) - Providing a summer camp experience for campers from underserved minority groups and funding a worship ministry leader skilled in ASL
Camp Hope at West River Center (Balt-Wash) - Providing a camp experience to children who have a family member incarcerated in the Baltimore/ Washington DC area

Five New Ministry Impact Projects Completed: Camp Asbury (East Ohio), Camp Istrouma (LA), Ocean Park Camp (WA), Camp Wesley Woods (TN), Shoal Creek Camp (AR)

Jen Burch — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 03:13:13 GMT

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

We continue to receive reports of completed projects and want to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. Congratulations to these centers that successfully accomplished their grant-funded projects. These wonderful updates will greatly increase the safety and sustainability of these ministries.

Camp Asbury (East OH Conference) - Fundraising Consulting

The camp engaged GSB Fundraising as consultants to implement an annual fund strategy with a goal for a budget comprised of 30-40% of donors. GSB trained leaders in the DonorArc strategy, guiding them in creating newsletters, social media materials, and a year-end appeal. GSB also worked with them to create an Alumni Association that has just begun meeting and strategizing. They added new Camp Sunday methods and revamped their social media presence, website, and email outreach. Camp Asbury is already seeing results, including a slow but steady increase in gifts from donors and increased engagement from members of the camp community who are eager to share the impact that camp has had on them. They have also seen increases in social media traffic and earlier camp registrations. There is fresh energy for investing in Camp Asbury’s future sustainability that is moving and encouraging!

Camp Istrouma (Louisiana) - Nurse’s Cabin

For years, Camp Istrouma hoped someday to build an infirmary. The grant funding enabled them to achieve this dream in less than a year, centralizing health care for camp, creating space for efficient, up-to-date, and organized operations, and providing an appealing place for volunteer nurses to stay on site.

Ocean Park Camp and Retreat Center (WA, Pacific Northwest Conference) - Cabin Furniture

This grant was a a gift from heaven! Ordinarily it would take a long time to raise funds for these wonderful upgrades. The former triple-stacked bunks were from a World War II era naval base – creaky and unattractive. The summer campers and outdoor school students are going to be so thrilled, and the more comfortable sleeping areas will make the site more appealing to adult guests, too. With added storage for camper gear, they can now shelve their belongings rather than shoving them under the beds (and all over the floor). The church men’s group that volunteered to do the assembly has become a regular ministry partner and will be great collaborators on future projects!

Wesley Woods (TN, Holston Conference) - Security System

Camping ministry seeks to equip campers to become disciples and disciple-makers, ready to help transform the world for Christ. An important factor necessary to be able to achieve these impacts is a setting of safety and security. The new security gate has mitigated about 80 percent of the security needs at Wesley Woods. The system has an integrated camera, call buttons, remote access, and a logging system that increases its effectiveness. The gate has eased concerns of the camp staff and board, camper parents and guardians, helping to support Wesley Woods’ value of safety and the camp's positive public perception.

Shoal Creek (Arkansas) - Cabin Renovation

Shoal Creek Camp is a small rustic camp in Arkansas and the summer heat is often over 100 degrees. The site had six cabins with air conditioning and this grant allowed them to make that number seven! The updated cabin with heat and air increases the number of campers they can serve. Director Renee Henson says “I have stayed many nights in this very cabin, sweating and sweating, wishing I could fall asleep in the heat.” This 50-plus year old cabin now has heat, air conditioning, new windows, updated electrical systems, better doors and insulation. The increased capacity enables larger groups to retreat at camp year-round, expanding ministry opportunities.

Watch for more Ministry Impact Grant reports in the coming weeks and months as we feature all of the amazing projects made possible through the 2023 grants.

Fostering a Welcoming Environment: Strategies for Disability-Inclusive Ministries

Jen Burch — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 05:22:18 GMT

As we gear up for another exciting summer filled with laughter, learning, and growth, it's crucial to ensure that our camps are inclusive and welcoming to all campers. In a notable study conducted by Devine, Piatt, and Dawson (2015), the impact of a disability-specific camp on social acceptance and quality of life for youth with hearing impairments was examined. The findings revealed the significant role that these camps play in fostering social acceptance and enhancing the overall quality of life for campers with disabilities. While this research focused on campers with hearing impairments, the wisdom uncovered in this research can be applied to the wide scope of our campers with disabilities.

Link to Research Study

This research study by leaders of Bradford Woods Camp, part of Indiana University, underscores the transformative impact of disability-specific camps on youth with hearing impairments. These camps serve as nurturing environments where campers find a sense of community, understanding, and acceptance, fostering a profound sense of belonging. Within this supportive context, campers have the opportunity to develop essential life skills, including communication, teamwork, and leadership. Through engaging activities and interactions, campers are empowered to thrive, not only within the camp environment, but also in various social settings beyond their camp experience. The research also emphasizes the importance of the positive and inclusive atmosphere cultivated within these camps, enabling campers to freely express themselves, thereby enhancing their self-confidence and self-esteem. The camp experiences play a pivotal role in fostering meaningful peer relationships and connections among campers, promoting social integration well beyond the confines of the camp setting.

Inspired by the empowering insights uncovered in the research, we have the opportunity to bring intentionality to the culture of inclusivity and compassion. As United Methodist Camp and Retreat leaders who host campers with hearing impairments or other disabilities, we can make a significant impact by considering the following strategies to foster a space of warmth, acceptance, and belonging within our ministries.

Staff Training: Offer thorough training sessions for camp staff to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to understand and support campers with various disabilities. This training should encompass fundamental communication methods, effective strategies for interaction, and sensitivity training to ensure inclusivity and accommodation for all campers.
Accessible Facilities: Ensure that camp facilities are accessible to campers with hearing impairments. This may involve installing visual alarms, providing captioning for videos, and utilizing assistive listening devices. Consider other accessibility adaptations and infrastructure updates.
Communication Plan: Implement a clear communication plan that includes visual aids, written instructions, and designated interpreters or sign language interpreters for activities and announcements.
Buddy System: Pair campers with peer buddies who can assist them in navigating the camp environment and facilitate communication when needed.
Peer Education: Encourage peer campers to learn basic sign language and foster a culture of acceptance and inclusion among all campers.
Inclusive Activities: Design camp activities that are inclusive and accessible to campers with varying abilities, ensuring everyone can participate and contribute.
Feedback Mechanism: Establish a feedback mechanism where campers with disabilities can express their needs and concerns, ensuring continuous improvement in the camp's inclusivity efforts.

As United Methodist camp leaders, it is our responsibility to create environments where all campers feel valued, included, and empowered to thrive. By incorporating these strategies based on research insights, we can ensure that this summer's camps are truly inclusive and welcoming to youth with hearing impairments, enriching their camp experience and fostering lifelong memories and friendships. Consider also how these principles can be applied to welcoming campers with other disabilities.

Let's embark on this journey together, embracing diversity and celebrating the unique strengths of every camper who walks through our gates. Together, we can make a difference and create a lasting impact in the lives of all who join us this summer.

2023 Ministry Impact Program Infrastructure Projects: West River Center (MD), Koronis Ministries (MN), Camp Wesley Pines (MS), Camp Indicoso (IN)

Jen Burch — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 02:03:45 GMT

Last spring, the UMCRM Association had the joy of distributing $1.7 million in Ministry Impact Grants, funding 68 United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects across the U.S. with a focus on future sustainability.

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM continues to receive reports of completed projects and we celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. Congratulations to these centers that successfully accomplished their grant-funded program infrastructure improvements. These projects will expand innovative program offerings for campers and guests at these sites.

West River Center (MD, Baltimore-Washington Conference) - “Jump For Joy” Portable Bungee Trampoline System

With increased camper numbers for both day and residential programs, West River needed a new program element that could accommodate larger groups. The trampoline system met that need with a “wow” factor! The bungee trampolines were a hit in their first season of use. Because of their portabiilty, this element will be available to travel to events around the Annual Conference.

Koronis Ministries (Minnesota Conference) -

Swimming Area Dock

The dock that frames one side of the swimming area at camp was no longer safe, but that spot is a key “perch” for swim area lifeguards, an entry point for swimmers, and the site of a favorite bench where guests enjoy the view of the lake. The solid, durable, new dock is now ready for twenty years of enjoyment for the campers and guests at Koronis.

Camp Wesley Pines (Mississippi Conference) -

High Ropes Course

The old ropes course at camp had been out of commission for several years, but the price tag for replacement seemed out of reach. The leadership of Wesley Pines learned through this grant process to “ask for what you need and share the dream.” Along with the Ministry Impact Grant, additional donors responded to the dream and helped to bring the camp’s new high ropes course to fruition. Now campers will go beyond their comfort zone and experience the beauty of God’s creation from a new perspective.

Camp Indicoso (Indiana Conference, Impact 2818) -

High Ropes Course

There’s a new way for campers to stretch and strengthen muscles, practice teamwork, decision-making, and communication skills, build self-esteem, confidence, and trust. The Indicoso team uses biblical lessons to teach young people about faith through the process. The ropes course repairs and upgrades mean that these camper-favorite learning experiences are up to safety standards and ready for a new generation of campers.

Five New Ministry Impact Projects Completed: Buckhorn Camp (CO), Camp Fontanelle (NE), Camp Moneto (IN), Skye Farm (NY), and Camp Don Lee (NC)

Jen Burch — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 04:20:16 GMT

New 2023 Ministry Impact Projects Completed:

Learn more about the 2023 Ministry Impact Grants

Every other week we will be featuring reports of completed projects, celebrating the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. Congratulations to these centers that successfully accomplished their grant-funded infrastructure improvements. New opportunities have opened for each of these sites to meet the needs of current and future generations of campers and guests.

Buckhorn Camp (Colorado, Mountain Sky Conference)

Buckhorn Lodge, Buckhorn Camp’s namesake structure, was built in the 1940’s and was designed with a large, stone wood-burning fireplace as the focal point. The fireplace had fallen into disrepair and was unusable until the Ministry Impact Grant helped to fund the massive repair project, including replacement of the inner fireproof lining and masonry work on the stone facade. What a wonderful boost to the camp, still recovering from post-pandemic financial challenges, to help mitigate energy costs in the historic lodge and enable this long-needed repair to be completed. The beautiful and functional fireplace is a blessing to campers and guest groups who can once again enjoy the camaraderie of a cozy, crackling fireside.

Camp Fontanelle (Nebraska, Great Plains Conference)

Replacing infrastructure like doors and windows can be a costly project, so Camp Fontanelle was blessed to have support for replacement of 14 doors in its most central building, the Riverview Lodge & Dining Hall. The new fireproof doors have increased fuel efficiency and increased the safety of this important structure.

Camp Moneto (Indiana, Impact 2818)

Camp Moneto would not otherwise have had the funds to do significant HVAC upgrades in Takamokee Lodge. The new air conditioning system has already helped to bring in new groups and delight returning guests.

Skye Farm (Upper New York Conference)

With the Ministry Impact Grant support, Skye Farm was able to undertake a massive renovation of its 1960s-era dining hall floor, built onto the original historic farmhouse at the site. The aging supports for the original floor over the basement were beginning to pose a safety hazard. Filling in the basement and pouring a new concrete slab meant this critical multi-use space was 100% safe and ready to host groups in 2023 and for decades to come.

Camp Don Lee (North Carolina Conference)

Camp Don Lee’s current staff housing was built around 1948 and is no longer adequately serving staff housing needs. The grant provided seed money for a new building project, helping to fund site preparation and architectural plans for comfortable, year-round lodging for many future generations of staff and interns.

Meet UMCRM's newest Board member elect, Tony Prestipino

Jen Burch — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 23:55:31 GMT

Let’s get to know the UMCRM Association’s newest Board member-elect, Tony Prestipino. Tony grew up in Y Camps and has fond memories of retreats with his UMC youth group in North Carolina. His favorite things about camp were water activities like waterskiing and sailing, and, of course, the friendships. More recently, Tony has been connected to United Methodist camps in his role as Conference Treasurer in the Florida and South Carolina Conferences. In fact, it was his connection to South Carolina Camps that led former UMCRM Board member Arthur Spriggs to nominate him to the Board Development Committee.

Tony currently serves as the Director of Plan Sponsor Relations for Wespath, which means he works closely with institutions and agencies like colleges, Annual Conferences, and UMC General Agencies who are Wespath clients. In that role, he enjoys problem-solving and utilizing the technical aspects of the work to translate into strong relationships. That skill set will be a great benefit to UMCRM, as well, as our Board will depend on his expertise in financial matters, but ultimately our mission is people-oriented.

In his spare time, Tony enjoys family time with his kids, ages 7 and 9. In the past he has served on volunteer boards with HOAs and similar organizations, but we are pretty sure serving with the UMCRM community will be a lot more fun! When asked what experiences or talents he brings to the table, Tony mainly mentioned his accounting and administrative expertise. He will succeed Brant Henshaw, UMCRM’s current Treasurer, when Brant cycles off the board next January. When asked about his priorities and vision for the UMCRM Association’s future, Tony says he hopes to help our organization continue to evolve as the church and surrounding culture change. He also would like to support us in continuing to invest in the future, ensuring UMCRM can continue to meet its mission and strengthen UMC Camp & Retreat Ministries.

Welcome, Tony, to UMCRM! The Board and staff are looking forward to working with you.

Highlights of 2023 Solomon Cramer Grant Projects

Jen Burch — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 05:47:28 GMT

Since 2017, the Solomon Cramer Fund has been sending young people to camp by granting scholarship funds to United Methodist conference camping ministries. Through these grants, camps have developed innovative programs that reach new people in new places, widening the circle of leadership and campership.

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage us to consider the breadth of our ministries by focusing on the following four priorities:

Ministering with young people living in poverty
Developing young people as spiritual leaders
Collaborating with faith communities engaged in vital congregation processes of their Annual Conference
Expanding opportunities for leadership by young people from underserved racial groups or ethnic populations

Special consideration is given to Camp & Retreat Ministries that focus on more than one of those priorities and that are launching new opportunities. Nine programs received Solomon Cramer Fund grants totaling $30K in 2023:

Celebration Camp

Camp Bays Mountain, Holston Conference

This season, Celebration Camp for people with disabilities was able to nearly double its camper participation. Because of this grant, the camp was able to enlist a college student whose major is working with persons with special needs to increase both the number of campers and to improve the quality of program. Many staff were impacted by this initiative, their first exposure to working with campers with disabilities. They and their campers grew closer to each other and to God through the experience. Parents and caregivers were given respite and renewed hope that someone cares.

Summer Mission Internship

Michigan Conference Camps

The program provided 8 summer camp internships for young adults (primarily leaders of color) interested in ministry and serving in summer camp leadership. The interns received multi-faceted on-the-job training in all aspects of camp and retreat ministries supplemented by training, coaching and supervision with a community atmosphere for mutual support.

Quotes from the interns:

“I didn’t know I’d enjoy working with kids as much as I did – I may look into teaching as a career option. This really helped me step out of my comfort zone.” - Malik, Detroit
“There were a lot of God moments this summer and it helped to write things down in my journal as they were happening. I also learned how to let go of the small things and concentrate on what matters. I learned for sure that I can be a leader and gain the respect of others as a leader.” - Abby, NYC
“I never saw myself as a leader before but find myself growing into it. I felt shocked when other people listened to me in that role! I have decided that this is what I want to do with my life – work at camps. My own faith has grown watching the kids find faith – to see them find so much love at camp brought me to tears. I have seen the campers actually taste God’s words – that God loves them.” - Ben, Chicago

HOPE Camp

Jumonville, Western PA

HOPE (Helping Overcome Problems Everyday) Camp serves children who live in poverty or who may be exposed to high risk behaviors in their daily lives, teaching them life skills needed to become thriving individuals, despite the circumstances and trials that they have experienced. The camp also works to connect the campers with a church nearby to continue to strengthen the connection and maintain their relationship with the Lord. This year, the grant funded 8 participants.

TJ: Had really bad social anxiety and HOPE camp has allowed her to overcome that. She is more social now and not afraid to speak in social situations. Used to be afraid of heights until she came to camp and did the high rope activities.

Steven: HOPE camp has helped him to make more friends. He enjoys the food and it’s fun!

Tyler: Enjoys all the activities and going to the cross. Counselors are all nice and there for you if you need anything.

Camp Chippewa Day Camps

Camp Chippewa, Kansas (Great Plains)

Day Camp served 70 children in 2023, allowing campers who weren't ready to come overnight to still experience the impact of camp. Many parents were appreciative of the extended hours and the experiences their children got to have. With the longer hours, camp provided 3 meals this season instead of just one. Multiple parents shared how camp changed their child in such a positive way because of the supportive and fun loving atmosphere they were surrounded in while at camp. Many campers had learning disabilities and with this grant they were given the space to be successful and to grow during their time at camp.

Campers said:

"God made me because he loves me"

"I found God for the first time"

"It was really fun!"

Training Ground for Discipleship Pathway

Hinton Rural Life Center, North Carolina

Grant funds helped to grow the Staffers-in-Training (SML) outreach, intentionally focusing on youth and young adult leadership development. Over 500 individuals were able to take part in summer programs as a result of this support.

“Summer staff training and leadership development has helped my growth exponentially. I started out attending missions as a camper then I decided to participate in a staffer in training event. After the event I applied to become a summer staffer. The training helped me grow and know that I could be a successful staffer. I learned so much about myself and how to be a better leader. The training provided, and working for Hinton Rural Life Center has changed my life. I just finished my second summer, and the training keeps getting better and better. This past summer I learned a lot about what it takes to lead while also following.” -Ella, 2023 Summer Staffer

Hispanic Youth Camp

East Bay, Illinois Great Rivers Conference

This event gathered 60 Hispanic Youth for a Christian camping experience with the intention to transform lives and strengthen the local church through intentional efforts to connect with people, nature, and Christ. The camper hugs on the last day said it all; campers who came as strangers and left as friends. One volunteer said, "Camp gets campers away from their neighborhoods, surrounds them with believers and challenges them to grow. Camp is good and I can't wait to bring them back next year."

Other grantees:

Dedicated Summer Camp Week for High School Students

Camp Lookout, Holston Conference

Empowering Minority Communities Through Camp: A Call to Service and Inclusion

Camp in the Community, Holston Conference

Connect-2-Camp

Quinipet Camp, New York Conference

The 2023 Solomon Cramer Grant application is open now through Friday, March 15th, so act now to plan your mission-driven program for this coming summer season. Apply now

Belonging vs. Loneliness: Guest Post by Ann Marie Carley

Jen Burch — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:45:25 GMT

As camp professionals, especially as faith-based camp professionals, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is not simply a program we can subscribe to, it is a way of life that is non-negotiable. We cannot simply say all are welcome, we must cultivate a culture that values diversity, fights for equality, and includes all campers, staff, family units, and volunteers in authentic ways.

The difficulty is that ultimately, what we’re really trying to foster is a culture of belonging, and the idea of belonging is countercultural for most young people today. So many of those we seek to serve are in an almost constant state of feeling alone, even when surrounded by people. Being alone is exclusive, unjust for the gospel message, and devalues the beauty of diversity. Loneliness does not foster belonging. Research shows that young people today have 70% fewer interactions with others over the past two decades (How bad is loneliness for your health? Maybe worse than smoking (fastcompany.com)). On top of that, we also know that young people who feel marginalized are at more risk of isolation. As a result, the data shows that the young people of today will face more health challenges in the future, especially if loneliness continues (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (hhs.gov)).

Here is the good news: people are paying attention and have defined the problem. Family units are paying attention and most want better for the children in their care. More good news: our camps can be a part of the healing process. At camp, we have a unique opportunity to bring people together in a setting that is different from their everyday life. Our “sacred places apart” provide a natural break in the structures that can lead to loneliness. At camp, we are able to foster safe social interactions which lead to community building. In The Loneliness Epidemic, researcher Susan Mettes argues that we do not have a loneliness problem, but a relationship problem. As faith-based professionals, we know the importance of a relationship with God and a relationship with others. How do we start? ACA’s Camping magazine published an article in 2021 entitled Camp and the Loneliness Crisis (Camp and the Loneliness Crisis | American Camp Association (acacamps.org)). Intended to help reintegrate and connect following isolating Covid pandemic experiences, its suggestions still apply as we seek to create spaces of connection and belonging.

The themes of the Inside Out curriculum for this summer are right on time in bringing the resources of our faith to the conversation. All of God’s beloved children are Linked by Love, a love that is not fallible and so steadfast that it links us not just to God, but one another. Regardless of the curriculum, may we intentionally craft camp experiences that help to build a sense of belonging through working together as a group, having conversations about scripture, and reflecting on common experiences. Be encouraged in the work we do to make camps and retreats safe for diverse populations, whether people feel marginalized by racism, differing abilities, socioeconomic background or other diverse circumstances. These ministries have unique strengths that can help campers and staff alike begin healing from loneliness and experience communities of belonging.

Ann Marie Carley serves as Director of Camps, Retreats, and Next Gen Engagement for the West Ohio Conference. She is a former educator and pastor and an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church. Find her in her element hiking, biking, swimming or creating holy mischief.

Reflections on the SEJ Gathering: "Rain or Shine" - Guest Post from Katlyn White & Rachel McGuire

Jen Burch — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 05:17:54 GMT

Last week, over 100 spirited individuals from the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries community gathered at the SEJ Gathering, and let me tell you, rain or shine, it was a game-changer. Sure, the weather wasn't exactly on our side, with rain making up a good 70% of the weekend forecast. But did that dampen our spirits? Not a chance! Our theme for the event was "Breaking Forth," and many wonderful things did, in fact, break forth. The SEJ Gathering wasn't just your run-of-the-mill professional meet-up. It was a vibrant hub of ideas, connections, and career growth. From seasoned Directors to fresh-faced staff, everyone brought something valuable to the table. Workshops and sessions were alive with discussions on the latest trends, innovative programming, and navigating the challenges of the camp world. The focus wasn't only on work, either; it was about creating a community where everyone felt heard, supported, and ready to tackle the next big adventure in camp life.

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room – the rain. Did it try to put a damper on our parade? Absolutely. But did it succeed? Not a chance. Instead, we embraced it. We adapted our outdoor activities, turned those rain boots into a fashion statement, and found creative ways to keep the energy high. After all, isn't that what camp is all about – adapting, overcoming, and making the best of any situation? And speaking of weather challenges, let's not forget the spontaneous polar plunge that some brave souls took during the SEJ Gathering!

As if the rain wasn't enough, a group of camp enthusiasts decided to embrace the elements even more by taking an impromptu dip in the chilly waters. It was a moment of pure spontaneity and camaraderie that added an extra layer of adventure to the already memorable weekend.

During one of the reflective sessions, amidst the pitter-patter of rain on the roof, a thought-provoking quote from Pete Scazzero was shared, stirring deep contemplation among the participants.

"Is our being with God sufficient enough

to sustain our doing for God?"

This question resonated within the hearts of those gathered, prompting reflections on the importance of spiritual well-being and its impact on our roles in the camp community. The SEJ Gathering not only nurtured professional growth but also sparked introspective conversations that went beyond the surface. It reinforced the idea that the essence of camp goes beyond the external challenges, whether it's the weather or the hurdles in our daily lives. It's about the spirit of togetherness, adaptability, and the shared passion for creating positive experiences for campers. As we carry the memories of the SEJ Gathering forward, let Pete Scazzero's words echo in our hearts, reminding us that our connection with each other and with something greater than ourselves is the foundation upon which we build the vibrant tapestry of the camp community. So, let's continue to break forth, not just in our professional endeavors but in the richness of our relationships and the depth of our spiritual well-being. Until the next adventure unfolds, stay inspired and keep the campfires of enthusiasm burning!

Katlyn White is the Director of Communications at Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center (TN). She served on the planning team for this SEJ Gathering.

After a beautiful few days spent with camping leaders and friends, I begin this week feeling inspired, renewed, and enmeshed in neglected emails. I watched people pile into cabins, eat beside one another, and gather up (in circles, of course) to talk about the challenges we face in our worlds. These otherwise mundane efforts felt remarkable to me, mainly because I would otherwise only see these faces on Zoom. I sat beside my heroes and heard them speak in chapel. I did not mind the cold, rainy walk along the creek, as I was always met with a good conversation or a seat by a fire. Every night I went to bed tired of talking. I listened to our collective voices rise and fall, choosing to mainly listen for the small harmonies that some make seem so easy to find. Because I have been with you, I am more ready and open to whatever this year will bring up in me and in others. I am left feeling grateful for those who have come before me and for those who stand beside me as we join in the work of moving forward and breaking forth.

Rachel McGuire is Village Program Director at Glisson Camp & Retreat Center in North Georgia. She served on the planning team for the 2024 SEJ Gathering.

Great-looking crew from the Holston Conference took part in the SEJ Gathering

Reflections on the NEJ Gathering: "Be Inspired" - Guest Post by Richelle Darrell

Jen Burch — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 03:13:23 GMT

Participants in the NEJ "Be Inspired" Gathering were indeed inspired by the many new friends, new ideas, and speakers that we encountered at the event. Many of us drove hours to be part of the NEJ experience. We were met with hospitality from our host site, Mount Asbury Retreat Center, and it just got better and better throughout our short-but-inspiring visit. Our lovely chats and get-to-know-you games were just the beginning of our NEJ community experience. We were inspired by Jessica Gamache (UMCRM Association) and Rev. Kevin Witt (Susquehanna Conference) in a beautiful location to think about the outdoors and creation care.

Shea James (West Virginia Conference) noted that “community is central to camping ministry. Being able to gather, share, and support one another was invaluable!”, a consensus shared by all of the attendees of the conference. Participants came from many sites: Spring Heights Camp (WV), Pocono Plateau and Gretna Glen (Eastern PA), Pecometh (Peninsula Delaware), Greene Hills, Wesley Forest, Camp Penn, and host site Mount Asbury (Susquehanna). Cheryl Bostwick (Pecometh) noted that she felt like “all of the participants were on a level playing field” regardless of the ministry or role in which they served. Executive Directors, Directors, Hospitality staff, Kitchen staff, Programming staff, and clergy all had something to share and learn from each other, because all staff are integral in running a Camp and Retreat Center. Support is invaluable!

Rev. Lisa Jean Hoefner inspired us by introducing a conversation about older adults. We were challenged to think about our programming for this demographic. Many of our camps already do some sort of senior programming, but for others it was a light bulb moment when they realized how much more they could be doing for that group of knowledgeable, skilled, and very interesting adults—the adults who don’t want to be put out to pasture, but want to be challenged, energized, and encouraged. Patty Weidman (Mount Asbury) and Apryl Miller (Gretna Glen) shared about programs their sites offer. Taylor Johnston (Greene Hills Camp) said, “Be Inspired: NEJ allowed me to connect back to why I am committed to camp and retreat ministry. In community we have such a larger opportunity to learn how our ‘whys’ form a much larger picture of just how formative camp and retreat ministry is through all generations.”

Beth Jones of Deep Green Journey led our well-bundled-up group through the forest of Mount Asbury for Forest Therapy. We took a quiet walk through the snow-covered woods and trails, keeping our eyes and ears open for what might happen. We saw green moss poking through a layer of snow, green pine trees, small and large trees which had lost their leaves, but still show the promise of life in the forest. Beth led our journey of “discovering extraordinary possibilities through a restorative connection with the natural world.” An occurrence too rare in our busy lives, we were invited to be quiet and to think, listen, and see the beauty around us. Often, we don’t make the time to do this in our daily lives. We were challenged to make it happen and to restore a little bit of time for ourselves.

More than once throughout our two days of community, the overwhelming feeling was one of positivity. We were inspired by being with other people who understand what we do and why we do it. Camp and Retreat Ministry: you live it, you love it, you have passion for it. Now, leaders from across the NEJ are inspired by it anew.

Richelle Darrell is the Director of Retreat Ministries at Pecometh Camp & Retreat Center (MD), where she has served for over 20 years.

Jump into DEI Work at Your Site This Year: Guest Post by Jenna Johnson

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 03:24:45 GMT

When Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work, anti-racism, or white privilege are talked about these days, there are almost instantaneous walls that go up. It is true, these are all difficult conversations that require just that, conversation, they are not a sound bite that can be distilled for a 20 second TikTok or news clip. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do DEI work across all sectors. We know that the same is true for The United Methodist Church and our Camp and Retreat Ministries as well. There have been actions throughout the long history of The United Methodist Church that failed to lift up people of color in the love that we have been called to. For example, the split into the Methodist Episcopal Church North and South, forming the Central Jurisdiction to segregate black members, and failing to treat our black and brown clergy and laity equitably all have contributed to harm.

Acknowledging our history and embracing our calling to love our neighbor, we can see how DEI work is crucial to Camp and Retreat Ministries. Every year, we welcome children and adults to our spaces who come from many different backgrounds with differing ideas about everything from meals to religiosity. Our work is to welcome all of these people. Chances are that you have made accommodations and accessibility updates at your ministry site for campers who are wheelchair users. Maybe you have signs in multiple languages to accommodate those whose first language is not English. Maybe you have a specialty week of camp over the summer for a group with special needs whether they’re deaf, in the foster care system, or developmentally delayed. These are all ways we work to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive of our neighbors. I challenge us to dedicate time this year to bringing focus and attention to making our sites inclusive and safe spaces for people of color who are so vital to the growth, strength, and wholeness of our ministries.

Racism is a polarizing issue in the U.S. This can result in leaders often shying away from difficult DEI conversations for fear of alienating donors or camp families. Through faith, we can strive toward making our camps more equitable for all people, even if it means loving someone in our community through uncomfortable conversations. We are called to live out the words of 1 John 3:18 “let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” When we say we love our neighbor, let there be action behind our words, even actions that make us less popular or make us uncomfortable.

In our baptismal vows, we accept the freedom God has given us to “resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.”¹ Racism is a clear evil that is still pervasive in our country, and our Camp and Retreat Centers are not exempt. Even when we gather as a UMCRM community, we can visually see the growth we still need to do in bringing up diverse leaders.. If you look at the demographics of your campers, guests, and camp staff you may find a similar reality.. Mostly this is unintentional, it's just the way things have always been, however; the way things have always been isn’t how they need to remain. Jesus did not leave us the way we were, our baptism does not leave us the same, the Christian journey changes us into a new creation. Let’s lift up our Camp and Retreat Ministries as we work to fully reflect that change.

Angela Davis said, “in a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.” Recently, the UMCRM Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Leadership Team has developed a resource to guide camp and retreat leaders in putting our faith into action.

This guidebook walks you through thoughtful questions that will move your ministry toward more diversity, equity, and inclusive environments. I encourage you to explore this resource and make the time to work against racism that we can see in our communities and even at our sites. It is time to make the bold declaration that “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.”² Our campers, our staff, and our retreat guests deserve spaces of radical welcome where all people not only have a space at the table, but they have a voice to be heard.

I do not make any claim that it is easy or fun work, but it is necessary work. It is work for the kingdom, work that brings us closer to the kingdom, work that follows Christ. We know that God is already at work in the world. It’s time to look around us to see where God is working with the marginalized, working to “bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, set the oppressed free, and proclaim a year of jubilee.”³ Join me in choosing to take a stand against racism and to work in our spaces to make the world look more like the kingdom of God. It’s time to work towards Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for all people.

1. The baptismal covenant, UMC Book of Worship

2. “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” The Faith We Sing #2129

3. Luke 4:18-19

Jenna Johnson serves as Assistant Director at the West River Center in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Jenna grew up in the Mississippi Conference where she received her call to ministry while working at summer camp. She holds a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and is an ordained Deacon in the UMC. Jenna is passionate about empowering young people, traveling, and desserts. She enjoys rock climbing and hiking in her free time and has a growing collection of plants. Jenna has blessed the UMCRM community through her active role on the DEI Leadership Team.

Transforming Camps and Retreats: UMC Support’s Tailored Services and Ministry Partners

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 04:21:16 GMT

At UMC Support, we understand the unique needs and challenges faced by camps and retreats, offering specialized administrative support services and collaborative partnerships designed to enhance your ministry's success. With a focus on the unique needs of camps and retreat centers, our array of over 45 services aims to streamline operations and boost efficiency across various crucial areas, such as website building, recruiting, and compliance, ensuring a seamless experience for camp directors and retreat coordinators alike.

[Watch the Getting to Know UMC Support video on our YouTube Channel]

Specialized Support Services for Camps and Retreats

Understanding the intricacies of camp and retreat operations, our support services cater specifically to your niche. From crafting and maintaining engaging websites to handling compliance and recruitment processes tailored for the camping environment, UMC Support’s services are finely tuned to meet your unique needs. Explore our comprehensive list of services on our website

to discover how we can significantly enhance your camp or retreat center.

Unlock Savings and Exclusive Benefits Through Our Ministry Partner Program

Enhancing the sustainability and maintenance of your camp or retreat, our partnership with leading entities such as Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Staples, UMC Market, and more brings exclusive discounts and specialized benefits through our Ministry Partner Program. Ensuring that your camp or retreat receives cost-effective solutions and essential support for ongoing operations is our priority.

Insights from Collaborator Features on Ministry Partners

The Collaborator, our invaluable newsletter, often showcases stories and experiences from our Ministry Partners, highlighting their importance and benefits to camps and retreats. The articles featured in past editions shed light on the unique advantages these partnerships offer, focusing on how other ministries have harnessed these benefits to drive success. Explore our latest partner spotlights:

Check out Ministry Partner Home Depot's DIY Line for Your Ministry - full of tips, how-to resources, and inspiration for that perfect upgrade you've been thinking about. Be sure to sign up for the Home Depot Pro Xtra account for your ministry - access to discounts and much more, exclusively for United Methodist ministries!

Is Your Church Ready for the Unexpected?

AEDs are an item we hope we will never have to use, but could make all the difference in critical situations. Through Staples, your church can access discounted rates for AEDs, trainings and supplies through the #1 AED provider in the USA, Cardio Partners.

Available Options:

New AEDs
Pad Replacements
Battery Replacements
Online CPR and First Aid Training (Group and Individual)
On-Site CPR and First Aid Training (Group and Individual)
AED Program Management Service Plans

Click here to learn more and to register for your StaplesAdvantage.com login credentials.

More Savings For Your Ministry

Did you know that you can save 10%* on purchases for your ministry, school, and camp at www.acehardware.com and in participating** stores? For details on how to enroll in the program so you can receive your exclusive discount, click here.

Ace offers everything you need to maintain your facilities, including paint and painting supplies. As you plan for your next ministry painting project, come to Ace for top brands you can count on. We offer Benjamin Moore, Wooster, Purdy, ArroWorthy, Linzer, Whizz, and more. Click here to learn more about painting applicators you can save on with your discount.

*Exclusions apply.  For a full list of exclusions, visit www.acehardware.com/customer-service

**A complete list of participating store locations can be found at www.acehardware.com/store-locator

AmazonSmile is No Longer an Option - UMC Market is Here to Stay

You may have seen the news in January that Amazon is no longer providing donations to charities via its AmazonSmile program. Now is the time to update your supporters and encourage them to adjust their shopping habits to ensure your ministry still benefits from their online shopping activity.

UMCmarket is powered by iGive, which launched in 1997 and is still going strong.
Your supporters can shop nearly 2,000 partners, including Expedia, Kohl’s, Ticketmaster, and Walmart to earn donations.
Check your website & marketing materials now to make sure you’ve updated all references to AmazonSmile with links to your UMCmarket listing.
Here’s a list of tips & tricks to help you get the word out about your ministry & UMCmarket powered by iGive.

Need more personal help? Email Us at Support@iGive.com

Webinars and Resources Tailored for Camps and Retreats

The UMC Support website hosts a library of recent webinars focused on key topics relevant to camps and retreats. These webinars cover areas like leveraging technology for a better retreat experience, protecting your tax-exempt status on unrelated business income tax, employment law, and ensuring compliance with regulations unique to the camp and retreat environment.

Stay Informed with The Collaborator

Subscribe to The Collaborator, GCFA’s Administrative Newsletter, to gain access to a wealth of tailored resources designed specifically for camps and retreats. Join over 20,000 subscribers benefiting from specialized resources, explainers, checklists, and more, all geared towards empowering your camp or retreat center.

UMC Support is committed to being your partner in advancing the success and sustainability of your camp or retreat. For a deeper understanding of our services, ministry partners, and the latest insights tailored for camps and retreats, visit our website and explore how we can elevate your ministry today.

We Don’t Rent Our Sites: Communicating Hospitality and Partnership - Guest post by Lisa Jean Hoefner

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 01:42:26 GMT

Most camp and retreat centers serve individuals, families, educational institutions, religiously affiliated groups, social service agencies, community service organizations, and other nonprofit organizations that enrich life in the world. Sometimes you’ve called them “rental groups.” Stop! Let me share why, when someone calls to ask about our site, I say:

“We don’t rent our sites. But we are interested in meaningful partnerships with a wide variety of organizations. Perhaps you’re one of them.”

Language matters. When people think they are “renting” your center, they often think they can do whatever they want to, which can sometimes lead to trouble or to missed opportunities. Our ministry of hospitality can be best expressed when we enter a relationship as a partner with guest groups. When we understand their purpose, we can align our services to help them meet their goals. Sometimes it is through simple things that support their experience: not mowing the lawn in front of their meeting space if we know they have scheduled an hour of quiet discernment time, letting the kitchen staff wear or decorate the dining area with tie-dyed shirts when we know that it’s “Tie Dye Tuesday” for this group, guiding them to nature trails, meditative spaces, or recreational options in line with their activity schedule. Sometimes a group’s experience as a partner can lead to larger collaborations.

I like to use the language of “guest groups.” Everyone is a guest at our site. They didn’t build or pay for the building of this site; they are likely not contributing to the maintenance or capital improvement funds needed by this ministry (though they might be invited to, if their experience becomes more meaningful to them than a mere rental of space!). So here are my ways of explaining to others who may wonder why we do what we do. Maybe this rings true for you.

“We support groups that serve the world”

Nonprofit groups of all kinds seek out camp and retreat centers for their planning, training, and programs. Much investment has gone into building, maintaining, and improving quality, year-round centers designed to serve multiple groups. More than an investment in buildings, it is ultimately an investment in changed lives. All of the groups that are guests at our centers share one thing in common: they exist to make life better in the world and to address real needs. As we host and partner with them, we help that happen. We extend nurturing hospitality for these groups because we understand them to be partners in healing, justice, personal and spiritual growth. Through our ministries, the church extends its love to people and places far beyond what we alone would ever know. We nurture people so they can go forth to be a blessing to others.

“Enhancing community”

A fundamental change in U.S. society has been observed as we have moved from a “front-porch” culture to a “back-deck” existence. We know our neighbors less and less as we get busier and busier. Our population is the most diverse in U.S. history and the farthest away from families and communities of origin. Social isolation is a pressing challenge of our time, with many folks more disconnected and lonely than ever, needing places of belonging and a sense of shared purpose.

One notable dimension of camp and retreat ministry is its consistency in giving groups of diverse people the vision, the tools, and the sensitivity to become a caring community for one another. There are few other settings today where strangers come to live together 24 hours a day with the goal of becoming a loving community for each other. That explains in part why these temporary camp and retreat experiences have such lasting impact. Our “sacred places apart” provide a unique opportunity for deepened bonds and intentional group processing.

“Caring for the earth”

Climate chaos is a wake-up call to most of us today. People do not stand outside Creation but are part of it. Whatever happens to the earth affects us all.

The natural settings of our camp and retreat centers make us ideal partners with schools, outing clubs, conservationists, and public agencies who share a commitment to environmental care. The spiritual, biblical roots of our faith speak powerfully to the sacredness of Creation and make it clear that earth care is vital to discipleship. Our sites provide an invitation to encounter the natural world up close. People who know and enjoy nature – land and landscapes, flora and fauna, water and watersheds – will be the people who act to preserve, protect, and share it.

“Nurturing leaders”

Our ministries have a long history of engaged learning – people actively participating in a shared experience, reflecting on what it teaches them, and putting new learning into practice. Our sites offer outdoor and indoor learning spaces conducive to this action/reflection process. Experiential learning keeps interest high since participants involve their entire beings, not just their minds, in the learning. We provide opportunities for a healthy balance of activity and restful renewal – the ebb and flow of action and contemplation – often enabling the application of faith to life issues and the thoughtful integration of learning. We seek to support groups that come to us with educational goals, and we are honored to be partners in nurturing learners and leaders for the community, church, and world.

The guests we welcome to United Methodist Camp/Retreat Centers ought to be treated with a care that the term “rental groups” just doesn’t convey. Our centers offer much more than building space as we enable and enrich the mission, connection, learning, and world-transforming potential of those we are privileged to host. Leaders in the UMCRM community are invited to choose terminology that aligns with these foundational values and helps all those with whom we minister to understand themselves as partners in something much more powerful than a short-term “rental.” After all, we are in the business of “the transformation of the world”!

Rev. Lisa Jean Hoefner has served in United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries in various capacities for over 40 years. She served as Executive Director of Camp and Retreat Ministries in the Oregon-Idaho Conference, as Director at Wesley Forest (PA), Sky Lake (NY), Suttle Lake (OR), and Lake Tahoe UMC and Retreat Center (CA), and as a camp staff member in New York Conference camps (Sessions Woods, Epworth, Quinipet). Lisa Jean was ordained in The United Methodist Church in 1977 and has served churches and directed cooperative ministries in Connecticut and New York. Twice she began new congregations as part of the camp’s ministries in the communities in which they are located – in Weikert, PA and Sisters, OR. Lisa Jean has been an UMCRM supporter from its beginnings, served on the UMCRM Board and various committees and task forces, and is a frequent and beloved workshop leader, teacher and mentor.

Camp-Themed VBS and Summer Camps: Can We Collaborate?

Jen Burch — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 02:27:50 GMT

The Summer Camp VBS theme for 2024 Camp Firelight provides a unique opportunity for camps to collaborate with churches next summer. Rev. Ron Bartlow (Desert Southwest Conference) got our brainstorming wheels turning with some suggestions…

Create Co-Branded Materials (UMCRM & local camps), drafting content that camps can then use:

Simple print materials – trifold, pamphlet – linking the camp-themed VBS offerings with a summary of the research / outcomes of the Effective Camp research, sharing the impact of camp. Allow space for camps to co-brand by adding their information. Camps can have the materials out for retreat groups in advance, send them to churches, share them with pastors in conversation, etc.
A webpage that camps can copy and use on their own sites.
Video / training for VBS directors about “a day in the life” at camp. Local Camp Directors could film and edit in an intro and outtro (from a draft script).

Give Special Scholarships to Churches Utilizing the VBS materials

Camps can partner with churches to advertise scholarships along with / during their VBS.

Decorations & Props

Camps could print branded resources to lend to churches to use for decoration. Review the curriculum, print campfires, “happy campers,” or a rustic cabin backdrop, etc., as stand-ups with the camp logo on them. (I just ordered a 5 foot John Wesley; the printing cost me $120. He’s gonna stand in my office window, blessing anyone who comes by.) Or create camp-specific backdrops – e.g. a favorite cabin, or the dining hall porch, etc.

Planning Retreat

Partner with the annual conference to host a VBS Directors / planners retreat at camp at low to no cost, to help with planning, coordination, and to learn from one another. Helps give a taste of the real thing to the directors as they are planning (some have likely never been to a camp!). Some conferences may have directors for children’s ministries or education committees that could help with planning/leading with the directors.

Camp Promo Announcements

“Hey, leaders: What if we told you there was a researched way to increase church attendance and involvement by kids? There is! And your VBS can contribute to it. The Effective Camp Research Project shows that children and youth who go to camp are X% more likely to be actively involved in worship afterward”… etc.

Share Leaders

Could counselors or camp staff come as guest speakers or activity leaders to VBS? Would VBS volunteers be interested in coming to camp with kids from their communities?

Swag

Loan or give out old camp branded merch for churches to use for decoration or gifts. T-shirts, camp hats, etc.

Treats

Camps could make and deliver cookie gift baskets to churches doing the camp VBS. Or send staff to make s’mores on site?

Camp/VBS Celebration and Debrief

Could camps provide a group pastoral retreat (before? after?) the summer season and share some of the joys of camp along with outcomes of the Effective Camp research?

Communicate with your annual conference and local church leaders about your interest in the camp theme and ideas for collaboration. Comment below or contact UMCRM with additional ideas and suggestions so we can crowdsource for everyone’s benefit.

Fun! - Guest post by David Berkey

Jen Burch — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 00:18:17 GMT

If we were doing a Family Feud version of the summer camper survey, the number one answer to, “How do campers feel about their week of camp?” is: “It was FUN!” When asking parents what they look for in a summer camp for their children, “Fun” ranks second right behind Safety.

So, what is fun? One definition is that fun is “a perception of pleasure and happiness brought on by achieving one's desires from an activity.” I think it is more than that.

Of course we want children to have fun at camp, but there’s so much more to it than just making sure everyone plays games and goes swimming.

In her recent book, The Power of Fun, Catherine Price writes that “True Fun” is the “feeling of being fully present and engaged, free from self-criticism and judgment. It is the thrill of losing ourselves in what we’re doing and not caring about the outcome. It is laughter. It is playful rebellion. It is euphoric connection. It is the bliss that comes from letting go. When we are truly having fun, we are not lonely. We are not anxious or stressed. We are not consumed by self-doubt or existential malaise. There is a reason that our moments of True Fun stand out in our memories: True Fun makes us feel alive.”

I can’t think of a better definition of camp. Fun is camp. Camp is fun! And fun, as Price describes it, is a powerful antidote for the challenges of today’s world. At camp we provide opportunities for letting go, being real, doing the silly (like “messy night”, belly flops in the pool or dumb jokes in the cabin) and sharing these things together — multiplying the fun and its effect.

In his book about fun, behavioral psychologist Mike Rucker writes: “Fun isn’t ‘extra,’ it’s an act of radical self-care. Fun is less ‘think ' and more ‘do.’ It’s demonstrable, observable, real and immediately within our grasp. Are you drawn to, finding pleasure in and engaged with an activity? That’s fun.”

The word “fun” doesn’t appear in the Bible but the word “joy” shows up 269 times. One of the fruits of the Spirit we learned this summer was JOY. Jesus said, “I have said these things to you so that my JOY may be in you and that your JOY may be complete.” (John 15:11) Whether it be summer camp, family camp, or a retreat time with friends, fun is definitely on the agenda. Let’s go have some fun so that our JOY may be complete!

Rev. David Berkey is Executive Director of Michigan Area United Methodist Camping. He is an active member and longtime supporter of the UMCRM Association, former ACA and UMCRM Board member, and a lifelong advocate for Camp and Retreat Ministries. Besides camp, David finds joy in rooting for Ohio and Clemson.

Post Summer Camp Wrap-Up Checklist

Jen Burch — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 22:51:24 GMT

Once the summer camp season ends, we’re all ready for some rest and a much-needed vacation. (And we hope you did both!) Also, good “wrap-up” procedures and preventive maintenance will save a lot of time and aggravation, making you or your successor staff happy and grateful next spring. Check out the checklists and then read on for advice from UMCRM colleagues about their summer wrap-up process.

General site maintenance and housekeeping:

Close and lock windows and close curtains.
Empty and clean all trash cans.
Store outdoor furniture, picnic tables, benches, and hammocks. Note items that need to be repainted, repaired, or replaced for next season.
Transition summer staff housing to its non-summer use.
Check crevices of furniture to ensure that there are no food particles or lost-n-found items.
Restock first aid kits or make a list for next year.
Unplug computers, air conditioners, microwaves, and major appliances that will not be used.
Clean ovens, stoves, toasters, grills, and microwaves to eliminate food, crumbs, or grease deposits.
Clean out grease traps.
Remove batteries from electronics such as clocks, radios, etc.
Seal up cracks & crevices that are ¼” or larger to keep unwanted critters out.
Discard opened food that will not be used. Donate unused, unopened food that will expire before you can use it.
Clean and sanitize fridge, freezer, and pantry shelves, drawers, etc. Unplug and prop open units that will not be used.
Clean and winterize lawnmower and other gas-powered yard equipment.
Clean out gutters and inspect roofs for shingles that are raised or cracked.
Store and secure waterfront equipment and docks. Note replacement needs like rescue tubes, paddles, lifejackets, etc.

Program wrap-up:

Clean up and put away program areas that aren't used the rest of the year (archery, climbing, health center, pool & waterfront, arts & crafts, etc.) Store cleaning supplies, chemicals, art supplies, etc. to ensure that they will not freeze and will be safe from critters.
Organize the office.
Debrief with summer staff, collect evaluations, conduct exit/stay interviews.
Create communications plan for summer staff (remembering birthdays, winter reunion, retreat hosting opportunities, etc.)
Create communications plan for camper families (evaluations, next year’s registration info, newsletters and holiday greetings, faith formation resources, donor appeals, etc)

A few UMCRM colleagues offered their own additions and advice.

from Jeff Wilson, Assistant Director, Camp Lake Stephens, Mississippi:

The biggest thing for us is getting any thing that could be chewed by squirrels or mice (high ropes gear, life jackets, foam balls, camping gear, pool noodles, etc) into containers (inventoried and organized) and inside a building. Most of that stuff lives in sheds with screen ventilation during the summer. They wind up being easy targets for overwintering mice / squirrels. We used to lose a lot of gear each year, until we started making space inside for it.

This year I am trialing some new NFC tags called "Organize-it!" that let you keep all the info about what's in a box on an app. You can scan the tag and see what's in the box without opening it. TBD if they are awesome or not.

During organization and inventory I also ask my staff to write notes inside the box on what we need for next year. That way we aren't replacing stuff using the previous years budget, AND I don't forget about it by the time April rolls around.

from Julie Lautt, Director, Wanake Camp & Retreat Center, East Ohio:

I have begun keeping a Google Doc list of items that we are going to need to purchase or replace for the next year. This way I have a good shopping list and can capitalize on sales throughout the year.

One practice I have found to be invaluable is to take a "tour" of the summer program areas after summer camp is over and keep notes about what I see or don't see that needs attention or needs to be retained for the coming summer program season.

from Dan Kirby, Assistant Director, Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center, Eastern PA:

Program

STUFF: ropes, safety gear, inflatables, fun signage, prop things, game leftovers, and summer-only program spaces. Put things away into a mouse-tight shed or building (Check: is it dry, is it maintained, is it in a good container, is it worth keeping?)

Did you spend $1500 on a foam machine and foam packets? Think through odd things like this that should not be left where they might freeze (foam machines may hold water, as would many of these types of devices).

Don’t assume that the stuff all got put back. Every year I find a harness in the outskirts of our high ropes course because a kid thought it didn’t need to be put back with the others and staff missed it during clean up.

Extension Cords, Hoses, Tools, and other maintenance-y things. Our program staff are focused on fun, and if we aren’t intentional we might forget the importance of returning tools borrowed from the maintenance barn, or tidying up hoses.

Safe Storage – as you store things, be intentional not to block utilities such as hot water heaters, furnaces/ac units where filters will need to be installed, water shut off, etc. Ask your maintenance staff to come with you and tape off the areas that they would like to keep open. Bring coffee.

Don’t depend on yourself in May. Remember what May was like? It was just 3 months ago and also a year’s worth of life has passed. “May You” is not asking for more things to fix, repair, or maintain. Take care of the bike with the busted tire now, repair the bow that needs new limbs if you can afford to. Write a list for “January You” if the budget demands it.

Maintenance

Pools: Is it on someone’s radar to pull out the pool pump motors and winterize the pool shed before a freeze? This would be a costly miss.

Outpost sites. Water lines or utilities that need to be drained out before winter? Platforms that ought to be covered or blown off regularly to help the wood last?

Tents and Shelters – what gets taken down before winter hits? If you have mattresses on beds that won’t be used until next summer, turn them up on their side to prevent a cozy warm spot for pest nests.

Picnic tables – turn em up on their sides and they shed snow way faster so your wood will last longer.

Fire sites – before winter hits, dump out water buckets to keep them from popping in the freeze.

Did anyone call to have the porta johns picked up yet? What other summer services do you need to cancel today to avoid extra fees?

What's on YOUR checklist? If you have additional checklist items to add, please share in the comments!

End of Summer Renewal: Guest Post by Allyson Ashmore

Jen Burch — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 22:54:25 GMT

Summer camp has come to an end. For some of us, this is a HUGE relief. The long, hard days and sleepless, short nights are behind us…at least for another year. For others, it’s the end of the fun season, where children’s laughter is no longer and theme days with costumes are a cherished memory. But, for all of us in this ministry, it is a change of season and a chance to practice some needed self-care. Unfortunately, for so many of us in outdoor ministry, self-care is something we put aside and often just ignore. But it is so important, especially once summer has come to an end. I am by no means an expert in this area, but after over 20 years in this ministry, I did adopt some practices that became crucial for my physical, mental, and spiritual health.

SLEEP! I know, I know, this one seems so obvious. It’s probably also unavoidable, as our bodies are just worn out. But, I just want to give you permission to do it for as long as you need to. Maybe you are fine with just a normal 7-8 hours the day after camp. But, if you need to just stay in your bed or spend a day or days on your couch, allow yourself to do it and don’t apologize for it.
Feel the blues. I called the first few days after camp my “Blue Days” because I found myself feeling down and often uncomfortable. Walking around a quiet camp, with no one around can be very unsettling. I learned to give myself permission to give in to my feelings whatever they may be. Some years, the dark days were none or few and some they were many. But, whatever my body and mind needed, I learned to give it.
Offer prayers of gratitude. Some summers end on a high, but some do not. Making a physical list of the things that I am grateful for always helps me to see that there are so many blessings in our lives each day that go unrecognized.
Leave Camp. Your world has likely centered in one place for the season, so it's time to get off camp for a while and experience the outside world again. Plan a vacation, a staycation, a day in the city, or some other complete change of scene. Fill your senses with sights, sounds, and tastes that are different from what you experience at camp. This can reset your perspective and help with your re-entry process.
Reconnect. Our family and friends often go neglected in the summer. If we have an understanding support system, those close to us usually give us a lot of grace during the summer months for being out of touch. Now is the time to make efforts to reconnect, not only for ourselves but for those in our lives who truly miss us during the camp season. Visit family. Go out to dinner with your best friends. Take your dog on a fun adventure. Make some phone calls or just resume Snap Streaks with those you have been apart from.
Debrief the summer. In the early days after camp ends, try taking a long walk while creating a voice memo on your phone. Ramble on about the summer to capture your first thoughts. Later, use those notes to draft an end-of-summer report to record reflections and to set goals for the following year. We always think we will NEVER FORGET certain incidents, but we do, especially as time goes on. Record your thoughts while it is fresh and raw.

What are some practices that you use for self-care and renewal at the end of camp? If you can’t think of any, maybe these or others will give you some help that you didn’t even know you needed. Summer 2023 is in the books. Well done, good and faithful servant. Well done.

Allyson Ashmore is the new Retreat Director at Beersheba Springs Assembly (TN). She has served in outdoor ministry for over 22 years; recently retired from Camp Hopewell (MS). She chairs the Compass Points Council and serves on the faculty for Personnel & Leadership course. Allyson resides in Spencer, TN where she and her husband, Darren, along with her sister and brother-in-law spend much time exploring waterfalls in the area.

"Results. Outcomes. Impact." Guest post from Dail Ballard

Jen Burch — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 23:42:10 GMT

In this world of “give and take,” it seems that the overarching focus is most often on what we can get… from goals to results, mission to outcomes and expectations of impact. I would say that the same might be true regarding our membership with the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries Association (UMCRM.) “Sure, we want to be a part of something bigger. But, what’s in it for me?”

Well, I am here to give you a first-hand account of my experience with the give and take of being a member of this fine Association. My story begins in my own Annual Conference. For as many years as anyone can remember, the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church (NC Conference) has supported what is now the NC UM Camp & Retreat Ministries, Inc. (NCUMCRM), the organization I serve as Executive Director. Heck, the NC Conference birthed our three camps 75 years ago! Over time, the Conference chose to spin off the camps and other extension ministries to establish separate nonprofit entities, yet still be “related by faith.” Through that process, the Conference continued its support of camp and retreat ministries through apportionment giving for many, many years – until the reality of disaffiliations became apparent, bringing about financial anxiety and the need for substantial budget cuts.

We are fortunate in that the NC Conference operates on a budgeting schedule that is two years in advance of the actual budget year. Thus, the Conference recently developed the 2025 budget which was scheduled to be presented at the Annual Conference in June 2023. To our dismay, we learned that NCUMCRM was eliminated from that budget. As the news broke, I sprang into action, reaching out to committee chairs, cabinet members, the Council on Finance and Administration, and even the Bishop. I also reached out to the Board of Institutions, which is a liaison to the NC UM Conference for the extension ministries. I wrote letters, essays, emails and used as many means of messaging as I knew to request our reinstatement into the 2025 budget. I was also invited to speak at the Annual Conference. What did I share? Results. Outcomes. Impact.

Admittedly, much of my communications were rather anecdotal relative to the impact and value of the three camps of the NCUMCRM. You know, those stories of the transformational experiences that occur at camp. In addition, because of the research that UMCRM promoted and cultivated in partnership with Sacred Playgrounds, [View 2022 Camper Survey Results] I was able to cite objective findings regarding the positive effects of the camp experience. And, let me tell you, those statistics made a difference. When I presented at Annual Conference, I knitted those findings into my short, but informative talk. [View 5 UMCRM Research Facts infographic] Each time I mentioned a statistic from the Sacred Playgrounds research, applause broke out from the 1000+ attendees. “81% of campers said they were strengthened in their faith at camp.” The crowd roared! “87% of campers made friends who were different from them and their friends at home.” The laity and clergy cheered! “85% of campers learned more about God during their camp experience.” The enthusiasm was palpable.

Later that day, when the 2025 budget was presented, an amendment from the floor was quickly made to reinstate the NCUMCRM into the budget. After the proper protocols were followed, it was evident from the hands and paddles that were raised in support of restoring this ministry back into the budget that the overwhelming majority of the NC Conference wanted to continue to support our camp and retreat ministries in North Carolina.

Of course, I cried. The emotion from the moment and support was overwhelming and deeply encouraging. Camp does matter. Camp has value. And people know it from their own experiences, from those anecdotal stories of transformation, and from real and trusted data from effective and relevant research. So, what do we “get” from our alliance with and membership in the UMCRM Association? A LOT! In our case, the investment in research, collegial support, and tools for communicating outcomes helped our organization inspire our Conference’s investment in the future of camp & retreat ministries.

Dail Ballard is the Executive Director of North Carolina United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries, Inc. Three camps -- Chestnut Ridge, Don Lee and Rockfish operate under one nonprofit umbrella. Dail also currently serves as Chair of the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association Board of Directors. Dail loves being outdoors, especially by water – her happiest place being on the beach or a boat on the NC coast.

Making Camp Work During Extreme Heat Events

Jen Burch — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:59:53 GMT

If your camp has been dealing with extreme heat recently, you’re not alone. Camp Lake Stephens in Mississippi has had more than its fair share of extra-hot camp days this season, and Assistant Director Jeff Wilson shares insights about how he and the staff are managing and some things they’ve learned along the way.

Shade & Moving Water

Not all water activities are built equally. A lake or pool under full sun can be as dangerous as an athletic field under full sun. Sitting in warm or unmoving water makes your body have to work even harder to cool down. If you have a creek or river or a way to have a water activity with shade or moving water, choose that option. Save full sun water activities for early morning.
Shade and moving air and/or water are the key to cooling down.
If you can safely do so and you have access to pools, try a night swim.

Hydration & Overhydration

Focusing on good hydration should start before the extreme heat advisory or warning.
Provide cold water sources at every activity inside and outside.
Buy extra water bottles for those who may not have them. Amazon has bulk water bottles fairly cheap.
Learn about the warning signs and treatment for hyponatremia. This condition is often caused when someone over-hydrates because they are trying not to become dehydrated.

Heat-related Illness

Learn warning signs of heat exhaustion and stroke. Both can happen VERY quickly. Learn signs and treatment procedures for both and practice with your staff!
Make connections with a pediatrician; they can help you understand heat related risks for campers.

Weather Planning

Generally, extreme heat situations are reliably forecasted well in advance, compared to rain or storms. So make your plans early. We usually know 7-ish days in advance to start prepping for extreme heat.
Make connections with your local weather station or National Weather Service office. They can help you understand and prepare for weather patterns you are unfamiliar with, such as “heat domes.”
Humidity is a relative number. 70% humidity in 50°F weather is a vastly different condition than 70% in 90° F weather. Find a heat index chart for your area. Humidity is a multiplier. The higher the humidity, the harder it is for your body to cool down.

Activities & Scheduling

Be flexible with upending your schedules. Health is more important than tradition.
Schedule rest times or cabin clean-up competitions during the hottest part of day.
Stay indoors as much as possible from 11:30 am - 4:30 / 5:00 pm.
Create an indoor bonfire experience, play indoor team games, indoor talent show (with cabin groups instead of individuals), play real life versions of board games like Clue, Battleship, Guess Who, or whatever your favorite is.
Move team building from low ropes to indoors. Use more initiative type games instead of obstacle based challenges (e.g., baking challenges with teams, trivia).
What ever you do, DON’T SHOW A MOVIE. No other indoor activity will be engaging after a movie is shown.
With any of your indoor activities, try to create props or decorations so it feels like a genuine camp activity and not just a last minute audible. Be creative! All of our maintenance sheds / barns have tons of reusable materials that can be created into cool decorations.
If your indoor air conditioned space is limited, consider activities in useable spaces that can involve all camper ages without causing too much competitive strife from older campers.
Make a plan for accommodating campers who are sensitive to loud sounds and large crowds. Provide a quiet room or space they can utilize during heat.

Food and Water

Giving SOME sugary / salty drinks or snacks can actually be beneficial during heat events. It can help replace sugars or electrolytes lost to sweating and high metabolism.
Consider adjusting meals to less heavy or greasy foods. Try more cool salads and fruit with high water content.

Cool, Relocate, or Cancel?

If you have no air conditioning, at a certain point you should consider renting portable air-conditioning or moving campers off-site to a place that can accommodate your needs with A/C.
When lows overnight are at 80°f or higher with high humidity, it’s time to start canceling or modifying campouts or any non-air-conditioned sleeping. Temperatures that high at night can cause campers to be even further behind the curve on hydration and rest before a hot day’s worth of activity.
If you have acceptable activities at your site but they are a considerable distance away from camper’s current locations, consider shuttles.
Misting machines and football type evaporative cooling fans could be useful in certain situations.

Caregiver Communications

Keep parents and caregivers aware of changes.
Younger campers are often affected by heat more quickly because of their size. Younger campers are also the group who might not realize they are getting overheated until it’s too late.
Check campers’ health risks and notify guardians if you are concerned for their camper’s health before the week occurs. Give them your action plans for mitigating excessive heat exposure. See if they are comfortable with risks.

Care For Staff

Remember it’s not just counselors and campers who are dealing with the heat. Consider the needs of support staff such as kitchen workers and grounds maintenance workers.
Adapt schedules for mowing and other outdoor work projects.
Encourage lightweight, loose clothing for those working outdoors.
Be sure lifeguards have shade.
Schedule more breaks and hydration reminders.
Provide access to air conditioning for all employees on breaks.

Jeff Wilson is the Assistant Director at Camp Lake Stephens (MS). He holds a degree in Biology and Earth System Sciences from the University of Alabama - Huntsville. His love for camp began after his freshman year in college when he joined the CLS summer staff as a counselor. Four summer seasons later, Jeff made the commitment to go into camping ministry full time. In addition to spending time with spouse Emily and their son Jude, he enjoys spending his free time hiking and photographing wildflowers. Jeff is a student in the Compass Points Certificate Program and volunteers on the UMCRM National Gathering Design Team.

Celebrating 2022 Ministry Impact Grant Projects, Installment #15

Jen Burch — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 00:07:37 GMT

We have just a few more of the 2022 Ministry Impact Grant projects to highlight and celebrate. Last year, eighty-six United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects from around the United States received a total of nearly $2.5 million in grants from a private foundation. This week, we lift up five more completed 2022 projects that reflect long-term vision for these vital ministries. Soon we will shift our focus to the newly-funded 2023 Ministry Impact Grant projects, many of which are already underway. Thanks be to God for bringing together generous, visionary givers with mission-focused Camp and Retreat ministry leaders to lay the foundation for future sustainability and impact.

View the full 2022 Ministry Impact Grant Report

Tabernacle - Camp Koronis, MN

The long-held vision of the Meeting and Dining Tabernacle is now a reality, thanks in part to the Ministry Impact Grant. The beautiful, state-of-the-art facility replaced the kitchen that was destroyed in a 2019 fire and includes a year-round 300-person gathering space that more than replaced the function of the old seasonal Tabernacle. The gorgeous new program space has attracted increased guest bookings and will be an asset to Koronis’ ministry for decades to come.

Pavilion - Glen Lake Camp, TX

The new Pavilion sits atop a hundred-foot cliff on the Paluxy River. Normally, groups will cross the river and hike up to the cross on top of the hill, looking out over the river, the camp, and the town of Glen Rose. It is usually about a 20 minute hike up and 20 minute hike down. The lack of shade and restroom facilities on the hilltop was sometimes an issue! The new Pavilion opens up new program possibilities and provides a more hospitable experience for guests and campers. Ministry leaders are excited to envision new ways to include hilltop experiences in group programming.

Dining Hall HVAC System - Camp Innabah, PA

The dining hall is the central hub of activity at Innabah, but the old HVAC system was no longer keeping campers and guests comfortable in all 4 seasons. It was time for an upgrade and the addition of air conditioning. The new system provides energy efficiency and a large indoor space to cool off in the summertime.

Maintenance Building - Little Grassy Camp, IL

Grant funding enabled completion of the main structure of a new shop building. The new tractor and other equipment have a solid, safe new home, and shelving and storage areas will keep tools organized. This multipurpose storage and work space will allow equipment to be kept in great condition which saves time, labor, and costs in the long run and minimizes risk to staff, campers, and guests.

Playground - Lake Poinsett Camp, SD

Director Christy Heflin has dreamed of a playground at the camp for 8 years, but other maintenance issues always kept it from being realized. The grant provided dedicated funding to construct a full playground area, complete with mulch and landscaping. Located in the center of camp, this new equipment will bring opportunities for safe, joyful play to thousands of children each year.

Reflections on Juneteenth: Guest Post by Josh Shaw

Jen Burch — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 04:18:46 GMT

What is Juneteenth? Check out this comprehensive resource from the UMC General Commission on Religion and Race:

https://www.r2hub.org/library/juneteenth

It is important to celebrate all of God’s creation, and Juneteenth is a unique way to celebrate. It is paramount that camps are finding ways to encourage, equip, and empower Black and brown voices. This can be done in a multitude of ways through camping and retreat ministries.

A few suggestions to implement at camp:

invite BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to lead in worship
attend a predominantly black church with your staff and/or campers
create space for staff and campers of color to authentically share any harm that may have been done based on the color of their skin

While our country has come a long way since 1865, there is still much work to be done. Our ancestors traveled through many places to get to the promised land, including some water. I invite us to take a moment to reflect on the water of our baptism that brings us to freedom:

“On behalf of the whole Church, I ask you:

Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness,

reject the evil powers of this world,

and repent of your sin?

I do.

Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you

to resist evil, injustice, and oppression

in whatever forms they present themselves?

I do.”

Many of us United Methodists have heard and made these vows. The water of baptism has divinely connected each of us. It is through these waters that we find celebration in the freedom that God gave all creation. As the old Negro spiritual teaches us to “wade in the water,” we must be willing to come together so that all may embrace the freedom that God’s loving grace has gifted us.

To all my BIPOC siblings, embrace these words from Marianne Willamson:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

Go serve the world unapologetically, just as you are. Happy Juneteenth!

References:

The United Methodist Hymnal: Book of United Methodist Worship. (1989). Nashville: United Methodist Publishing House
Gainer. Folk Songs From The West Virginia Hills. (2017). West Virginia University Press. pp. 216-217, "Wade in the Water"
Williamson, M. (1996). A Return To Love. HarperCollins

Josh Shaw serves on the UMCRM Board of Directors. He is the Executive Assistant/Event & Community Outreach Coordinator at Cachengo, Inc., and he stays in ministry by regularly leading a Junior High camp at Lakeshore Camp (TN) and serving on the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Annual Conference Youth Leadership Team. He is an Enneagram 2 and a Ravenclaw. He finds joy with his pup, Queen, nieces and nephews, and expressing creativity through choreography.

2022 Ministry Impact Reports, Installment #14

Jen Burch — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 05:14:31 GMT

We have just a few more of the 2022 Ministry Impact Grant projects to highlight and celebrate. Last year, eighty-six United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects from around the United States received a total of nearly $2.5 million in grants from a private foundation. This week, we lift up five more completed 2022 projects that reflect long-term vision for these vital ministries. Soon we will shift the focus to the newly-funded 2023 Ministry Impact Grant projects, many of which are already underway. Thanks be to God for bringing together generous, visionary givers with mission-focused Camp and Retreat ministry leaders to lay the foundation for future sustainability and impact.

View the full 2022 Ministry Impact Grant Report

Tanako To Go - Camp Tanako, AR

Grant funding enabled Camp Tanako to expand its outreach outside of the residential camp property to minister with people right where they are at. With the purchase of a vehicle and supplies, staff traveled to churches to host one-day Bible schools and visit with children's ministries and Wesley Foundations, building new connections in the wider community and reaching churches that do not have a camp home. Taking camp on the road enabled new program opportunities and a way to help meet more of God’s children of all ages with the magic of Christian camping.

Catapulting Camp Wesley Pines into the Future - Wesley Pines, MS

Wesley Pines was blessed to contract with Kaleidoscope Consulting to define the next steps of ministry growth through a comprehensive Assessment and Strategic Ministry Plan. In combination with its capital campaign and physical plant blueprint, this final step in the camp’s revitalization strategy joyfully catapults Wesley Pines into a future in which it will continue its deep history of serving children and families through Christian camping experiences.

Camp Wesley Woods Lagoon Restoration - Wesley Woods, TN

Grant funding afforded Wesley Woods the opportunity to restore

a critical natural resource and program area. The lagoon is the landmark signifying that campers have finally arrived at camp. Bringing the lagoon back to health meant campers could enjoy paddling and fishing again. The improvements provided care for the watershed while significantly improving the aesthetics and first impressions of camp. The project required heavy equipment including an excavator, skid steer and dump truck. Approximately 400 cubic yards of silt were removed, including two islands formed at the inlet over 20 years and accumulated material along the edges and outlet. Gravel was brought into to repair the road and grass was seeded to complete the project. This opportunity opened up future planning with the local Soil and Water Conservation District on a larger scale watershed restoration project.

Worship Fest - Carson Simpson Farm Christian Camp, PA

Carson Simpson Farm expanded upon its PEACE (Partners Equipping All Children For Eternity) program which ministers with children from Philadelphia through summer camp. Extending the reach of the gospel message, experience of Spirit-led worship, and strengthened community connections into the fall, the camp hosted its inaugural Worship Fest. The event fostered the camp's partnership with three local church teams and with Ripe Creatives Ministry which brought two artists, three singer songwriters, spoken word poets, a painter, and worship team. Additionally, eight different ministries set up information booths. Over 600 people were enabled to join this worshipful and creative experience free of charge. This grant-funded opportunity bore short-term fruit in renewed faith among staff and participants, new relationships in the community, and glory to God in this day of praise and worship. Check out the recap video Worship Fest 2022 also sparked longer-term vision and goals for future event planning, fund development, and further expanding the camp’s ministry reach.

Construction of Cabin 13/14 - Epworth By The Sea, South Georgia

Grant funding supported the completion of the final building in the multimillion dollar Aldersgate Youth Village renovation project. Cabin 13/14 had foundation issues that required its demolition and re-siting. Improvements included enlargement of cabins, vinyl wood flooring, central HVAC, handicap accessibility, tankless gas water heaters and expansion of bathroom areas. These facilities enhance the ministry to children and youth that serves more than 1000 campers each season and fosters hundreds of new and renewed commitments to Christ every year.

Celebrating 2022 Ministry Impact Projects, Installment #13

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 May 2023 03:05:05 GMT

This week we feature 5 more projects funded by the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants. Last year, eighty-six United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects from around the United States received a total of nearly $2.5 million in grants from a private foundation. The impacts will continue to ripple out as those ministries steward the gifts for future sustainability.

View the full 2022 Ministry Impact Grant Report

UMCRM continues to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these project reports. We still have more to share in the coming weeks as we reflect on all that was accomplished over the past year.

Building Toward a Fiscally Sustainable Future - Wisconsin Annual Conference Camp & Retreat Ministries

The staff and board worked with The Fund Coach, Mark Duncan, to develop skills in relational fundraising. They learned to systematically identify donors, deepen the relationships, and help donor prospects understand the value of giving to the mission of camp. This learning experience will impact future fundraising efforts and board recruitment.

Strategic Planning with Run River - Camp Dickenson (VA)

The camp engaged Run River Enterprises to conduct a full site and master plan, replacing an old plan from 2005 that no longer fit its vision and legal requirements. The process began with an in-person board retreat weekend that delved into the history of the site and built understanding of the width and breadth of five decades of ministry. Smaller group discussions clarified visions for our programming, site, and overall business plan for the coming decade. The camp board now has a three-year plan including hiring a consulting hydrologist, executing a timber sale, implementing a depreciation recovery schedule, and consulting architects for facility drawings. This groundwork will enable a capital campaign launch in the 4th quarter of 2025. Camp leadership is now able to focus on what’s possible for a thriving future.

Mobile STEAM Lab - Camp in the Community (Holston Conference)

The implementation of the Mobile STEAM Lab created an immense amount of joy, learning, and friendships for Camp in the Community. Campers, staff, and volunteers loved it, and for many, it was their favorite part of camp! In just the first season, the lab allowed 1,005 children in 24 communities to have hands-on experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. They got to work with a 3-D printer, microscope, lego wall, circuit boards, chain reaction machines, magnet wall, robotic arm, and so much more. Many campers expressed interest in becoming an engineer, scientist, or inventor when they grow up.

Tiny House Village Infrastructure - Camp Magruder (OR)

Housing is one of the great inequities in Camp Magruder’s community. The ministry desires to support employees and volunteers with comfortable housing, a better value than any other compensation they might offer, in order to support and retain talented, long-term leaders. The grant enabled installation of the electrical infrastructure necessary to construct a tiny house village on site. This foundation enables the camp to begin raising money to build the tiny homes and further inspires the vision of a sustainable, holistic, connected staff community.

Fishing Pond Project - Canyon Camp (OK)

The Canyon Camp Fishing Pond Project has provided new recreational options for campers, family retreats, and children/youth with special needs. The UMCRM grant provided an ADA compatible concrete landing, sidewalk, and railing for the fishing pond, along with a solar pond aerator, paddleboat, sit-upon kayak, and lifejackets. The conditions of the ground in the canyon allowed for a pond of 1⁄4 acre by 8 feet deep. This new program infrastructure will be a blessing to future generations of campers and guests.

Life Lessons From Coaching: Guest Post by Jen Burch

Jen Burch — Wed, 10 May 2023 21:34:10 GMT

In honor of International Coaching Week, Jen Burch reflects on implementing coach training, the practice of coaching, and resources for ministry and life.

Last fall, I embarked on a week of Coach Approach Skills Training with a group of twenty UMCRM peers, a grant-funded opportunity offered by Holmes Coaching Group and hosted by Glisson Camp & Retreat Center in North Georgia. I want to share three ideas or principles from coaching that have stuck with me and found their way into my life and work.

One principle featured in our training was approaching each client as “creative, resourceful, and whole.” This orientation toward others (and ourselves) is a stance of positivity, trust, and faith. It provides the foundation on which the process, action, and results of coaching can build. It’s a helpful corrective in a world too often characterized by cynicism, mistrust, low self-esteem, and scarcity mentality. Believing that people and groups are creative, resourceful, and whole can help a coach empower clients to be their best selves and achieve their goals. My faith understanding also aligns with this approach in that I believe God wants us to live fully into who we were created to be, and that we co-create that self with God over a lifetime through deep listening and courageous action. The coaching relationship, insofar as it empowers clients to live in this way, can be a spirit-filled process. As I practice seeing myself and others as creative, resourceful, and whole, I find this approach softening my natural inner critic and providing a more optimistic view of what is possible. That is making me a more effective coach, of course, and I think it’s also making me a better person in all the roles and relationships of my life. I commend this to you! Remember, you and everyone you meet are creative, resourceful, and whole. This reminder that you are enough is one of the gifts that participating in a coaching relationship can provide.

Another foundational coaching skill is listening content-free. By that I mean that one listens without thinking of what to say next, without judgment, with an open mind. Even those of us who have a pretty good grasp of basic interpersonal communication may find this challenging. When someone else is speaking, our minds are often looking for ways to relate to what they are saying, finding points of sympathy or agreement, thinking of how our own ideas and experiences are similar or different. Especially when they are talking about something that we have an opinion or expertise about, or that triggers our memory or emotions, it can take a lot of self-control simply to be present and listen. Coaching training has reminded me to practice the art of listening without bringing my own content into it. Bringing intention to this skill is calling my attention to how difficult and non-intuitive it is! However, in the moments when I succeed at being fully present and truly listening, I recognize it as a blessing to the other person, and deeply beneficial to my understanding of them. I think of the admonition in James 1:19 to be “quick to listen, slow to speak.” I encourage us all to practice truly listening, and to seek out friends, family members, colleagues, and perhaps a coach who is able to provide that space to you.

The third idea I want to introduce is a “wheel of life” tool which can help a coach and client to identify which parts of life are going well and which need some attention. As I remind myself that I am a whole person, I have found it useful to visualize the dimensions of my life as parts of the circle. In an ideal world (not the one we actually live in!), each of the parts is strong and balanced. In the real world, the different dimensions are in constant flux, some naturally stronger or weaker due to temperament or circumstances or the varying seasons of life. Taking a moment to assess how I’m doing in each of the dimensions is a great reminder of my wholeness as a person, and it gives me some perspective and power to decide what and how I would like to change and grow. I encourage you, reader, to spend some time with the wheel of life and see what it reveals to you. While it seems obvious that we might work on the aspects of our life that are lacking, also consider ways to build off of the dimensions are strong, leveraging those areas to help boost those you want to improve. A coach can help you in this process.

If these principles spark something in you and you would like to pursue a coaching relationship with me or another trained coach, please reach out. You can also access coaching, mentoring, and other supportive resources in the UMCRM Hive. Creating a safe and encouraging space for people to think, feel, try things, be heard, be vulnerable, dream, decide, and commit is a special gift. Within the UMCRM community we have a compassionate group of peers willing to provide that space.

Jen Burch serves as the Director of Communications and Community Engagement for the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association. She is a former Camp Director and holds a Masters of Divinity from the Iliff School of Theology. She lives in Colorado, is an INFJ, and offers her coaching skills to members of the UMCRM community as she logs hours for her International Coaching Federation credential.

Ministry Impact Grants Awarded: Celebrating Funded Projects for 2023

Jen Burch — Wed, 10 May 2023 21:24:52 GMT

For a second year, the UMCRM Association received word that it was granted one million dollars from an anonymous family foundation to distribute to United Methodist Camps & Retreat Ministries in the U.S. The goal of the gift was to enable individual sites and ministries to take one significant step in the 2023 calendar year toward long-term impact and sustainability. Once again, it is a joy for our organization to assist in stewarding this generous gift for the benefit of camping and retreats in the United Methodist tradition!

By the numbers:

107 proposals were submitted, totaling $4,617,000
68 projects were funded at just under $1,774,000

Of the 68 funded proposals:

- 20 were from new applicants (that did not apply in 2022)
- 38 were from applicants that also received funding for a project last year
- 9 are from applicants whose projects were not funded last year

Of the 39 unfunded proposals:

- 11 were from new applicants
- 22 were from applicants that received funding for a 2022 project
- 6 applicants had projects that were unfunded both years

The review team did not give special consideration to previous or new applicants, but reviewed each proposal on its own merits. This year, additional consideration was given to equity between Conferences and within Conferences.

Similarly to 2022, after the review team considered all proposals, the granting foundation was inspired to generously increase the original pledge amount, enabling more projects to receive funding. The additional $774K brought the total grant to $1.7M, adding 18 more accepted projects and fully funding 9 more. The UMCRM Association is thrilled to distribute the grant funds in the coming weeks to the projects listed below.

Collectively, United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries will broaden our impact in reaching more people with the love of Christ for a thriving future. Praise to the “God who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ask or imagine” (Eph.3:20). May we be worthy stewards of the gifts entrusted to us. Stay tuned in the coming months as projects are completed and together we celebrate all that these ministries have been able to build and accomplish.

Ministry Impact Project Reports, Installment #12: More to Celebrate!

Jen Burch — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 02:20:38 GMT

This week we feature 5 more projects funded by the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants. Eighty-six United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects from around the United States received a total of nearly $2.5 million in grants from a private foundation. The impacts will continue to ripple out as those ministries steward the gifts for future sustainability.

View the full 2022 Ministry Impact Grant Report

UMCRM continues to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these project reports over the coming weeks and months.

UMYC Transportation - Urban Methodist Youth Camp, MI

With some patience and diligence, the ministry was able to secure vehicles to meet their program needs. Instead of just one large bus, they opted for a 15 passenger van (that can be driven by anyone with a regular license), and a 28 passenger bus that requires a CDL-certified driver. This combination allows for flexibility for different types of youth group and camp events. The grant will enable safe storage and ongoing vehicle maintenance, as well, making the bus and van assets that will last a long while in service to the youth programs. Having this ready and reliable transportation enables better access to enriching and faith development experiences for more young people.

Foundation Board Development - Upper NY Conference

The grant has allowed the Conference’s six governance groups to take significant steps forward toward making the camps more sustainable and effective. Training was held for the Conference CRM Committee and 5 Foundation boards with an attorney who specializes in nonprofit law, and a coach who specializes in fund development. The Conference purchased and implemented software designed for board effectiveness, which will continue the process of becoming healthy boards. They also purchased a subscription to Board Source as an ongoing resource for growth and development. The direct impact of camp and retreat programs is possible only when the organizational infrastructure is strong. This funding has provided for a strong foundation for the ministries’ future.

“All In For the Journey” Consulting - Susquehanna Conference Camp & Retreat Ministries (PA)

The Conference engaged Kaleidoscope to do a deep assessment of the Camp and Retreat Ministries and discern future directions that will strengthen the ministry for years to come. The consultants visited all of the centers to gather information on their assets, current guest and camper programs and participation, and insights from the staff about strengths, challenges and possibilities. Jody Oates then led the Camp and Retreat Ministry Board in a process of learning best practices and assessment of all aspects of our ministry over multiple in-person and online discernment sessions. The team explored missional purpose, core values, operational changes for vitality, the changing landscape of our communities, and adaptations needed to expand ministry reach. The recommendations focused on maximizing the impact of Christian Camp and Retreat Ministry now and in the future.

Environmental Education - Rolling Ridge Retreat Center (MA)

Rolling Ridge is reaching new people and transforming lives through environmental and eco-spiritual programming. The funds received through the Ministry Impact Grant enabled the purchase of new kayaking equipment, storage shed, decking, and stair dock so that someone like Tracy, with mobility issues, could “pray and paddle” and find her quiet center on the water. The grant helped to create websites for Pray and Paddle and Conscious Composting along with social media hubs for both. Nine popular Pray and Paddle events were held in 2022, along with 6 monthly composting workshops. Rolling Ridge was also able to implement Land Acknowledgement initiatives, including a naming event and signage for the island off the peninsula in collaboration with the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook Abenaki people.

Staff Housing Repairs - Loucon (KY)

Grant funding helped create a home for a staff family who will help the camp achieve its ministry goals. Quality staff housing helps us care for them well as they care for our campers and guests. The original house was gutted, flooring and drywall replaced, bathrooms renovated, painting and repairs completed. Another donation enabled replacement of the windows. The outcome is a space that looks and feels like a brand new house. The environmental remediation expert who came to check the air quality couldn't believe it was the same house. The camp is blessed to be able to house staff in a safe and comfortable house, a key asset to attracting and retaining good leadership.

Common Insurance Claims: How Loss Prevention Can Protect Your Ministry

Jen Burch — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 23:20:50 GMT

We all just want to be happy campers, right? And we’d hate for any guest to be hurt. Preventing injuries and losses protects the people you serve —and your ministry. It also makes it easier to find affordable insurance coverage. In a difficult market, this is important even if it’s not the main goal of loss prevention.

The basics of loss prevention are fairly simple:

Understand the potential risks.
Formulate a plan to reduce the chance of loss.
Establish policies and procedures.
Conduct training (and retraining).
Apply the policies consistently.
Update the plan to conform with changes to laws and regulations and new exposures.

Property presents a particular challenge to camps. Remote locations and traditional construction types make fire a particularly difficult exposure. This is especially true for camps in the Western states when it comes to wildfires. Redwoods insurance has an excellent Wildfire Risk and Hazard Checklist that has tips that apply to general fire prevention as well.

Over 96% of the dollar value of claims paid by UMI over 14 years were for property losses. As would be expected, most losses were related to storms. Wind and hail accounted for about 59% of all reported claims. While we will always have weather events, we can mitigate losses. We have seen situations where claims were denied or exacerbated by things that care and maintenance could have improved or eliminated:

Ensure that your roof, eaves, flashing, and gutters are maintained. Damage caused by water that enters a building is only covered if it does so through an opening created by a covered peril.
A newer, well-maintained roof may also reduce the likelihood of disputes with insurance carriers over the cause of interior damage, possibly speeding up the resolution of claims.
Keep drains and sump pumps clear of debris and in good working order. If possible, provide a back-up source of power for your sump pump in the event of a power failure that often accompanies severe storms.
Keep large trees clear of your roof and ensure that dead limbs are removed. This can be expensive, but it can prevent a loss – the greater your deductible, the greater the risk to your camp’s finances. This may be difficult in heavily wooded areas but do as much as you can to have good clearance from trees and tree lines.
Another potentially expensive fix is to make sure that there is proper drainage around your buildings. Water entering under doors may not be covered. This was the number one source of property claims being denied by UMI.

Leaks and overflows were the third leading cost of claims.

Leak detection alarms have become less expensive and widely available. More expensive systems can automatically shut off water when a leak is detected. These systems should be professionally installed for best results.
Frozen pipes can cause significant damage. Insulate any exposed pipes, make sure there is sufficient heat in the building, open cabinet doors, and let water drip. If you attempt to thaw a frozen pipe, use a hair dryer not a torch. Please, do not stand in water while doing so!

A 2006 study found that there were 1.15 adverse events (injuries and illnesses to us non-academics) for every 1,000 camper days. 68% were illnesses and the rest were injuries. Cuts, scratches, and scrapes were the most frequent injuries (33.3% of injuries) followed by fractures (14.6%) and sprains/strains (10.4%).

Given that illness is twice as likely to happen than injury, it’s an important point of emphasis. This was certainly driven home in our recent pandemic experience. Education is key. If campers and staff show signs of illness, they should stay home or be separated from others. It’s one instance where not sharing is caring.

Good hygiene, food safety, and keeping sick people out of the kitchen are basic precautions. Teaching people to wash their hands, encouraging them to do so, and providing adequate places to do so are best practices.

Slips, trips, and falls account for close to 30% of all injuries. Here are some steps to take:

Make sure that all outside walkways and parking lots are clear of water, ice, snow, and debris.
Store all equipment and belongings properly when not in use.
Repair all broken or loose stairs and handrails.
Give immediate attention to all uneven surfaces to eliminate trip hazards. Place brightly colored warning signs where repairs are still pending.
Keep interior doorways, floors, and aisles dry and free of obstacles.
Provide adequate lighting in all interior and exterior walkways and parking lots.
Properly secure electrical cords, mats, and loose flooring.
Ensure that staff are wearing appropriate non-slip, closed-toe footwear.

Head injuries represent a significant risk to long-term health. Proper head protection should be provided for all activities where it is appropriate (e.g. horseback riding and zip lining). It is also important to provide proper surfaces in play areas and to reduce the impact of falls.

Cuts from sharp objects, such as knives, account for up to 17% of injuries. Make sure that everyone with access to knives understands how to properly use and store them.

Always use a sharp knife
Use a cutting board
Always keep the point of the knife on the board and lift the handle to cut
Hold the food in one hand (with fingers held back like a claw) and the knife in the other
Never leave knives in the sink – always keep them clean and properly stored
Keep them clear of the edge and don’t try to catch them if they fall
No horseplay

Fatigue and free time are other sources of injury. Be sure to allow ample time for rest and recovery and have systems in place to make sure that free time is used appropriately. Above all, make sure that when it comes to good behavior, your staff is leading by example.

One article won’t make you a loss prevention expert. The keys to loss prevention are knowing your risks, developing a plan, and implementing and updating that plan. Your colleagues, your insurers, and the internet are great no-cost sources of information and resources. An active loss prevention program helps protect your ministry’s people, property, and finances.

When is the last time you shopped insurance for you retreat center or camp ministry? Call UMIP, the only insurance company with direct ties to The United Methodist Church. Visit us at www.UMInsure.org for a FREE, NO-OBLIGATION quote. UMIP is a proud UMCRM Association Business Affiliate Member.

A Creation Care Invitation For The Skeptic: Guest Post from Jeff Wilson

Jen Burch — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 22:59:54 GMT

A chorus of birdsong floats through the canopy above and grasses and forbs (wildflowers) stir in silent accord with the soil below. As guests meander through the wild spaces stewarded by UMC camps and retreat centers, a deep sense of interconnectedness and wonder begins to overtake whatever frustrations or anxieties they may have brought with them on their journeys. As racing minds subside and become more attuned to the undersong of Creation, our guests begin to perceive the current of the Holy Spirt at work, always flowing, not just around us, but through us.

We all know countless iterations of this experience that have happened at our sites. We also know that these experiences sometimes happen despite our best made plans, not because of them. As camp and retreat ministries, we live close to these wild spaces that offer wisdom, beauty, and sacred connections to God that transform us into a new way of life. As leaders in ministry, we are not only called into communion with the spaces we inhabit, but we are also called to share with others and invite them to experience that same connection with Creation. This can be where things get daunting.

“Where do I start? What does “Creation Care” actually mean? How do I fund new programs? Do guests even care? Am I actually doing anything for the planet?” I propose that the next right step to take is the one that you can do faithfully. Oftentimes, outward-facing programs like environmental education and recycling come to mind when “Creation Care” is mentioned. When run well, programs like these connect countless guests each year to new understandings of our relationship with the spaces we inhabit and practices that protect those spaces. I am forever grateful and proud of the ministries that are able to pull off programs likes these. At the same time, the reality is that many of our sites aren’t able to support programs like these for financial, cultural, or infrastructure reasons. That’s okay! This doesn’t mean your role in Creation Care is any less meaningful.

There are many ways we can live out our call to be good stewards and inspire our guests to wonder about Creation. Actions as small as providing maps for guests to walk trails, may become the catalyst for guests to create new connections with Creation. Recycling may not be feasible in your area, but reducing and reusing waste is a practice in which we can all continue to grow. Do what you can. You may not have an experienced naturalist on staff, but there are always scientists and educators (or authors of this article) who would love the chance to come to your site to study and teach you about the unnoticed creatures that call your site home. Who are the untapped experts in your circles who could be a ministry resource? You may not be in a place where a formal environmental education program is viable right now, but you have ecosystems on your site that you are able to responsibly manage. Is there one new step you could take this season to be a more informed caretaker of the web of life right where you are? Every small step towards God’s wildness is a worthy step to take and brings us closer to to Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of all nature.

Jeff Wilson is the Assistant Director at Camp Lake Stephens (MS). He holds a degree in Biology and Earth System Sciences from the University of Alabama - Huntsville. His love for camp began after his freshman year in college when he joined the CLS summer staff as a counselor. Four summer seasons later, Jeff made the commitment to go into camping ministry full time. In addition to spending time with spouse Emily and baby Jude, he enjoys spending his free time hiking and photographing wildflowers. Jeff is a student in the Compass Points Certificate Program and volunteers on the National Gathering Design Team.

Ministry Impact Grant Reports, Continued, Installment #11

Jen Burch — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 01:09:52 GMT

View the full 2022 Ministry Impact Grant Report

We continue to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these project reports. Thanks be to God!

RV Sites Upgrade at Ocean Park Camp & Retreat Center (WA)

Aging infrastructure at the RV sites at Ocean Park posed a risk to one of the camp’s great assets: its NOMADS volunteers. The ministry is especially grateful for support for this behind-the-scenes and hard to fund, but very necessary project. Upgrading the RV electrical system allows Ocean Park to provide safe space and good hospitality to vital volunteers who help to maintain the site year after year.

Marketing Strategy at Camp Uskichitto (LA)

Uskichitto’s grant funded the creation of a comprehensive marketing strategy. The ministry staff grew in their marketing skill set and were challenged to trust in God’s leading as they are faithful to the mission. The camp engaged a professional videographer, adopted new social media strategies, created ad campaigns, made web design improvements, and more. Retreat business has doubled since 2021, and they are excited to see how the outreach improvements will impact summer camp numbers. The impact of this marketing plan will continue far into the future to help Uskichitto keep touching hearts and making disciples for Christ.

Managing More Ministry at Olmsted Manor (PA)

The acquisition of a reservation software system enabled Olmsted Manor to transition from antiquated manual record keeping to a much more efficient electronic data keeping and payment system. It feels like the ministry has finally stepped into the 21st century! The new reservation system has improved every aspect of retreat center hospitality encounters, from individual and group reservations to housekeeping, food service, and maintenance coordination. The impacts of data collection will flow out into fund development and marketing, as well. The small staff now has a wonderful tool to help them communicate and coordinate their work for greater efficiency and higher quality guest experience.

Restroom Renovations at Mount Eagle Retreat Center (AR)

Before completion of this vital project, groups with individuals who need

ADA restrooms would not have been able to stay in Kaetzell Lodge. Other groups preferred not to stay in Kaetzell because the restrooms were not private. The new, renovated restrooms now provide for guest needs and are in accordance with safe sanctuary guidelines for youth groups. It was exciting for this small, rural site to engage volunteers and professionals in a project of this scope. Now there is new inspiration for additional upgrades to make the lodge an even more welcoming space for retreat groups.

Solar Array at Luccock Park Camp (MT)

To be a safe sanctuary of Christian hospitality, renewal, and learning within God’s natural world includes setting the example of caring for Creation. The new solar array allows Luccock Park to reduce its carbon footprint as well as reduce expenses for greater financial and environmental sustainability. They are already seeing credits on their monthly utility bills! Camp constituents are thrilled with this new ministry asset.

Crisis Communication: A Resource from Tic Tac Toe Marketing, UMCRM Business Affiliate Member

Jen Burch — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 20:11:03 GMT

Even with the best planning, things inevitably go wrong. It might not be your fault when they do, but it will be your responsibility. Do you know what to say when the worst happens?

Tic Tac Toe Marketing works with camps to build Crisis Communication Plans so that when something bad does happen you know exactly what to say. From nuisances like bed bugs to the unthinkable, crisis hits every camp eventually. We don’t like to think about the worst, but when we plan for it we limit the fallout and walk away with less damage.

It’s bad enough when a child is injured at camp or a staff member is accused of sexual misconduct. It’s all of our worst nightmares. You may know what to do when it happens. You may have a plan of action through Safe Sanctuary or an emergency response plan. But those plans only deal with the event itself. What about what comes after? Public relations issues will inevitably arise and you will need to answer questions like: how could you let this happen? Why didn’t you do more to prevent this? What will you do to prevent it from happening again?

With a Crisis Communication Plan from Tic Tac Toe Marketing, you’ll know exactly what to say and who’s supposed to say it. Every member of your staff will understand their role in the conversation surrounding the event, even if it’s just staying silent. This will prevent your camp from being defined by your worst day and enable you to return to your best days.

We want to help you. We have the Crisis Communications Plan written and are ready to customize it for your camp. All we need is an hour of your time and we can send you a completed plan, ready for use. And, to support United Methodist Camps and help you continue your powerful ministry, we’re offering $150 off to any camps that call today. That means that you get your complete Crisis Communications Plan for only $600.

Learn more at https://www.tictactoemarketingforcamps.com/crisis-communications-for-camps/

Casey Fuerst

Tic Tac Toe Marketing for camps

www.tictactoemarketingforcamps.com

casey@tictactoemarketing.com

612-979-3915

Ministry Impact Grant Reports, #10

Jen Burch — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 02:30:33 GMT

View the full 2022 Ministry Impact Report

We continue to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these project reports over the coming weeks and months.

Cal-Pac Annual Conference, Retreat Visioning Launch

The California-Pacific Annual Conference of the UMC used its grant funding to establish vision, goals and a plan for Retreat Ministry in the conference. Four pilot retreats were offered in four of the Cal-Pac districts, along with a retreat for the Visioning Team, which collected extensive evaluative data. Two day retreats for children and youth, referred to as “Camp on the Go,” were offered at two local congregations, facilitated by young adult interns. A new website was launched to promote spiritual retreats, and current and future retreat sites within the conference were assessed. The team eagerly shared the new Retreat Ministry Vision: To offer a banquet of spiritual nourishment with retreat ministry offerings to any person in CalPac who is experiencing a spiritual hunger. And the Mission Statement: To encourage and equip people within the CalPac Conference to retreat from the world into sacred space to connect with God and find balance, returning to the world renewed.

Chestnut Ridge (NC), Dining Hall Expansion

Chestnut Ridge was able to enclose the patio of the dining hall to provide 1100 square feet of additional dining and meeting space. This grant award inspired other major gifts and strengthened the overall donor base. The additional space positions the ministry well for future growth, enabling a greater capacity for future generations to reconnect with God, nature, and one another through the camp experience.

Camp Horizon (KS), Septic Consultation

Horizon hired a sanitation consultant to review the camp's existing

waste treatment facilities and provide recommendations for expansion and

replacement. This much-needed work would not be appealing to many donors, so it was especially wonderful to have support from the grant. The information gained will guide future facilities planning and long-term sustainability for the ministry.

Camp Mechuwana (ME), Art Center Construction

Camp Mechuwana's plan to become a more sustainable facility included replacement of its “summer-only” Art Center with a facility that would accommodate multiple year-round uses, enabling expansion of the art program and use by second-season guest groups and the local community. The grant funded phase one of the building project, including

architect design, permitting, earth/groundwork; foundation, roofing, insulation, and new electrical service. This momentum galvanized new and existing donors and partners, moving the ministry from "Covid survival mode" into new vision for the future.

Lake Junaluska (NC), Confirmation Retreats

Grant funding enabled Lake Junaluska Youth Programming to develop and deliver a 3-day confirmation retreat for 75 Southeast Jurisdiction youth, including marketing, band, speakers, materials, and planning. The revenue from the event will be re-invested in future Confirmation Retreat weekends. The Confirmation Retreat celebrates and honors the step into faith at the completion of the confirmation journey. Youth engage with scripture, testimony, United Methodist history, and the goals is to send them forth encouraged, empowered, and connected with their fellow confirmands. Prior to the pandemic, confirmation retreats were led by an outside organization. This investment will allow Lake Junaluska to meet this programmatic need in-house and carry it forward with a broader reach for future generations.

Watch the blog for more of these in the coming weeks and months.

It's going to take a while to share all of the Ministry Impact projects!

Ministry Impact Grant - Round Two!

Jen Burch — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 20:47:40 GMT

Last year, the UMCRM community was blessed with a $2.5 million dollar grant to fund 85 projects at United Methodist camp and retreat sites across our network. At the time it was understood to be a one-time grant opportunity. But we have received a very exciting piece of news: Because of the excellence and integrity of this community’s ability to steward last year’s grant, the granting foundation has decided to expand its support of UM camping and retreats with an additional $1,000,000 for distribution this year. Together, the UMCRM community will once again leverage this generous gift to strengthen the long-term ministry impact of our individual sites.

Any United Methodist camp and/or retreat ministry organization is invited to submit a grant proposal for funding a project at its location(s). The goal of this funding is to move our ministries toward lasting missional impact. Knowing that all of our ministries are different and the needs at each site are unique, grant proposals are not limited by the amount requested nor for what purpose. However, it is important to note that the grantor's goal is to fund as many projects as possible. While project types are not limited, there are a few requirements to keep in mind as you consider applying for a 2023 Ministry Impact Grant.

All grant-funded projects must be completed by May 31st, 2024. Any funding that is not spent by May 31st, 2024 must be returned to the Association.
All proposals are due by midnight on Friday, April 28th.
Proposals must be no longer than one page and submitted as a pdf through the Proposal Submission Link. Proposals longer than one page will not be considered.
A Project Report will be required at the completion of all grant-funded projects.

The selection group’s priority is to ensure the funding makes as broad of an impact as possible. Projects should be summer camp- or retreat ministry- specific; after school programs were not funded last year. Proposals should also be written for specific projects or initiatives; camperships and general budget needs were also not funded last year. The selection group will be looking for the following information in the proposals:

A summary and timeline of the project.
The dollar amount required to complete the project and the total amount being requested.
The outcomes or impact that this project will have on the long-term effectiveness of your organization.
While not required for funding, the grantor is encouraging applicants to use this grant as a way to engage additional donors through matching challenges for the proposed project.

As we learned last year, not all project proposals will be funded; however, this opportunity comes as a renewed blessing to our whole community. When any of our ministry organizations are strengthened, we are all strengthened.

Proposal Submission Link

Please direct grant related questions to Jessica Gamaché.

Challenge Course Spring Cleaning: Guest Post by Jeff Wilson

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 04:32:43 GMT

As temperatures begin to warm (for some of us), we start to get out and about around our sites to make note of preparations that need to be made for summer. One area that can be quite daunting to inspect is our ziplines and challenge courses! For many of us, these programs carry our sites’ greatest risk and liability, so we want to be especially diligent to ensure their safety. The inherent risks associated with our challenge courses do not mean we have to leave every task to our yearly inspection. In fact, only paying attention to the condition of your course once a year could leave your site open to liability lawsuits if an accident occurred. The good news is that many of items on the checklist below can be done by any trusted staff or maintenance crew member. Many of these tasks are very quick, very easy, and can even wind up saving you money over the long run! I hope these questions can help you frame your management and preventative maintenance schedules on your challenge course / zipline / rock wall beyond your yearly inspection.

Gear:

Everything still in good shape?
Anything obviously broken?
Are your ropes free of knots, glazing, sheath damage, frayed ends, etc.?
Have you had any winter visitors in your gear boxes or gear sheds?
Did any of your gear “age out” over the winter?
Do you have a reliable vendor to replace your gear?
Lead times for buying gear are getting longer and longer!
Have you set up a gear log?
Keeping track of how old your gear is important! Many manufacturers have specific guidelines on retirement ages.
Have you set up a user log?
Keeping track of how often your course is used and who is facilitating it is important information for thinking about wear and tear!

Staff / Process:

Have you scheduled a yearly inspection?
Have you planned in-service training / refreshers for you or your returning staff?
Have you set up training for new staff?
Were there any issues you identified last summer with the process for your course?
Trip / hazards, elements too easy / hard, sequences that didn’t quite work out?
Anything you want to change or try new?

Elements:

Are there any obvious signs of damage or intrusion to your course? Human made? Natural damage?
Are your warning signs and preventative access measures still in good shape? (Signs, locks, doors, etc.?)
Any woodpecker holes on poles or wooden elements?
Are there any trees or tree limbs that might need removal from around your course or zipline?
Are there any obvious rust spots on cables or metal equipment?
Have you waterproofed your wooden decking recently? You can do this with deck sealer products like clear Thompson’s Water Seal.
Does any of your wood decking need algae removed? Water and a new plastic bristled scrub broom do wonders!
Does any of your wood decking need replacing? Replace like with like and use treated lumber!
Are there any nails that have backed out?
Are there any rock holds that are loose?
Do you have a supply for wood chips?
Have you spoken with your Inspector / Builder about any problems you have encountered?

Jeff Wilson is Assistant Director at Camp Lake Stephens in Oxford, Mississippi. Thanks, Jeff, for creating this handy checklist and for helping our colleagues also address "spring cleaning" their challenge course areas. We're all in this together; UMCRM is blessed that our members so willing share their time and expertise.

Reflections on ACA: Guest Post from David Berkey

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 03:53:28 GMT

When we hear the letters “A, C, A”, many of us cringe:

“It’s our year to be visited and I haven’t started yet”
“It’s so expensive!”
“We follow their guidelines, so accreditation doesn’t really matter.”
“There’s not much there for faith-based camps.”
“I can get all the resources I need through UMCRM.”
“Been there, done that!”

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes – AND it is still important to stay in touch with the American Camp Association as the standard, leader, trendsetter, and advocate for our industry. We are a ministry first, but we also participate in the marketplace of commerce and ideas that is an industry that spans the globe involving 15,000 day and overnight camps, 26 million children and youth served and 1.2+ million staff.

Full disclosure: I served on the National Board of ACA for six years, I am a standards visitor, a donor and I am committed. I serve an organization now that must stretch a bit financially to participate fully, yet there are many ways to engage in the resources of ACA without spending much money.

The most recent ACA National Conference in Orlando was attended by 1700+ persons over four days with keynotes, workshops, forums, vendors, and many sideline conversations. I always find it valuable to share with our professional colleagues who don’t necessarily work for faith-based camps or even nonprofits (many of these are self-sustaining, market-based enterprises with a similar mission) – that camp changes lives – yet many operate without a safety net of a parent organization. And there are so many young people, increasingly diverse, more and more each year, who are called to this mission and have such great enthusiasm and ideas. It is energizing and hopeful.

What were the key learnings from this year’s ACA National Conference for me?

Day camps are the trend and the key to a sustainable future. Many attendees who operate both have seen a decline in overnight camp enrollment and an increase in day camp enrollment. Parents are less likely to send their campers overnight or a place far away than they are to put them in a local day camp which can provide a meaningful camp experience. This is especially true for urban parents and parents of color – they want local.
Intergenerational events are also on the rise – people want to spend time away as families and feel safer and happier doing so, even sharing with other families, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, too!
Attendees from faith-based camps did meet for breakfast and conversations about what we have in common. About 24% of ACA membership is faith-based and there is a continuing desire to have a stronger voice. ACA can provide the unique opportunity for interfaith camping conversations among Protestant, Catholic, Non-Denominational, Jewish, and Muslim camps. We share a common scripture and basic theological perspectives on caring for creation, working for justice, the love of neighbor, and care for all God’s people. Yet we face the growing societal bias against organized religion, some based on real trauma, hurt and fear. We seek a way to communicate who we are that corrects misconceptions and emphasizes common values.

Note: I led a workshop at the ACA Conference in Orlando last month on using summer camp curriculum and when I got about 20 minutes into the presentation and it was revealed that I was from a faith-based perspective, about half of the attendees in the workshop walked out! It was in the description, but not that clear. The 23 who stayed had a good time, I think!

4. Networking with hundreds of vendors again helped me realize how large our industry is and new innovative ways entrepreneurs are seeking to resource us with new ideas and products. There are more and more choices for registration software, insurance, training modules, consulting, apparel, and activities-based equipment! Even if it isn’t affordable, visiting with the vendors helps to generate ideas of how to do it ourselves.

5. The two best workshops were a forum of day-camp leaders that involved shouting out challenges and the community of leaders offering ideas of support and solution. So full of energy! The other was the best staff training workshop ever, attended by almost 200 people – showing how to best organize the subject matter and time. It was led by Kim Aycock (you can find her online).

So, what can we do to stay in touch with what ACA has to offer?

A. Join as a member – first timers are free – which opens a huge box of resources on the website and beyond.

B. Attend your local ACA gathering, which usually happens once a year. You meet the folks doing camp in your area and get a sample of what the national event has to offer. It’s usually not too costly.

C. Become a visitor. An associate visitor is the way to start – you just help the main visitor yet gain the whole experience of visiting a different camp and going over the details to refresh your operation.

D. If you are not accredited, create a timeline towards a time when you will be. There is great help from the ACA staff including phone consultations, pre-visit visits, and online resources. As most of us are more about ministry than details, this helps so much in getting together what we need to do. And UMCRM Association membership gives you a 15% annual organizational discount on the cost (and 50% off for those being accredited for the first time!)

E. Since there is no UMCRM National Gathering in 2024, why not put aside some money each month and plan to go to the next National ACA Conference February 6-9, 2024, in, wait for it…New Orleans!

An International Spark: Welcoming International Summer Camp Staff

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 02:28:48 GMT

What is an exciting addition to your camp? Is it your returning alumni, an amazing week of planning, or volunteers coming back? One of my favorite additions to my camp is international staff, but I am biased, being originally an international staff member myself.

How it all started

A little back story about me… I am originally from Northern Ireland. Back in 2009 a friend suggested going to an American summer camp since I needed experience with kids for my college program. At first I thought I could never do that, as I had never been away from home for more than a week (let alone 10 weeks)! But I jumped on the opportunity and signed up. I got placed at Aldersgate Camp and Retreat Center in Rhode Island in December 2009. I did my pre-camp training, started talking to other staff members, and was really excited about going to camp in the United States.

When my extremely long day of traveling started, I said "bye" to my parents at the airport, boarded a plane, and went to London where I got on another plane to go to Boston, MA. When I got off in Boston, I had to get to South Station (keep in mind, I had never been to America before). Wandering around with a map, trying to work this all out (not my strong suit), eventually I got on two trains and then boarded a bus to head to Providence. When I got off the bus it was around 10 pm. I was exhausted after traveling over 18 hours. I was greeted by a person (not in a staff shirt) who said, “You Megan?” I said “Yes?” to which they said “Great, let’s go to camp.” Did I know this person? NOPE! Did I go anyways? YUP! Stupid, I know. We got to chatting in the car and we went to Dunkin. I remember they asked, “You want anything?” I was so overwhelmed that I said, “Mmmm okay, I will have a hot chocolate.” I didn’t have a clue what to order.

We drove for what felt like forever! We got to camp around 11:30 pm and I arrived at a cabin. I was introduced to everyone in the cabin and shown my bed. Then they turned the lights off. I hadn’t opened my suitcase or been shown where the bathroom was. I laid down in the clothes I had traveled in because I didn’t have a flashlight in my backpack. It was in my suitcase.

It was 4 am when I finally texted another UK staff member and asked if they were awake, which thankfully they were. They were able to show me around the camp… at 4 am. What an awful start, right? BUT I had the best experience that summer. The staff were great, the campers were great, and I was so excited to come back the next year; which I did for many summers.

Why do I start with that? This is some of what NOT to do! The international staff go through a lot to get to camp, between so many interviews with their agencies, visa interviews, your interviews. In addition, they have to think of what they are going to do if they don’t like it, what they should bring, etc.

I am getting ahead of myself.

Why should camps consider hiring international staff members?

There are a million great reasons, but here are a few from my perspective: They bring different cultures to your camp, they bring different skills, and give our campers different insights. Not all our campers are originally from the States, so you might have a staff member who can connect with a camper where otherwise that might not have happened.

Where do we find international staff?

Aldersgate uses Camp America, IENA, Wildpacks, Camp Leaders/Smaller Earth, and CCUSA. They are great to work with. During the hiring process, be honest with your international staff. They typically get paid less, as camps do have to pay a fee to the agencies. I didn’t know this until my third summer. We include this on their contract so we establish honesty right from the start.

How to do better

Pick-up can be a scary experience. Thinking back on my first pick-up, it could have been a really unsafe situation. Now at Aldersgate, I make sure our staff knows who is getting them. How? Easy! I send the staff member a picture of who is picking them up. The pick-up person will have a sign with the staff member’s name on it and I even send what kind of car they should be getting into. In 2020, I sent a staff member my pictures and said I will be in either the camp car or my personal one, depending on if it is hot or not (as the camp car does not have a/c). It sounds silly, but it can calm some nervousness they may have. Back in 2009 I would have loved to know who was picking me up. If you’re not sure which of two people will be picking them up, send them both! Please ask your staff that you are picking up if they want food. Give examples of the food that is around, as they might not have eaten in a very long time and probably aren't familiar with your local food options.

Our staff in 2018 created a video tour which has been an amazing addition to our pre-staff arrival. It doesn’t just help our international staff, but all new staff to have some idea of where things are when they arrive and what to expect.

Your sponsoring agency will have resource people at every stage of the process who are there to support you and the international staff member pre-summer, during, and after the summer. You just need to ask.

If your camp is new to hosting international staff, Megan is more than willing to provide advice and support to fellow UMCRM leaders. This is a special area of expertise for her and she is happy to help others to do it well. Thanks, Megan! You can reach her at megan@campaldersgate.com.

Ministry Impact Project Reports, Installment #9

Jen Burch — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 00:35:12 GMT

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

We continue to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these project reports over the coming weeks and months.

Marketing and Branding Initiative at Blue Lake (AL)

The grant enabled Blue Lake Camp to develop a strategic communication and outreach plan that is already bearing fruit in increased interest in its programs and facility. The ministry is reaching new people, and their new logo better represents Blue Lake and tells its story. The new website makes it easier for individuals to connect and to learn about the camp. This investment was an incredible boost in recovering from the challenges of the pandemic and will continue to expand Blue Lake’s ability to impact lives with the love of Christ well into the future.

Future Staff Residence at Butman Camp (TX)

Staff housing is one of the hardest needs to raise funds for, and yet without adequate housing it is difficult to recruit and retain qualified full-time staff. Butman Camp had been working on a major housing renovation project for a year when the Ministry Impact Grant greatly accelerated its completion. Praise God for this investment in the future of Butman Camp’s leadership.

Project BRIDGE at Wesley Acres (ND)

Wesley Acres had just begun fundraising for this bridge that had been a dream for seven years when the Ministry Impact Grant opportunity arose. The grant allowed that dream to become reality in a short time frame, helping to fulfill the camp’s mission of providing access to all our campers regardless of mobility. The new bridge crosses the creek to the challenge course area and includes an observation deck with a new ADA ramp to the Chapel. These improvements are integral for camper safety, both removing the need to walk along the highway and allowing faster access to emergency services without the need to hike out.

Waterfront Improvements at Twinlow (ID)

The waterfront at Twinlow is an integral part of the camp experience, but the equipment and recreational features had outlived their safe usefulness. The grant funded lifejackets, paddles, and inflatable features that allow current and future campers to safely enjoy favorite waterfront activities. The grant provided impetus for the camp leadership to clarify local and state mandates regarding waterfront development as well as refine the vision for dock replacement and reconfiguration.

Healthy Communities Project at Sky Lake (NY)

Sky Lake Camp and Retreat Center has a goal to improve the long-term eating habits of its greater community. Serving healthier meal options to campers, guests, and visitors is one tangible way to increase overall sustainability for the next 75 years of ministry. When their kitchen returned to serving overnight guests in 2021, the food service manager added roasted Brussel sprouts to the rotation of vegetables on the menu. They observed that people are more apt to have a positive experience with Brussel sprouts when roasted—even the camp’s youngest guests love them this way. One elementary-age guest who is also a summer camper excitedly asked, “are we going to have Brussel sprouts this summer!?” With only a single convection oven, that wasn’t possible. The kitchen upgrades funded through the Ministry Impact Grant will open up new, healthy menu options, even in the camp’s busiest season. The new ice maker and double convection oven, together with salad bars and a heated buffet funded through a state health initiative, will further enable the camp’s continuing ministry of hospitality through food service.

Watch the blog for more of these in the coming weeks and months.

It's going to take a while to share all of the Ministry Impact projects!

Coach Approach Skills Training Testimonials

Jen Burch — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 03:32:49 GMT

In the fall of 2022, twenty United Methodist Camp/Retreat leaders from across the country met at Camp Glisson in North Georgia to participate in CAST (Coach Approach Skills Training) with the Holmes Coaching Group. A similar coach training opportunity is coming up this spring at Jumonville (Western PA) as part of the Sustainable Pathways program.

Interactive coaching is a supportive, goal-oriented process to help the "coachee" become their best self and be more effective in life and ministry. That turns out to be a powerful skill set for leaders like us who work with people and desire for them to grow in success and wholeness! A few of the trainees from the fall class have shared their endorsement and testimony as a way of encouraging other Camp & Retreat Ministry leaders to pursue training in the co-active coaching model.

Check out what these colleagues had to say:

Coaching training was very impactful and is something I will continue to practice with summer staff. I love that coaching guides us towards our own wisdom – to me it feels like we're allowing people to believe in their own power. It has especially changed the way I speak to folks when they bring up problems –- I find myself trying to be more curious and ask more questions rather than trying to solve a problem for someone when that's probably not even what they're asking for. [My most important take-away was] the power of presence and listening deeply to people. I really enjoyed the training and am grateful to be given the gift of a new mindset!

- Rachel McGuire, Assistant Director of Village & Sparrowood, Glisson (North GA)

The Coach Approach Skills Training is the #1 thing I’ve done to enhance a skill set I didn’t even realize I had. Our trainers were phenomenal at pulling out our creativity and increasing our confidence with hands-on exercises to put our learning to the test. I use what I learned almost daily in my natural “habitat,” but I also use it professionally as I coach clients, staff, friends, mentees, etc., in working towards my certification. I am so grateful for the opportunity given and I wouldn’t hesitate to tell ANY camp leader to make the time for this training!

- Suzanne Akins, Director of Camping & Retreats, South Georgia Conference

CAST put words and structure to so much of the transformational leadership I've experienced and observed in camp ministry in a way that I can better practice for myself, share with others, and translate to a variety of contexts.

- Cameron Jones, North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

The approach that each person is “creative, resourceful and whole” empowers my coaching process and has benefited the way I understand myself and others. It’s the human condition to say we want to do things (reach a goal, change a habit, etc.) but never get around to it. This style of coaching helps people to move through our obstacles and take the action God is calling us to. I would encourage anyone to seek out a coach. And whether or not you plan to pursue professional coaching, this approach will make you a more effective supervisor and friend.

- Jen Burch, UMCRM Director of Communications & Community Engagement

The "Intro to Coaching" Sustainable Pathways program will be held April 16-19, 2023 at Jumonville Camp & Conference Center near Pittsburgh, PA. Learn more and register

Celebrating 2022 Solomon Cramer Grant Recipients

Jen Burch — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 23:52:29 GMT

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage us to consider the breadth of our ministries by focusing on the following four priorities:

Experiences that minister with youth living in poverty
The intentional development of young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership with Camp & Retreat Ministries
Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation
Opportunities for increasing racial/ethnic diversity within ministry participation and leadership.

Special consideration is given to Camp & Retreat Ministries that focus on more than one of those priorities and that are launching new opportunities.

Eight programs received Solomon Cramer Fund grants in 2022:

Connect-2-Camp

Connect-2-Camp was a new initiative for Quinipet Camp & Retreat Center and the NY Annual Conference. The hope was for this project to connect the local UMC with young, diverse families, especially those who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to go to camp or feel called to the church. Through the traditional fun of camp we hoped our campers would make connections with each other as well as their faith. This introduction of local young families to the Cornerstone UMC was intended to make them feel more comfortable in that space and to feel welcomed. Another important outcome was to encourage social and emotional development through meaningful, fun programming. Ideally, participants would make connections in their daily life to their Christian formation.

Program Director Vernessa Kingsbury reflects, “There is a saying in camping ministry, ‘it only takes a week to change a child’s life,’ and Connect-2-Camp reconfirmed our faith in this sentiment. In only five days, we watched 25 children blossom into unbelievably confident, expressive, and engaged members of their community. Several of our campers came to us knowing little to no English, two of whom had only just moved to the United States in the last month. Every single one of those campers was an integral part of the community we created, each bringing a different cultural and spiritual perspective and a unique voice! Without any one of them C2C would not have been the same, and it is for that reason that the Solomon Cramer Grant was an incredible blessing. The Quinipet team is looking forward to recreating this model of friendship, creation care, and Christian formation again and again in different communities in need.

Open Arms Initiative

Pocono Plateau Camp & Retreat Center in Eastern PA received scholarship funds for youth from Methodist Services in Philadelphia. The funds provided the opportunity to provide a residential camp experience for three youth who had never camped or been in the Pocono Mountains before. The grant provided not only registration fees, but transportation, sleeping bags, funds for camp store, flashlights, toiletries, and a reusable water bottle for three campers. Two of these campers had never been away from home for a whole week. They experienced growth as they learned independence. They enjoyed swimming in the shallow part of the lake, crafts, and trying new things like the climbing tower. On the final campfire vespers of his camp week, one of the Open Arms campers stepped forward to accept Jesus into his life. He asked a lot of questions during the week and was very thoughtful about wanting to learn more.

Wonders in the Woods Camp

This program at Johnston Woods (TN) provided gospel centered camp experiences to children in diverse economic experiences while providing leadership training to young adults in ministry and discipleship. The camp partnered with the Unity Center, an afterschool program that serves children from lower incomes and diverse populations, and Broad Street UMC. Three young adult leaders received ministry leadership training and college scholarships. Forty-two campers who otherwise would not be able to afford camp received financial aid to participate in the program, which also provided healthy snacks and field trips to places such as Red Clay State Park, where we learned about Native American culture.

Brooklyn UMC/North UMC Partnership

Camp Koronis (MN) provided lower-income children and youth from Brooklyn UMC, particularly those from the Liberian/West African congregation, a safe, wholesome, spiritual uplifting, cross-cultural, outdoor-oriented summer camp experience. The grant provided transportation for 33 campers who otherwise would not have a way to attend camp.

HOPE Camp

HOPE (Helping Overcome Problems Everyday) Camp at Jumonville (PA) has a goal to make sure each camper knows that they are loved. The program serves children who live in poverty or who may be exposed to high risk behaviors in their daily lives, teaching them life skills needed to become thriving individuals, despite the circumstances and trials that they have experienced. The camp also works to connect the campers with a church nearby to continue to strengthen the connection and maintain their relationship with the Lord.

This year, the grant funded 5 participants in HOPE Camp. Additionally, two senior high campers attended and excelled in Jumonville’s CIT program. Two other senior high campers expressed an interest in working on summer staff for 2023. Those same campers were observed volunteering at the dish room counter on several occasions without being asked. They just saw a need and decided to help out. HOPE Camp isn’t just providing positive camper experiences, it is raising up servant leaders.

Camps in the Community

West Ohio Camps in the Community sought to provide camp ministry experiences in marginalized communities while also bridging the gap in summer staff leadership from these communities. In 2022 the project launched in four locations and in partnership with a historically black college. The grant helped to bring a safe and engaging camping experience to children and families who have never experienced camping, beginning to build authentic relationships with new communities. Over 30% of the campers are African American or Black, and for the first time, they were able to see counselors just like them leading, worshiping, and caring about them. The principal of one elementary school that was a program partner said, "You have been able to provide an experience for my students to be kids, learn how to work together, have fun, and show care and compassion to others. I cannot wait until next year." A summer counselor stated, "I have grown more than I could have ever imagined this summer. I've done things I never thought I could and I've grown closer to God than I even thought was possible."

LEAD Camp

LEAD Camp is a leadership development program for middle- through high-school/graduates in the Oklahoma Conference. It’s focus is on creating leaders with skills that will transfer across camp leadership, youth group leadership, community, church, private and public sectors. LEAD is unique because it centers around concrete observable skills—what effective leaders DO and SAY that make them effective—skills that can be observed, taught and reinforced. It features an 8-year development plan, with core leadership skills covered in an intentional progression, including a camp experience and year-round activities.

The 2023 Solomon Cramer Grant application is open now through Friday, March 24th, so act now to plan your mission-driven program for this coming summer season. Apply now

Ministry Impact Grant Reports, Continued

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 04:15:52 GMT

Celebrating Five More Ministry Impact Projects:

Alton L. Collins (OR), Aldersgate (NY), Egan (OK),

Lake Tahoe (CA), and East Bay (IL)

Last spring, the UMCRM Association had the joy of distributing $2.5 million in Ministry Impact Grants, funding 86 different United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects with a focus on future sustainability.

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM continues to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in the projects undertaken by Ministry Impact Grant recipients. More to highlight in future weeks and months!

Solar Array at Alton L.Collins Retreat Center (Oregon)

This grant inspired additional gifts which together funded a solar array at the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center. The panels will produce approximately 150 Kwh per year, making a significant difference in the center’s operation over the life of this electricity-producing solar array. The energy bill savings will be applied to staffing and programming needs for long term sustainability.

Leadership Training & Missions Program Development

at Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center (NY)

The last year has been a time of growth for Aldersgate, with summer program growth of 32%. The Ministry Impact Grant assisted in the creation of a Leadership-in-Training program and a Mission Program, resulting in campership growth and retention, re-engagement of former staff, and new ways for the ministry to serve meaningfully in the community.

Water Project at Camp Egan (OK)

Egan was losing 50,000 gallons of precious water each month due to leaks in pipelines installed in the 1940s. Hard, rocky, impenetrable soil drained so quickly that the leaks were virtually impossible to locate. This grant enabled Egan to match other donations and foundation funding to trench and lay new, larger, commercial Pex water lines throughout the facility. These new lines will accommodate future planned growth, allow reallocation of funds toward deferred maintenance and upkeep, and better steward the Cherokee County water supply. In the long run, Egan will be able to ensure an attractive and well-maintained facility for ministry with future generations of campers and guests.

Site Safety and Hospitality Upgrades

at Lake Tahoe Retreat Center (CA)

Removal of dangerous and overcrowded trees has made the site safer, mitigated property damage risk, and provided more space for outdoor games. Solar lighting along pathways enhances guest safety while providing a nice, soft glow, creating shadows of wildlife as they wander through the site. Guests love them! A new electric fireplace in the gathering/worship area creates an improved indoor program space, replacing the hazards of the old wood-burning fireplace that was no longer serviceable. Now the campfire experience (including roasting s’mores) is once again available to retreat groups. Upgraded wifi provides guest groups with far better stability and coverage for meetings, worship, videos and presentations.

New Docks at East Bay (IL)

East Bay Camp used grant funds to replace old, broken docks. The updated docks allow the camp to anchor boats including kayaks, canoes, and pontoons in a manner that allows easier access and increased safety. The grant also funded the purchase of new, safe swim lines and paddleboards to expand waterfront programming options for tiered program progression. There is now a 'boat in' option for Sunday morning worship during the summer, enabling new outreach to many camp neighbors.

Reflections from "Dive Deep" 2023 National Camp & Retreat Leaders Gathering

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 04:50:32 GMT

Just a few reflections shared by participants of “Dive Deep,” the 2023 National Camp and Retreat Leaders Gathering at Epworth by the Sea, St. Simons Island, Georgia…

Carlen Blackstone, a longtime volunteer at camps in Pennsylvania, has attended 5 National Gatherings since 2001. She reflects,

“As with most camp experiences that I have had over my entire lifetime, it is hard to share with others who weren’t there how really cool it always is. However, the theme “Dive Deep” which was integrated into every worship service reminded all of us that Christian camping, though it faced many challenges during the pandemic, is uniquely able to rely on a God who is acknowledged by the Psalmists as one who always comes through even in the most dire of circumstances, a God who created the entire world out of chaos and made us in His image with that same creative power, Jesus who meets a woman at a physical well and offers her “living water” that will never run out, and Jesus who told the disciples to drop their nets on the other side of the boat so that they could experience abundance beyond measure.”

It’s clear that the messages brought by Rev. Joy Moore resonated with attendees. Those teachings were reinforced as small groups dove deep into the scriptures through Bible study sharing, as well.

Christina Gibbs, Director at Camp Overlook (VA) is new to her role and a first-time Gathering attendee. She says,

“Getting to spend a week alongside of my Methodist Camping friends was a true gift! The week was filled with stellar sessions, vulnerable conversation, and impactful worship. Every session I attended was led by folks who had a plethora of knowledge to share. I feel like I learned things that I could bring back and use immediately. The big sessions (worship times) were a great mix of funny and thought provoking. I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend the Gathering. I am truly a better camp professional because of it.”

Dior DeSormeau, Assistant Director at Potosi Pines in the Desert Southwest Conference, noticed that the Gathering held more fun and laughter than she’d experienced in a long time. “It’s a bit like summer camp for Directors,” Dior observes. And it felt like an opportunity to be on the receiving end of the kind of experience that Dior helps to create for others the rest of the year. This work can be isolating, and the Gathering was an opportunity to connect with and be seen by others who understand. For a leader who works most Sundays, it was a joy to be a participant in meaningful worship and to assist in serving communion. For a resident of a land-locked desert place, it was deeply meaningful to stand at the ocean, watching the waves while feeling echoes of Rev. Joy’s preaching about the chaos and the order God brings within it. Dior also appreciated the intergenerational spirit of the Gathering – that retired Execs, young counselors, and everyone in between were respected and valued in a supportive community of varying voices and roles.

Sam Richardson, Director at Camp Penn in the Susquehanna Conference and a member of the UMCRM Board of Directors, observes,

“The National Gathering reminds me of the Hogwarts Room of Requirement - it offers the seeker what they need most. No matter where I’ve been on my journey as a camp professional, I’ve been able to find what I needed most to be encouraged and inspired. At my first National Gathering, that was making connections and an introduction to best practices. I wanted to attend every workshop and learn all I could. Now it looks more like a family reunion and much-needed encouragement. Sometimes I’m not sure what I need going in, but I leave feeling better prepared for the road ahead.”

Special thanks to volunteer photographers Rachel McGuire, Hope Montgomery, and Sam Richardson, and to all who shared photos in our Cluster gallery through the event app.

More Ministry Impact Projects: Removing Obstacles to Grace

Jen Burch — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 06:00:55 GMT

Celebrating Five More Completed Ministry Impact Projects:

Aldersgate (KY), Asbury Retreat (NY), Bay Shore (MI), Mountain Sky Conference Camps (CO) and Camp Lodestar (CA)

In the spring of 2022, the UMCRM Association had the joy of distributing $2.5 million in Ministry Impact Grants, funding 86 different United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects with a focus on future sustainability.

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

We continue to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these project reports.

Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center (KY) received grant funding to replace rustic 60-year-old cabins with new, safe, climate-controlled lodging cabins. The Ministry Impact Grant enabled them to fast-forward progress on this large project. In the words of Director Haley Andes, this construction “will remove obstacles to grace,” helping campers feel more at home and parents more confident in the safety of the camp experience.

Asbury Retreat Center (Upper NY) received funding to build a Memorial Garden, including waterfront improvements, prayer walk, labyrinth, and perennial plantings. An unused grassy incline has become a sacred space, enabling retreat participants and guests to connect with God and soak in the natural beauty of the site. The project increased the volunteer base at Asbury and has created new

energy for future spiritual opportunities through nature at the retreat center.

Bay Shore Camp & Family Ministries (MI) applied for funding to enable the development of Creation Quest outdoor programming. The program will include interactive educational nature trails, interactive discovery lab, outdoor education building development, and nature play and wild crafting areas. The grant also provided for certification of nature educators and wilderness skill instructors, and Christian Creation care education. Creation Quest will allow Bay Shore to minister to families in addition to serving as a “youth camp,” and to address “nature knowledge deficit” in their region.

Mountain Sky Conference Camps (CO) applied for a grant to fund 6 weeks of radio, internet, and social media marketing leading up to the 2022 summer camping season. The campaign raised awareness of Christian camping opportunities around the state. Youth who attended conference camp programs reported growing in their faith in Jesus Christ as a result of their camp experience.

Camp Lodestar (Cal-Nevada) requested funding for Ministry In the Treetops, a project that would rebuild high ropes course elements impacted by tree damage due to climate change. The course and the trained facilitators that lead groups are effective in helping participants overcome personal and spiritual obstacles such as trust and risk-taking, encouraging communication and boldness. Participants gain confidence, trust, and a deeper awareness of their own abilities by challenging themselves and others to achieve their best. Groups improve relationships by learning to encourage and support one another, promoting team building, goal setting, communication skills, and creative problem solving. The overall goal is to give each person an opportunity to have a fun, challenging experience while growing in their relationship with God. The Ministry Impact funds supported safely rebuilding the popular Zip Line and Leap of Faith elements and the purchase of new helmets, lines, and harnesses.

Five New Ministry Impact Projects Completed: The Future Looks Bright

Jen Burch — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 05:09:11 GMT

Five New Ministry Impact Projects Completed:

Mount Shepherd (NC), Baltimore-Washington Conference, Aldersgate (RI), Flathead Lake (MT) and Tekoa (NC)

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

UMCRM has received reports from most of the completed projects and will continue to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories over the coming weeks and months.

Mount Shepherd Retreat Center (NC) received grant funding to refresh its strategic plan and to conduct a feasibility study for a capital campaign. With exponential growth since 2018, Mount Shepherd is facing sleeping capacity issues, so they hoped this process would move them toward addressing that need. However, during their time consulting with Run River, the center experienced significant staffing turnover that reoriented ministry priorities. Run River was in place at the right time to assist the organization in "getting its house in order," including revisiting the strategic plan, building an aligned staff structure, and ensuring a sound financial picture. Mount Shepherd now possesses an all-time high capacity to offer programs and deliver transformational ministry; now strategically aligned to resume planning for a future capital campaign.

Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center (RI) received grant support for development of a master site plan. Kaleidoscope, Inc. was contracted to conduct analysis of the use and operations of the site, clarify a vision of the future program and facility, and create a conceptual layout of critical facilities to advance the mission of Aldersgate. The completed process is already guiding the board’s next steps in prioritizing and funding the ministry’s thriving future.

Baltimore-Washington Conference applied for funding to enable the Director of Retreat and Camping Ministries to obtain the Fundraising Management Certificate from the Fundraising School through the Lilly Family School of

Philanthropy at Indiana University. So far, two of the four courses are completed; the remainder are on deck for the first quarter of 2023. Director Chris Schlieckert is already putting newly developed skills into action in fostering relationships with ministry supporters and potential supporters. The full impact of this training investment on the mission and sustainability of the Baltimore-Washington Conference Camp & Retreat Ministries will continue to be revealed as the long-term development plan takes shape. This grant opportunity is helping to build a firm fundraising foundation so these ministries can weather the changes ahead and become increasingly sustainable and effective.

Tekoa (NC) sought support to hire a consultant for multi-site Master Planning, including human resources, fund development, and site development at the ministry sites in both Hendersonville and Casar. The outside vantage point provided by Kaleidoscope, Inc. has allowed the board and staff to take a hard look at its operation and plan for many years of sustained impact in Western North Carolina. The grant is a catalyst for the next phase of the multi-site ministry, identifying major issues, opportunities, and strategies for moving forward. The process will conclude this spring with a plan that will guide future decision-making.

Flathead Lake (MT) utilized its grant funding to hire the well recommended High Plains Architecture Firm of Billings to help clarify and focus its goals for the future, conduct a full assessment of the site and facilities, and develop a comprehensive master plan, including fundraising possibilities. Safety priorities identified through the consultation are already being implemented, including a new boardwalk and a deck on a cabin, but the ongoing process includes many more future plans. The process has resulted in a solid, exciting sense of hope and belief in new possibilities for the future of the camp within the Board, the staff, and camp community. Along with appreciating the value of the unique historic cabins and the incredible site on the shore of Flathead Lake, the emergent master plan for future development includes renovating cabins for energy efficiency, safety, and accessibility while keeping their character intact. Upgraded bath houses, solar panels, and staff housing are all part of the envisioned future of the site. This process has provided a clarity of vision that is motivating the board, staff, and supporters to step up in new ways, courage to seek outside help and guidance, and resolve to build upon the hopes of the camp’s founders nearly one hundred years ago.

UMCRM Board Welcomes New Members-Elect

Jen Burch — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 03:21:00 GMT

At its January meeting, the UMCRM Association will welcome three new members of the Board of Directors. Let's meet them!

Mitzie Schafer is a full-time consultant with GSB Fundraising, helping nonprofits and churches tell their story in ways that increase engagement. She specializes in strategic planning, annual fund, planned giving, and CAGA Model Storytelling training and coaching. She has more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit executive leadership and fundraising for organizations including Epworth Children’s Home in Columbia, SC, the ELCA Foundation, and NovusWay.

Mitzie enjoys helping non-profit organizations implement systematic, best practice approaches that shift toxic institutional cultures to healthy, thriving ministries. Her focus is on transparency, human resource management, communication, and accountability. She utilizes these strategies to strengthen relationships among staff, the board, and constituents.

Other fun facts:

Mitzie grew up in the UMC, going to Camp Tekoa (NC) for retreats
She served on summer staff at Lutheridge/Lutherock
She believes in camp ministry as one of the most important things the church does to grow faith, build belonging, and grow self-confidence.

Peter Weaver is a Retired Bishop of The United Methodist Church, having served from 1996-2012. In 2004, he became the President of the Council of Bishops for a two-year term. Ordained Deacon and Elder in the Western Pennsylvania Conference, Pete served on many community Boards, was adjunct faculty for Drew and Pittsburgh Theological Seminaries, produced weekly radio programs, and helped found Bethlehem Haven for Homeless Women and "One Voice Against Racism."

Pete was the first President of the Council of Bishops to be nominated by the "discernment process" and elected for a two-year term (2004-2006). He has also served on the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns and the General Board of Global Ministries. He has been an active member on the Boards of five colleges and universities and has worked with Jim Wallis and others to "Make Poverty History."

Other fun facts:

Bishop Weaver led Bible study at the UMCRM National Gathering at Lake Junaluska in 2011

Patrick Roscoe hails from Missouri City, Texas. He has a degree in Organizational Leadership from Fort Hays State University. Patrick’s camping experience includes various roles at YMCA camps in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. He has worked as a camp counselor, outdoor educator, and guest services coordinator. Patrick currently serves as Operations and Communications Director at Camp Newaygo, a Girls' Overnight Camp, Co-ed Day Camp, and year round program, conference, and retreat facility in Western Michigan. He says, "What I enjoy most about camp life is the opportunity to impact youth and adult communities that are interested in challenging their lived experiences through challenge initiatives, team building, community efforts, and overall personal development." In serving with UMCRM, he looks forward to incorporating United Methodist faith along with professional skills in an area of his passion.

Other fun facts:

Patrick's favorite camp song is "Flea, Fly"
In his free time, he enjoys movies, live music, thought provoking conversation, and reading, especially on topics of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Four New Ministry Impact Projects Completed: Ceta Canyon, Lake Huron, Chippewa, and Casowasco

Jen Burch — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 02:38:56 GMT

Four New Ministry Impact Projects Completed:

Ceta Canyon (TX), Lake Huron (MI), Chippewa (KS), and Casowasco (UNY)

This spring, the UMCRM Association had the joy of distributing $2.5 million in Ministry Impact Grants, funding 86 different United Methodist camp/retreat ministry projects with a focus on future sustainability.

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

We continue to receive reports of completed projects and want to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. Congratulations to these centers that successfully accomplished their grant-funded improvements. New opportunities have opened for each of these sites to meet the needs of current and future generations of campers and guests.

Ceta Canyon (TX)

This weekend, Ceta Canyon will welcome the first guest group to their Low Ropes Course, featuring 7 newly constructed, state-of-the-art elements that were funded through the Ministry Impact Grant. The camp staff looks forward to helping groups grow in team work, leadership development, communication, trust and faith, planning, confidence and problem solving.

Lake Huron (MI)

The Ministry Impact Grant enabled Lake Huron Retreat Center to establish a new staff position: Program & Hospitality Manager. Rev. Cora Glass, who was hired for this exciting new role, is innovating new retreat programming for the center, coordinating with guest groups, and serving as a spiritual leadership resource to other Conference ministries.

Chippewa (KS)

Camp Chippewa received upgraded, integrated, efficient food storage, replacing antiquated and malfunctioning cooler and freezers. Now deliveries are streamlined, reliable units will eliminate food losses, and kitchen staff have what they need to prepare the camp's 1,400 meals each week of the summer.

Casowasco (UNY)

Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center utilized Ministry Impact Grant funding to revive its sailing program, improve its kayak equipment, and add stand-up paddleboards to its waterfront offerings.

The gift has inspired additional giving and jumpstarted an extensive future waterfront revitalization project. Generations of Casowasco campers and guests will learn new watercraft skills and create lasting memories on the lake.

Reflecting on Ministry with Hispanic/Latino Populations

Jen Burch — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 01:24:01 GMT

Dr. Emma Escobar, the Coordinator for Hispanic/Latino Ministries in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, was a guest at the October meeting of UMCRM’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion group. Dr. Escobar discussed the history of Hispanic/Latino Methodists in the U.S., issues facing those communities, and considerations as Camp and Retreat Ministries seek to better serve and partner with Hispanic/Latino communities.

One of the first questions was about the terminology that folks should be using – is it Hispanic, Latino, or Latinx? Emma noted that there is no single “right” answer. Many people from different regions and cultural groups will have different opinions and perspectives and the best thing to do is simply ask the group. She went on to describe the ways in which the language we use is key, powerfully shaping how we think about ideas or in this case, people.

The Hispanic/Latino community is the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. with the increase resulting more from births than immigration. The median age of this demographic is young – 28 years old, and they are quite multiracial and multi-ethnic. The UMC currently has around 76,000 Hispanic/Latino laity in our pews. Many of our churches are used to working with immigrant populations, but there are vast opportunities to improve our reach to the 1.5 and second-generation folks of Latinx heritage (those who moved to the US as children or were born to immigrant parents). These later generations tend to speak English or Spanglish more often than exclusively Spanish and may more likely be found in multicultural congregations.

The main questions we need to be asking ourselves are:

Are we building relationships with people or just trying to check off a box for diversity?
Do we have the trust of the community and people we are trying to engage?
Who are the pillars of the community or church and how can we be in trusting relationships with them?

If UMCRM leaders would like help in connecting with the Hispanic/Latino caucus and leaders in our annual conferences, Dr. Escobar is willing to help make some introductions. For those of us who have existing relationships with Hispanic/Latino leaders, we can identify growing edges such as representation on curriculum teams and boards and inclusion in staffing. Are there site adaptations that can help us signal a wider welcome, such as ethnic food options or the ability for groups to rent the commercial kitchen? Can we develop multilingual signage and create marketing materials translated (by a native speaker) into Spanish?

The UMCRM Association encourages our members to engage more deeply in building alliances with Hispanic/Latino church leaders, camp families, and communities.

Special thanks to Jenna Johnson, Assistant Director at the West River Center (MD), for coordinating Dr. Escobar's visit and for providing this synopsis. Jenna is a commissioned Deacon in The United Methodist Church and an active member of UMCRM's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Intentional Leadership Group.

Celebrating Ministry Impact Project Reports from 6 More Grant Recipients

Jen Burch — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 03:14:15 GMT

Celebrating Ministry Impact Project Reports from 6 More Grant Recipients:

Lakeside, Gretna Glen, Lakeshore, Wesley Woods MI, Lake Lucerne, and Shoal Creek

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

We continue to receive reports of completed projects and want to celebrate the vision, hope, and expanded ministry reach represented in these stories. Congratulations to these centers that successfully accomplished their grant-funded improvements. New opportunities have opened for each of these sites to meet the needs of current and future generations of campers and guests.

Camp Lakeside (Great Plains, KS)

Lakeside was able to replace 60 mattresses that had been in use for over 15 years, some longer. This gift enabled them to provide a cleaner, more comfortable experience for guests and campers. Some cabins were able to be reopened this season now that they had fresh new mattresses.

Gretna Glen (Eastern PA)

The grant funded an adaptive kayak launch for the lake. Campers and guests who have limited mobility or who use wheelchairs can now kayak at Greta Glen. One camp friend who is now in her 40s had not boated since she was in her teens due to the progression of her muscular dystrophy. Having her be able to get safely into the front of a double kayak and paddle others around was an overwhelming feeling for her and for the camp staff. What a blessing; the impacts will just keep rippling out.

Lakeshore (TN)

Lakeshore Camp and Retreat Center undertook extensive Property Safety and Erosion Control Projects with their grant funding. The improvements included trenching, a culvert, and a new bridge, improving the safety and sustainability of the site.

Wesley Woods (MI)

The grant funding helped to build 5 new RV sites with electrical hookups, allowing Wesley Woods to host NOMADS volunteers. It was a multi-step process including leveling the site, digging a well, installing a new transformer, and laying gravel.

The NOMADS are a tremendous asset to this site that has extensive deferred maintenance needs. In this first year alone, they were able to rebuild a safe walkway to the retreat center, repair several buildings, and build two sets of stairs. It’s exciting to think of the potential for these and other RV volunteer groups to have a home base to return to at Wesley Woods, helping the camp meet its mission to be a place of renewal that grows disciples of Jesus Christ.

Lake Lucerne (WI)

Lake Lucerne added three new elements to their high ropes course: Postman's Walk, Multivines, and Wobble Log, offering campers the ability to select their preferred level of difficulty while traversing. Challenge choices include holding on to a rope at all times, holding on to a rope part of the time, or walking across without holding on. In addition to the elements, a secondary implementation occurred through the belay team needed to facilitate the activities. In the past, Lake Lucerne operated the high ropes course through a two-person team (climber and belayer). With implementing traversing elements, a minimum of 5 people were needed for the belay team (climber, belayer, spotter, back up belay, and rope tender).

Almost half of 2022 climbers were first-time campers to Lake Lucerne, having never seen the course before, while the returning campers were able to experience something new. During camper debrief, campers discussed personal outcomes met while climbing the traversing elements. Talking points included: being able to better discern within themselves what risks they are comfortable taking; recognizing when an element was too challenging, but being able to try a different element and succeed; how important it is that even if you are not the sole focus (the climber), you can still be have an impact on the team that supports the person in the air.

Three new guest groups came to camp this year especially because of the ropes course, including the Wisconsin National Guard Children and Youth, new partners for whom the new ropes course elements help to serve program goals.

Shoal Creek (AR)

“The Impact Grant is the biggest gift our little camp has ever received!” The new “fancy-like” metal bunk beds replaced rusty, worn-out old army beds, increasing camper capacity by 20%. Campers enjoyed having “bunkmates” for the first time, and the camp was thrilled to be able to host its largest-ever guest group this fall. It was a challenge to get all of the beds assembled before camp started this summer, but many volunteers helped to make it happen.

The Story of UMCRM's S'more Mail - Celebrating #600

Jen Burch — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 23:15:33 GMT

600 weekly issues over 12 years?! Time flies when you’re having fun.

How did we get here?

The United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association (re-)formed in 2013 with an expanded vision for how we could collectively “resource, advocate, inspire, and network” to promote the effectiveness and sustainability of camps and retreats in our denomination. What did camp/retreat leaders need to grow and thrive? We saw a need to synthesize and curate content specifically for the UMCRM community. No one has time to sort through every article, blog post, training event, webinar, podcast, etc. on topics from youth development to nonprofit governance, outdoor recreation, facilities management, spirituality, creation care, human resources, fund development, United Methodist perspectives and news, and on and on…!

Smooshing together the ingredients to make something delicious

Could we provide a regular “digest” of relevant news and information for our camp/retreat leaders? We wondered if there would be enough content to put together an issue each week. “We’ll try it,” we said. Ten years later, we have never run out of good material to share. A team of UMCRM member volunteers reads through each issue and helps to strategize about the issues and topics most relevant to our community in different seasons of the ministry year. One of the features we started early on, the Blessings Report, has become a beloved must-read for those who skip to the bottom for a smile, nod, and prayer of gratitude each week. We have built community as we learned to know new “Faces of UMCRM” and celebrated births, retirements, and new jobs. We have joined colleagues in ministry to delve into tough issues from COVID protocols to racism to financial challenges. We’ve shared ideas for programs, recipes, fundraising, and crafts, and sought to connect with our faith through devotional materials, inspirational articles, and reminders of God’s presence in creation and community.

S'more Mail for everyone

Our first issues went out to UMCRM Association charter members -- just about 150 people in those first few months. S’more Mail’s readership has grown steadily to nearly 1300 subscribers, and at least 57% of you open that email each week. An average open rate for e-newsletters across industries is about 42%, so we know we’re serving up something that’s working for you. Our readers among United Methodist Camp & Retreat staff have been joined by leaders from other denominations and camp organizations, business leaders who serve our community, volunteers, board members, clergy, and others who care about camps, ministry leadership, and the 7 Foundations values that guide us. Thanks to all who have contributed an idea, shared an article, or written a blog post, and to those who have dropped us a note of appreciation for an issue that was especially helpful to you.

Special gratitude to our current review team:

Lu Harding

Linda Bowers

Teri Mathias

Kelley Price

Allyson Ashmore

Gary Lawson

and to all the dedicated volunteers who have been part of the S’more Mail project since its inception: Ashley Cross (Holston), Michaela Dotsch (Holston), Lisa Jean Hoefner (E.PA/OR-ID), Cameron Jones (N.Georgia), David Riddell (UNY), Jack Shitama (PenDel), Joan Thorson (PNW), Mark Walz (KY), Jeff Wilson (MS) and Whitney Winston (Holston).

What’s next?

We’ll keep listening and reading and adapting to remain responsive to the kind of content that matters to the UMCRM community.

If you have benefited personally or professionally from something you read in S’more Mail, but have never given financial support to the UMCRM Association, please consider making a gift today.

If you know someone who would benefit from a weekly infusion of news and ideas related to United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries, please invite them to subscribe - it’s free!

Jen Burch has been S’more Mail’s editor for the past 12 years and 600 weekly issues. Jen is a former Director/Manager at United Methodist Camp/Retreat Centers and served two terms on the NCRC/UMCRM board before becoming the Association’s first staff person. She believes deeply in the power of outdoor ministries to transform lives and build God’s beloved community, and is regularly inspired by the love and expertise UMCRM leaders bring to this work. You can make her smile by double-checking your spelling and grammar and sending mail or chocolate.

National Gathering Highlight: Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters

Jen Burch — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 05:16:37 GMT

Attendees of the 2023 National Camp and Retreat Leaders Gathering at Epworth by the Sea will be treated to a cultural-historical experience featuring the Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters.

Who are the Gullah?

Gullah, also called Sea Island Creole, developed among enslaved people from Central and West Africa brought to the eastern barrier islands of North America who incorporated features of local culture into their traditions.

Who are the Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters?

This cultural performance group, based in the heart of the Gullah Geechee community, was organized in 1992 with the overall goal of preserving and protecting their priceless ancestral heritage. Manager Griffin Lotson has traced his ancestral roots prior to slavery to Africa. As expressed by Gullah scholar and linguist Dr. Lorenzo Dow Turner, the group believes that people without a history are a lost generation.

The Shouters are committed to embracing, preserving, and protecting the historical and cultural heritage of the Gullah Geechee legacy through history, song and dance for the benefit of present and future generations. The Shouters' cultural goal is to keep the original "shout" as authentic from 1800 to the present. The group boasts the oldest active Ring Shouter performing in the world; a direct descendant from slavery.

The Ring Shout

The Ring Shout is probably the oldest surviving African American performance tradition on the North American continent. This compelling fusion of counterclockwise dance-like movement, call-and-response singing, percussion of hand clapping and the stick beating of a drum-like rhythm on a wooden floor is clearly African in its origins. The ring shout, originally and presently, affirms oneness with the Spirit and ancestors as well as community cohesiveness. The practice continued into the twentieth century with its influence resonating in other musical forms from spiritual to jubilee to gospel music to jazz. However, by the last quarter of the twentieth century, the ring shout tradition appeared to have died out. The Geechee Gullah Shouters have helped to revive and preserve the tradition into the present day.

View a Ring Shout performance

Gullah culture has only recently received long-overdue public recognition, including a BBC feature on the Ring Shouters and a Netflix show, "High on the Hog."

Stories of Ministry Impact: West River, Beersheba Springs, and Westview On the James

Jen Burch — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 01:57:10 GMT

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

We will be regularly featuring celebrations of completed projects as the reports come in. Congratulations to these centers that successfully accomplished their grant-funded improvements. New opportunities have opened for each of these sites to meet the needs of new generations of campers and guests.

West River Center in Maryland was able to purchase shelter tents and supplies to support doubling their day camp capacity. They experimented with a pilot week of expanded-capacity day camp this season and sold out in 2 hours with a long waitlist. With the week's theme,"On the Water," more campers were introduced to sailing and the unique features of the camp environment. Reaching new campers allowed connecting with more families, reaching more people with the love of Christ and the beauty of creation. The site is now equipped for further expansion of day camp programs in 2023 and beyond.

Beersheba Springs Assembly (TN) is a pre-civil war hotel that was transformed into a conference and retreat center by Methodists in 1941. Their ministry impact grant project upgraded 8 vintage lodging spaces to provide comfortable, safe, and affordable facilities for youth groups and families. The improvements included updated wiring and electrical panels and installed new HVAC units in the historic buildings. Year-round lodging options were increased by 10% overall, allowing more guests to experience opportunities to connect with God, community, and enjoy the

renewal of retreat experiences.

Westview on the James (VA) has long operated robust high- and low-adventure programming, but the climbing wall had outlived its usefulness and safety. Enter a ministry impact grant that enabled them to envision future ministry with quality high adventure programs, enabled by an updated climbing wall and equipment shed. Memorable experiences in this key program area provide guests and campers with a sense of accomplishment, facilitate trust-building, and build confidence. It is a joy to see campers conquer fears, trust in God, and cheer on their friends to complete the task.

Community Conversation Reflections: Intentional Expressions of Discipleship at Camp

Jen Burch — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 21:50:48 GMT

The first UMCRM Community Conversation in our "Discipleship and Faith Formation in a Camp & Retreat Setting" was held Monday, 9/12, led by Todd Bartlett (OR-ID) and Russell Davis (North GA).

View the recap video

Meredith Petty (Camp Alta Mons, VA) reflects...

I really enjoy UMCRM Community Conversations because we have so many great leaders in our network that are such busy humans, so it's a real privilege to get to spend time with them and ask questions, hear their honest thoughts, and learn more about their guiding camp philosophies.

"How do we intentionally create space for depth of relationship to be formed so there's emotional safety?"

– Russell

I think that making sure it's known that camp is an inclusive space is key to both forming deep relationships and creating emotional safety. If people are busy trying to hide who they are for fear of being found out and excluded, they will not form deep relationships and (clearly) the emotional safety component isn't there. Russell also said "We must leverage our uniqueness to stay relevant," and I completely agree with that-- this summer our District merged with another District and it's going to be critical to our success and future vitality to communicate why this camp is a resource, has an important impact and role to play within this new, larger District, and ultimately why folks should continue to support the camp's ministry.

"Belong - Behave- Believe"

– from Celtic style of evangelism, referenced by Todd

I am such a big fan of the "belong, behave, believe" mindset/order and I have seen how inclusion and making sure staff/campers feel like they are a part of the community at camp is #1 and is critical to so many things-- behavior management, relationship building, and faith formation. We have so many campers and staff who show up at Alta Mons very adamant that they are atheist and I love telling them "that is absolutely fine, you are welcome and loved here just the same" and seeing how surprised they are. And then getting to see those same individuals come back year after year and champion the behavior, values, and ideals of Jesus. It's like they became a Christian and didn't even know it.

"Bibs vs. Aprons"

– classic ministry analogy from Camp Glisson

Also a big fan of Russell's bibs vs. aprons analogy – God calls us to DO things. Jesus DID a lot of things. Camp is the most beautiful way I have ever found to live out what the Bible teaches us to do, and even though it's really beautiful, it's really hard. Many of the things that camp requires of us are hard. But together we can do those things and grow in community and faith. And that is so much more rewarding, meaningful, and growth- inspiring compared to having things done for you and being spoon fed. "We are growing when we are making opportunities for others to be fed."

Thanks to Todd, Russell, and Meredith and all who took part in this fruitful conversation!

Join us for the next one on Monday, September 26th at 4pm ET / 1pm PT to talk about Leading Worship In the Camp Setting.

Ministry Impact Grants Make A Difference At Camps Allegheny, Wanakee, and Don Lee

Jen Burch — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 02:36:02 GMT

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

We are celebrating stories from Camp Don Lee (NC), Camp Wanakee (NH), and Camp Allegheny (PA), sharing how their Ministry Impact Grants have come to life in tangible ways.

Camp Allegheny in Western PA sought a Ministry Impact Grant to purchase a new 6'x10' enclosed trailer, a portable gaga ball pit, and other activity equipment to improve and enhance their traveling day camp program, "Camp on the Go." With the new equipment, the day camp program was able to expand into new communities, providing opportunities of fun and faith development that would not have occurred otherwise. Campers from one new urban community and one very rural community whose churches were not able to offer vacation Bible school or other summer opportunities got to have a faith-filled day camp experience. The camp helped these churches to connect with their local community children and families in a positive and meaningful way. The trailer and durable supplies will enable continued growth for Camp on the Go for many years to come.

Camp Wanakee (NH) utilized its Ministry Impact Grant to accomplish two critical goals: leadership training and staff development, and implementation of a recurring donor management program. Funding enabled engagement of a consultant team to support and train the board of directors as the camp navigates current challenges and envisions a thriving future.

Summer staff training was enhanced through special learning experiences with professional experts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and addressing camper needs. Finally, while the run-up to summer season wasn’t the ideal time to migrate and upgrade donor management software, they got it done! The financial support helped Wanakee to make a long-term commitment with the software vendor, receiving a significant discount on a multi-year subscription. While it will take some time to fully realize the fruit of these investments, Wanakee expects that their ministry will see positive impacts on donor development, board and staff retention, and ultimately the quality of the camper experience.

Camp Don Lee (NC) was blessed to receive a Ministry Impact Grant for the construction of a new canoe launch at Gatlin Creek. This installation enhanced safety and accessibility for campers and guests experiencing the creek. Check out the video:

CAGA Training: Your Questions Answered

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 03:04:54 GMT

Wednesday, September 21st, 1-3:00 pm ET

and Wednesday, October 19th, 1-3:00 pm ET

The upcoming CAGA Training will focus on being “donor first” and telling the story of the impact your work has on the lives of those you serve. There are a number of ways to tell a single story. The CAGA model is designed specifically to increase financial giving to your organization. Trainer Mitzie Schafer will guide you to tell inspiring stories that donors can’t ignore.

When is the CAGA training being held?

The training includes two virtual workshops scheduled three weeks apart.

Session One - Wednesday, September 21st, 1-3:00 pm ET

During this session, we will cover all the foundational principles of CAGA. These include how to identify individuals with a story, how to interview them to gather the intentional pieces needed to tell a true CAGA story, how to write the stories for purpose and engagement, and how to use those stories strategically in your communications. Attendees are given the homework of finding, interviewing, and writing 1-3 stories.

Session Two - Wednesday, October 19th, 1-3:00 pm ET

During the second session, Mitzie will edit a couple of the stories live. Attendees will learn how to listen for and capture the emotional connection needed for a successful CAGA story. They learn what content to include or omit.

BONUS: After the live sessions, Mitzie will finalize the stories from all participating organizations for immediate use in your publications.

How many people can attend from my site?

Telling the camp's story happens best when everyone on the staff and board listens for how God is transforming lives through your ministry. Because of the busy schedules that come with camp leadership, Mitzie strongly encourages you to develop a Storytelling Team from your board, staff, and volunteers. Not everyone who attends the training will feel like they have the gifts to be a storyteller, but everyone who supports the camp can connect the storytellers to stories if they know what to listen for. This training will equip you to tune your ears to actionable stories. To effectively build a trained Storytelling Team, Mitzie would like you to invite your entire staff, your full board, and any strong/key volunteers who help make camp possible in your setting.

What if I can’t attend both sessions?

We recognize that some key volunteers may work during the day and other obligations come up when leading a camp and retreat organization. It is best to attend live and be able to ask questions, but we will also be recording the training for those unable to attend.

How will this apply to my ministry?

Every camp and retreat ministry is impacting the lives of campers, staff, and their communities. Telling the story of this impact will bring people closer to your organization. Donors will be inspired, camper families will feel a deeper connection, and your community will feel proud to be a part of your valuable work.

It isn’t just that we need to tell the organization’s story. We need to tell it in a way that directly connects the donor to the change that happens in the lives of those we serve. We need to create an emotional connection between giving and impact. The CAGA Model does this clearly and systematically.

After this training, you will walk away with fully edited stories for immediate use, as well as the tools and skills to continue telling effective stories into the future. Here are some sample stories from others who participated in the CAGA Training.

I’m currently serving a non-United Methodist site. Can I still register at UMCRM's discounted rate?

Absolutely! Our other denominational camp leaders through OMC are invited to participate in this training with us.

Are there scholarships available?

UMCRM has secured a discounted group rate of $790 per camp/center. Regular full price is $3500(!). If this is still cost-prohibitive for your organization, there are Legacy of Leadership scholarships available. UMCRM members can apply for up to $400 based on their need. Scholarships are available on a first come, first serve basis. Keep in mind that the National Gathering is coming up and recipients are limited to one scholarship every two years.

What are others saying?

“I first heard about CAGA Stories during Mitzie’s workshop at the 2021 National Gathering. I knew immediately this was something I wanted to pursue because it felt genuine and doable. I loved that it enabled us to share the excitement we see in changed lives here at Pecometh without asking for money. We did Mitzie’s training early this year and immediately put the concepts into practice. Our first newsletter generated more than 5X the cost of the training AND it’s still paying dividends with every quarterly newsletter.”

-Jack Shitama, Pecometh Camp & Retreat Ministries

REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER 7th

Planning for Youth 2023

Jen Burch — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 02:24:36 GMT

Every four years, the United Methodist Church hosts a special event for UM youth. The next event will be held July 25-28, 2023 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Learn more

Youth 2023 will bring together thousands of young people from across the country for fellowship, worship, and fun. The values underlying this event align closely many of the foundations of camp and retreat ministries:

Provide Sacred Places Apart
Nurture Christian Faith & Discipleship
Extend Christian Hospitality & Community
Develop Principled Spiritual Leaders
Inspire and Equip Lives for Love & Justice

As a partner in ministry, UMCRM is working with Discipleship Ministries to make it as easy as possible for youth to attend both camp and the Youth 2023 event next summer. In the past, this event extended over a weekend, which interfered with two weeks of summer camp. This year the Youth 2023 planning team intentionally scheduled the event during the week, limiting its impact on our summer camp season.

Here are a couple of ways that camps can help families and churches give both of these opportunities to their youth:

Schedule senior high camp during a week that does not overlap with Youth 2023 (July 25-28). This prevents youth from needing to choose between camp and the event.
Offer Youth 2023 as a trip camp! Many small UM churches don’t have enough young people or resources to attend Youth 2023 as a youth group. By offering it as a camp event, all youth from your Conference will have the chance to attend. Price and run the event as you would any other trip camp. You could even add an additional day or two at camp to prepare for or debrief the Youth 2023 experience.

Another of our UMCRM foundations is to “Partner with United Methodist Churches & Agencies.” While some youth will inevitably need to choose between the national event and a week at camp, Youth 2023 is not in competition with camp. Our camping ministries and the offerings of Discipleship Ministries (such as Youth 2023) build upon each other in a young person’s discipleship journey. We are called to work together in developing disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Youth 2023 is a fantastic opportunity to live out this partnership and create the space to get as many young people to this event AND to camp.

View the media kit for graphics to use in your communications

There are also ways for you to be actively involved in the event. Check out the

volunteer section of the event webpage for opportunities or contact Jessica to get involved by leading on-site games and activities. UMCRM Board Chair Ron Bartlow is on the planning team for this event and would be glad to address your questions.

Ministry Impact Grants Come To Life: Stories from Wesley Woods IA and Sea Islands, SC

Jen Burch — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 03:52:52 GMT

Learn more about the 2022 Ministry Impact Grants

Recently, Sea Islands Camp (SC) and Wesley Woods Camp (IA) shared about how their Ministry Impact Grants have come to life in tangible ways.

The Barnum Equestrian Center at Wesley Woods Camp & Retreat Center in Iowa is a trauma-informed, connected community of staff and professionals who work alongside participants in a deeply connectional horse program. Staff training provided by the Natural Lifemanship Institute is rocking the barn to its core, bringing immensely positive outcomes for people and opportunities for ministry growth. Ministry Impact Grant funding has enabled five staff persons to access training and advanced courses in Natural Lifemanship principles.

Through this trained leadership, six middle and high school students have already participated in the 6-week Relational-MESH program in partnership with the Indianola School District. Teachers and parents are reporting positive impacts on their students in the program. As word spreads about R-MESH, waiting lists are filling for programs to be offered in the fall. The greatest challenge is scheduling enough programs to meet demand! Healthy relationship principles facilitated by the trained Lifemanship leaders are also enriching Wesley Woods’ summer camp horse programs. Continued future growth is ahead for equestrian-based ministry in this special setting.

When the South Carolina Annual Conference acquired the property that would become Sea Islands Camp & Retreat Center in 2019, its capacity was small, and as the ministry vision for the site took shape, it became clear that more lodging would be needed to host the guests and campers who would come to experience God’s love in this unique coastal setting.

This 2019 blog post tells the origin story of Sea Islands

The 2022 Ministry Impact Grant is enabling the site to double its capacity with 32 new bunks. It is a joy to open the gates to a whole new population of campers!

Gratitude from the UMCRM Board Chair - "You Have Been A Means of Grace"

Jen Burch — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 23:08:32 GMT

My almost teen daughter Kate just returned from a week away at summer camp. She has been to this particular camp – Mingus Mountain – at least once a year since she was 10 weeks old, with the exception of the summer lost to pandemic (thanks, Covid!). I have taken her, or encouraged her to attend, camps that I was a part of; but for the last several years, going to camp has been high on her list of things she has to do, and the past two years she’s attended camps I wasn’t involved with.

When she started to tell me about her experience, she didn’t tell me about the curriculum chosen, the lessons taught, or the content of the week. I know and trust that there were solid foundations for such, but those aren’t what makes camp a highlight for her. Nor was it the zip line or high ropes’ “leap of faith” – which she tried for the first time this year! – that held her attention and came gushing out. And as much as she loves getting out of sweltering desert heat for a week in the cool pine trees, that wasn’t what she had to tell me about.

“I met so many new friends,” she excitedly volunteered, and went on to describe interactions with other campers, with her counselor, and with staff and volunteers on site. She expressed joy for new friendships, empathy for the sequestered sick counselor, appreciation for the patient nurse, and admiration for all her camp leaders who created space for and invited her to take part in new things. Repeatedly, she mentioned someone and asked “do you know them?” As an introvert who would sooner curl up alone with a book, it was tiring for me just listening to the amount of personal interactions she took part in over the week. She, on the other hand, was beaming, energetic, joy-filled.

Camp friends, I am sure that not everything has gone exactly the way you would like this summer. And yet, there will be thousands of children and teens like my own who come home with joy in their hearts and praise on their lips because of the space you create for relationship building. Self-esteem will grow, faith in God will be nurtured, hearts will know healing, and the world will be transformed for the better, one camper at a time, because of you and your work.

This parent, who is only hearing about camp second-hand, is appreciative to you and all that you are doing. While I anticipate they are never easy, may your summers be meaningful; may they be rich with God’s blessing; and may you end the days with gratitude knowing you have been a means of God’s grace working in the world.

Rev. Ron Bartlow is a former Camp & Retreat Ministries exec in the Desert Southwest Conference. He currently serves as Senior Pastor at St. Paul's UMC in Tucson, Arizona and chairs the UMCRM Association Board of Directors. He is only getting a vicarious camp experience this summer through his seasoned camper children.

Call To Prayer and Action

Jen Burch — Thu, 26 May 2022 01:09:48 GMT

Dear Camp & Retreat Ministry community members,

In recent weeks, the vibrance of spring has been shadowed by unthinkable tragedy. The world and our country are grieving. The continually growing number of violent actions against innocent children and blessed communities is heartbreaking. The reports of shootings in New York, California, Texas, and other states across the country cloud our news coverage and every social media outlet. This note to the United Methodist Camp and Retreat community is not to retell the stories you’ve seen on the news, but to call us together into prayer and action.

Pray for the families of those directly impacted by the tragedy. Then pray for personal strength, taking time to process your own grief and anxiety about recent events. Then, pray for your eyes to be opened to the actions that you can take to bring light and hope to the world. Pray, but also do.

One important thing you can do is to continue doing what you have been called to do as a ministry leader. There is now a new urgency for camp and retreat ministries to provide holy space for the diversity of God’s people to come and feel loved, not afraid. There is an urgency for us to provide sacred places apart from the realities of society for young people to explore hard questions; for campers to process and lead conversations. Those who are preparing to come to camp or be on retreat are in need of a respite away from the evils of the world; they need to be in a community of unconditional love and acceptance. By making space for love and healing, you enable the Holy Spirit’s work in this grieving world.

As the month of May comes to a close, the impending summer camp season draws closer. For camp leaders, this time of the year is already filled with excitement, stress, anticipation, and overwhelm. The circumstances of recent tragedies layer anxiety on top of anxiety. Make your mental health a priority.

For urgent leadership and spiritual support, call the UMCRM Leaders Hive Support Line - 724-766-9783.

Young adult summer staff and the campers that are preparing for camp will soon arrive. They will bring with them the wounds from living through the pandemic. Now they will also bring fresh heartbreaking grief from living in a world that isn’t as safe from gun violence as it should be. Here are a few resources to help prepare for managing grief and trauma this summer:

Tips and videos for helping children with grief by David Kessler, an expert on grief and loss.
Camp culture and care for summer 2022 (begin around 18:10). Excerpt from a recent Community Conversation by Tracey Gaslin, Executive Director of Alliance for Camp Health.
Free handout on how caregivers can support grieving kids by Dr. Chris Thurber

Take time to develop or review your emergency response plan.

Camp Security Information from American Camp Association

The UMCRM Association exists to be a resource and connection point for you. Thank you for being a community of people who pray and who keep saying “yes” to God. We’re all in this together.

May God’s peace prevail,

Jessica Gamaché, UMCRM Association Director

umcrm.org

The Soundtrack of Camp

Jen Burch — Thu, 19 May 2022 03:29:02 GMT

What is the soundtrack of your summer camp season? Is it largely the same as it was 50 years ago? The sound of rustling trees, children's laughter, waves lapping the shore, buzzing insects, screen doors slamming, clanging cookware, lawnmower, cheering, dinner bell, lifeguard's whistle... many of the background sounds of camp have stood the test of time. But what about the music?

Singing is an integral part of most camp experiences, especially at church camp. We have traditions of sung meal graces, songs for worship, songs for campfire. Some of us sing on hikes and even for announcements. There's always singing at our talent shows and end-of-camp performances. Guitar accompaniment and a cappella songs (including the rowdy "repeat after me" variety) have been standard fare from our camps' earliest years.

A recent article from Nelson Strickland on the Summer Camp Society blog got me thinking about how the soundtracks of our camps get changed and updated. In "Five Simple Ways To Step Up Your Music Game This Summer," Nelson, a former DJ turned full-time camp pro, challenges camp leaders to think outside of our usual boxes in choosing music for camp. He reminds us that recorded music can be a powerful way to set a mood and bring people together. Unlike the soundscapes mentioned above, recorded music is a somewhat newer addition to camp life. Depending on your site, sometimes music is played to set the tone for a large-group gathering. Maybe staff listen to music while working in the kitchen or shop. Perhaps your program includes a camp dance. Is there music for cookouts, swim parties, or dining hall meals? Is music played on the bus? Who gets to choose those tunes? Who decides what's "church camp-appropriate"? Are counselors allowed to play music in cabins or in program areas? If your camp plays music in any of these ways, Nelson invites us to expand our playlists. Are there familiar TikTok songs that work for camp? Do your playlists include music from other cultures? If you have international staff, let them curate a collection for you! What's comforting, happy music for your campers? – is it K-pop or hip-hop? Trying new things and being inclusive are generally-shared values at our camps, but does that extend to our musical choices? Nelson's "Five Simple Ways" introduced me to unfamiliar genres of Lo-Fi and Kidz Trap. What else might we be missing?

Just as we're challenged to expand our playlist repertoire for recorded music, I also encourage summer camp leaders to review the standby songs we sing. As you know, "we've always done it that way" isn't a great reason to keep doing it the same old way. Here are some questions to spark conversation with your team:

Are there some traditional songs that no longer meet the cultural and educational goals of our ministry?
Are there lyrics that feel insensitive these days?
Do the religious songs we sing reflect the theology we actually want campers to learn?
How can we introduce new favorites that reflect cultural literacy and align with our camp's mission?

Let this be a fun, ongoing challenge for your camp's staff. These conversations and the sharing of songs and playlists can break down barriers, help us learn about each other, and expose us to new worlds through music.

Camp Dickenson in the Holston Conference curated a fun Spotify playlist that provided some camp-nostalgic listening during the pandemic in 2020. Check it out here If your camp has publicly-accessible playlists, please link them in the comments below.

Pictured: Author Jen Burch sings with campers at Camp Alta Mons (VA), circa 1992.

Tekoa Alumni Panels: Guest Post by Will Busch

Jen Burch — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 06:17:44 GMT

2020 turned our lives upside down. And it turned the world of camping upside down. It opened the floodgates that were already on the verge of breaking. Those gates? Hiring summer staff. Already we had seen a notable trend of summer staff giving one or two quality summers, but we were finding it harder and harder to get those “lifers” (people who spend all of their college summers at camp, even some prior if they came through our developmental program). Staff hiring and recruiting now played such a pivotal role, as turnover was increasing with every passing summer. Pre-pandemic, we had to contend with requirements from school (e.g., mandatory internships, summer classes, and studying abroad). These school requirements factored in with staff pay and the need to find someone to sublet apartments they were already contractually obligated to, required extra effort on the part of camp leaders; still, hiring was hard but manageable.

Anytime we go to a career fair, developmental hangout, or just see fellow camp people in the outside world, one of the first questions that seems to be asked is “how is hiring going?” Summer camps are similar to a lot of the workforce, having a rough time finding staff willing to work and commit to the time we hope for. To adapt, camps are being flexible, hiring for partial summers, reworking programs in order to run with fewer staff. However, these strategies are not necessarily sustainable or a healthy practice, and are contributing to turmoil and turnover like never before seen in the camping world, even for year round staff. This all sounds grim and tough, and quite frankly, it is. Camps are setting records with camper registrations and gaining traction through marketing efforts, but it’s challenging to envision having the full staff required to serve a growing camper population.

Camp Tekoa (Western NC) was able to find a new light and hope for encouraging retention once we have staff, in addition to being a powerful recruiting tool. That light? ALUMNI!!! Alumni are the backbone of camp. They are the ones we admire, learn from, and who continue to move forward to carry out the mission of camp. Each of Tekoa’s alumni has impacted hundreds of kids while their own lives are forever changed. Alumni are the reason we have some staff today. They are the reason those “lifers” who grew up as campers decided to give back and work on staff at their home camp. Alumni have a passion for camp that they love to share. In order to fundraise and endure the brunt of the pandemic, our camp relied heavily on reconnecting relationships and leaning on our enduring supporters. This experience led us to realize that our alumni are the reason we still run today; they are the ones we will piggyback off of for generations to come. This realization led us to the logical next step: connect summer staff alumni back to camp in a physical and spiritual way.

With this realization, and considering the staffing shortage we were facing, we decided to invite former staff to return to camp during staff training. They would reconnect with current staff in order to create a positive experience, increase retention rates, and help us to recruit new staff. Our Alumni Panel gathered people from various backgrounds. Together in one place, an accountant, a banker, youth leaders, a program director at a retirement home, and several teachers all were able to share about how their time at Tekoa has helped them with life after school and enriched their professional lives. We hoped that hearing their stories would help to eliminate the stigma that “camp isn’t a real job.” Yes, camp is fun, but it is also transformational. We used the personal connections with alumni to show the importance of camp and how the summer staff experience is worth so much more than the monetary value. Hearing encouraging words from our veteran staff helped ease nerves for current staff, to feel more comfortable for the road ahead that summer. The Alumni Panel experience also provided personal connections with someone in their line of work who shared the common factor of being transformed at Camp Tekoa. Due to the overwhelmingly positive outcome, we expect to continue offering this enriching program for years to come.

Be inspired by a few quotes from alumni about their time at camp:

“I became a teacher. I was not intimidated when responsible for a large group of kids and I never ran out of activities to do with them. It’s also super helpful to know how to let go and be confident in front of any group of people”

- Julie Noblitt, former camper and counselor

“I just graduated from Law School! Tekoa (and John Isley) taught me how to be efficient while also going with the flow”

- Jo Harcombe, former ropes course facilitator

“When I couldn’t figure out a way to work as a FGL forever so I became a doctor instead. Tekoa summers taught me to take risks and what it feels like to do something you love. Also, how to lead a group and to be a person the vulnerable rely on and look up to.” - Dr. Lindsey Prewitt, former counselor

“I currently work as the Volunteer Coordinator at Henderson County Habitat for Humanity. Tekoa inspired my desire to do mission-based work. My time at Tekoa helped to uncover a passion for people and a drive to get community members involved in something larger than themselves”

- Kayler Debrew, former backpacking resource and counselor

“I started my fourth (and final) year of medical school with hopes to specialize in anesthesia. As an FGL at Tekoa making quick bonds with campers and providing parental trust and reassurance parallel the patient population about to receive surgery and entrusting they will be kept safe and comfortable”

- Lucy Howard, former counselor and Logistics Coordinator

Special thanks to Camp Tekoa’s Program Intern, Will Busch, for sharing this story. “WillyB” is well-known for his loud singing of "Brown Squirrel" and his creative program planning for family groups. His passion has been being a Family Group Leader (FGL) because he believes that is where the magic of camp happens. Will studied Sports Management at Western Carolina University. He can be found around camp planning schedules, creating social media or slinging some disc golf discs (every shot is a hammer!)

Ministry Impact Grants Awarded: Celebrating Funded Projects

Jen Burch — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 04:30:46 GMT

In mid-February, the UMCRM Association received word that it was granted one million dollars from an anonymous family foundation to distribute to United Methodist Camps & Retreat Ministries in the U.S. The goal of the gift was to enable individual sites and ministries to take one significant step in the 2022 calendar year toward long-term impact and sustainability. What a joy to be invited to invest in a thriving future for camping and retreats in the United Methodist tradition! As nonprofit organizations, many of the 183 UM-affiliated sites in our network do big things with small dollars, creatively stretching shoestring budgets while continuing to innovate to meet the needs of today’s youth, families, church, and communities, maintain and develop historic properties, and support the church’s transformational mission. As camps and retreats rally to return from Covid shutdowns, minister with a changing church, and provide sacred places of renewal in challenging times, it is rare to be invited to dream big and imagine what might be possible for our ministries’ future. The 2022 Ministry Impact Grant was just that invitation.

When it was announced that UMCRM had secured the grant of $1,000,000, our members responded with enthusiasm, submitting proposals totaling $4,000,000! The review team realized that meant that only 25% of the projects could be funded. Faced with the prospect of saying “no'' to the majority of applicants, the grantors were moved by the vision and hope represented in those proposals. The compelling and wide-ranging requests received from United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries from across the country provided a window into the vast reach of our sites and programs and the untapped potential for impact. We serve a God of abundance, a Christ who served multitudes with simple loaves and fishes. Hope, vision and generosity of spirit are contagious. The UMCRM Association’s advocacy provided inspiration and context for the ministry impact that might be accomplished through offering more “yes”es. In the process, we were able to secure an additional $1,500,000, more than doubling the original gift, for a total of $2.5M from the granting foundation! The UMCRM Association is thrilled to distribute the grant funds in the coming weeks to the projects listed below. Collectively, United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries will broaden our impact in reaching more people with the love of Christ for a thriving future. Praise to the God who multiplies loaves and fishes. May we be worthy stewards of the great gifts entrusted to us. Stay tuned in the coming months as projects are completed and together we celebrate all that these ministries have been able to build and accomplish.

Solomon Cramer Grants - 2022 Applications Now Open

Jen Burch — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:53:04 GMT

The Solomon Cramer Fund was established to provide scholarships for youth to attend United Methodist camp experiences. Annual Conferences, camp ministry sites, and/or programs are invited to apply.

The deadline for grant application submission is March 18, 2022. Award recipients will be notified by April 1st. All approved grant projects must be completed by October 31, 2022.

In order to maximize the impact of scholarships for youth to attend Conference-related camps, the funds will be distributed to Conferences or ministry organizations to use for scholarships rather than directly to individuals. The recommended priorities of the scholarship grants will be for camp experiences that focus on one or more of the following dimensions:

Minister with youth living in poverty
Intentionally develop young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership within camp/retreat ministry
Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation
Opportunities for increasing racial/ethnic diversity within ministry participation and leadership

Special consideration will be given to United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries or groups collaborating with their local UM camp/retreat ministries to launch new programs and opportunities related to the priorities above. Grants may also be given to existing programs that are adding new components that engage youth in ways directly related to the priorities of the fund.

The funds received by a Conference or camp/retreat ministry must be used solely as scholarships for youth to attend the specific camp experiences outlined in their application for the scholarship grant.

Each applicant for a grant must submit the official application form and send an evaluation within 30 days of the completion of the project for which the funds are granted. A completed evaluation is required in order to remain eligible for future grants.

Grant recipients will be sent a “Good Faith Agreement” outlining the terms of the grant. A signed “Good Faith Agreement” must be returned before the grant award can be distributed.

Proposals will be evaluated on their direct application to the priorities of the fund. Grant requests that are approved may or may not receive full funding depending upon the amount of funds available in a given year and the number of requests received. It is not intended that a grant from this fund will cover 100% of the cost, but assist with other funding sources to enable attendance.

Important considerations as you prepare your application:

Grants are usually in the $500-$3,500 range so that the greatest number of applicants can be assisted.
Use these funds to challenge local donors. Applications that consider a Solomon Cramer Award to be a “challenge” or “matching funds” are looked upon favorably. In other words, it is preferred that the grant not be an initiative’s sole source of funding.
When possible, the grant committee seeks to use the Solomon Cramer Grants to leverage the ministry goals of UMCRM in developing leaders especially among currently underserved and underrepresented ethnic populations. The Association would like to follow up with newly-identified leaders in camp/retreat ministry. Successful applicants minimally agree to forward names and contact information of identified leaders so they may be added to UMCRM’s S’more Mail and made aware of regional and national training and educational opportunities and scholarships.

Application Form

Contact UMCRM Development Chair Jeff Parsons with questions: jeff.parsons@umcrm.org 989-883-2501

Ministry Impact Grant of $1M for UMCRM - Proposals Now Accepted!

Jen Burch — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 05:30:07 GMT

If you could fund one project this year to elevate the future sustainability and impact of your camp/retreat ministry, what would it be?

All United Methodist camp and/or retreat ministry organizations are invited to submit a grant proposal for funding through the new 2022 Ministry Impact Grant. Secured by UMCRM, this $1,000,000 in foundation grant funding is to be used to move our ministries toward lasting missional impact. Knowing that each of our ministries is different and the needs at each site are unique, grant proposals are not limited by amount requested nor for what purpose. One site may need funding for leadership development, while another may need a capital improvement project, consultation on a master site plan, etc.

For help discerning the type of project that might bring the most value to your organization, join next week's 2-hour UMCRM Community Conversation on Monday, February 14th. Kathy Trotter, former camp/retreat and nonprofit consultant and strategic visioning specialist, will help us think through project possibilities by determining how to measure sustainability for continued impact.

While project types are not limited, there are a few requirements to keep in mind as you consider applying for a 2022 Ministry Impact Grant:

All grant funded projects must be completed during this calendar year. Any funding that is not spent by December 31st, 2022 must be returned to the Association.
All proposals are due by midnight on Tuesday, March 8th.
Proposals must be no longer than one page and submitted as a pdf through the Proposal Submission Link. Proposals longer than one page will not be considered.
A Project Report will be required at the completion of all grant funded projects.

In order to remove bias from the selection process, the selection of approved proposals will be done by a small group of United Methodist camp/retreat ministry advocates and representatives from the granting foundation. This group’s priority is to ensure the funding makes as broad of an impact as possible. They will be looking for the following information in the proposals:

A summary and timeline of the project.
Amount required to complete the project and the total amount being requested.
The outcomes or impact that this project will have on the long-term effectiveness of your organization.

While UMCRM cannot guarantee that all project proposals will be funded, this opportunity comes as a blessing to our whole community. When any of our ministry organizations are strengthened, we are all strengthened. When our ministries thrive, camps and retreats will be able to continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We are excited to see what will grow from this investment in the future of these ministries entrusted to our care.

Proposal Submission Link

Please direct questions about the grant to UMCRM Association Director Jessica Gamaché.

The Hive: Guest Post by Shannon Bardole-Foley

Jen Burch — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 04:40:50 GMT

It’s February – solidly in the middle of off-season for bees in Iowa. The honeybees that remain in Iowa are tucked in for the winter, clustered together and slowly flexing their wings to keep their hive warm, each taking their turn rotating to the outside of the cluster to allow others further inside the cluster to warm up. They’re slowly working their way through the honey stores they put up for the winter, just waiting for a warm enough day to go out for a cleansing flight, to catch a bit of sunlight, and maybe to find an early bud from which to source some nectar or pollen.

My bees don’t get that slow season. As other beekeepers are preparing their hives to over-winter in sometimes sub-zero temperatures, my husband is preparing our bees for a trip out west. Our bees, during the typical off-season, gather with other hives from all across the country in California to pollinate almonds! Instead of being tucked in for the winter, they’re busy going from one blossom to the next in acres of almond orchards. And instead of just beginning to stretch their wings in April, they’re coming back to Iowa full of the nectar and pollen they collected, just bursting at the seams and ready to grow.

That gathering of honeybees reminds me some of the UMCRM National Gathering that was held this fall in Pennsylvania. Fall is typically our off-season, so we gather with our friends from all across the country to work on a shared mission: to resource, advocate, inspire, and network to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of camp and retreat ministries! And when we return home, we’re bursting with ideas to grow our camps and make them better and stronger to serve our campers.

If almond farmers didn’t bring in bees from all around the country to pollinate their trees, the world would sadly have many fewer almonds. And if we didn’t all come together through UMCRM, we wouldn’t be as easily able to share ideas, learn from one another’s successes and failures, and may not bear as much fruit.

Our individual camps are similar to individual beehives – each one can stand alone and function on its own. It will bear fruit, or rather, honey, without interacting with other hives. But the reality is that we do interact and help each other to grow. When a hive is looking weak, a beekeeper can go into another hive and take a few frames of brood (soon-to-hatch bees) and move them into the weaker hive to help it grow. And so it is with our association: when our camp and retreat ministries need new and refreshing ideas, we can visit our camp friends and bring revitalized ideas back into our own spaces.

Each hive has one queen. That queen is responsible for laying up to 1500 eggs per day in the summer while the nectar is flowing. If the queen is damaged or dies, the entire colony may collapse. But as long as the hive is queenright (meaning the queen is present), that one bee can keep the hive happily humming along all year long. Come fall, the colony begins to pare down the number of bees in the hive. Fewer are needed to get through a long, cold winter. But those that remain must be hearty to begin to re-grow the hive in the spring.

The queen is like the leadership of your camp – maybe not just the director, but the whole team. It’s important to have healthy leadership to keep camp growing and thriving. The core leadership team is much like the smaller cluster of bees that takes the queen and hive into the wintertime. They’ll spend all of the off-season diligently working through the projects that need to be accomplished, so that when spring rolls around, they’re ready for summer staff to arrive and campers to be on site.

Now about those 1500 eggs the queen lays each day – nearly all of those are the female worker bees. In the summertime, those bees live only about 45 days. They literally work themselves to death. Each bee will bring in approximately 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her entire life! The worker bees will go through many phases in their short lives: janitor, nurse, construction worker, undertaker, security guard, and breadwinner. Do you ever see your campers go through many phases in the short time that they’re with you? Perhaps going from shy to homesick to building confidence to not wanting to leave? We see similar types of campers each week as the camp population turns over. As the summer goes on, our skills refine and grow to better meet the needs of our campers.

I believe our association and our camps are all just as sweet as honey! May we all come to appreciate the beauty and blessing of these wonderful insects God gave us. We can learn a lesson or two from these sweet creatures.

Shannon Bardole-Foley has been camp registrar and fundraising assistant for Iowa United Methodist Camps for 4 years. She also keeps Russian honeybees with her husband, Jason, who produces queen bees for a living.

Community Conversation Recap; "Thoughts Upon Slavery"

Jen Burch — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 04:08:52 GMT

People of color and racism against them have deeply shaped the history of our denomination. Monday’s Community Conversation explored that history and provided space for camp and retreat leaders to talk about how those realities impact the ministries that we lead.

The group began with establishing ground rules for the meeting:

Do No Harm
- Think before you speak
- Beware of judging yourself and others harshly and unfairly
Do Good
- Own your thoughts and beliefs by using “I” statements
- Listen with a compassionate and curious heart to others especially when their experience and views are different from yours
Stay in Love with God
- Pray for one another and this gathering
- Be faithful in word and deed to your commitment to be a disciple of Jesus Christ

(from GCORR’s “Racial Justice Conversation Guide”)

We opened with this prayer, adapted from a prayer created by Rev. Amy Stapleton:

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, it is indeed YOU that has brought us thus far. As we gather together to discuss the difficult history of racism that has and continues to impact camp and retreat ministries, make us mindful of the gift of life in spite of the hate present in the world. Remind us of the goodness of people in spite of the sins that we commit against one another—sins that come from brokenness and our own inability to see you reflected in each other.

Forgive us, God, for the ways in which we have been complicit in creating anything other than the Beloved Community. Make us ever mindful to do the work of justice and be a body of peace in this world—a world ripped apart by conflict, war, famine, violence, guns, racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, ageism, genocide, poverty, and privilege.

THIS is a new day you have given us. May we begin again and recommit ourselves to removing barriers where we find them—on state houses and in prisons, on mountaintops and in classrooms, on retreats and in churches.

We pray to you on this day and all the days ahead to keep us forever in the path.

Amen.

Then together the group walked through this timeline (adapted from “Timeline: Methodism in Black and White” distributed by United Methodist Communications)

View the presentation slides here

During the conversation, Matthew Williams from Sky Lake (Upper NY) shared this presentation with the group.

The key takeaways from “Thoughts Upon Slavery” are:

Part I of John Wesley’s pamphlet describes the horrors of modern slavery.
Part II brings to light the false notions that Europeans had of Africans.
Part III describes just how horrific the journey was from slaves from Africa to the Americas.
Part IV is Wesley’s proclamation that there is no moral justification for slavery.
Part V is a call to take responsibility for slavery as an abject moral failure.

As Jeff Wilson (Camp Lake Stephens, MS) pointed out - From the story told through the timeline we reviewed, we can see that its information “can give us tools to address the assumed narrative and what is perceived to be ‘true or having always been.’”

The efforts of the United Methodist denomination and its United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries around anti-racism and diversity intend to bring the Church back to the original intent of its founder and God’s calling on our lives to show love and do justice.

The following are resources to help camp and retreat leaders dive deeper into justice ministry personally and at their sites:

John Wesley’s “Thoughts Upon Slavery”
Ways United Methodists Can Stand Against Racism
R2 (Religion & Race) Library
Family History/Influence Questionnaire
Racial Justice Conversation Guide -
Preaching Courageously Against Racism
10 Honorable Ways to Learn about Another Culture
UMCRM's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion ILG (Intentional Leadership Group)

Solomon Cramer Grants - 2021 Review of Grant Recipients

Jen Burch — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 03:05:04 GMT

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage us to consider the breadth of our ministries by focusing on the following four priorities:

Experiences that minister with youth living in poverty
The intentional development of young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership with Camp & Retreat Ministries
Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation
Opportunities for increasing racial/ethnic diversity within ministry participation and leadership.

Special consideration is given to Camp & Retreat Ministries that focus on more than one of those priorities and that are launching new opportunities.

Some of the 2020 grant recipients were not able to operate due to the pandemic and opted to defer their grant until 2021. A total of 11 Solomon Cramer Fund grants were received in 2021.

Hope Camp, Jumonville (W.PA): Grant funding supported four weeks at which at-risk youth experienced a safe, loving community at camp. Even a small thing like being able to sit around a table together and share a meal family style is a huge step for many, who often don’t eat dinner as a family and have to worry whether or not there will be enough food.
Best of Summer Sampler (BOSS) Camp, Wesley Woods (PA): 4 new campers were able to attend this popular camp week due to scholarship funding.
Camp Chippewa (NE) : 25 children from underserved churches were able to participate in a day camp experience. When asked about the impact of the camp, 34% of the campers reported that the camp made a positive impact on their faith. Staff were moved by being able to offer camp ministry, even in a season when COVID-19 restrictions impacted regular residential camp operations.
Camp Koronis (MN): Grant funding enabled 33 children from Liberian and West African immigrant families to participate in a camp experience. One camper was excited to learn to swim, and two families joined their local UMCs after their children came to camp.
Northern Pines TEENS Camp (MN): Funding enabled increased participation and diversity in the Teaching, Equipping, Empowering, Nurturing Servants leadership camp. A first-time camper on the autism spectrum not only was able to stay all week, but volunteered to help lead worship.
High Impact Movement (HIM) at Camp Tanako (AR): Camp partnered with a local youth empowerment organization to provide a place apart where youth could encounter Christ and experience God's Creation through day camp. This summer collaboration has blossomed into a year-round relationship with camp and the HIM community!
Semana Latina at Gretna Glen (E.PA): 85 campers deepened their relationship with Christ, fostered healthy peer relationships, and enhanced their connection to ethnic and cultural Latinx heritage.
Solomon Cramer Interns at Cal-Pac Conference Camps (CA): Four Hispanic/Latinx leaders received support as they developed leadership skills through hands-on ministry experiences at 3 camp sites. One participant was especially excited to facilitate conversations with campers around issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Camp In The Community (Holston): 40 campers whose families would not be able to pay for camp were enabled to enjoy a day camp experience based in their local church community. 35% of participants did not have a connection to a home church. Among the many benefits of camp, campers got to know pastors and children's ministers in their community.
Voyages Day Camp, Camp Don Lee (NC): Camp fostered positive behavior and leadership learning among at-risk youth. Campers and volunteers experienced "the best week of their summer," in a very difficult year, encountering Jesus some for the first time through the dedication and love of the camp staff.

The 2022 cycle of Solomon Cramer Grant funding will be opening in the next few weeks, so now is a great time to begin dreaming of mission-driven, grant-worthy projects for this coming summer season. Watch S'more Mail for application details and deadlines.

Teams That Work: Community Conversation Notes from 1/17/22

Jen Burch — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 04:03:18 GMT

Monday’s Community Conversation was all about creating staff teams that work together in a way that brings fulfillment and productivity to each team member and creates "predictable success" for the team as a whole. Ryan Clements of Next Gen Ministries in the Greater New Jersey Conference kicked off the discussion by presenting the work of author Les McKeown, specifically based on the books Predictable Success and The Synergist.

There are 4 Types of Leadership according to Les McKeown. Ryan presented information about three of the four types; along with examples of ways each of the leadership styles need the others for the team to function well.

Visionary Leaders are leaders with these qualities:

Big thinkers who are excited by ideas
Love starting new projects and getting people excited about them
Motivate people to be their best
Optimists who believe there’s always a way through problems

Weaknesses:

Get bored with the details and small logistics
Hate routine
Not the best at finishing projects
Sometimes prioritize the new over the important
Known to go to conferences and come back with 50 new ideas to try right now
Don’t work well by themselves

Operators are leaders with these qualities:

Do-ers
Dig into the details of projects
Can take something apart to figure out what one piece isn’t working to fix it
Enjoys working from a task list

Notes:

- Visionaries start projects and Operators finish those projects.

- Visionaries need Operators to translate the vision.

- Operators need Visionaries for direction and flexibility.

- When Visionaries and Operators work together there is a lot of fun and growth.

However, when you have growth, complexity can come with it. This leads to overwhelm for both Visionaries and Operators.This is when the team needs to bring in:

Processors:

Rational, logical, analytical, sequential
Love bringing order and organization into your ministry
Value routine, systems & consistency
Don’t like being rushed
Love data-driven decisions (and love collecting data)

Processors organize and create systems and processes to make Visionaries’ and Operators’ work more manageable.

Visionaries come up with the vision, the Operators come in to make things happen, and the Processors make sure everything happens smoothly and effectively.

Case Study - Greater New Jersey Conference’s Next Generation Ministries recently made a shift from departments (Camping, Youth Ministry, Campus Ministry) to staff roles based on Processors, Visionaries, and Operators (Programming, Administration, and Project Management). All of their staff now work with camping, youth, and campus ministries. Visionaries are able to vision all across the board. Administration people are now able to focus on operations and don’t have to stop to think about programming. Project Managers are holding the whole thing together by finding ways to be more

efficient with processes.

Disclaimers:

People often can function as two or three of these types, but one tends to be a person’s preference.
Someone may be strong in multiple types, but we can only function in one at a time.
This isn’t the full story. Visionaries, Operators, and Processors will inevitably run into conflict and need a 4th leadership type/style: The Synergist. We would all benefit from growing in the Synergist skills of collaboration and conflict management.

We had some lively conversation about how these play out at sites in which the Director wears all of the hats. How can seasonal staff, volunteers, and board members contribute to building effective teams that exhibit all of these strengths and skill sets? How can we better delegate different kinds of tasks to those best suited to handle them?

Our special thanks to Ryan Clements for sharing his insights and introducing us to this resource. If you have an idea that's been valuable to your camp/retreat ministry that might similarly contribute to a Community Conversation, please tell us about it. Contact Jessica to discuss!

Just because we’re sharing these recaps doesn’t mean you should skip Community Conversations! If you’re able to attend, your presence, perspectives, insights, and even your listening and your smile are a key part of our community life. Thanks to all who have been a part of these conversations over the past year and a half. The next one will be Monday, January 31st. Hope you’ll join us.

Welcoming New UMCRM Board Member Martha Pierce

Jen Burch — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 19:56:42 GMT

Martha Pierce has served in camp, retreat, and youth ministry in many roles over the years, including 15 years at Riverside UM Retreat in southwest Florida, and most recently in an interim role at UM Camp Mekokiko in Hawaii.

She is trained as a United Methodist EarthKeeper, Lay Servant, Master Naturalist, and a teacher trainer for Project Learning Tree. She resides at the Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center in Tennessee, where she serves as Board Chair. She has one daughter who resides in Knoxville.

Martha’s commitments to radical inclusion and sustainable Creation care align with UMCRM’s values and will enrich the work of the Association.

Some "fun facts" Martha shared with us:

1) I live in an off grid, straw bale home that I built myself.

2) I love power tools!
3) After a year of experimenting with free style pottery, my first pieces will be going up for sale this month!

We are grateful for Martha’s willingness to help guide the UMCRM Association in a governance capacity, sharing her insight and experience with our community. Please join in praying for her and the other awesome volunteers who commit their time, talent, and treasure to the United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries Association.

Drop Martha a word of welcome and encouragement at her new UMCRM email address: martha.pierce@umcrm.org

A Coaching Mindset: Notes from UMCRM Community Conversation 12/6/21

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 03:27:22 GMT

Joan Thorson, a longtime volunteer and camp/retreat ministry advocate from the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, joined us for the December 6th UMCRM Community Conversation to help us understand ways that a coaching mindset could enhance our camp and retreat ministry leadership. Participants learned definitions, powerful inquiry techniques, and coaching skills to apply to relationships with staff and others.

View the video recording

Here are some primary takeaways from the session:

Coaching techniques can be utilized in everyone's leadership. Coaching is an ongoing, intentional conversation that empowers the person or group to fully live out God's calling.

A coach is not the same as a:
- Supervisor (top/down and authoritative, may not focus on empowerment)
- Counselor/Therapist (working with the past, may have less future-focus)
- Mentor (someone sharing their experiences, less about reflecting on recipient's experiences)
- Consultant (advice-giving and sharing answers, less about assisting someone to discover answers for themselves)

Skills utilized in coaching:

Listening - Giving the gift of attentive focus (tip: listen 80% of the time, speak only 20% of to time)
Inquiry - Asking powerful questions
Feedback - Providing useful information
Expanding - Increasing awareness and broader perspective
Focusing - Designing effective action plans
Follow-up - Support

More on "Inquiry": A good question will provoke insight. Asking questions that gets someone to find their own answers. Their answers might not be the answer that you want them to have, but that is ok.

Clarifying Questions:

What do you mean by ...?
What does ..... mean to you?
What are your thoughts on ....?

Moving from "Why" questions to "What-with-an-'S'" questions:

Instead of asking, "Why do you not feel connected to your team?" Ask, "What things connect you to your team?"
Instead of asking, "Why are you frustrated at work?" Ask, "What factors cause you to be frustrated?"
Instead of asking, "Why do you want to learn a new skill?" Ask, "What are your motivations for learning this new skill?"

More on "Listening": Notice, Acknowledge, and Explore Emotions. Questions that come from listening may sound like:

I'm noticing emotions as you talk; what are you feeling?
Where is that ..(fill in emotion).. coming from?
What does that mean for you?

F.I.R.E.

Focus - Ask a clarifying question or two. Example - "What would you like to talk about?"

Importance - Notice emotions and ask more clarifying questions. Example - "What makes this issue important to you?"

Result - Uncover their goal through inquiry. Example - "What result would you like to take away from our conversation?"

Evaluate - Determine if you are going in the right direction. Example - "Are we on track?" or "Has this been helpful?"

Just because we’re sharing these recaps doesn’t mean you should skip Community Conversations! If you’re able to attend, your presence, perspectives, insights, and even your listening and your smile are a key part of our community life. Thanks to all who have been a part of the conversations over the past year and a half. The next one will be Monday, January 17th. Hope you’ll join us!

Hearts and Minds Blown Open… a visit to The Healthy Village Learning Institute

Jen Burch — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 01:49:45 GMT

Camp & Retreat Executives and Conference CRM Staff gather each year for an annual Summit. This year’s event followed the UMCRM National Gathering. During the first afternoon our group drove to the Healthy Village Learning Institute (HVLI) in an urban neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA. We parked our six cars in an area next to a four story brick former school building, the lower level covered with commissioned graffiti art. Inside, we walked through African drums (hundreds distributed throughout the building) and a loosely organized massive collection of historical African, African American, slave-era and beyond art and artifacts, covering tables, the walls and the floor with paths left for us to walk.

Keith Murphy, founder and Executive Director of the Institute, gave us a tour and told the story of the miracles taking place through his ministry. The Institute serves children in this community with the fourth highest rating for violence per capita in the state of Pennsylvania. The children come to study, to learn, to find peer and adult leadership support, to express themselves through the arts, and to discover the beauty and gifts of who they are as God’s people. Just as week-long camps serve as spaces for young people to step away from society and into God’s Creation, HVLI serves as a year-round space for members of the community to daily step away from the stresses of life and fully focus on God’s call on their lives.

In the center of the first-floor room, around 15 tables were set up in a circle with plexiglass protections for Covid. Each table had a laptop, with books on racism and Black literature next to the computers. This clearing was surrounded by hundreds (thousands?) of museum-quality artifacts. In this room, we held and hefted various weighty chains and shackles worn by slaves and felt the switches used in various forms of punishment of slaves. Everything in the building is there to be touched and experienced and not just intellectually learned about. Several tables were filled with signs and artifacts from the post-Civil war era which were visible and tangible demonstrations of the prejudice, oppression and racism which continued (continues) to be present across the decades.

Seeing and touching and hearing the stories was a powerful reminder and awakening of the legacy of racism in which we live. This could have been depressing and overwhelming, except that the stories told by “Murphy” extended our experiences into the hope of his ministry and mission through this institute. The computer tables give the children who participate, access to the internet. However, before they access the computers (or any activity throughout the building), they have to read at least one chapter from one of the books. Many of the walls are covered with pictures of the students (“Murphy” could name them all – and which university or college or school they attend) and with the incredible artwork of some of the students. Students come seeking a place to be and belong and they leave as future leaders made whole by their experiences.

Each room on each floor has a theme and purpose, from art to science to technology to Black Women and Black Men to culture and on. There are posters with affirmations, quotes from Black leaders and the educational philosophy providing the foundation to the institute, such as: “The Healthy Village Learning Process with four quadrants of Peace, Possibility, Power and Promise” and “MAPS (McKeesport Alternative Policing Strategies) – Goal is to Reduce Gun Violence either by Prevention or Intervention, using P.O.W.E.R (Positive Outcomes With Excuses Removed) by Providing young adults with productive, citizenship-oriented alternatives and Giving at-risk individuals opportunities to become Stakeholders in McKeesport.”

The youth who participate at the Institute are guided, trained, inspired, and educated with deeply ethical and creatively firm guidelines from their adult leaders. As an example, one room had a circle of around 12 African drums and, at the center, a group of another several large standing drums (all of which in the whole building, Keith Murphy brought back from his trips to Ghana). We sat in the chairs to play the drums while he and his nephew led us in call and response drumming. He then explained that if a child “loses it,” they are often sent to the drum room with an adult. They call and response pound the drums until the child has calmed down; then they can talk – much better than a time out or a trip to the Director’s office.

On top of all this, Murphy is interconnected with the surrounding community, working tirelessly for justice and opportunity for all. He is a witness to what one person with a faith built on Christ’s love and his own passion and determination to transform our world can do, beginning right where he lives, in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. By welcoming us to hear and experience his witness, his ministry of transformation has expanded to each of us who participated in this afternoon tour. We entered the tour as Camp/Retreat Ministry leaders and left with hearts and minds expanded with ideas for how we too might be transforming, faithful disciples in our own settings. Thanks be to God for saints like Keith Murphy and for all who support and participate in his ministry.

Joy and peace,

Sue D'Alessio

Director of Connectional Ministries,

Ministry and Outreach

Wisconsin Annual Conference

(in collaboration with Jessica Gamaché)

Summit attendees pictured: Kayla Hardage (AR), Chris Schlieckert (Balt-Wash), Nancy Lane (Illinois Great Rivers), Jessica Gamaché (UMCRM), David Berkey (MI), Todd Bartlett (OR-ID), Sue D'Alessio (WI), Arthur Spriggs (SC), Mike Standifer (FL), Gary Lawson (TN-W.Kentucky), Melinda Trotti, Kevin Witt (Susquehanna)

Connecting Camping/Retreat [transformative] Discipleship with Church [formative] Discipleship

Jen Burch — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 21:09:13 GMT

Scott Hughes, Executive Director of Congregational Vitality & Intentional Discipleship and Adult Ministries at UMC Discipleship Ministries, recently took part in the UMCRM National Camp & Retreat Leaders' Gathering, where he co-led a workshop on Discipleship, Camp, and Church. Here, Scott reflects on his own discipleship journey (including faith formation experiences), the workshop, and his time at the Gathering. Our hope is that these reflections will inspire further conversations in local settings around ways camp and retreat ministries and churches can work together to facilitate disciple-making in people of all ages.

Like many of my pastor friends, I have found camp and retreat settings to be formative to my faith. I still remember confirmation and summer retreats at Epworth by the Sea on Saint Simons Island. I have fond memories as a youth and young-adult leader at Camp Glisson in North Georgia. I also had the privilege of being a theologian-in-residence at Camp Glisson for a treasured week with my family. Camp and retreat settings have been crucial to faith formation across the lifespan for so many church leaders.

That’s why, along with my UM Discipleship Ministries colleagues Chris Wilterdink (Director of Youth and Young People’s Ministries) and Kevin Johnson (Director of Children’s Ministries), I was excited to participate as workshop leader at In the Kitchen, the biannual National Gathering for the United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries Association. The workshop we presented was a time for brainstorming and conversation about how camp and retreat settings can be intentional about the ways they contribute to faith formation while recognizing the unique contributions local churches make, so that we can be better ministry partners. (Yeah, that’s kind of wordy—much like our title for the workshop – “Connecting Camping/Retreat [transformative] Discipleship with Church [formative] Discipleship.”)

We spent time in our workshop giving participants a glimpse into the trainings we’ve done with churches and conference leaders around intentional discipleship systems, which include: connecting to our ”why” and starting with the end in mind; grounding discipleship in baptism; and noting that salvation is much more than conversion. The participants had healthy dialogue about how to define discipleship and how central discipleship was to their camp’s mission.

The highlight of the workshop, for me,

was our conversation about the unique contributions camp and retreat settings make to discipleship formation. Before looking at the images (if you haven’t already), try to come up with three to five things camps contribute uniquely to discipleship formation and three to five things local churches contribute uniquely to discipleship formation. Then compare your answers with the images where we brainstormed during the workshop.

You can read (if you can read my terrible handwriting) the bullet points from the workshop in the first image. Perhaps you have thought of some additional ways. What fascinated me the most is when we asked participants to list the unique contributions local congregations make to discipleship formation (again, assuming you can read my handwriting, you can see the list in the second image).

Having served as a pastor for thirteen years, having been to countless district meetings and in many other conversations with pastors, I could discern the distinct perspective these camp and retreat leaders had toward the ministries and activities of a local church. (I really hope to repeat this conversation with pastors. My guess is both lists would be wildly different. What do you notice about the length of the two lists? What do you notice is missing from the churches’ list?)

From the workshop participants and in the many other fruitful conversations that we had at the beautiful Jumonville Camp and Retreat Center, I discovered these top takeaways:

There are many ways churches and camp/retreat settings can collaborate.

Leaders from each of these settings have been through a lot in the past two years and can collaborate to ease some of their stresses. Some examples generated among the Camp & Retreat community: Camps can offer space for church leaders to experience sabbath or retreat spaces for church teams. Camp leaders might offer speakers for worship services. Local churches can help with scholarships and offer camp leaders spaces where they can worship without having to be responsible for anything.

Local congregations can be intentional in pointing their participants to the needed transformative (mountain-top) experiences that camp/retreat settings readily offer.

Camp/retreat settings can collaborate with nearby churches for participants to get needed regular, long-term formative experiences that local church communities offer.

While many local churches and camp/retreat ministries are struggling from the events of the last two years, in particular, each setting for faith formation needs the other to collaborate well (in some cases, survival depends on it).

Lastly, I’ll note some questions that might help generate collaboration between church leaders and camp/retreat leaders.

When was your last camp or retreat experience?
What does your strategy for discipleship look like?
How can we collaborate to make discipleship formation experiential and more than just acquiring information?
How might we help each other to experience God’s rest as leaders?
How might a camp or retreat experience help you connect in new ways with children and youth in your congregation?

*For a link to the slides of our workshop: https://www.dropbox.com/s/d5y270je2y2dh1w/Camping%20Workshop.pptx?dl=0

* If you’re interested in seeing pictures around the Jumonville Camp and Retreat Center: https://RevScott.zenfolio.com/p395485545

Recipe Contest Winners!

Jen Burch — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 18:59:20 GMT

In keeping with our "In The Kitchen" theme, UMCRM hosted a contest for Best Camp/Retreat Recipe, featuring favorites from United Methodist camps and retreat centers around the country.

All proceeds from contest voting went to support the Legacy of Leadership Fund. Thanks to all who joined the fun!

Inspiring the most voters:

Raising the most total votes ($1 contributions) – $498!

The real winner, of course, is the Legacy of Leadership Fund. We encourage readers to bake them both and taste test for yourselves – also a win-win situation. Happy baking!

Faces of UMCRM: Reflections From Ron Schane

Jen Burch — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 03:19:50 GMT

After a fruitful career serving in Camp & Retreat Ministry and 19 years as Director of Pocono Plateau, Rev. Ron Schane sat down with Apryl Miller (Gretna Glen, Eastern PA) to reflect on lessons learned, changes he's witnessed, and words of encouragement for current UMCRM leaders.

How were you called into C&R ministry?

Growing up, my C&R ministry experience was limited to church youth group retreats. I never attended summer camp. However, my parents took our family on camping trips all the time and that’s where I acquired my love of the outdoors. During my high school years, I worked at a summer camp, and felt drawn to pursue a career in C&R ministry upon entering college. But upon graduation, however, God redirected my path into church-based ministry. During my 20 years of youth ministry, I remained connected with the summer camp ministry as a volunteer. Then, as my wife and I re-evaluated God’s will for our own family, the opportunity to enter full-time C&R ministry opened. So, my calling went full circle, remembering that in following God’s will, it’s in God’s timing and not in ours.

Where have you served? (years, places, roles)

I served on the summer program staff at Tel-Hai Camp from 1975-1980 and 1982. Camp Hebron in the summer of 1981 on the program staff. Then, a volunteer counselor and program director for Jr. High camps at Pocono Plateau from 1986-2001. And of course, as the Camp Director at Pocono Plateau Camp & Retreat Camp from January 2002 to January 2022. I also served in Youth Ministry at Olivet UMC in Coatesville from 1982 to 2002.

What significant changes have you seen over the years in this ministry?

The most significant change I’ve seen is sadly the decrease in our United Methodist Church membership which has a direct effect on C&R ministry. Churches have much fewer children available for summer camp and less participants for retreats. It’s been an alarming trend. The repercussions are enormous. Another change is within our culture – the pace at which people live-out their lives. Everyone is on the go all the time; there’s no slowing down. People need a breather from their nonstop life styles. They need to take a break from the toxic social media and reconnect with God and one another. The need for spiritual retreats has never been greater and yet it is underutilized.

Describe your greatest blessings in this work?

If I were to list my greatest blessings we’d be here all day. So I’ll focus on two. First, I feel blessed that every day I got to experience God’s handiwork. Being outdoors surrounded by creation was a wonderful blessing, but observing our amazing God actively involved in the lives of individuals was truly incredible. To see the growth in others, whether it was campers, staff, volunteers, or retreat guests, was extremely rewarding. The second blessing was watching my two children serve on my summer staff. What can I say, it made me proud as a Director and a father.

What's one thing you're looking forward to doing in your retirement?

Honestly, spending more time with family. As you know the commitment to C&R ministry means working when typically everyone else is not. So, I’m looking forward to weekends off and vacationing during the summer.

What's one important thing you've learned that you would like to pass along to other camp & retreat leaders?

Even though C&R ministry can be rewarding and a blessing in so many ways, it can also be extremely challenging, stressful, and draining on an individual. It’s vital to care for your own health – physically, mentally, and spiritually. No one else is responsible for your health, so you need to do it.

National Gathering Serves as a Reminder of Who We Are: Guest Post by Nick Coenen

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 02:05:15 GMT

As my wife Jamie and I headed out to this year's United Methodist Camp & Retreat Leaders' Gathering on the previous Sunday, I kept trying to sort out what I wanted to get out of this conference. Was there an area of camp I needed help with? A new program to explore? To be honest, though, I didn’t want to go on this trip. The prospect of losing a week of office time felt like too much right now. There is so much to do (as there always is) and in addition, there are so many new considerations as we weigh rising costs of goods and labor while trying to project just what next summer might look like. Too much to do…always too much to do…!

I wasn’t alone in my reluctance. Before the event I heard from two other camp directors with the same concern, and when we arrived, I heard it echoed by several more. The urgency, the anxiousness, the relative levels of burnout we all were experiencing were fooling us, though. In times like this, sometimes the best thing one can do is step away for some better perspective.

Four days later, I more fully understand the perspective I needed God to bring to me. Or more accurately, all the ways that God found to remind me of who I am, who God is, and where God continues to call me (and many others) to. These reminders didn't come in the ways I expected. Then again, how often does the Spirit move on our schedules or fit into our expectations?

Keynote sessions, led by Michelle Cummings, were engaging and full of energy. One of her first activities paired us up with a set of question cards with three different levels of "difficulty” from the most superficial to the more vulnerable. The questions likely would feel relatively innocent with a group of campers, but among our participants in this setting each question felt laden with deep emotion. Our room full of professional facilitators could anticipate the activity's outcomes, and many of us were ready to lean into the emotional transparency that might take other groups hours to develop. It was a simple activity, but the value of giving choice to the questions we ask was a useful takeaway.

Rev. Matthew Johnson led our morning Bible study time in a beautiful old chapel that dated back to 1882. His messages were consistently personal: reflections on his time with family, his youth, and the challenges of ministry. After breakfast, his way of opening the scriptures felt like comfort food each day with warmth and a subtle hint of humor.

Rev. Tiffany Knowlin Boykin and Rev. Raphael Koikoi preached for our evening worships. Most memorable to me were the words of Rev. Knowlin Boykin as she addressed the condition of our hearts as we have navigated this difficult couple of seasons. While her pastoral ministry context differs from ours, she found words that fit our reality in camp and retreat ministry. It was a good reminder that what we have experienced in our ministry settings is not wholly unique, but rather one facet of a difficult common challenge as we all tried to find new ways to serve people at a distance.

While the programmed parts of the Gathering provided meaningful applications, perhaps the most profound reminder that I needed to receive came during Wednesday free time. My wife Jamie and I joined our friend James Tresner to play a round of disc golf on the camp's course. Our ability levels were all over the place. I had played a lot of disc golf in college, to the point that on the day before our wedding, I played 72 unique holes with the men in my wedding party, deciding our procession order based on our scores. In contrast, James had only played one other time, but his upbeat attitude outweighed any frustration an errant throw would cause many others. And while Jamie had possibly the best short game of all of us, her long throws were…less than long. Ability levels mattered very little here, though. At the site’s relative elevation, we found ourselves playing in a dense cloud – the thickest fog you can imagine. The weather was like this most of the week, almost as if instead of leading us by a cloud, God had decided just to place us directly in one instead. From the first tee, we looked for the goal basket and despite squinting and some rough maps, we ultimately had to guess. We would throw in a general direction, hoping we were near the target. As we moved towards our second throws, one of us would likely see the goal, sharing with the others how close (or far off) we were. We talked, we laughed, and made our way through each fog-covered puzzle.

God showed up again through this experience with an important reminder for me. I was reminded that in the last 18 months, things that were once easy had become obscured and seemingly impossible. When I tried to muddle through alone, it was frustrating at best. But when I did the work alongside others, especially friends and colleagues who were looking for similar paths, it was always a better, more successful experience. While today we’re weary of countless Zoom meetings, back when this pandemic began those points of connection helped us sketch a roadmap with crayon as together we did our best to map out a future. God does not wish for us to navigate hard things alone; we are always better together.

During those travels together, conversations are shared as vulnerabilities come to the surface. As we navigate the fog of this season, our burdens are shared with the hope that solutions can be found. But no matter where the path leads, the balm of a compassionate heart can help us get through.

Every facet of this conference had a purpose. God used these moments to reach our hearts and remind our souls as well. This time, when many of us felt so beat up and pressed upon by so much beyond our control, the greatest gift was simply remembering how to be the wonderful, messy, human creations that God called us to be. And despite our mess, time in community reminded us that we were never alone, finally close enough to share a meal around a table, sharing the scars of a tough season and the stories of unexpected joy that continue to make it all worthwhile.

One last note that I can’t forget – Jamie and I both agreed that we haven’t laughed as much in the last year as we did this week. I haven’t laughed very much at all recently. But surrounded by so many who truly understand the complexities of life at camp, it was as though the tightness in my soul finally released so joy could be restored. The greatest gift of events like this is the friends we leave with, scattering all over the country once again. These are not only partners in ministry, but brothers and sisters in Christ who know the beautiful sacrifice that a calling to camp/retreat ministry often requires. May we all return safely to the places we call home and the places we share God’s love. May God bless us until we meet again, keeping us safe, protecting those who come through our sites, drawing both ever closer to the goodness that we felt this week.

Nick Coenen is Director of Pine Lake United Methodist Camp & Retreat Center in Wisconsin, where he shares life, ministry, and parenthood with Jamie Coenen, Pine Lake's Program Coordinator. Nick has bravely agreed to serve as a co-Chair of the Design Team for UMCRM's next National Gathering.

Tanner Clark to Lead at Lake Lucerne (WI)

Jen Burch — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 02:55:23 GMT

Tanner reflects:

When I first began going to camp as a caregiver for my older brother, who has special needs, I thought it was going to be the worst experience in the world. I couldn’t have been more wrong. By the time I was a freshman in college, I had discerned a significant call to ministry; specifically, to camping and retreat ministry. Coming from the Dakotas Conference, l have been an active camper, volunteer, and summer and seasonal staff at Wesley Acres Camp for the past 12 years, collectively. My staff roles have transitioned from support and hospitality, to maintenance and project coordinator, to counselor and program intern. For the past four years, I have supervised a group home for children with special needs, but have always been looking forward to when God would bring me back to ministry in camp. I intend to continue the strong ministry that is present at Lake Lucerne and provide a safe environment to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!

Please pray for Tanner in this new, exciting role in ministry. Look for Tanner at the upcoming UMCRM National Gathering to welcome him in person!

Creation Formation: Overview From 10/11/21 UMCRM Community Conversation

Jen Burch — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 02:28:28 GMT

Connecting faith with nature has long been a part of the Wesleyan tradition. The possibility of preaching outside first came as a revelation to John Wesley in 1731:

“In the evening I reached Bristol, and met Mr. Whitefield there. I could scarce reconcile myself at first to this strange way of preaching in the fields, of which he set me an example on Sunday; having been all my life (till very lately) so tenacious of every point relating to decency and order, that I should have thought the saving of souls almost a sin, if it had not been done in a church." –John Wesley journal entry

Have you noticed that the vast majority of faith-based camp and retreat centers are located within or adjacent to natural surroundings? Even where civilization has encroached, center staff and volunteers plant gardens and landscaping to assure that nature remains. Our commitment to nature isn’t just utilitarian. The historic predecessors to modern-day camp and retreat ministries intentionally sought opportunities to spend time outdoors, including the Camp Meetings, Chautauqua, Scouting, and Epworth League movements.

What value does an outdoor setting bring to a person’s discipleship journey?

Society has “othered” nature. Nature is perceived by many that it is something different from “us.” God’s Creation, of course, encompasses people and the rest of the natural world.
When people are asked, “Where have you felt closest to God?”, many name places like a lakeshore, forest, ocean, or scenic mountaintop. Camp & retreat ministries steward places like this and help create opportunities for powerful encounters with the Creator and Creation.
People can see their place in the natural world when they are interacting with their environments.
We don’t grow closer to God by only reading books. We grow closer to God by interacting with God (natural world along with the people in it).
Earth is not just a “setting” that we wait in until we get to Heaven. Earth is part of us and we are part of it.

Camp provides people the opportunity to learn more about the natural world:

1 Kings 4: 29-34 God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore, ...his fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. He composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He would speak of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows in the wall; he would speak of animals, and birds, and reptiles, and fish. People came from all the nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon; they came from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

We not only learn scientifically from observing nature, we also learn spiritual truths, since all life has its origins in the Source of Life.

The United Methodist Social Principles are a prayerful and thoughtful effort on the part of the General Conference to speak to the human issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation. From our Book of Discipline:

THE NATURAL WORLD

All creation is the Lord's, and we are responsible for the ways we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God's creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation.”

How do we teach respect and care for Creation to our campers and guests?

Leaders can allow nature to be the teacher. Let the trees speak.
Environmental education programming
- It is easy to incorporate faith and environmental education during the summer
There is something innately spiritual about gathering around a tree and discussing the natural world.
If we listen to the stories of native people we know they had a profound connection to nature. God will reveal God’s self in stories beyond traditional Christian faith lessons.
We can teach without speaking. Actions speak loudly.
Interpret to your campers, families, and supporters why you are doing what you are doing
- Create displays about the fair trade coffee you are using and how they can use it at home
- Talk about how and why your site recycles or composts
- Invite guests to partner in saving water and electricity and connect it not only to the budget but also to Creation care values

How do we show respect and care for Creation through camp and retreat ministries?

Simple
- Recycling and Composting
- Vendor choices – what kind of coffee, tea, paper products, etc., you purchase
- Use both sides of printer paper
- Combine trips when going into town
- Use intentional language (during communion use “Come and receive” opposed to “Come and take.”)
- Talk to campers about portion sizes, electric use, and use of disposables. Teach gratitude
Bold
- Create a camp garden to use homegrown vegetables in the dining hall.
- Talk to community organizations about installing solar energy generation
- Set goals for net-zero emissions.
- - Install solar or wind turbines
  - Carbon offsets (could we partner with church & community to plant trees on our grounds?)
- Build LEED-certified buildings for new construction and renovations

Resources:

Beautiful Words: Statements from the UMC on Care for Creation
Energy Star webinar 10/15
“All We Can Save”
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations (Center for Action & Contemplation)
UMC Discipleship Ministries Commitment to Net Zero

The Story of UMCRM's S'more Mail - Celebrating 400 Issues

Jen Burch — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 03:46:40 GMT

400 weekly issues?! Time flies when you’re having fun.

How did we get here?

The United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association (re-)formed in 2013 with an expanded vision for how we could collectively “resource, advocate, inspire, and network” to promote the effectiveness and sustainability of camps and retreats in our denomination. It had already been clear to us for generations that the lifeblood of our ministries is its leaders. What did camp/retreat leaders need to grow and thrive? At a time when the internet had astronomically expanded access to information, we saw a need to synthesize and curate content specifically for the UMCRM community. No one has time to sort through every article, blog post, training event, webinar, podcast, book, social media post, etc. on topics from youth development to nonprofit governance, outdoor recreation, facilities management, family ministry, spirituality, creation care, human resources, fund development, United Methodist perspectives and news, and on and on…!

Smooshing together the ingredients to make something delicious

Could we provide a regular “digest” of relevant news and information for our camp/retreat leaders? The Association had hired a very-part-time Administrator to help coordinate some of the great ideas generated by the volunteer board; this e-news would become a key part of that job. The volunteer Communications team wondered if there would be enough content to put together an issue each week. “We’ll try it,” we said. Eight years later, we still amazingly have never run out of material to share! A team of UMCRM member volunteers reads through each issue and helps to strategize about the issues and topics most relevant to our community in different seasons of the ministry year. One of the features we started early on, the Blessings Report, has become a beloved must-read for those who skip to the bottom for a smile, nod, and prayer of gratitude each week. We have built community as we learned to know new “Faces of UMCRM” and celebrated births, retirements, and new jobs. We have joined colleagues in ministry to delve into tough issues from COVID protocols to racism to financial challenges. We’ve shared ideas for programs, recipes, fundraising, and crafts, and sought to connect with our faith through devotional materials, inspirational articles, and reminders of God’s presence in creation and community.

S'more Mail for everyone

Our first issues went out to UMCRM Association charter members -- just about 150 people in those first few months. S’more Mail’s readership has grown steadily to over 1000 subscribers, and about 45% of you open that email each week. An average open rate for e-newsletters across industries is about 22%, so we know we’re serving up something that’s working for you. Our readers among United Methodist Camp & Retreat staff have been joined by leaders from other denominations and camp organizations, business leaders who serve our community, volunteers, board members, clergy, and others who care about camps, ministry leadership, and the 7 Foundations values that guide us. Thanks to all who have contributed an idea, shared an article, or written a blog post, and to those who have dropped us a note of appreciation for an issue that was especially helpful to you.

Special gratitude to our current Communications team:

Lu Harding

Lisa Jean Hoefner

Kelley Price

Jeff Wilson

Whitney Winston

and to all the dedicated volunteers who have been part of the S’more Mail project since its inception: Ashley Cross (Holston), Michaela Dotsch (Holston), Cameron Jones (N.Georgia), David Riddell (UNY), Jack Shitama (PenDel), Joan Thorson (PNW), and Mark Walz (KY).

What’s next?

We’ll keep listening and reading and adapting to remain responsive to the kind of content that matters to UMCRM members. One hope for the future is to create periodic collections of most-clicked items for the busy reader.

If you have benefited personally or professionally from something you read in S’more Mail, but have never given financial support to the UMCRM Association, please consider making a gift today.

If you’d like to volunteer with the Communications team, either (or both) as a content advisor or weekly proofreader, please contact Jen to express your interest.

If you know someone who would benefit from a weekly infusion of news and ideas related to United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries, please invite them to subscribe - it’s free!

Jen Burch has been S’more Mail’s only editor for the past 8 years and 400 weekly issues. She’s laughing about referring to herself in the third person. Jen is a former Director/Manager at United Methodist Camp/Retreat Centers and served two terms on the NCRC/UMCRM board before becoming the Association’s first staff person. She believes deeply in the power of outdoor ministries to transform lives and build God’s beloved community and is regularly inspired by the love and expertise UMCRM leaders bring to this work. You can make her smile by double-checking your spelling and grammar and sending mail, coffee, and/or chocolate.

Inspiring Love & Justice: Overview From 9/29 UMCRM Community Conversation

Jen Burch — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 02:24:21 GMT

One of the 7 Foundations of United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministry is “Inspire & Equip Lives For Love and Justice.” (View all 7 here) This week’s conversation explored the journey from the mountaintop experience of a camp or retreat to sending back into daily life. Our hope is that those who spend time in our temporary communities come away changed by that experience.

One inspiration comes from the foundational document of our denomination:

The community provides the potential for nurturing human beings into the fullness of their humanity. We believe we have a responsibility to innovate, sponsor, and evaluate new forms of community that will encourage development of the fullest potential in individuals.

– Paragraph 161,The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2016 (Social Principles: The Nurturing Community)

Camp and Retreat experiences provide fruitful opportunities for people to gather and to live together for a time. These times of gathering at our centers, dedicated to growth in love, have great potential to inspire guests to embrace life-giving practices and to act more justly and lovingly.

How do we create community through “creative dislocation”?

We meet people where they are, then we grow along with them.
Community building is a journey or process, so we support groups wherever they are on that path -- they have different needs and abilities on Friday night than they do on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning.
Community isn’t a “one-off.”
“Change of pace, change of place, and change of face”

The Call to Engage the World

The Gospel of Mark recounts disciples’ challenge to integrate the power and thrill of the mountaintop transfiguration into what might come next. They were tempted just to stay up there! Like those disciples, our guests and campers are called to return, changed, to a world that needs them.

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. – Mark 9:2-8

From Year of Plenty by Craig L. Goodwin –

I find that, too often, we frame the formation of Christian community around the idea of escaping everyday life, as if it were the worst of distractions from things of God. It is assumed that God is hidden in the midst of daily necessities but is more available outside of these pressing rhythms. We are invited into the church sanctuary or retreat center to find God.

But what if we’re mixed up in these assumptions? What if we’ve got it all wrong? What if, in fact, the most fruitful places of spiritual formation and connection with God and community are not in the removed, abstract places, but rather in the midst of the most mundane daily realities? What if God is among us at all times and all things, and the daily rhythms of life are the raw material of spiritual lift?

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, himself struggled with the tension between the dynamics of forming community and the call to engage the world through service.

For a time John Wesley toyed with the idea of a separated Christian community modeled on early Christian communal living-when "all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common." His comment on Acts 2:45 exclaims wistfully: "It was a natural fruit of that love wherewith each member of the community loved every other as his own soul. And if the whole Christian Church had continued in this spirit, this usage must have continued through all ages." Wesley never quite forsook this dream. And during his last three decades he encouraged "The Community" formed by his followers for social service in London.

Soon after the development of his United Societies in 1739, however, he deliberately set aside any plans to organize Methodist monastics. He maintained in one of his sermons on the Sermon on the Mount that "Christianity is essentially a social religion, and that to turn it into a solitary religion is indeed to destroy it." He realized that we must come to terms with the society in which we live, with all its faults.

– From “Wesley’s Principles for Social Action” by Frank Baker, Good News, January/February 1985

Does camp and retreat ministries reflect the idea that God and community are in the midst of the most mundane daily realities?

How do we create camp and retreat experiences that show people how to translate their growth in these “set aside” / “monastic” times, to the society in which we live?

Showing radical hospitality
Modeling holy practices
- Embracing diversity, confronting the evil of racism and confessing the sin of white privilege through hiring practices, board composition and guest policies.
- Practicing good stewardship of the earth through conservation, use of recycled materials, use of renewable sources of energy and use of innovative waste disposal methods (composting toilets, created wetlands).
- Addressing economic inequality by using fair trade products and educating our guests as to their benefits.
- Going beyond legal requirements for accessibility by showing real concern for and attention to the needs of ALL guests.
- Practicing authentic community that truly welcomes the stranger, values all persons, and confronts injustice and oppression.

Intentionally talking about Christian living beyond camp
- Give campers and guests the language to share their experiences. Teach them to talk about camp being more than just “fun”.
- Speak about this being a temporary community and ask guests to think about how they can recreate that sense of community somewhere else.
- Micah 6:8 – He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Our guests will learn the value of ongoing community if they have significant camp and retreat experiences in temporary community. We can interpret to guest groups that the sense of community or covenant faithfulness that they experience through camps and retreats is also available beyond the bounds of our centers. Such communities of inspiration and encouragement are major assets to living lives of love, justice, and service.
- Our own Wesleyan tradition provides a powerful model. As mentioned previously, John Wesley decided against set-apart communal arrangements as being too isolated from the world. The “method” he embraced instead was the class meeting. Small groups meeting on a regular basis to form community through support and accountability was the way that Wesley found for Christians to “provoke one another to love and good deeds.”

Just because we’re sharing these recaps doesn’t mean you should skip Community Conversations! If you’re able to attend, your presence, perspectives, insights, and even your listening and your smile are a key part of our community life. Thanks to all who have been a part of the conversations. The next one will be Monday, October 11th. Hope you’ll join us!

Dress Codes: Time to Revisit? - Guest Post by Megan Lynch

Jen Burch — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 22:21:12 GMT

Let’s talk about dress codes.

Dress codes have been a massive subject in the press this year as more students advocate for their ability to express themselves. For example, a viral Tik Tok video from the beginning of September called out sexism in a school’s dress code. The three students (two women and one man) wore crop tops, but only two were written up. This student called out the double standard, and these sorts of recent protests have inspired some camps and campers to look again at camp dress codes and standards.

We say that everyone can come to camp and be their true selves, which means they can come here and live their truth without shame or hiding. Does your camp have a dress code policy or rules for what campers can/can’t wear? Do these dress codes and rules affect campers’ ability to be themselves? Let’s look at how our policies actually can support the values of our camp community.

In many schools, individuals who identify as women have more rules on how they dress than people who identify as men. Why might that be? Society has made us believe that women’s clothing can be distracting to men. Pushing further the “why?” question, we must look at how our culture has sexualized perceptions of women’s appearance and dress. Their shoulders could be distracting, so they can’t wear tank tops, but men can; women’s shorts could be leading the men on, but men can wear whatever they want. If a woman wears a bikini, is it okay for her body now to be objectified?

As a mother of two daughters, I am already anxious about my girls having to experience what society has already put me through. Growing up, I remember looking at clothes saying to myself, “I could never wear that, as it will give the wrong impression”, and “Is this safe to wear?” What does that mean? When I stop and think about it, I create the same environment and feelings for my daughters. Why do our young girls have to feel like this? It is not their fault how their bodies look and how other people perceive them.

Children’s clothes underscore the difference. Already in toddler clothes, “boy” shorts are mostly longer than “girl” shorts, and “girl” shirts are already cut for curves they won’t have for another decade. Marketers are already instilling these differences that girls will then be taught to be ashamed of. I believe no one should be made to feel shame about their God-given body. It is already hard enough to find comfortable clothes that fit and that are “safe” to wear.

I saw a post on social media that said, “Is that shirt see-through? It feels unfair to tell a girl that it is her responsibility to manage the male gaze. Let’s work to create cultures that actively oppose the objectification of women. I do not want anyone to feel their body objectified at camp or anywhere.

As a Christian camp, how do we live by our beliefs and values regarding dress code? For me, that looks like teaching our campers to respect one another no matter what their gender is, who they are, what they believe, and that they have a right to be who they are. This includes dressing in what makes them feel most comfortable. Maybe that is wearing a one-piece swimsuit or a tee shirt to swim, or short shorts or jeans or leggings. Leaders need to be standing up and giving people space to be themselves no matter what is on the outside.

Imagine this: A camper who identifies as male comes onto your waterfront in a speedo. Is there a policy that males cannot wear them? No? But is there a similar swimwear policy that only applies to girls? Gendered policies not only feel discriminatory, but may be yet another barrier to a nonbinary camper being able to fit in at camp.

Here at Aldersgate, our dress code has changed throughout the years. We used to say that shorts needed to be down near your knee, no tank tops, and one-piece bathing suits for women. Now we have a simple dress code. Here at Aldersgate, everyone dresses for the activity they are doing, and what you are wearing cannot have politics, violence, or swearing.

We did not have any pushback from our families, campers, or staff because we actually didn’t put any limits on them. Many of them may feel more comfortable in short shorts or a tank top rather than shorts that go down to their knees. We ultimately leave it up to camper families. When I talk to parents who ask about our dress code policy, especially regarding swimwear, I am candid and say, “They should wear whatever they feel comfortable in.” They decide whether that’s a one-piece, a two-piece, or shorts and a shirt. It puts the ball in their court to make those decisions as a family.

Our dress code focuses on safety. If campers are playing sports, they need to be wearing close-toed shoes. We try to take a positive approach to unsafe dress. If a camper comes with flip flops on, we don’t yell at them and shame them. We ask if they have other shoes at camp with them. If they do, we encourage them to change. If they do not, we work out tasks they can do from the sideline that still includes them and follows the safety rules.

I want to teach all of our campers that we need to give everyone the space to wear what they want and feel comfortable. At our camp, we’re trying to build a Christian culture of mutual respect, equality, and belonging. May we grow to see one another with the eyes of Christ, who shows no partiality.

Is it time to revisit your camp’s dress code?

Megan Lynch is the Program Director at Aldersgate Camp and Retreat Center in Rhode Island, where she first served as an International Counselor from Northern Ireland in 2010. Megan has worked in childcare settings for over 15 years. Megan has 2 daughters who are excited to be campers. Megan is a part of the Nerdfighter community which was founded by John and Hank Green and focuses on how to make the world a better place. Megan also enjoys a good cup of tea.

Faces of UMCRM: Meet Stirling Sims

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 04:16:43 GMT

Stirling Sims, though connected to a family of “camp people,” never really had the quintessential camp experience until this summer. As a student at Queens University in North Carolina, playing college volleyball and studying Nursing, he was recruited by his cousins—long time camp kids, volunteers, and staff, Kallie and Abby Handlong, to join the counselor intern team at Mingus Mountain Camp (AZ).

With over a year of COVID living impacting all of us, this summer started with Stirling and the rest of the counselor interns just figuring out how to be around people in real life again – how to connect with others, see each other for who they are, and how to lead campers in the experience that they needed to re-enter into life. To say this was tougher than it sounds is an understatement.

With campers “out of practice,” unused to things like lining up, listening to an adult’s (besides at home) instruction, being aware of others, etc., it meant that in many ways, the Mingus camp staff were reintroducing our campers to the basic rules of living in society. Stirling, focused on offering fun experiences in a safe environment, discovered that a lot of his time was spent just reining in campers, redirecting them, and teaching them or reintroducing them to what it means to be together in community.

After a few grueling weeks, he was questioning whether camp was the right place for him, and after some honest and heartfelt discussions with camp leadership, he decided to give it another week. That week was when the camp magic happened. Stirling's group of campers, a Junior High coed group, was a disparate crew with lots of identities, from the traditionally “cool” campers to more unique and marginalized youth. The week was hard, but oh so good — filled with fun, heartfelt connections, and those moments when camp transformed from being a bunch of different people to an embodiment of loving, accepting community.

Just before that transformation occurred, when Stirling was still wondering why he was at camp, he asked God to show to him that he wasn’t alone and that he was where he was meant to be. In turn, using his Bible app, God pointed him to the scripture of Jonah and the whale (which happened to be a primary scripture we studied this summer). In the passage, Stirling encountered Jonah drowning, overwhelmed, afraid, alone, and exhausted. Jonah was swallowed by the giant fish — not to kill him, but to protect him — to offer him a place of peace amid the chaos. Stirling knew immediately that the scripture was meant for him; that God was offering him camp the way God offered Jonah the fish.

From that moment, Stirling saw his campers and the camp experience through changed eyes. He was sure that God was with him and that he just had to listen to hear what God was saying. God showed him the beauty of his challenging group, and the night before camp ended, Stirling found himself just watching the campers as they laughed, swapped phone numbers, and shared their final evening in game play and conversation, thinking to himself, “this is the hardest job you’ll ever love.”

Ultimately, though the summer had challenges and lots of growing opportunities, Stirling was fulfilled to finish the summer surprised at how much he enjoyed it and sad to see camp come to a close. He’s sure that God is still with him even in the chaos, and that is something he’ll forever carry with him from camp at Mingus Mountain.

Special thanks to the Mingus Mountain team for sharing this story!

Escheatment & Reverse Fundraisers: Overview from 9/13 Community Conversation

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 02:48:41 GMT

Peter Mastroianni, Partner and Chief Innovation Officer at Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg, LLP, was our guest at the September 13th UMCRM Community Conversation. Peter shared with us about escheatment and how to retrieve unclaimed assets that are owed to you, your family, your donors, and your camp ministry.

What is Escheatment?

"When certain assets are left unclaimed, those assets are transferred to states and other governmental entities in a process known as escheatment. The assets are then custodially held until the rightful owner can reclaim them. Currently, more than $50 billion dollars of custodial escheatment is in governmental possession."

- Peter Mastroianni

Benefits of escheatment

Am I or my organization owed funds currently held in escheatment?

Find out if you have assets in escheatment

Find out if your camp is owed money through escheatment

This site enables you to search by state to see if you & your family members, your camp/retreat center, or UM churches in your region have unclaimed assets. It is a free resource, so any individual or business can use it.

Tips for searching:

Click on your state at escheatment.com
Search your name, your organization's name
Try alternative spellings to your name
Try just part of your or your camp's name
Search for family, churches, etc.

How can we create a “Reverse Fundraiser?”

A "Reverse Fundraiser" is a way to build relationships with your supporters and give back to those who have been generous to your ministry in the past. In most situations, people and organizations do not know that they are owed funds or assets through escheatment. This is an opportunity for your supporters (people, churches, Conference, etc) to make a donation to your ministry with these extra funds that they didn't realize they had in the first place. It will not impact their planned budget.

Create an event or campaign that teaches donors and supporters about escheatment. Then invite them to give a portion of their claimed assets to your ministry. Here's an example of a "Reverse Fundraiser"

Another option is to create a video describing escheatment and inviting people to give a portion of their unclaimed funds to your camp. Post the video and the escheatment.com website on your ministry's giving page.

We'd like to invite anyone who finds money to give back to UM Camp & Retreat Ministries. Anyone who doesn’t have one favorite camp is welcome to donate back a portion of "found" assets to support our national Association:
https://umcrm.wildapricot.org/Donate

Please contact Jessica if you have any questions. Peter Mastroianni is also more than willing to help -- just click the Contact Us button on Escheatment.com.

Destination Silent Auction: Donate A Getaway

Jen Burch — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 22:53:59 GMT

During this year's National Gathering, UMCRM will be raising money for the Legacy of Leadership Fund in a couple of fun ways! Whether you are there in person or not, you are invited to participate.

The Legacy of Leadership Fund provides scholarships for rising leaders to attend professional and educational events like the UMCRM National Gathering, Compass Points, Immersion, etc. These scholarships are vital in equipping the next generation of camp and retreat leaders to build up this beloved ministry. This year, $8,000 was available to distribute in scholarships. However, each year there is more need for assistance in getting leaders to these valuable events. Supporting the Legacy of Leadership Fund means you are directly supporting your colleagues and friends in the ministry that God has called them to.

This fall, take part in the Destination Silent Auction by offering a stay at your camp/retreat site and/or by bidding on a unique getaway for yourself or as a gift.

Share the beauty of your destination by donating a 1-, 2-, or 3- night stay at your camp/retreat center at the link below. During the National Gathering, participants will have the opportunity to bid on the destinations at the Destination Silent Auction. 100% of the winning bids will support the Legacy of Leadership Fund.

DONATE a stay at your Camp/Retreat Center

Submissions due by Friday, October 15th

Turn Your Favorite Recipe Into Legacy Scholarships!

Jen Burch — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 22:34:38 GMT

Every camp and retreat center has one recipe it's famous for! This fall, use your prize recipe to help raise money for the UMCRM Legacy of Leadership Fund.

Each recipe will be highlighted on a special voting site. Once the site is live, anyone can vote with their dollars: $1 = 1 vote

At that time you can promote your recipe on your social media channels and among your supporters. The recipe with the most dollars raised and the recipe with the most individual donors will each win an Amazon gift card for the site/ministry!

Earn your copy of the digital UMCRM Cookbook by donating $5 or more in votes.

Submit Your Camp/Retreat Center's Recipe HERE

Recipes submissions due by Friday, October 8th

Tell Your Story: Guest Post from the Center For Generosity

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 02:31:37 GMT

YOUR CAMP STORY IS YOUR GREATEST ASSET

At GSB Fundraising, we get camp! We know the impact you have on the lives of the campers and counselors you serve, and it is our mission to help you strengthen your mission. That is why we have launched the new Center for Generosity, to give you ongoing support and access to valuable resources like storytelling and communications calendar outlines. Telling your impact stories will strengthen generosity and engagement for your ministry. Here is a sample story from Good Earth Village Camp in MN after learning the power of storytelling as a result of working with a GSB consultant.

A Story Sample

For most of his life, Miles didn’t understand why he didn’t fit in at his school or community. “Life and relationships were challenging for me,” he shared. “I always felt like I had to try and be something different. I had to put on a mask.”

Miles' first summer as a camper was in the 6th grade. He spent a week with his home congregation, Bethel Lutheran. “I just remember really enjoying being here. I don’t really remember what we did, but I remember feeling good.” He came again as a camper for confirmation and then returned three years later to serve as a high school senior helper. In 2019 he served as a Staff in Training. With each new camp experience, Miles remembers feeling like camp was a place where he could be himself. “I could take off my mask.”

During the midst of his 2019 summer and throughout the fall of that year Miles was being tested to help him and his family understand why he struggled with fitting in at school and with peers. “I actually found out on Christmas Eve,” he said. “I was diagnosed with Autism. That really answered a lot of questions and it felt good to know and have answers.”

Before his diagnosis, Miles lived each day wondering and trying to make himself fit into the mold the world expected, but at camp, he didn’t feel that stress or pressure. “All of the staff are open and accepting. At camp, I didn’t have to try and fit into a box like I normally did at school. I could just be me. That was especially helpful when I didn’t know why I was so different.”

Now Miles is sharing his gifts and talents, as well as what he has learned through the challenges of life, during his first official summer as a counselor. Without knowing it, the safe and accepting community the staff create at Good Earth Village gave Miles a place of belonging and security. Your generosity to this ministry makes this holy village possible for all the campers like Miles who need to know they are loved and valued as beloved children of God. Thank you for making this safe community a reality.

The Follow Up Thank You Letter Tied To The Gift

Dear Pastor Jason and Chuck,

Thank you very much for the significant and beautiful gift that was recently approved for Good Earth Village. This summer, one of our new summer staff came to us after many summers as a camper and one summer as Staff-in-Training (2019). Miles told me that he had always had trouble fitting in at school, but at GEV he felt welcomed and accepted, and he had authentic and deep friendships here that eluded him outside of camp. While it bothered him that at school he felt an outsider, knowing that he had peers that accepted him at camp carried him through.

Last year, Miles learned that he has autism. Suddenly those feelings at school made sense, and the acceptance at camp became even sweeter. He was met and loved where he was, as he was.

That's the sort of return on your investment that is priceless. Every project we complete because of your generosity makes it easier for people to participate, and more participants means the world gets to see Miles as we see him: a beloved, perfect child of God.

Thank you! We look forward to worshipping with you this weekend!

Dianna

Learn more at www.centerforgenerosity.com

Join GSB as a Business Affiliate Member of the UMCRM Association: Click for details

It's Not About Us: Reflections on Native Justice and Crystal Springs

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 01:49:10 GMT

My first camping experience in the late 1950s was a weekend outing with the Potawatomi Tribe of the Cleveland area YMCA Indian Guides – a father-and-son program that included Native American rituals, respect for nature and solemn spirituality. My name was Morning Cloud, my dad was Flying Cloud (since he traveled a lot) and my mom made his headdress at our dining room table since he was “chief.” We used a drum at our monthly meetings and prayed to the Great Spirit.

This experience was a mixed bag for me because I developed a deep respect for Native American culture and ritual, all the while misappropriating it in my white suburban “tribe” of father-and-son Indian Guides. Later, as I studied in college and seminary, I learned how wrong it was for us to borrow the trappings of a culture that wasn’t ours to use. This added insult to injury as those who stole the land of Native people also appropriated their rituals.

So when it was announced that Michigan Area United Methodist Camping had decided to “do the right thing” and sell Crystal Springs Camp to the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi (yes, the same name as my Indian Guides “tribe,”) it was heralded as something to be celebrated. We have been thanked, recognized, and congratulated for this decision. This troubled my soul. We are not heroes in this scenario – it is not about us as Michigan Area Camping, Michigan Conference United Methodists, or White leaders selling real estate. We received money in the sale, though less than the market value. It was a gesture towards justice. There is still much work to be done.

Perhaps we can use this event to reflect more deeply and act more fully towards justice. What Native symbols and rituals still exist in our camp facilities and programs that can be removed now? What can we do to build relationships with Native leaders and churches nearby? What can we learn from Native spirituality that can inform our connection to the camp land we steward, and all that God has created?

I also grew up in Cleveland rooting for my beloved baseball team with the horribly offensive and cartoonish “Chief Wahoo” logo. In 2022, they will finally (after 120 years) change the name and logo to the “Guardians.” How profound it must be to have sacred rituals, symbols, and land stolen and be constantly reminded of it! Why does it take us so long to learn and change? God have mercy on us.

Rev. David Berkey is Executive Director of Michigan Area United Methodist Camping. He has served as a Camp & Retreat Ministries executive in United Methodist Annual Conferences in Eastern PA, Florida, and Cal-Pac, and served on the boards of several national camp organizations, including UMCRM. He has long been a leader, teacher, mentor, and friend in the UMCRM Association. He is passionate about discipling young leaders, Christian social justice, and baseball.

Community Conversation Recap: "The Great Resignation"

Jen Burch — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 05:57:54 GMT

The "Great Resignation" is the current phenomenon of large numbers of people making job and career changes. Camping and retreat ministries across the country are seeing this play out at their sites and related ministries.

Why are folks feeling the desire to move out of camp and retreat ministries?

Burnout. Leaders were feeling burnout pre-summer. This summer did not provide relief, and in many cases made stress and exhaustion worse. This has been a factor in some early retirements and career changes.
COVID lay-offs. Furloughs and lay-offs caused talented folks to seek work in other industries. They have not returned.
Career advancement. Camping and retreat ministries often have few opportunities for "moving up the ladder."
Weak support systems. Some leaders are feeling like they are "going it alone."
Salary. Camping salaries and non-profit salaries, in general, tend to be lower than average.

Strategies for addressing these challenges:

Camp/Retreat Ministry is both a career and a "life calling."
Create a culture of growth. Even in ministries that don't have a lot of room for advancement, leaders can adjust job descriptions to bring newness to staff who have been around for a while.
Give the gift of time. Offer staff times of renewal and days off that don't count against their PTO.
Provide professional development or educational opportunities. Explore staff persons' career goals and help them learn skills to keep them growing.
Encourage staff to grow and move on to wherever God is calling them. Don't hold too tightly to staff who are ready for a new challenge. At the same time, be continually looking at who can step up into year-round positions. Create an intentional and healthy flow of year-round staff.
Commit to increasing fiscal health so that can translate into better pay and benefits for your best asset: awesome people.
Look for opportunities to show how much your staff matter. Could credit card points go toward gift cards? Does housing need a facelift? Can you add bonuses to base pay? Could retirement contributions increase with longevity at the job?
Advocate for your own needs so you can best lead those around you. Don't be afraid to ask the Conference or your supervisor for support when you need it.

Thanks to all who participated, shared ideas, and articulated your values around staff retention and appreciation. Join us on Monday, September 13th for the next UMCRM Community Conversation!

"In The Kitchen" Gathering: A Message from Event Co-Chair Matt Williams

Jen Burch — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 04:16:06 GMT

There’s only so much planning for a National Gathering that can happen remotely, so the Design Team for In The Kitchen was thrilled to be able to gather in person last week at our host site, Jumonville. Between poking our heads into every space that we’ll be utilizing in October and enjoying some incredibly delicious meals, the team focused on all the details that will make the Gathering in October truly special.

Fellowship is always an integral part of our National Gatherings, but as the team experienced first-hand last week, its role is now more important than ever—and can be done safely even in these uncertain times.

One of the primary ways we will be able to maintain a safer environment is to place a hard cap of 150 registrations. As of today, this means there are only 24 spots remaining. The not-so-great news is that all the single- and double-accommodations have been spoken for (fortunately, the cabins we’ll be using on site have ample space and there are multiple hotels & motels within twenty minutes of Jumonville.) The good news is that you have until 11:59pm MT on Thursday, September 9th to take advantage of Early Bird Registration.

We aren’t being hyperbolic when we say “register today!”

P.S., The scratch-made Italian Wedding Soup is worth the price of registration alone.

Matt Williams is the Director of Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center in Upper New York. He and inimitable co-chair Heather Withrow are herding the cats/ wrestling the gators/ mixing up the ingredients for "In The Kitchen."

Summer Staff Compensation Reflections

Jen Burch — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 03:25:33 GMT

Highlights of 8/6/21 UMCRM Community Conversation

What has been UM camping's history of summer staff compensation?

We have been slow to keep up with summer staff raises.
Other cost increases, which have been out of our control, became the priority, pushing summer staff raises down the list of things to fund.
Typically we struggle every year in hiring enough quality summer staff. This year, all industries were struggling to hire staff.
We have been afraid to raise camper rates. It is an important value to keep camp accessible for every child.
We know that returning staff are exponentially more valuable the longer they stay, but salary increases do not reflect that value.
Bonuses (hiring bonuses or end-of-summer bonuses) have become more popular in recent years.

Why is increasing summer staff salary base pay important?

Higher wages bring the opportunity of working at camp to a more diverse group of people. Affording to work at camp currently could be considered a "privilege." Only those with other sources of financial support can work at a low wage.
Increasing wages is the norm in the business industry right now. Increasing the pay rate will make camping more competitive with other industries trying to hire the same demographic.
"The experience" of being on summer staff is not enough to get young people to apply for these positions, or may not outweigh the realities of the cost of living and education.
United Methodist doctrines and Social Principles support fair pay and justice for workers.
Paying more will influence how we are perceived in the marketplace. What we charge and what we pay sets a certain expectation.

So how do we fund it?

Change the camper fee structure; adopt or adjust tiered pricing.
Charge the actual cost of camp, front-loading scholarships rather than cutting expenses.
Provide payment plans for families to pay for camp throughout the whole year, instead of all at one time.
Strengthen fundraising efforts. Consider who benefits from us having excellent, well-compensated camp staff (camper families, churches, local businesses...)?
Reach out to civic organizations like Rotary Club to sponsor leadership development through multi-year bonuses.
Reach out to larger churches to fund salaries.
Invite conferences or other denominational entities to provide support, interpreting the value of camps in culture of call and young clergy recruitment.
"Adopt A Counselor" program - donors sponsor a staff salary but also serve as a prayer partner, send care packages, etc. Fun way to engage staff alumni.
Change end of summer bonuses and other incentives into a weekly pay increase.
Take incremental steps to increase the base salary over several years so your budget doesn't take a huge hit all in a single year.

Special thanks to UMCRM colleague Nick Coenen (Pine Lake, WI) for initiating this conversation. Many of us came away with a new idea or insight, and it helps to know that other camps struggle with the same challenges. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments!

Is Your Laundry A Fire Hazard?

Jen Burch — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 21:38:27 GMT

Did you know that after being washed, towels and sheets left in a tumble dryer overnight can catch fire? This linen can start a fire from spontaneous combustion.

It may surprise you to know that fires caused by spontaneous ignition are very common. While cooking remains the leading cause of house fires, laundry room fires account for an average of 15,000 fires each year in the United States according to the National Fire Protection Association.

“Spontaneous combustion” refers to the gradual increase in temperature of a flammable material to the point of ignition. The process is a chemical reaction in which heat is generated. In laundry, the exothermic reaction occurs from oxidation of oils on fabric. (Source: Kelchner Cleaners)

It’s possible for fires to start by spontaneous ignition in any type of business. These types of fires usually start late at night and are not discovered until the fire is in full bloom. A fire could damage your premises and even put a halt to your facility operation. This potential liability issue could also endanger staff or guests at your site.

Fortunately, there are some simple practices you can put in place to reduce the risk of a laundry fire. Oils are most likely to occur in kitchen laundry. Please review spill management and look at how greasy or oily residue is cleaned up at your site. (Resource from United Laboratories) Also, review practices with staff who care for laundry to ensure that possibly contaminated laundry is not left in a warm, enclosed space overnight.

Special thanks to Dale Connell from A1 American Group/ American Associated Companies for alerting us to this important risk management topic!

Faces of UMCRM: Reflections From Ken Overholser

Jen Burch — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 20:43:57 GMT

As Ken Overholser moves into retirement this month from his role as Director of Camping & Retreat Ministries in the West Ohio Conference, we asked him to reflect back on his calling and ministry, and to share a little advice for current leaders.

How were you called into C&R ministry?

I was available and was asked to fill a temporary position in late March 2013. Summer was coming and someone was needed to step in and take charge. I later felt called to the permanent position and applied for the position. I had previously worked with youth and children and it seemed a natural fit.

Where have you served?

I was called into vocational ministry in 1998 during a Walk to Emmaus. I didn’t know how or where, but was ready to answer God's call. God taught me great patience until the door opened at Ginghamsburg Church. They had opened a new youth center and needed someone to oversee the outreach. I later became the Director of Student Ministries and eventually Executive Director of Discipleship Ministries. I spent 12 years at Ginghamsburg.

Significant changes you've seen over the years in this ministry?

The start of Day Camps, vision planning for the future, and social media telling the stories of camp. Camp does change lives!

Your greatest blessings in this work?

Seeing youth come together on the camping field and seeing social justice, something they don’t see at home, in the community, or at schools.

What's one thing you're looking forward to doing in your retirement?

Being a servant, helping others and it not being my job, but a volunteer.

What's one important thing you've learned that you would like to pass along to other camp & retreat leaders?

Communication is key in almost all business/ministry models of teams and staff working together towards a common goal.

It's been a gift to have Ken as part of the UMCRM community over the years. May God continue to bless you, friend, as you move into a new life stage. Our Association would be glad to hook you up with some volunteer opportunities!

Cyber Security Questions For Camp/Retreat Ministries To Ask: Guest Post by Ken Overholser

Jen Burch — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 20:32:50 GMT

As our conference takes an in-depth look at cyber security, we questioned our camp operation and the vulnerability, most importantly, of our camp software program which is stored in the cloud. What would we do if faced with a ransom attack on our private information? The West Ohio Conference camps use CampBrain, but the questions we developed could be used anywhere with any system. See if you might be able to answer these questions and, if not, take this opportunity to do some investigation and risk management.

How and where is data stored? If your camp software is cloud-based, who is the hosting provider, and where are the servers located?
How is our data protected "at rest” and during “transition”? Since camp software contains sensitive & confidential information, verify that data is fully encrypted to reduce the likelihood of it being accessed by unauthorized parties. This might be access "at rest" (stored on a server's hard drive) or when “transmitted” (accessed remotely or anywhere in between). This is a question that may have a lengthy answer — let your software provider speak to their procedures, safeguards, and strategies.
How are camp software users authenticated? Are strong passwords enforced? Is two-party identification available for administrative or front-line staff with access to sensitive information?
How are camp software users and data managed/audited? Make sure there is a record of who has access to what. How are you tracking who has added or deleted data? Who has exported which data? How and how often is that monitored?
Do any third parties have access to my data? Review any agreements in place. Ensure that all relevant details are provided to you and that third parties won't present any additional risk. What level of access will these organizations have, and what methods does the vendor have in place to select and manage them to ensure security?
When data is deleted, is it permanently erased? When we delete confidential & privacy data, we must be confident that it's really gone. In some systems, deleting is more of an “archive” function — it is removed from sight but is still accessible, like a document in the Trash on your desktop. Depending on the situation, this could be a good or a bad thing, so make sure you understand how the system functions.
How is data recovered in the case of loss? What protections are there against malware, specifically ransomware, or hardware failure? What are you actively doing to prevent breaches?
Has your camp software had any breaches or security issues in the past 2 years? Can you provide the results of your most recent external security audit?
How are incidents reported to customers, your Conference or board? How will your software company support you if there is a breach as a result of your camp software? How do you inform customers about security issues?
Do you have cybersecurity or liability insurance that also protects the Conference or your board?
What happens if our partnership ends with our camp software company? Who owns the data? Some vendors may become the owner of your data when you transfer it into their system, while others allow you to maintain ownership. Understanding this is good to know when we have sensitive and financial information within our camp software.

Thanks to Ken Overholser for sharing what he has learned by walking through this process in West Ohio. We appreciate the expert counsel of the Conference IT team. Ken wisely recognized that these are questions we should all be asking.

Ken is the Director of Camping and Retreat Ministries for the West Ohio Conference for just a few more weeks before he retires! Ken has been an active member of the UMCRM Association for the last 8 years and we are so grateful for his friendship and engagement in our community life.

COVID-19 Vaccination for Adolescents: a UMCRM perspective

Jen Burch — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 22:20:46 GMT

On July 1, UMCRM Director Jessica Gamaché joined a panel of experts to discuss vaccine advocacy in camp settings as part of the COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project. As the only presenter who was not a health professional, she brought a faith-based perspective to the conversation, highlighting ways that our Christian faith is informing vaccine promotion in our camp communities. Gamaché described UMCRM Association foundations and United Methodist values as they relate to caring for our neighbors, building community, and promoting public health.

The featured speakers:

View the hour-long presentation in its entirety here:

Following are key quotes from the presentation worth sharing with parents, caregivers, and camp staff.

From Dr. Cohn:

"It is really important that we as a community of healthcare providers, as camp providers, as educators help support a parent's decision to vaccinate their children. And are confident ourselves in the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines."

From Dr. Blaisdell:

"For many, camp provided a reason to get vaccinated ... I have heard anecdotally, 'I wasn't going to, but now that my kid is going to camp, we will go ahead and do that.' I heard that from our staff as well, 'I wasn't going to, but now that I understand that you have unvaccinated community at your camp, I will do that for your camp.'"

From Association Director Jessica Gamaché, on behalf of UMCRM:

"...Health and safety has a long-standing spot as the number one priority in the youth camping field. ... This priority of safety, specifically in the United Methodist camping and retreat field, is deeply rooted into the fabric of our ministries. We prioritize safety, not because a manual tells us to or out of fear of being sued. We prioritize safety because we are called by God to love one another."

"John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, urged Christians to 'Do no harm' & to ... 'Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can.' Promoting COVID vaccination is one way we can live that out."

"In the Wesleyan tradition, the Christian faith is not a solitary journey. We are part of a larger community — our church families, our neighborhoods, and the world. UM camp sites can leverage our visibility and trust within our own communities to help increase access to life-saving vaccine, especially in rural areas that may be underserved."

"Additionally, our Camp & Retreat Ministries are oriented around 7 core foundations... (One is) to 'Inspire & Equip Lives for Love & Justice' and a second is to 'Extend Christian Hospitality & Community.' For us, advocating for vaccination is a justice issue and practice of hospitality as we follow our call to love our neighbors."

Learn more about how your camp can host a vaccination clinic

View the 7 Foundations of UM Camp & Retreat Ministry

Contact UMCRM with questions about vaccination advocacy

Faces of UMCRM: Meet Chris Alexander

Jen Burch — Thu, 27 May 2021 00:40:31 GMT

Chris Alexander is a longtime supporter of Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center (TN). Chris attended Lakeshore in his younger years as a retreat camper for 5 years. He later was a part of the summer staff for 5 summers. Chris just couldn’t get enough of camp, so he has continued on as a dedicated volunteer, taking care of a variety of tasks. Chris is on our Board of Directors, serving on the Program Committee. Year after year, he helps in training our summer staff. When he is not leading a session in staff training, he is helping our maintenance crew get the facilities ready for summer. Along with two others, Chris leads Senior High Camp each summer. These are just a few samplings of all the work Chris does at Lakeshore. He is a “let’s do it” kind of person, always ready to jump in and do whatever needs to be done.

When asked why he is dedicated to giving so much to this ministry, Chris said, “... I love the ministry that is done. It allows kids to be authentically who they are. And I have the greatest friends at Lakeshore.”

Chris is a great support to the team here. We are incredibly blessed to have him serving alongside us in this ministry.

Allison Doyle is the Program Director at Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center. She enjoys hikes, sunny days, warm weather, and riding her jet ski!

Are there some dynamite past volunteers that your ministry might reconnect with this season?

Are there new ways to utilize volunteers this summer to meet your camp's needs?

Is there a special volunteer who blesses your ministry who ought to be publicly recognized and celebrated?

Staff Shortage? Recruitment Strategies To Try

Jen Burch — Tue, 25 May 2021 21:37:53 GMT

Summer camps are having a challenging time hiring staff this season. Here are some strategies some UMCRM camps are trying:

Leverage past summer staff’s connections (even from years ago). Are they interested in working a week or two? Do they know a young adult who would be great?
Recruit volunteers to make up for paid staff shortfall. Allow them to sign up for one or more weeks. Give them a free week for one child, either theirs or someone else’s.
Require churches to send one adult chaperone with every x # of campers coming from their church.
Hire staff for shorter durations (2, 3, or 4-week job). Include mandatory staff training as one of the weeks.
Share staff with a nearby camp (works well for specific roles like lifeguards).
Share staff with a camp that starts later or ends earlier than yours.
Recruit international staff.
Combine camp weeks to shorten season.
Limit registration to a smaller camper capacity.
Eliminate some specialist jobs and cross-train all staff for all roles (so everyone’s a generalist and can help in the kitchen, facilitate archery, ropes course, etc.)
If you have raised the pay rate at your camp, be sure to mention that in your promotions.
Ask already-hired staff to help recruit from within their networks. Offer a "finder's fee" or special gift for each person they recruit who is hired and completes their term of employment.

What's working for you as you seek to hire fantastic summer staff?

Share your ideas in the comments below!

Camps Are A Go! United Methodist Camps Reopening Across The U.S.

Jen Burch — Mon, 24 May 2021 20:44:38 GMT

May 20th, 2021 – United Methodist camps are gearing up for a full summer of fun, friendship, learning, and faith formation out in God’s creation. After the challenging summer of 2020, when most United Methodist camps were unable to host programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, camp ministries across the United States are delighted to be open for business in 2021.¹

The demand for summer programming for children and youth is high, especially the kinds of opportunities offered at United Methodist camps – outdoors, active, led by trained leaders who prioritize safety and Christian community. Families who have been cooped up at home with virtual school are eager for children to play and socialize with others in wholesome, fresh-air environments, taking a well-earned break from technology screens. Jessica Gamaché, Director of the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association, observes, “Time exploring faith and independence is what our youth are longing for. Our camps are ready once again to provide safe spaces where that can happen.”

Churches that have struggled to provide engaging, age-appropriate Christian education for children, youth, and young adults during this difficult year are relieved to know that camps will be doing what they do best, helping those young people encounter God’s good news in experiential, fun ways. Children and camp staff who were devastated to miss their “best week(s) ever” last summer are excited to return to the beautiful forests and shores of their camp to reconnect with friends, with nature, and with the best of summer camp traditions. The isolation, stress, and grief of the pandemic have taken a toll on young people’s mental health,² for which camp will be a welcome balm. Active days in fresh air and sunshine in the company of other children and near-peer counselor role models can help to provide a social, emotional, and spiritual reset, getting them in touch with connection, peace, joy, and a sense of normalcy that has been largely absent over the past year.

Of the nearly 170 United Methodist camps in the U.S., 90% were unable to operate in summer 2020, leading to staff furloughs and massive financial hardships.³ The few camp ministries that were able to offer programming last season provided insights into health protocols and best practices that will inform operations for all camps opening this year.

A study by the American Camp Association (ACA) provides strong data showing that camps can provide COVID-safe environments through layered mitigation strategies, including small group cohorting, masking and distancing where appropriate, cleaning protocols, and more.⁴ Camps have been gearing up all year, reviewing guidance from the CDC and ACA, purchasing supplies, and training staff to meet the increased demands of a safe reopening. Many have found it a challenge to hire staff for the summer and are still seeking qualified applicants for seasonal and short-term paid and volunteer positions. Readers who are interested in applying to work at a United Methodist camp or referring a potential staffer should contact their local camp directly.⁵

The United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association encourages churches and communities to pray for your camps now and throughout the summer. Consider providing extra financial and volunteer support as camps seek to surmount every hurdle to make meaningful, wholesome experiences for children, youth, and families in a year when we all need them more than ever. The partnerships among our Association, local health authorities, Annual Conferences, and others affirm the importance and interconnectedness of camping ministries and communities at large. Camps can’t wait to welcome you back to United Methodism’s sacred grounds.

¹The American Camp Association maintains a state-by-state map of COVID operating guidance for camps

²Covid stress taking a toll on children's mental health, CDC finds

³Data collected by the UMCRM Association, Summer 2020. Faithfulness In a COVID Summer: How United Methodist Camp/Retreat Ministries Navigated the Summer 2020 Season

⁴New American Camp Association Survey Demonstrates Camps Can Operate Safely; ACA Camp Counts COVID approach infographic

⁵Camp Finder Map of United Methodist Camps & Retreat Centers in the U.S.

Jen Burch (M.Div.) is Association Administrator for UMCRM and edits weekly S'more Mail e-news. Jen is a former Director of several United Methodist Camp/Retreat Centers and youth-serving nonprofit organizations.

Consider Legacy Giving For Your Ministry: Webinar Notes from Jeff Wadley

Jen Burch — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 22:00:29 GMT

Our colleague Jeff Wadley (Camp Bays Mountain, Holston) attended the 4/21/21 webinar hosted by the National Council of Nonprofits. Jeff helpfully shares the highlights:

LEGACY GIVING

Presenters: Joe Tumolo, Tim Sarrantonia, and Amy Silver O’Leary

National Council of Nonprofits

April 21, 2021

This workshop was not specific to faith-based nonprofits or camps, but was a generic briefing on Legacy Giving; however, the presenters offered a few items that were helpful in my setting and likely for yours, as well.

What is Legacy Giving?

Legacy Giving is one part of a total integrated financial plan including annual, capital, operations, etc., but is one that can produce huge dividends and is often overlooked by those in the nonprofit sector, simply due to not knowing how to begin the conversation.

There are two types of planned giving:

Current outright (transfer of assets during the donor’s lifetime such as from a Required Minimum Distribution from an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution)
Deferred Gift – testamentary (will/estate gift after death) or life-income arrangement (Charitable Gift Annuity)

Why should my Camp/Retreat Ministry add Legacy Giving to our fund development portfolio?

The majority of your donors’ wealth is not cash-in-pocket but delayed/invested assets.

It is statistically proven that once a donor names a nonprofit in their estate plan, their annual contributions also increase.

How Do We Ask?

The key is to ask a potential donor if they would consider a contribution to camp as a legacy gift that would not interfere with their current cash flow, retirement plan, or family obligations, but would have an enormous impact after they are deceased.

The “ask” can begin with the question, “Are we in your top five charitable gifts?” and if so, ask the donor:

Why do you care so much about us?
What would you like to do with your assets that would enrich other people’s lives?
How would you like our camp to help you do that? This is where the donor and asker can develop a plan of intention in the form of a letter or formal declaration of intent in their will.

Planning Our Asks & Identifying Potential Legacy Givers

For a Development Officer, Director, etc. who is leading the asks for your camp, it is helpful to set goals in terms of behaviors and results (# number of planned conversations or # amount of a financial goal).

Make a list of your top ten current donors who are interested in the camp, who are invested in the mission, etc., and simply ask for the opportunity to sit down with them and have a conversation about legacy giving and how you could help the donor think about their legacy and how camp could benefit as well as the donor.

Other ways to ID potential givers:

Who are people who have been affected positively through camp?
Who shows up to help at camp?
Who are your main volunteers?
Who are frequent givers?
Who are the largest givers?
Who promotes camp?
Who is loyal to camp and has no children?
All Board members

The bottom line is that Legacy Giving (as well as all other giving) is dependent on the notion that people are generally philanthropic to what matters to them. All philanthropy rests on the principle that people have a desire to give to things that make a difference.

At Camp Bays Mountain, we offer a person the opportunity to transfer their financial resources as an opportunity to assure that their values live on after they are gone.

This goes beyond what was shared in the webinar, but here’s how we are implementing Legacy Giving:

Simple Will – The camp receives cash, property, or a percentage of the donor’s estate after death.
Trust Accounts – Camp is the beneficiary of the remainder of a trust account after the death of the donor. There are many types of Trust accounts.
Charitable Gift Annuity – A monthly payment is made to the donor until their death from an annuity and the remainder value is retained by the camp.

Camp Bays Mountain has just started in the past couple of years with planned giving. We have five planned gifts currently; one of those was a Charitable Gift Annuity which after our donor’s death resulted in the camp receiving a substantial remainder gift. The other planned gifts are estate percentage gifts. Our goal is to double our planned gifts by the end of 2021 with a total of ten estate gifts and continue to set these up each year.

The Holston Foundation is our custodian for stock transfers, charitable gift annuities, and other estate plans. Your conference foundation can assist you in starting a planned/legacy giving plan.

Contact Jeff for more details: Jeff Wadley, Camp Bays Mountain (Holston Conference)

Thinking About Interim Camp Ministry: Guest Post by Melinda Trotti

Jen Burch — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:53:47 GMT

Thinking About Interim Camp Ministry

What is Interim Ministry?

Interim Ministry is a specialized ministry of leadership engaged during transition in an institution, in this case at a camp. The transition may be planned or unplanned. Engaging an Interim Director is recommended:

after a long-term Director has retired, resigned, passed away, or been terminated;
when larger structural questions need to be answered before the Director job description can be developed;
when there has been disruption within a ministry and skills for addressing the result of that disruption are needed; or
when a Director needs to step out of their role for a specific amount of time for family, health, or other commitments.

“One foot in and one foot out,” is a phrase often used to describe the reality as well as the strength inherent in an Interim Ministry season. The interim person can operate both as an Insider working for the organization and as an Outsider who can make decisions without their own livelihood being at stake. Operating with “one foot in and one foot out” can allow the Interim to assess and address structural strengths and dysfunctions. Typically, the Interim has had training in conflict awareness and management such that they can assess the level of conflict within the organization and how best to address it (or not.) Each ministry situation is unique, and the Interim needs to be flexible in order to respond to the situation with its specific history, challenges, and strengths.

When might a camp need an Interim Director?

Typically, Interims can be classified as one of three types, although there are no rigid definitions; and these often overlap.

Placeholder – This describes a situation where a leader is needed to fill a gap, often until a Director returns from a leave or until a new Director can arrive. Even within this small period of time, the Interim can act as a consultant in assessing and reporting observations and suggested changes within the system. Usually, the scope of change expected or allowed during this short term is small.
Consultant – This person acts as an Interim on-site and actively engaged in the day-to-day operation of the site while also creating conversations and offering recommendations to the Board, Executive Director, Bishop, or other supervisor or oversight group. The consulting can be either formal or informal. Expectations for how the consultation proceeds should be established before the interim begins. It can be as informal as regular conversations in which concerns or recommendations are given, as formal as a plan being developed before the arrival of the Interim for intentional feedback, or the Interim giving a final report.
Change Agent – This type of Interim is usually engaged due to an urgent need for crisis intervention or for change that is needed in a quicker timeframe than normal. A few situations where a Change Agent is needed are after there has been a trauma to the system because of a moral lapse or financial or other malfeasance or an unexpected death. Another time when this type of interim might be established would be when a Board or agency establishes a plan that needs leadership skills to make the recommended changes while also creating an organization that will need a skill set different for the Settled* Director than is needed for the Interim Director. This Interim may be the one who is tasked with identifying and reporting the systemic changes needed or may also be given the authority to enact those changes.

The United Methodist system in which the Bishop and Cabinet appoint clergy rather than each congregation searching for and hiring and terminating its own pastor means that Intentional Interims are not often engaged in the appointing of pastors as in other denominational systems. It can be helpful to think of the hiring of an Interim Director as a business arrangement as opposed to an appointment that happens within a structure with already established directives and processes for doing that. United Methodists are often not well-practiced in the processes of intentionally creating job descriptions, interviewing, hiring, welcoming, supervising and engaging, and ending an interim leaders’ ministry. Following are some processes that will help create a more successful interim season.

Some nuts and bolts:

Develop a contract or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Interim and the Interim Director’s Supervisor, Conference, or oversight Board. Establish salary, health and other benefits, use of vehicle, reimbursements, time off, etc. within the hiring contract. It is unfair to expect the Interim Director to point out these details to their employer. Whether or not an Interim will be able to participate in a Conference’s pension plan will differ from Conference to Conference, and it is the responsibility of the hiring party to be knowledgeable of their Conference’s pension rules and communicate them before hiring the Interim Director. Also note that this is not the time to try to save some money for the camp. A successful interim season can increase the likelihood that a ministry will thrive, and the person facilitating that ministry should be paid at least as much as the Director coming in. Their salary should, if at all possible, mirror the former Director’s whom they are following.
Create a formal start date and finish date before hiring the Interim Director and stick to it. Unfortunately, with overburdened Conference staff members or Boards unsure of their role in engaging an Interim, the end date can be pushed out indefinitely when it is not firmly established ahead of time. A vague end date can negatively impact the Interim Director’s leadership, the staff whom they supervise, their personal well-being, and the ministry as a whole.
Create a Welcome Event where the Interim Director is introduced to stakeholders where questions can be engaged both formally or informally defining the parameters of the interim season and the Interim Director’s role. At the end of the interim season, create an Appreciation Event in which the Interim is thanked for their work. These events with write-ups in Conference and other newsletters and social media outlets help supporters understand the role of the Interim as they come into the new role while also establishing boundaries for the completion of that Interim’s role.
Create a welcoming living situation for the Director so that they arrive to a clean, fresh house with enough food to tide them over for a day or so until they can get settled.

What does an Interim Director need to succeed?

A well-crafted, written contract
Support from and easy access to the supervisor or supervisory group
A mutual understanding of the role of Interim by all involved
Ability and freedom to objectively engage the situation into which they are stepping. (Projection and emotionality from past conflicts and mistakes and anxiety regarding the future are expected aspects of interim ministry.)
A mutually agreed-upon and well-articulated understanding of the hierarchy of the context and the level of authority of the Interim Director
Informal support from stakeholders to counterbalance some of the social isolation usually inherent for an Interim Director during the interim season. This can include invitations to worship, coffee, dinners, introductions within the local community, and occasional calls of, “How are you doing?” or “How can I be of help?” or ”How would you like for me to pray for you?”
Kindness and grace given freely

How long should an Interim stay at one site?

Typically, an Interim Director should not serve for more than one summer season. 6-18 months should give a Board or staff person overseeing camping ministry enough time to assess needs, develop a job description, and complete a job search. Overlap between the Interim and successor Director helps to orient the new Director, allows time for the Interim Director to make needed introductions and give needed information, and offers space for the developing and answering of questions as the Interim leaves. Two weeks is typical. The timeline needs to be established ahead of time. It should be long enough for the Director to receive what they need to succeed, and short enough that the Interim Director does not inadvertently create confused or divided loyalties amongst staff or stakeholders through their staying too long.

What is the role of an Interim Director in choosing the subsequent Director?

Sometimes, the Interim Director is asked for their expertise in creating a job description and/or a search process if it has not been done previously. The Search Committee or individual in charge of hiring the Director usually conducts the screening of applications and initial interviews, and may bring the Interim Director into the process to meet and answer questions of the final candidates. Often, the Interim Director takes on the tasks of providing hospitality for the finalists’ visits to the site such as providing transportation, getting candidates settled for overnight accommodations, giving a tour of the camp including the Director’s house, introducing the candidates to the staff, offering a tour of the local community, and introducing the candidates to local stakeholders or supporters. Of course, some of these tasks can be done by supporters of the site or members of the Search Committee. However, it is important to include the Interim Director in the final candidates’ introduction to the site. Not doing so can inadvertently send the message to finalists that the Interim Director is not trusted or that there is fear on the part of the Hiring Committee that the Interim Director will give information the Search Committee is hiding. In addition, the opinion of the Interim Director can be sought after the finalists have been interviewed. Often, the Interim Director can give a nuanced assessment based on their experience at the present and previous sites they have led. However, the Interim Director, just as the current staff members, should not have a vote in who is chosen.

Can an Interim Director apply for the role of Director?

The Interim is typically not available for hire in the Director search, in order to allow for their insider/outsider viewpoint. However, if applying for the settled position is a possibility, then this needs to be well-communicated to all parties ahead of the Interim Director’s being hired. If the Interim is allowed to make an application for the settled position, often a term such as “temporary” is used instead. Temporary typically refers to a period which is short-term but does not have a defined ending, whereas interim usually refers to a period of employment during a transition that has a defined ending. Hiring someone as an Interim Director to “see how they work out” invites confusion as to what is actually offered and expected and can lead to assumptions being made within the void of clarity. Each context is unique, so differing arrangements can be successful. However, clear and ongoing communication as plans or processes change is required to avoid incorrect assumption-making and possible legal consequences resulting from differing understandings of verbal promises or changed or broken contracts.

What is the role of the Interim Director after they leave?

The former Interim Director typically is available for short questions or consultations for a month or two after leaving. If more consultation is needed, a MOU or contract with an established rate of pay and process can be negotiated amongst the Board or supervisor, the Director, and the Interim Director. Care must be taken to avoid the undermining of the new Director’s leadership and their developing relationships with staff and stakeholders. A previous Interim’s involvement with former staff or stakeholders or the camp operation should be minimal or only through permission granted by the Director and not engage conversations about the Director’s decision-making or overall ministry. It is also unfair to assume that a previous Interim Director is available to volunteer their time and expertise indefinitely.

How do I find an Interim Director?

The United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association partners with Lutheran Outdoor Ministries to train previous Directors for interim camp ministry and keeps a list of individuals available for Interim service. While this list does not act as a recommendation or endorsement, the names are typically people who have received Interim training and/or served as Interim Directors in one or more contexts. The same screening processes should be used for hiring an Interim Director as are used for any other position. Interviewing the Interim applicants to identify their strengths and weaknesses to ascertain the best fit should be done along with the checking of references and background check as required by one’s Conference or context for any employee. Contact UMCRM for the list of available interims.

What if I am interested in becoming an Interim Director?

The next Interim Director training is being planned for fall of 2022. In the meantime, contact UMCRM if you would like to be added to UMCRM’s list of available Interim Directors.

Download Sample Agreement/MOU for Interim Director

*Settled is a term often used instead of "permanent," as Camp Directors are typically hired with an expectation of 5-10 years of service, not for a lifetime appointment or tenure.

Melinda Trotti has served as Director for urban day camps, overnight camps, and retreat centers around the country, as well as Interim Director in several Conferences and denominations. She is currently serving as Interim Director at Lake Lucerne Camp & Retreat Center in the Wisconsin Conference. Melinda is a part of the UMCRM Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leadership team and has led countless workshops at UMCRM events. She is certified as a Spiritual Director and enjoys traveling with her husband David Berkey, long walks in the woods with her dog, Gouda, journaling, and cooking meals from scratch.

Summer Camp Curriculum Design & Visioning - An Inside Look: Guest Post by Troy Taylor

Jen Burch — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 02:52:27 GMT

The email announcing that the 2023 InsideOut design team would be creating our summer camp curriculum over Zoom wasn’t surprising because, well, everyone knows all meetings are over Zoom now. I quickly responded, letting the team know I would do my best to be available again, even if it was through my laptop screen and not at a beautiful camp setting as it traditionally has been. My life as a furloughed Camp Director still managing camp while staying at home with my three year old daughter doesn’t leave me much bandwidth for additional undertakings, but this is one I wanted to show up for.

I am one of two United Methodist representatives on the ecumenical team that sets the annual themes with scriptural daily focus for a Christian camp resource used all over the country. Each spring, I have the pleasure of gathering for a handful of days with representatives from other mainline Protestant denominations for this creative process. Together we land on a theme, break it into days, connect it to scripture, then try to explain what’s in our heads for program writers to flesh out into activities and lessons. Because this generally happens with camp people at a retreat center, it feels like a three night camp with long, intense working sessions.

The team gets input from United Methodist, Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ, Church of the Brethren, Episcopal, United Church of Christ, Lutheran, and Baptist backgrounds. I’ve always appreciated these people, but over the years I’ve also developed a deep trust in them and our ability to work together and push each other to get at the heart of what we hope each year’s resource teaches. Everyone cares deeply about the finished product, the process of getting there, and each other. I like to think of myself as a new kid on the block in this group, but I walked on in 2013 and have been a part of it most years since.

We put this resource together with care for many considerations. We want a curriculum that is somewhat evergreen, yet pertinent to the specific times we’re in. We want an even sampling of scripture from Old to New Testament to attempt to get at the whole story of the Bible. We lean towards story-based scripture because it tends to be easier to work with from a program perspective. We aim to choose stories from the Bible that feature relatable figures for as many people as possible. This has us conscious of how many women have voice, how often the poor have voice, and how much the outsider gets a voice, in addition to the major protagonists. We are mindful of how the presence of Creator, Jesus, and Spirit show up in the theme. We set a goal not to repeat scriptures from previous curricula for at least four years, to cover more of the Bible and stretch ourselves. These considerations keep the team poring through scripture and soul searching. The project is ambitious, which is what we show up for, but wow, it leads to some head-pounding-on-the-table kind of moments to get where we want to go.

We discuss, break into smaller groups, take lone walks, talk one-on-one at meals, and have late night epiphanies to bring back to the group the next morning. We have impassioned debates about which scripture best matches a specific day we’re considering. We scrutinize the flow of each day, whether to put the most introspective sessions in the beginning, middle, or end of the week. We worry over how scripture can so easily be used as a crutch or weapon for something that isn’t intended. We get frustrated, we hold on hard to the concepts that resonate deeply with each of us, we explain ourselves – often multiple times – and eventually we let go of some ideas.

We all bring strengths, knowledge, and personality to the team and consequently the resource we produce. I see myself thinking often of the young generation’s longings, particularly those campers who are unchurched or struggling with their faith. I play devil’s advocate frequently (though everyone generally gets a turn at some point). I hear my skeptical campers frequently holding me to a higher standard, wanting themes that speak deeply to their questions, their frustrations, their disillusionment, their joys and passions. Everyone on these teams brings with them their social and theological location, and we are constantly tugging each other towards some sort of center. Our hope is, in the end, the Spirit has guided us to a center that includes the perspectives and needs of many different types of people.

What we always marvel at by the end of the process is how we manage to come out of the several day meeting with a fully formed theme. We come with nothing on paper and by the end we have a description of the overarching theme, each day with a thought-out progression based on the rhythms of summer camp weeks we all know, a scripture to go with each theme, bullet points outlining what campers will explore in each of those daily themes, and an idea for artwork. All this will be passed on to a team of hired writers to make into a full week of lessons, worship ideas, activity, and many other resources, divided into multiple age groups all with unique lessons. Apply to be a writer

There’s more than enough for the novice counselor, dean, or Director to have a detailed outline of everything they might do. Even for the more seasoned camp leader who wants to inject their own creativity, this saves weeks, possibly months of work. We know people will tinker with it when they get it. We camp leaders will second guess some of the scripture choices. We know some will switch days around or drop a day altogether and insert a preferred theme there. In fact, we hope people customize the curriculum product to their camp. We hope it can be many things to different camp leaders, but always be inspiring and grounding as summer leaders imagine and plan camp. As it inspires conversations and sessions all over the country, there’s this potential to unite hundreds of mainline Protestant campers in considering a similar set of questions in the same summer. There is such opportunity for discussion and input in this digital, shareable, connected world our campers and staff inhabit.

When our Zoom planning concluded this year, our design team still marveled at how we’d managed to cram so much thought and careful planning into a matter of days. Due to the production and publication cycle, we come up with the theme two and a half years prior to its release. I am still amazed at the theme of deep longing experienced as a faith community called “This is Our Prayer,” planned in 2017, that ended up being so timely as the summer 2020 theme. Future themes coming down the mail chute focus on creation reflecting God, naming and identity, and the Fruit of the Spirit.

I hope when you use the InsideOut summer camp resources you will catch a glimpse of the ways they have been so thoughtfully and lovingly written. Our ecumenical team of volunteers does what we do because we love it, of course, and because even the act of making it and putting it out into the world is something like camp. Like most of you, I’m stoked to rely on Zoom less in the coming years, to go to a beautiful camp setting, recreate with wonderful people, and be touched by the Spirit through all that. My fingers are crossed that our next planning will be more like that. It’s what we were imagining as we put together the resource. But, we also know from this past year, all our future plans will need to reach far beyond the conventional and be able to meet a changing world. We’re prayerfully seeking that vision as we put these themes together.

Check it out– I hope it resonates with you, too. I hope the resource helps you in the great task ahead of planning our summers, rooted in our great tradition, while always changing and growing in our faith and understanding. If you use the resource, remember that the design team treasures your evaluations and input so that each successive year is even more useful to you.

If you want to know more about the process or would be interested in any aspect of the writing team, shoot me a message at troy@campmagruder.org. I’d love to answer deep burning questions, do some storytelling, or nerd out. Many blessings on your thoughts, meditations, and planning for the coming summer and beyond.

Meet Our National Gathering Childcare Coordinator

Jen Burch — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 01:48:33 GMT

My name is Becky Valenzuela, and I am your Childcare Coordinator for the 2021 National Camp & Retreat Leaders' Gathering, "In the Kitchen." This will be my second time serving on the Design Team for the Gathering (I met many of you "At The Table" in Florida in 2019). It is UMCRM's goal to make the event accessible to families and enable caregivers and kids to all have a great educational experience. One way we commit to that is through offering a free childcare program.

By trade, I am the Director of Children and Youth Ministries at First UMC Torrance in the Cal-Pac Conference, and a teacher. I have spent over 20 years teaching all levels of education from infants & toddlers through high school seniors.

This year, with the state of education varying from state to state, we are looking at childcare through a new lens. If your children are still in virtual classrooms and will be attending the event, we will be working to set up a classroom type environment for them to complete their needed school work. If your children are not yet in school, we will still be providing a dedicated, safely supervised space to play, explore, create, and rest so that parents can participate fully in the conference.

Our host site at Jumonville will partner with us to make your children welcome, too. The lodging facilities offer a variety of cabin options that will work great for families, and there are high chairs available in the dining space. There's a discounted rate for kids' room and board depending on age, and little ones under age 3 stay free of charge.

We will customize age-appropriate activities for the children registered. Please reach out to me via email (and/or we can set up a time to talk) to discuss your family's needs, and we can plan together to care for your children during the Gathering. I'm looking forward to seeing you all "In the Kitchen" this October!

Here's To You: Encouragement for Camp Leaders from Beth Allison

Jen Burch — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 22:38:49 GMT

Here’s to you...

Here’s to the dozens of noses you will wipe, the bruises you will ice,

and the scrapes you will bind.

Here’s to the hundreds of songs you will sing, the tables you will set,

and the toilets you will plunge.

Here’s to marshmallows and sticky fingers

to G chords and broken strings

to bracelets and bobbles, beads and boondoggle

to packing, portaging, and paddling

to offsides, learning scales, and puddle jumping

to taking the wet life jacket so your camper can have the last dry one

to never sitting down to eat when you are counselling the 7 year olds

and carrying your littlest campers to bed who fall asleep during campfire

Here’s to washing pee stained sleeping bags first thing in the morning

and cleaning up vomit in the middle of the night

Here’s to being chosen by your camper to disclose their very worst secret

and to being there to witness their very best moment

Here’s to disagreeing with your colleague on virtually everything

and still figuring out a way to make it work

To being supervised by a close friend and not getting your nose out of joint

To being told by a director that you messed up

and doing your best to take the lesson from it not just the hurt feelings

Here’s to wearing your clothes inside out because you missed

your laundry day…again

To remembering to wear your hat, your sunscreen and drink lots of water,

To putting your best effort forward every time you look into a microscope,

shoot an arrow, or head out on a hike

Here’s to the adrenaline you’ll feel when the horn goes

to the fatigue you’ll feel when the morning bell rings

to the relief you’ll feel when your last camper gets in the car

and the goose bumps you’ll feel when the harmonies at campfire are perfectly tight

Here’s to the helicopter parents, the bulldozer parents,

The ones you will put crying into their cars as they leave their baby for the first time,

Here’s to the pastors who support you and those who don’t get camp at all

Here’s to board members, alumni and family camp die-hards who will spoil you, write to you, and pray for you

Here’s to the health inspector who will show up at the most inconvenient of times,

the church groups who generously give of their time

and the parents and families who love to hear your singing most of the time

Here’s to throwing pots, shooting shots, and making stained glass

to counting your campers at every activity to make sure you have them all,

to gaga ball pits, cooking lessons, and ukulele classes

Here’s to dressing up as magical characters

and to the giggling campers who always buy into the magic

Here’s to children who would prefer to wear nothing but their bathing suits and rubber boots for a entire week

to those who cover their ears during loud songs and thunder storms

to the ones who cling to Mummy on the first day of camp

and to you on the last

Here’s to the Chapels, Bible Studies and Vespers that make you question

and the songs of praise that give you answers

here’s to having a spiritual moment or two every day that gives you pause

and at least one this summer that makes you realize how truly small you are and how big God really is

Here’s to a summer that leaves you so tired, you had no idea that kind of

tired even existed,

to a summer filled with sunsets and star gazing, late night chats and early morning paddles

to singing until you are hoarse, and playing until you are sore,

to laughing ‘til you cry and crying ‘til you’re spent

Here’s to knowing the importance of apologizing

and seeking first to understand before being understood.

Here’s to letting go of all you don’t need

and holding on tight to all you do

Here’s to the friendships that will last you a lifetime

to those who became your university roommates,

your bridesmaids, your birth coach,

your spouse.

To watching their babies grow up and them grow old.

Here’s to never being ashamed to admit you were wrong

and knowing it shows you are wiser today than yesterday.

To not waiting for opportunities but creating them.

To never trying to influence the world by trying to be like it.

And to knowing that it’s not what you do for your campers but what you teach them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.

Here’s to your heartaches, your frustrations, your ‘end of your rope’ moments

and to coming out the other side

stronger, wiser, and filled with gratitude

Here’s to becoming a true leader...and to remembering true leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.

Here’s to cherishing every moment you are given in your place

To giving away love and grace like you’re made of the stuff

to being inspired because that’s pretty great

and to inspiring others because that is ubba-awesome

Here’s to serving with honour and grace

here’s to you, the staffs of 2021

to you who have taken up the torch

of those who have gone before

and who will keep it burning brightly until you pass it on to those

who will come after

Here’s to making a difference and changing the world

Here’s to you...here’s to you

Here’s to Camp

– Beth Allison, Go Camp Pro

(Shared at UMCRM Community Conversation, 3/22/21. Beth gives permission for you to customize to your setting and share with your own staff.)

The Camp Song, by Peter Katz, with #thankstocamp moments from Canadian camps

"Basics of Faith Formation" Course Highlights the Dirt Path

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 03:26:06 GMT

Have you been outside lately? Are you thinking of warmer days and time spent in the great outdoors? John Muir, the “father of our national park system,” knew well how deeply the outdoors affects our lives. Muir wrote ecstatically about the outdoors one hundred years before we had an iPhone to stare at while our eyes glazed over. His words remind us today that the removal of the constant distractions of life, social media and an abundant workload, can refocus our view and deepen our faith. Genesis 2:7 tells us that “the Lord God formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into his nostrils. The human came to life” (Common English Bible translation). This passage from the creation story reminds us that we are enlivened by God's breath and formed from the “dirt.” Our scripture informs us that the dirt path is part of our experience of God’s goodness.

While we are taking a few dirt paths in life, Jesus and, similarly, the mission of the United Methodist Church, commands us to “go and make disciples.” Through discipleship we are called to transform the world. Making disciples is at the heart of who the church is.

In January 2021, the “Basics of Faith Formation” series was launched by United Methodist Discipleship Ministries. The five-session series is designed to equip local churches for disciple-making by understanding the role of the church in forming faith. The course aims to help church staff and volunteers gain more clarity about discipleship and the role of the church/extension ministry settings in forming disciples. The fifth session of this new series was designed and written by United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministry leaders and delves into the significance of camping and retreat ministries and their important role in faith formation.

UMC Discipleship Ministries “Basics of Faith Formation” course is open to all as either a free or a Continuing Education Unit version (same content, just with CEU credit for a nominal fee). Pastors, children’s ministers, local church leaders, camp and retreat leaders, and others are participating and sharing their learning about ways to be more intentional in faith formation in the church. These leaders are becoming more strategic in forming disciples who are then forming other disciples. 

Each of the five sessions in the course series is accompanied by a video segment that includes a diverse set of practitioners from across the connection, along with suggestions for “action steps” and questions for reflection and response. Sessions include the two dimensions of grace, purpose of the means of grace, the importance of context, and a session on camping and retreat ministries. In addition, this teaching series has an online forum where participants share their challenges, hopes, and celebrations in ministry.

More than 340 people have registered for the “Basics of Faith Formation” eLearning teachable course in the first month since its release. The facilitators of the course have enjoyed the comments and interactions with the participants through this teachable platform. Participants’ comments about what resonates within their context or challenges them to do ministry in new ways is inspiring and encouraging to those who teach the course.  

The instructor team wanted to share with the UMCRM community some of the comments from participants who have chosen the “dirt path” at various times in their ministry and faith formation.

I have volunteered at our nearby (sort of) United Methodist camp/retreat center for many years, and it has definitely been a faith-building experience for me. I love working with the kids and helping them grow in their faith. And their questions make me think and grow in my faith! The natural setting allows more freedom to talk about things that are more challenging.

I also have participated in retreats at another nearby United Methodist retreat center. They have two labyrinths there that I enjoy going to walk. Sometimes I do nothing else but go there to walk along the lake or walk the labyrinth in the woods. I feel closer to God there in nature and can pray and meditate more freely. The veil seems thinner there.

It was at the retreat center that I heard the call to become a spiritual director, and then I followed up on the two-year training to become one. And now I go back to the retreat center for more retreats - virtually at this time, unfortunately, although I can still go there for my walks.

– Bonnie-Jean M Rowea

Walk to Emmaus - Being afforded this opportunity was amazing. The fellowship, worship, and the spirit of the Lord moving in this place was unreal... God's presence and love is felt more due to being one with nature, being around other Christians, and those with the desire to further their walk, the love shown by everyone, the genuine concern, and the fellowship.

I found it left me wanting to grow more in my walk and eager to learn more in order to share with others.

– Cassandra Justice

I have participated in the Walk to Emmaus retreats a number of times, first as a pilgrim, then as a worker during the retreats— a wonderful experience for all involved. I also have participated in retreats of another type at a nearby United Methodist retreat center. These have most often led to times of prayer, grace, and worship; they have greatly impacted the spiritual growth of a large number of people. They are always a great growing experience.

– Marvin Moore

I was blessed to be a participant at the Upper Room two-year Academy for Spiritual Formation that was held at Camp Sumatanga in Alabama. It was a true camp retreat setting. With contemplative and creation as my spiritual pathways, this nature setting offered me the environment for a change of place and pace that just nurtured and refreshed my soul - a place to pause, calm down, lay my routine aside, and just be with God.

For me, it definitely was the natural setting that soothed my soul - the walk around the lake, the trees, the streams where I could reflect, and sense and see God. The intentional teaching, reflection, sharing as a community - growing in faith together. The various ways we were encouraged to stretch ourselves to try new avenues and new practices – were like waves enveloping all of us. For me, it was the freedom to leave my every day, routine, somewhat structured life with its responsibilities aside - to come just as me. It was truly one of the most life-changing experiences that has led me on the journey to write and facilitate classes on individual spiritual formation.

– Lisa Rosea

What comes to mind when I think of camp and retreat ministries? Fun! Indeed, fun for all ages and not just children. Belonging also comes to mind. When my son was a youngster, we decided to spend a week at family camp. We didn't know any of the people there, but nearly all of them knew one another. We were loved into that community. My conversion to Christ came during one of our stays. Camps and retreats can collaborate with local churches by connecting their unique role to the mission of the local church. They will not take the place of the local church but will enhance that role. Persons of all ages come to an awakening when they get away, and that awakening is to be nurtured in the worshiping community.

– Kevin Hugh Seymour

Camp & Retreat Ministry leaders, be encouraged that you are part of the church's larger story of forming faith over the lifespan. Consider taking and recommending this course as you grow in understanding of our ministry's role in the church's mission. Connect with others from across the United Methodist connection to share your challenges, hopes, and celebrations in ministry. The course will spark new ideas and give leaders from all levels of experience a renewed energy and solid foundation for discipleship formation.

Join the “Basics of Faith Formation” teaching series or share the link to invite someone else to participate in the course

Rev. Kevin Johnson is the Director, Children’s Ministries for Congregational Vitality & Intentional Discipleship at Discipleship Ministries. Kevin’s hero Fred Rogers suggests that we, “listen to the children, learn about them, learn from them. Think of the children first.” This quote defines Rev. Kev’s approach to ministry. Kevin, an ordained elder of the Kentucky Annual Conference, has over fifteen years of ministry experience in which he has thought of the children first. Prior to ministry, Kevin worked with children in the hospital setting and in group homes for emotionally and physically abused children.

This article was also published by UMC Discipleship Ministries: Connecting Faith Formation To Camping & Retreat Ministries

Reflections on the 2020 OMC Directors' Survey

Jen Burch — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 23:03:11 GMT

UMCRM-specific data

Full OMC report

Every two years, our UMCRM community joins camp and retreat leaders from several other denominations through the Outdoor Ministries Connection (OMC) to conduct a massive research project that measures trends and impact of faith-based camp and retreat ministries across the US and Canada. Sacred Playgrounds, Inc. conducts the research via a thorough Directors’ survey. We began collecting data in 2014 and are now able to see insightful trends over time. In 2020’s survey we are also able to see the significant impact that the pandemic has had on our collective ministry.

The United Methodist participation in this research was significant, with 108 of our 189 sites represented in the data. Because of this high response rate, we are able to effectively compare United Methodist camp and retreat ministries to our ecumenical counterparts. We can also get a clear picture of the full impact of COVID-19 specifically on our UM sites.

Several camp and retreat leaders across the country have had a chance to look at this data and have shared some helpful observations. Below are some excerpts from their reflections.

Keith Shew (Director of Camp & Retreat Ministries, Dakotas-Minnesota Conferences) observes how the data makes a case for strengthening camp and retreat centers’ relationships with their Annual Conferences:

The thing that stood out to me the most from this report is the correlation between our UMCRM camps’ ability to weather COVID-19-related challenges and how connected they are to congregations/denominations. This feels significant.

For a time such as this (COVID-19) it has never been more important to be connected to the body. Some highlights:

92% of UMCRM ministries state a moderate to strong emphasis on faith development and connection to our congregations/denominations.
- Being clear about our mission and staying closely connected to our stakeholders is something we are doing well, is elevated as key to our ministries, and is extra important for a time such as this.
83% of our centers received financial assistance through special fundraising campaigns. This was second only to assistance through PPP dollars.
- This would not have been successful without generations of committed denominational partners, ambassadors, and champions involved to help extend the message to support camps during this time of great challenge and unknown. Relationships and congregational/denominational investment in camp’s mission made this possible.
77% of our camps state they are extremely to very confident that their ministries will remain in operation in two years.
- This confidence is an illustration of why deep roots in our local congregations, districts, and conferences are mission-critical. Strong buy-in and our work to stay connected and partner in mission allows for this.

Camps are part of the fabric/DNA of our congregations and denomination and our leaders’ stories; they do not want us to fail.

Sara Shaw (Coordinator of Camping Ministry, Great Plains Conference) observes the connection between Director tenure and COVID’s impact on staffing:

According to these findings from the report, there is such a wide range in care for camp staff financially:

Over half of responding UMCRM organizations (58%) had to furlough, lay off, or reduce the salary of full-time staff members. Almost three-quarters (71%) had to do so to part-time staff members.

23% of Executive Directors took a reduction in salary, with the majority of these having their salary reduced by 10% to 25%.

57% of UM Directors have a tenure of 5 years or less.

One could argue that based on the tenure report there appears to be a higher rate of turnover than what other averages may be with Directors who are not in the UMC. Would it be beneficial to have a standard [salary] set for Directors’ pay, like we do for pastors?

Kenny Funk (Director of Camp Wrightwood & Interim Director of Camping Operations, CAL-PAC Conference) notes the priority results of the “Philosophy Statements” section as they relate to diversity and a focus on retreats:

It is clear that diversity is an area for growth for our collective ministry:

17% of respondents disagree with the philosophy statement, “Our camp is a place where people encounter diversity.”

60% of sites have 10% or fewer of their campers representing a racial minority.

Even if diversity doesn’t happen at your site, there is importance in including diversity in your philosophy. A simple understanding of preference may be a good place to start. We are finding that older congregants and diverse campers prefer a retreat facility to a camp experience.

These are just a few snippets of the overall story that this data tells. Within these numbers you will also find the deep commitment to faith formation that is foundational to our ministries, the financial impact of COVID-19 on our sites, and the hopeful future that camp and retreat Directors are striving toward. We encourage you to share the survey findings with ministry donors, board members, and leaders throughout your Annual Conference. Both the full report and the UM-specific data set are tools for all of us to tell the impact story of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries.

If you create additional interpretive materials for your constituents and stakeholders, we would like to see them. Contact Jessica Gamaché, UMCRM Association Director. Enthusiastic thanks to all of our community members who took part in the research and to those who offered reflections for this article.

Solomon Cramer Grants - Review of 2020 Recipients

Jen Burch — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 04:16:51 GMT

The forward-thinking philosophy and inspired generosity of one individual continues to impact lives for Christ. Throughout his life, the Reverend Solomon Graydon Cramer could see that the ministry happening at United Methodist summer camps across the country was preparing the church’s young leaders for lives of impact through discipleship. As a testament to his belief in the power of camp, Rev. Cramer built up his legacy by endowing a portion of his will to ensure young people could attend camp for years to come. Since 2017, the Solomon Cramer Fund has been sending young people to camp by granting scholarship funds to individual conference camp/retreat centers. Through these grants camps have developed innovative programs that reach new people in new places, widening the circle of leadership and campership.

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage us to consider the breadth of our ministries by focusing on the following four priorities: 1) Experiences that minister with youth living in poverty 2) The intentional development of young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership with Camp & Retreat Ministries 3) Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation and 4) Providing opportunities for diversity within ministry participation and leadership. Special consideration is given to Camp & Retreat Ministries that focus on more than one of those priorities and that are launching new programs/opportunities related to the priorities.

Some of the 2020 grant recipients were not able to operate due to the pandemic and opted to defer their grant until 2021. Several were able to pivot their planned program to adapt to the needs of an unusual season. Five Solomon Cramer Fund grant recipients were able to utilize the grant in 2020:

Flathead Lake Camp (MT) Rising Leaders Social Justice Through Anti-Racism Retreat: Last summer, 20 teen and tween campers experienced a safe weekend retreat focused on systemic racism, white privilege, and intersectionality through the lens of Christian social justice.
Camp Chippewa (NE) Traveling Experience: 113 participants were reached with a traveling day camp experience, building community and fostering relationships among staff, churches, and youth during a difficult season, exposing current and future campers to a taste of what Camp Chippewa offers.
Camp Lakeside (KS) Camp In A Box: In a summer season when a regular camp experience was not possible, grant funding made it possible for 300 children in 119 families to receive a box with camp activities, devotionals, camp gear, and a reminder of the love of Jesus.
Ozark Mission Project OMP Connect online program: 156 campers and 81 adult volunteers incorporated Neighbor Care, Worship, Construction Skills, Fellowship, and more in a week-long daily online program.
Next Generation Ministries (Greater NJ) Camp Transform online day camp: Throughout the month of July, young people engaged in activities focused on racial justice and the creative arts through an online camp program. Young leaders of color served as counselors.

The application deadline is March 19th for the 2021 round of Solomon Cramer Grants. Apply today!

Compass Points: A Love Story – Guest post by Jennifer Hampton

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 02:56:56 GMT

Why Compass Points?

Camp people are my people. It took me a long time to figure that out. For years I thought ‘basketball’ was my community, Carolina Tar Heel basketball to be specific. Then it was volleyball, where I located my identity among a group… then university, then teaching, then young clergy. At one point or another I could say with lukewarm confidence: “yeah, those are my people.” I never really fit in, though.

I landed my first camp job as a college graduate looking for a place to crash during the summer between my undergraduate degree and beginning work on my master's. It was only meant to be temporary; a summer breathing the fresh mountain air before returning to the academic world in big city life. And I just never left. Summer turned into fall which turned into more than two years before I moved back to the ‘real’ world and reapplied to that master's program.

While my vocational discernment led me to serve the local church, I missed camp. Camp people understood the unique intersection of theology and play, discipleship and creation care: renewal, shalom, koinonia, and adventure are the liturgy of camp life, and I thrived there.

When I discovered the Compass Points program I was five years into my pastorate and already feeling the effects of burnout. Taking Eugene Peterson’s call to renewal and retreat seriously, I registered for the first course, bought a plane ticket, and felt the weight of responsibility lift off my shoulders when our plane took flight. Not knowing at all what to expect, I found the class a welcome mixture of academic excellence, professional development, wisdom of the collective, and community. Much like the experience of resident camp, my fellow students and I began the course as strangers and parted as friends, transformed and renewed by our time together. Our shared learning experience and shared passion to see camping ministries prosper was a balm to my soul. The community I found within my cohort challenged me to carry the best of camp back into the local church. I took the courses under the guise of “continuing education,” but it functioned more practically as a source of renewal for me, a reminder of my call, and an affirmation of my own identity.

Camp people are my people, and the Seven Foundations of United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries are the bulk of my work, even in the local church as a pastor. Now, more than ever, this new COVID-reality of our existence begs more attentiveness to the authentic connections which come so easily at camp: connections with God in sabbath, silence, and prayer; environments of genuine grace; sensitivity to other’s needs; embracing life’s teachable moments; learning from the wisdom of the natural world and soaking up the goodness of God’s creation; breaking barriers and redefining boundaries; doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.

Compass Points was a path of renewal, healing and inspiration for me. It provided the education, affirmation and community I needed to continue on in faithfulness to the Kingdom of God.

Rev. Jennifer Bingham Hampton moved to Casar, North Carolina in May 2019 to serve as the first Director of Tekoa Foothills. She is an Ordained Elder in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church and has served as the Associate Pastor at Broad Street UMC in Statesville and the Senior Pastor at Sunrise UMC in Lewisville. She is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke Divinity School, and the Compass Points Certification Program with Columbia Theological Seminary. With son Edwin, and husband Joseph, Jennifer can be found hiking, building fires, floating down rivers, and exploring their home on 117 acres in the foothills of North Carolina.

If Jennifer's story inspires you to consider embarking on the Compass Points journey, learn more at CompassPointsProgram.org or contact UMCRM's Compass Points liaison, Russell Casteel.

The next courses, "Articulating Our Mission, Role, and Value," September 12-15, and "Nonprofit Business Management," September 15-18, are registering now! They may be taken a la carte or as part of the Compass Points Certificate Program series. Register here

Meet UMCRM's New Board Members

Jen Burch — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 03:30:00 GMT

At its January meeting, the UMCRM Association was blessed to welcome two new board members for the 2021-'25 term. Let's meet them!

Josh Shaw is the Director of Children & Family Ministries at St. John’s UMC in the Memphis Annual Conference. Josh is an Enneagram (2) enthusiast and a Ravenclaw. His diverse interests include teaching choreography, spending time with German Shepherd/Chow Chow mix Queen, and hanging out with nieces and nephews.

Josh began his camp journey as a counselor for a local theater camp, which inspired him to seek out his own camp experience. In the fall of 2010, his youth group went to a retreat at Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center. Josh says, "Being in that space allowed me to feel free to be my most authentic self. I returned to camp the summer of 2011 for my first summer camp as a camper. I immediately fell in love and knew that camping was a part of my future."

Josh has been a volunteer counselor at Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center for many years (2012-2019). His team has led Jr. High 3 for 4 years (and hopefully many, many more). He also serves the Memphis (soon to be Tennessee-Western Kentucky) Annual Conference’s Conference Youth Leadership Team, training students to lead retreats for their peers. Since 2014 Josh has led retreats for older elementary students, confirmands, junior high, senior high, and young adults/college students.

Through serving on the UMCRM governance board, Josh is excited to bring a perspective for young people, people of color, and lgbtqia+ people who aren’t often invited to the table by the church.

Other fun facts to share with the UMCRM community? Josh mentions:

I lived in Romania for a summer.
My granny is my best friend.
My dream job would be being Bruno Mars’ key dancer in everything!

Dail Ballard has been serving as the Executive Director of the NC UM Camp & Retreat Ministries since 2011. They are a separate 501c3 nonprofit organization related by faith to the NC Conference of the United Methodist Church. The organization includes camps Chestnut Ridge, Don Lee and Rockfish. Prior to serving as Executive Director, Dail served for several years as the Fund Development Director for all three camps. She is a life-long Methodist and has been involved with camping almost as long, starting out as a camper at Camp Don Lee.

Dail was drawn to serve with UMCRM by our mission-driven focus and our commitment to the vitality and impact of United Methodist camps and retreat centers. A Speech-Language Pathologist by trade, Dail founded and led a corporation of allied health professionals across North Carolina before entering Camp/Retreat executive leadership. She brings this business acumen, organizational and processing skills, and a passion for inclusion and diversity to the work of UMCRM.

How were you called into Camp & Retreat Ministry? Dail recalls:

Before foot surgery, I enjoyed running almost everyday. I would often pray during my treks through the neighborhood. During one of those runs in the middle of one of those prayer times, I literally stopped in my tracks hearing God nudge me that it was time for me to do something else with my life. What that was was not clear at the time. So I began having conversations with friends and colleagues. A position with the NC UM Camp & Retreat Ministries had just come open. I was thrilled. I was nervous. I was leaving a career that had required post graduate schooling and one that I had enjoyed for years. Thrilling and chilling all at once, I tell you! But God was at work. I trusted, and here I am.

What would you like the UMCRM community to know about you?

It should come as no surprise that I love being outside. I am a coastal girl through and through and enjoy everything about the flat lands of eastern North Carolina. Winters are challenging for me - even in the south. I much prefer a warm, bright summer day. I will get up for a sunrise and chase an open vista for a sunset. And a full moon?! I will make my way to the shore for a moonrise no matter the temperature! I have three beautiful and bright children who are making their way in this world in their own unique ways. They are my greatest accomplishment on this planet.

I delight in meeting new people while relishing time with close friends. And, I can laugh at myself as heartily and happily as others do with me. I look forward to serving the UMCRM community and getting to know more people who share a passion for camp and retreat ministries!

We are grateful for these remarkable individuals' willingness to help guide the UMCRM Association in a governance capacity, sharing their depth of experience and insight while bringing their passion and a spirit of fun to our shared work. Please join in praying for them and for our Association's leadership as they envision a thriving future for United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries.

Drop them a word of welcome and encouragement at their new UMCRM email addresses:

dail.ballard@umcrm.org

josh.shaw@umcrm.org

What is the BDC? Cat Holbert Breaks It Down.

Jen Burch — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 03:06:40 GMT

What is the BDC?

Aren’t acronyms just so UMCRM? Of course, and we would not want it any other way! In this case, the “BDC,” or Board Development Committee, is a burgeoning team that will replace the old school “nominations” committee. The biggest difference is that the “BDC” works independently from the Board while keeping their fingers on the pulse of the Board work, its initiatives, and the needs and the vision of the United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries Association.

The BDC will consist of 6-8 members who are gifted with a deep understanding of systems thinking and who appreciate and are committed to the people of the United Methodist Church. This team of leaders will be vision- and value-driven and have a strong understanding of board development. Additionally, these folks are recruited for their lasting connection to our Association, as evidenced by the respect they have in our community and the relationships they have built with a broad base of people. Because of the important nature of their work, each member must be able to participate assertively in conversation.

Working together, the BDC will identify Board members and an officer slate to be lifted for the Board’s approval. As Jody Oates, of Kaleidoscope Inc. and outgoing UMCRM Board member, has described it,

“A Board Development Committee will work independently of the Board of Directors to recommend candidates for the Board. With intentional training, review, assessment, and outreach, the Board Development Committee helps assure a fair and equitable process so that the UMCRM Board has the best leaders to serve.”

How will it work?

The first BDC will be tasked with establishing operating procedures; however, there are several pieces already in place that were put into practice in the recruitment of UMCRM's two newest Board members:

The BDC performs a gap analysis using several methods: interviews with Board members, reviewing strategic initiatives, assessing current gifts/needed gifts, etc.
The BDC issues a call for nominees.
Nominations are considered. Additional nominees are recruited as needed.
Nominees are interviewed.
A slate of members and/or officers is brought to the Board for approval.
Approved nominees are invited to serve on the Board.

Establishing the Board Development Committee is another important step for the UMCRM Board as it seeks to address future needs of our Camp & Retreat Ministries community. We are looking forward to working in this way and pray that each of you feels seen and served through this process. Contact Cat Holbert to discuss further.

Promoting Summer Camp 2021 – A New Year, A New Challenge - Guest Post by Nick Coenen

Jen Burch — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 01:33:53 GMT

In a “normal” year, most camps have a marketing or promotional timetable that they lean on. That timetable typically starts not in November or December but reaches well back into the previous summer as we take the photos and video clips that will be the raw materials to promote the next summer.

But…what if there wasn’t a summer?

What was likely an odd thought exercise that site directors would process over a cup of coffee or a conference workshop has become reality for many camps. Pulling the thread of that reality reveals even more missing pieces. Not only do we not have the raw materials we are used to having, but the photos we do have don’t show campers and staff using the precautions we are likely to still need in summer 2021, modeling the use of masks and social distancing.

And what about distribution? With many churches not meeting in person, do our materials fit the situation? If you hang a poster in an empty church, does it make a noise?

With all of these questions piling up in addition to all the other questions we are facing about the actual operation of camps in 2021, I did what any overwhelmed Site Director would do…I asked Facebook. My social media following probably looks like a lot of United Methodist camp professionals’. What started with personal family and friends has morphed over time to include my camp family and friends; alumni, summer staff, pastors, and families that have grown close to me as they have grown close to the site I serve. In many ways, they are the perfect focus group.

So I asked them this:

“Pastor Friends: Thinking about camp promotional materials for summer 2021 today. In your current (and near future?) worship situation, what is the best tool I can give you to promote camp?”

The responses were almost immediate and quite helpful:

“Social media images and videos”
“I share info with our church and could use something I would email directly to families.”
“Maybe a bulletin insert/blurb as we still hand those out for drive-in worship as well as email out.”

This feedback wasn’t unexpected and it helped confirm my hunches about how to promote camp in meaningful ways this year. In a typical year, our conference makes a printed camp catalog that is sent to all previous campers as well as a collection of materials that is sent to churches (a poster, bulletin inserts, etc.). What our Facebook feedback told me is that we need to align our promotion strategy with the ways our churches are gathering, and that we need to reach our camp families where they are in this moment.

For us, that means a shift from a printed catalog to a heavier emphasis on our website. The additional benefit of that decision is that it allows flexibility as the pandemic changes through the spring. A printed catalog commits us to programs and schedules that we are hoping to offer when we lay out the pages in December. This year, those ultimately may look different as the summer season approaches.

This shift will require additional communication, though. Just because you update a website does not guarantee that your audience is checking in regularly enough to register. So as we make this shift, what is the flare we launch to let people know when it’s time to register? Email blasts? Do we need to send a physical postcard? How can we integrate camp messaging into virtual church services?

The majority of comments I received to my original question were requesting video. If we can make a concise, 2-4 minute commercial that invites people back to camp and also puts minds at ease about safety, I think it can be easily added to even more churches today than would have likely shown it in previous years. To make it usable for as many as possible, we’ll include a quick note about how to play a video through “share screen” in Zoom. Most churches will have mastered this skill by now, but our goal is to remove any barriers that would keep our message from getting out.

Most camps are already immersed in the world of social media, varying on which platforms they participate in by the audience they serve. If Step 1 of our 2021 promotional plan is to create a better website, and Step 2 is a library of videos to explain changes and improvements we’re making to our site and programs, perhaps Step 3 is our social media plan. In my view, social media success is about frequency even more than content. What information do our camp families need to hear going into this summer camp season that will help them make a decision? What trust will we need to build in new ways to overcome our new challenges? What parts of camp do we need to remind them of, that they may have forgotten?

This year has been difficult, frustrating, and exhausting. However, there is something life-giving for me in doing this planning. For me, as we prepare to send our message out in hopefulness for the 2021 summer season, it reminds me that God continues to walk with us as we do this work. While it still feels uncertain and scary at times, I trust that God will continue to give me the strength and the wisdom to endure, finding the messages that need to be delivered so we can gather around campfires once again.

Summer 2021 likely won’t be exactly like summer 2019, but we will be closer. The faithful steps that bring us closer to gathering once again at camp feel like acts of hope.

Nick Coenen is Site Director at Pine Lake Camp and Retreat Center in the Wisconsin Conference. His 2020 has included creating virtual camp programming, discipling a small cadre of summer staff, raising many thousands of donor dollars to sustain the ministry, fostering stray kittens, helping to lead UMCRM's Bridge Event, and catching and recovering from Covid.

Keep Warm & Enjoy the Winter Environment: Guest Post by Jen Burch

Jen Burch — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 00:31:45 GMT

At camps and retreat centers, summer and the spring and fall “shoulder seasons” are usually wonderful times to enjoy outdoor activities on our waterfronts, fields, and trails. Worship is held in outdoor chapels and open-air shelters host meals and crafts. When cold weather arrives, as it does for the majority of us in the U.S., many centers have traditionally shifted programming indoors to cozy fireplaces and heated, electric-lit gathering spaces. However, in this pandemic year, even those sites that can safely and legally open are having to re-think the use of indoor spaces.

As an appreciator of winter, I want to encourage you to “think outside” the buildings! Winter is an amazing season for outdoor adventures in serene snowy landscapes with less sweating and no bugs. You might even get some much-needed vitamin D from the sunshine and happy neurotransmitters from invigorating exercise. I hear some of you whining already, though. I want to encourage you to practice the skills of regulating your body temperature so you can help yourself and others experience God’s creation through this winter season. Don’t let the pandemic get you down— fresh air and wide open spaces are still out there for us to enjoy.

Layering – not just a fashion statement

One key to staying warm while active in cold-weather activities is, ironically, not getting too warm. Overheating leads to sweating, which can lead to chills or even hypothermia. If you’re active in the cold weather environment, you need layers you can strip off and add back to keep your body in the comfort zone. I see you, Floridians, trying to just wear your same summer t-shirt and pop a big heavy winter coat on top. Better to start with a thin, wicking layer that’s not cotton. Synthetic workout clothes or wool base layers work great. Not just the top, but bottom, too—long johns or leggings. Next, add a light fleece or other mid-weight shirt. Then a warm jacket (but not too heavy or bulky if you’re going to be active). This is a great use for those down or synthetic puffy jackets that squish down small. Wear or pack a waterproof or water-resistant outer layer for the very top – you’ll be glad to have it in case of wind or precipitation. Again, not just for your upper body—you’re done if your legs and behind get cold and wet. Even if you don’t need them when you start out, throw a pair of snow pants or rain pants in your pack to be prepared.

Hydrate or die-drate

When it’s cold you might not feel thirsty like you do in warm weather, but your body needs hydration as much or more than ever. Cold temps can be drying both to exposed skin and to your insides. A thermos with warm tea or cocoa can be a welcome treat that’s worth the weight. And bring plenty of water – nestle it inside your pack or use an insulated bottle if you’re concerned about freezing.

Fuel the fire

Bring lots of snacks, as those calories help your body generate heat. Bonus—things won’t melt, so you have more options than your usual hot-weather fare (yes, please, more chocolate and cheese!) If you’re in sub-zero temps, beware of freezing – hard granola bars and Power Bars may become an inedible brick, so nut mixes or bite-size items might be a better bet.

Don’t pack too light

You might need a bigger pack in the winter. If you’ll be in a remote area or out for the whole day or (for the brave!) overnight, you’re going to need more stuff. Make sure you have one more warm layer than you expect to use in case the weather shifts unpredictably, a layer gets wet, or you need to sit still. Leave room for layers you’re wearing that you might want to shed once you get moving.

Take it easy

If you are going to be hiking, playing active games, sledding, skating, or skiing, start slower than your ideal pace. You want to be warm but not sweating profusely. Adjust your layers once you get going. Make sure the layers you shed get put somewhere safe (like back in a pack) so they’re dry and easy to find when you’re ready to put them back on. It’s no fun to look for the lost mitten once it’s getting dark and your fingers are cold.

Head…and Toes

Give special attention to cold-weather protection for your head and extremities. A warm hat like a fleece or wool beanie is essential (not optional; your hairdo is less important than your health and warmth!) A balaclava and/or neck gaiter can be a face-saver in sub-freezing temps or windy conditions. Gloves are also a must—I like a warm fleece pair with waterproof mitts on top, but regular snow gloves will work if that’s what you’ve got. Even if you don’t plan to get them wet, have a backup plan. You never know when you might need to make a surprise snowball. I like a two-layer approach to socks, as long as my boots still fit comfortably (air space is an insulator, so don’t squeeze your feet with socks that are too thick). Itch-free smartwool is wonderful, but most types of hiking socks work well (remember, no cotton!). Stash a backup pair of socks in your pack. If you (or your campers/guests) don’t have waterproof boots and your winter wonderland is wet, consider a plastic produce bag or bread bag as a waterproof liner between sock feet and sneakers. Not ideal, but neither are cold, wet feet.

Rest assured

For rest breaks in summer, we can often plop down on the ground or find a handy rock. In winter a little more planning is needed. For a quick snack or water break, you might want to stay on your feet. If you’re taking a longer rest, sit on your pack or make an insulating seat with a tarp and your spare layers. Don another layer of clothing, too, as it’s easy to get a chill once you stop moving.

This same principle applies if you are doing a “sitting still” activity outdoors in the cold, like a worship service, lesson, or meal. Lawn chairs, outdoor chapel benches, or picnic table seats need a layer of insulation to sit on—foam sleeping pads, blankets, or an extra jacket can work; just make sure your participants come prepared. Some may also want a blanket for their shoulders or lap. Older adults and very young children tend to chill faster, so let their comfort be your guide and bring extra items to care for their needs.

Sun still shines

If you are lucky like me to live in a place where the sun shines in the winter, you will need to remember your sun sense. You may have seen those ski-goggle sunburns – sun reflected off of snow or ice can be intense. Wear sunscreen on your face and lips, and protect your eyes with sunglasses or goggles. You may want to pack a ball cap or other brimmed sun hat to trade out if your beanie or hood gets too warm. Because of the low angle of winter sun in our hemisphere, adjust your schedule to maximize your daylight. Once the sun sets, everything gets a LOT colder. Where in summer you might prefer an evening worship or shady green cathedral, in winter you’ll want to relocate outdoor events to the sunniest (warmest) spot and schedule for maximum daylight.

Plan for quitting time

Head homeward before you (or your group’s most vulnerable member) get too tired or cold. Don’t wait until you’re hours down the trail or it’s getting toward dusk before making your return plan. Even if your group will disperse for the ride home, consider offering warm beverages and snacks with a quick closing prayer back at base camp so everyone can head home content and happy.

For our physical and mental health this season, we’re going to need to spend more time outside. I hope these tips will help you enlarge your zone of comfort to embrace a new outdoor adventure. Regardless of climate zone, I hope more of us will consider a hike on a peaceful gray winter day or a socially-distanced outdoor worship in our site’s sunniest spot.

Jen Burch is the UMCRM Association’s Administrator, which is pretty much a sedentary desk job. Many years ago, though, she graduated from a January course at the Colorado Outward Bound School (including 9 continuous days in the same base layers and a two-night solo in a quinzhee snow cave.) Jen still loves snow and hopes to spread appreciation for the unique treasures of the winter outdoor environment.

A Reflection on the October Bridge Event

Jen Burch — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:37:41 GMT

After what has seemed like an eternity, the UMCRM community finally had the opportunity to come together with the intention to reconnect and refresh. The morning of the first event in our Bridge Event Series started with the Camp in the Community (Holston Conference) Worship Band, followed by devotion with Rev. Gary Lawson (Lakeshore, Memphis Conference). Gary shared from the book of Job specifically about suffering and the fear that accompanies it. Gary emphasized that our God doesn’t promise a life free of pain or suffering in exchange for our faithfulness. Not everything in life is fair, and what we learn from pain and suffering builds and shapes us. We were encouraged not to "waste the pain" but to use what we go through to grow, in turn using those experiences to encourage others.

Following our morning devotion, people from across the country poured into our round table discussion virtual space. With fearless leader David Weber (Riverside, Florida Conference) greeting folks as they entered the virtual room, it was obvious how much we all treasured the opportunity to reconnect. From discussing the weather to the inspiring moments in our own communities, the true UMCRM-style camaraderie we all know and love was ever so present. We closed the session praying for one another in small breakout groups.

After lunch, participants joined one of the five virtual workshops. Ranging from philanthropy and development to camp in a pandemic, there was an option for a variety of interests. Jennie Dickerson from Lakeshore shared her insight on creating a culture of philanthropy at your site. Jeff Parsons of Bay Shore Camp and Family Ministries (Michigan) dove into the details of camp operations in the midst of COVID-19. Marlene Urban-Funk from Camp Wrightwood (Cal-Pac) helped us reconnect with our bodies through mindful breathing and being. Jody Oates with Kaleidoscope, Inc. shared the importance of effective governance and ensuring those important positions are filled correctly. Lawrence Jay from Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center (MA, New England Conference) provided insight on how to lead meaningful and spiritual online retreats. The educational opportunities provided a little something for everyone, whether program staff, board members, volunteers, or executive leaders.

Our keynote speaker for this first event was none other than Michelle Cummings, the Big Wheel and founder of Training Wheels and a known leader in the Team Development industry. One great thing about our UMCRM community is that everyone fits in and all are welcome. From the start of Michelle’s keynote it was clear that she is “one of us.” She gets the passion we all have to build community through experiential learning. Michelle not only made every person feel welcome and included, she truly connected with our group. She shared strategies to engage your virtual audience while she effortlessly modeled that by keeping us all engaged. While she elaborated on ways to creatively use the Zoom platform, our chat box was full of people commenting on how their minds were blown by her ideas. Michelle showed a group of people who are professional team-builders and ice-breakers how to take it to the next level and embrace the virtual world we are currently living in. Following the keynote, there was competitive hilarity as she led several teams in a Virtual Scavenger Hunt experience. While engaging us in play, Michelle also gave participants the tools to design and implement similar activities in our own settings.

To close out the day, the Camp in the Community Worship Band and Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi (Western PA) led worship with beautiful song and a message from the Gospel of John. Bishop Moore-Koikoi elaborated on how Jesus challenged traditions and the norm in order to save lives, encouraging listeners to practice out-of-the-box faithfulness within our ministry. “There are people all around us who need us to dare to break the traditions and norms and do something extravagantly creative and outrageously unconventional in order to reach them where they are and to bring them to a place of wholeness.” She went on to say that this is not a call to ignore the state guidelines regarding COVID, rather that this is a season where we have to challenge our status quo, asking ourselves if anything we are doing is standing in the way of someone experiencing the healing and empowering love of God.

One participant in this first event said, “At the end of the day, I had a feeling of contentedness that I don’t often have. I’ve been feeling really disconnected from people and from the mission, and some of that was reconnected in a meaningful way.” If you attended the event but didn’t share an evaluation, we would love to hear your feedback: Evaluation form

As the design team, our ultimate goal was to give people a space to “Be Whole, Live Well, and Come Together.” We truly hope that goal was accomplished and we absolutely cannot wait to bring you a new Bridge event in November. If you missed this event, you can still get in on the experience. Register today for access to the next 3 live Bridge events (November 18, January 20, and February 17), plus the recordings from all four events in the series. Special thanks to all those who bravely dove in to experience the first Bridge Event. Hope to see many more of our community members at the next one!

Reflection by Paige Helms, for the Bridge Event Design Team:

Sarah Ratz (Beersheba Springs, TN), Chair

Nicole Armstrong (NY & Lazy W)

Nick Coenen (Pine Lake, WI)

Sharon Godbolt (Cal-Nev)

Paige Helms (SC)

Cat Holbert (DSW)

Apryl Miller (Gretna Glen, EPA)

David Weber (Riverside, FL)

Whitney Winston (CITC, Holston)

UMCRM Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Group: Update from John Spelman

Jen Burch — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 22:50:17 GMT

The events of 2020, including the protests surrounding the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the growth of #BlackLivesMatter, have made many of us examine the cultures of our camps and retreat centers as we relate to race and racism. Recognizing this need, UMCRM created a monthly gathering for camp and retreat professionals to have a place to learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) values and practices in our ministries. Using this knowledge, this group will develop tools and strategies to help all UMCRM ministries grow in DEI literacy and practice.

Earlier this month, 20 UMCRM professionals met with Dr. Carmen Phelps, the lead DEI and Racial Equity Consultant for Project 986 Consulting. Dr. Phelps comes to UMCRM through support from the Legacy of Leadership Fund. She brings over 20 years of experience partnering with various organizations to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion values. She will walk alongside this learning/volunteer group over the next six months or more.

The most recent educational session with Dr. Phelps was a starting point for our future discussions. As an introduction to anti-racism work, participants reviewed key terminology and concepts so everyone would have a shared language for future conversations. Dr. Phelps then led the group in a gallery tour of the history of the cultural, societal, and economic status of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States. The overview spanned from the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to the British colonies, through Emancipation and Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement, up through current social justice movements. Dr. Phelps also provided a framework of levels of racism and ways we interact with these in our everyday life, including examples ranging from microaggressions to structural racism baked into systems of government, education and housing policies, and the church. The exercise helped the group tap into both the facts and feelings surrounding white racism in our society.

Meeting monthly, this group of professionals will continue to grow in our work to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in UMC camp/retreat ministries. No matter where you or your program is on the journey, you are invited to engage in this work and join this group. The next steps include developing shared principles, solidifying a vision and mission for the group, and focusing our efforts in the short term so we will have concrete action steps to implement for summer 2021.

To join this group of colleagues in dedicated time for learning and creating sharable resources for the whole UMCRM community around anti-racism, email jessica.gamache@umcrm.org to express your interest.

John Spelman is Executive Director of Aldersgate Camp and Retreat Center in Rhode Island, where he has integrated a social justice focus into the center's programming. This summer John and the Aldersgate summer staff created an amazing Anti-Racism Series of educational videos on their YouTube channel.

Jedi Knights and Board Governance: Guest Post by Ron Bartlow

Jen Burch — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 02:12:16 GMT

Before the dark times, before the empire, for over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice. Over 10,000 Jedi – padawans, knights, and masters – roamed the galaxy, from the core to the outer rim, and even to the mysterious reaches beyond.

In their shared mission to defend and protect all sapient life, these thousands of Jedi mutually relied on the expertise and wisdom of just a few masters chosen to sit on the Jedi High Council. Five masters (including Master Yoda) accepted a lifetime commitment to the Council; four masters were chosen as "long-term" members of the Council, to serve until such a time as they felt they should leave; and three masters were chosen to limited-terms; creating a High Council of up to 12 members.

Not every Jedi aspired to sit on the Council, of course. Quinlan Vos and Qui-Gon Jinn were less interested in discussing and discerning diplomacy as they were in being actively involved in missions across the galaxy. While certain diminutive masters might emphasize that a Jedi craves not adventure or excitement, there were definitely those in the Order who preferred such to sitting in council meetings! But the Order found the centralized leadership of the Council necessary, so a group of masters who were wise and/or willing to learn were chosen to serve.

A summation of the Order's core values dating back to texts as ancient as the Rammahgon and the Aionomica, the Jedi Code was a critical guide to the administrations and leadership of the Council. Though it was less than perfect*, the Code provided direction to any Jedi looking for guidance in a galaxy in turmoil...

We may not be in that galaxy far, far away, but I hope you can identify yourself as a Jedi of Camp and Retreat Ministries! Thousands of us roam the nation in our shared mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, particularly through our passion for, and expertise in, camp and retreat ministries.

A few weeks ago, Russell Davis shared a blog post about the organizational changes to our UMCRM Board. UMCRM Association Structural and Legal Changes Russell shared a great amount of detail therein about the changes and the history leading to them. I wanted to add one particular emphasis to what he has already shared.

Like the Jedi Knights of the Old Republic, there are thousands of us in national Camp and Retreat Ministries who are gifted, talented, and called to minister in a great variety of ways, but we are not all the same. We all have areas of particular interest, passion, and strength. As an organization, our Association wants to best empower our members to be the best CRM Jedi Knights we can be. We want to Resource one another, Advocate for our ministries and their powerful impact upon Christian discipleship, Inspire transformative leadership, and help one another to Network together, for stronger ministry and greater impact. (Capitalized words reference UMCRM’s mission statement.)

Every organization needs leadership. Some models of board leadership, particularly for small organizations, invite people to join the board in order to empower them to volunteer, lead, and manage the organization's efforts while also being responsible for the "fiduciary" responsibility of a board of directors. Being on such a board grants some degree of authority and responsibility, and board members endeavor to fulfill a function equivalent to volunteer staff: coordinating events, managing members, handling finances, tracking resources, etc. I often hear such boards called "management" boards, as they work to manage the work of the organization.

However, as an organization grows – perhaps not as large as 10,000 Jedi! but, still, "larger" – a single board cannot effectively manage and maintain all the activities of an organization while also maintaining accountability for its fiduciary responsibilities. In such situations, roles become more delegated: boards are tasked with governance/leadership, taking responsibility as a board of directors, while staff work to manage activities, often with the direct involvement of a larger number of volunteers. One form of such leadership is "policy governance," such as the model described by John Carver that our board is using as inspiration as we implement a new form of governance.

In the end, in switching to policy-governance we hope for the same result as the Jedi Council. While a smaller number of 8 to 12 will meet to do the work of governance – directing our shared mission, creating strategies to accomplish our hoped-for ends in the world, evaluating the impact of the organization, essentially refining “the Code” of our organization – we hope that far more of you Jedi will be empowered to join together in accomplishing the Association’s mission to strengthen camp and retreat ministries nationwide.

A core principle of Carver's model of policy-governance is that the small number of board members cannot possibly oversee all the activities of an organization. That's the point! While board members focus upon governance, the organization's staff works with many, many more capable, passionate, and excellent volunteers to accomplish the mission in the world.

As we work to make the shift to implement this policy-governance model, it is our great hope that Jedi like you who may not feel called or passionate about being on a board will find yourself instead excited about and volunteering in ministry with UMCRM in other ways. We hope to empower many more of you to consider getting involved: from national event planning, to creating and providing services to Association members, to creating resources for leadership development, to making testimonial videos about the power of camp, to sharing effective camp resources, to any other number of activities that UMCRM may pursue in our mission to "resource, advocate, inspire and network to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries."

*The code, as written, is clearly too absolute and contributed to the fall of the Jedi: "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge." During the years immediately preceding the Fall of the Order, Jedi younglings learned a variation of the code during their initiation that some Masters, such as Depa Billaba, rightly found more accurate: "Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge." Such an alternation does not try to negate the existence of one thing, but does identify another as preferable. Perhaps, had the Council been more adaptive in its leadership, it might have discovered that elimination of emotion was not the ideal; even the brash Anakin Skywalker laid out that compassion was at the heart of a Jedi's mission! Teaching one another to find peace in the mist of emotion might have helped bring Anakin peace, might have brought greater fulfillment to another Jedi in love with a Duchess, and could have prevented both the fall of the Order and the Republic! But the imperfections of the Code aren't the main topic here.

Rev. (Obi)-Ron Bartlow is Vice Chair of our UMCRM Board and an overly enthusiastic Star Wars fan.

Fundraising Perspective From a Complete and Total Novice: Guest Post by Emily Sliski

Jen Burch — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:07:02 GMT

I’ve attended the sessions at conferences where our colleagues encourage us in the methods, meaning, and practices of donor development. In all of these sessions I’ve heard something along the lines of, “You can do this! State your need and folks will give.” It all seemed very Field of Dreams, “If you build it, he will come,” to me. To extend the movie metaphor, I relate most to that girl in the stands choking on a hot dog, because the idea of me asking someone for their hard earned money has always been a bit terrifying.

Enter COVID-19, a cancelled spring retreat season, a summer without campers, and a fall retreat season full of cancelling groups. Suddenly the financial need was very real, very evident, and very much needing the attention to get over my own fears of making an ask.

In the Susquehanna Conference, our camp and retreat centers operate as one camping ministry together. We share budgets and resources, and collectively we knew that this pandemic meant we would need to make spending cuts, dip deep into reserves, make hard operating decisions, and ask our community of supporters to give financially so that these sacred spaces could weather this unexpected storm. The latter of these action steps was quite intimidating as, honestly, we’d never done more than send out an end of year appeal letter to raise money. Suddenly in 2020 we were facing the reality of needing to raise $100,000 in order to sustain the ministry. If, like I was, you are still metaphorically choking on the Field of Dreams hot dog, I am here to encourage you.

Quickly and methodically, we formed a small Donor Development Team that included two board members, a conference staffer with donor experience, our conference Director of Camp and Retreat Ministries, and myself as a representative of our center director team. Next, we identified two obvious initial tasks: we needed a reliable way to track donors and our online giving platform needed an overhaul. Our dormant donor management software was rebooted and organized, and we secured a new user-friendly online giving platform that we added to our website. Finally, a campaign plan was laid out and we created a designated campaign page for the website to transparently explain what we were asking for and why we were asking for it.

We launched our Camp Comeback Campaign on June 13, the day we should have been kicking off our 2020 summer camping season. Four months later, we are only a few thousand dollars away from that $100,000 goal. How have we done it? We’ve asked, and people have given. It really is that simple. Maybe that’s why our donor development pro colleagues keep saying it!

It has been humbling and deeply encouraging to see the support come in. From the spare change a six-year old camper sent in a hand-addressed envelope, to others giving thousand dollar gifts in honor of the life-changing personal experience they had at camp decades ago – every gift reminds us that amidst this challenging season and a summer without campers present, people continue to need, love, and radically support camp. In truth, fundraising in this season has been a major motivator to me. Camp was way too quiet this summer, and I was deeply missing the summer faces, memories, and experiences. It was hard to remember why I do what I do when my summer tasks had turned from afternoon slip-n-slides and campfire worships, to cutting brush and clearing out the depths of the dreaded camp closets. Every gift that has come in during the Campaign has been a reminder of why I do this. Each giver was a witness to the fact that camp continues to matter, even when we can’t gather. We will come back after this pandemic ends, and it will be because people who love camp got us through a really challenging time.

One of the most unexpected and highly successful methods we’ve found for raising funds has been the use of matching gifts. The Campaign kicked off with Matching Monday, a simple social media driven event over the course of seven weeks. We asked folks to put up matching gifts starting at $50, gradually increasing to the final amount of $5,000. With the seven weeks of giving planned and the donors to offer the matching amounts secured, we knew we could raise $18,800 over the course of the campaign event. Every Monday on our centers’ Facebook pages we announced the matching amount with a Canva-created graphic, and every Monday our community of supporters donated any amount they could to help us meet the match, understanding that their gift was doubled as soon as they gave it because it was a matching gift. We assumed it might take us several days to reach some of the matching amounts, but our community showed up week after week and met the matching amount in mere hours every Monday. After seven weeks we had raised well over $20,000, we had stayed engaged with donors over a significant span of time, and the donors started off the Campaign with the knowledge that they could make a significant impact by giving together.

Take it from me, as a complete fundraising novice who was massively uncomfortable with the thought of asking people for money: you CAN do this! The donor pros are totally right – you just have to ask people to give. Truly, it’s as simple as picking up the phone to connect with a volunteer, staff alum, camper parent, retreat leader, local church leader, or family member, and asking them to support the missions of these sacred spaces.

We are camp people. We are a creative bunch! We are also often pressed for time, money, and resources. Surround yourself with a team of other creatives willing to develop and lead mini giving events, tap into free and available resources (hello, Canva! hello, colleagues with donor insight), and get your plan in place. Make the ask, and as each donor gives, may you be reminded that your ministry is needed, beloved, and important….and that seriously asking folks for money isn’t nearly as terrifying as it sounds.

Emily is the Center Director of Wesley Forest Camp and Retreat in central Pennsylvania. A longtime camp person, Emily’s favorite camp activities are campfire worships, building relationships with summer staff and campers, and eating Gushers from the Snack Shack. She’s a big fan of backpacking, Dolly Parton, and baking. She lives at camp with her husband, their two Springer Spaniels, and a few chickens.

Camp@Home: Online Content Lessons Learned - Guest Post by Meredith Simmons

Jen Burch — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 21:05:27 GMT

This summer, Camp Alta Mons launched Camp @ Home—a 100% online and free-to- all camp program created to help connect kids, families, alumni, and supporters to a summer camp experience. It ran for 9 total weeks and was a huge success. Here are my top 10 pieces of advice that I learned from my summer creating, producing, and publishing this online content.

As a baseline: We utilized Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and our website to spread our message. All of these platforms are free or low cost. If your camp doesn’t have all of these, make sure to create accounts ASAP! Your campers are looking for you online and they want to see your content. Make sure to connect with them in as many ways as you can!

1. Make A High Quality Video

This one is mega important, so it has 3 parts!

Can you hear me now?

Make sure you use a microphone or stand close enough to the camera to capture sound well. No one likes videos where you can barely hear the person speaking or where there is a lot of background noise. Do your best to film in quiet areas where the speaker can be heard clearly.

What to film on?

Using a DSLR camera will produce a higher quality product than a phone camera (in most cases and depending on the type of phone you have.) Whatever device you choose, make sure to utilize a tripod. Shaky videos are distracting and mistakes like fast zooming, blurry transitions, and uneven pans take away from the overall quality of your video. If you do decide to film on a phone, make sure to film landscape (side to side) and not portrait (up and down.)

FOCUS!

Make sure you focus. Blurry videos are hard to watch and if you’ve invited guest speakers/surprise guests, you likely only have one opportunity to capture the footage. Make sure to check if someone is in focus before they begin speaking. Also, remember to mentally focus! It can be easy to take filming lightly and brush off the impact that you are having. Standing alone in front of a camera can be sad, but your message matters! Make sure you focus and get into the correct headspace before speaking. Pretend like the campers and staff are right there in front of you and give it your all.

2. A Pretty Preview

When filming a video, make sure to take a “thumbnail” photo for both Instagram TV (IGTV) and YouTube. When you upload videos to these platforms, they auto select a thumbnail if you don’t add one. These images can often be blurry and seemingly random; your video will look much better with a thumbnail that you chose.

3. Be Descriptive

For both IGTV and YouTube, utilize those description spaces! Include Bible verses referenced and names of those speaking. Type out as much information as you can to make it as easy as possible for folks to connect with your content. Pro Tip: When uploading videos to YouTube, make sure to check “YouTube for Kids” so that your campers with restricted access to YouTube will be able to see your camp’s content!

4. Schedule & Save Time

At Camp Alta Mons, I use Buffer.com to schedule our Facebook and Instagram posts. Buffer does not work well for videos, but it is a great resource for posting photos. You can schedule things ahead of time and check your daily posts off your to-do list in one day. It’s a free resource that offers paid plan upgrades. You can also “premiere” videos on YouTube at a specific date/time.

5. Name It & Promote It!

Create a campaign. Draw people in! Title things in an organized fashion and follow a consistent structure. Post every Bible Study every Monday at 10 AM or campfire livestreams each Wednesday at 6 PM – whatever works best for you. Create a hashtag for your followers to use when they connect with your content. Do as much as you can to build excitement for whatever it is that you are advertising. The buzz will generate more interested individuals.

6. Campy & Consistent

Patterns in imagery and design help create a consistent look that folks will recognize and connect with week after week. Reach out to your staff to see who has a knack for graphic design and utilize their talents and skills. It’s fun for everyone to follow along with graphics that speak to the heart of camp.

7. Be Authentic

Represent your camp brand well and honestly. Be true to who you are and what your camp represents. For my camp, this includes enthusiastically singing songs with hand motions and doing everything with the goal of letting campers know that they are loved by God.

8. Film Advice

Learn to edit your films and practice several times before uploading your first one. You can make short teaser videos or promo material for something else. In your videos, utilize music (follow proper copyright protocols!) and B Roll (supplemental video footage; think shots of a campfire while someone talks about a campfire) to create the best video possible. And most importantly, keep it SHORT. Long videos lose engagement from parents and campers alike and are hard to follow along with. Be concise and to the point! A 5 minute song or dance is way too long.

9. Instagram Specific Advice

Instagram can be a bit difficult to work with—or at least to understand. Make sure that you have a link in your bio and that link directly correlates with what you are promoting at the time. Typing out URLs in the text of a post is NOT a good idea because followers cannot click on and follow that link. Always make sure your “link in bio” is up to date! Also, IGTV is not editable. Proofread your caption/description and title before you hit post! There’s no going back unless you delete and re-post.

10. A Final Word to Camp Folks

Take a shower before you go on camera. Look clean and neat. If you're like me and you're living at camp during a pandemic, your day-to-day vibe may not be camera-ready. Have some fun showing off your collection of camp t-shirts or other fun “you” accessories. Plan ahead so your outfit will work well with your background. Put your best foot forward as you do the most that you can to help camp reach as many people as it can.

If you’re interested in checking out what Camp Alta Mons did this summer, head on over to www.altamons.org/camp--home to see all of our online content and the details of our Camp @ Home Box delivery!

Meredith Simmons is the Program Director at Camp Alta Mons in southwest Virginia. Meredith graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in physics, which we're sure has deeply guided her work at camp. She enjoys the natural beauty and hiking opportunities of living onsite. An avid hiker, backpacker, and Girl Scout, Meredith hopes to one day thru hike the entire Appalachian Trail. Like many of us in 2020, she's learned a lot of tech skills the hard way.

UMCRM Association Structural and Legal Changes: From our Board Chair

Jen Burch — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 17:40:35 GMT

The past eight years (has it really been that long!?) since the launch of the UMCRM Association have flown by, pandemic time notwithstanding! It’s more difficult to see through “Covid lenses” a time when the biggest threats to camping ministries and our United Methodist camp and retreat community were the possible elimination of the camp staff position by Discipleship Ministries and the actions of a divided General Conference.

From Event to Association

I began my service on the board as the association was launched. Initially under the leadership of Jack Shitama, and followed by Kelly Peterson-Cruse and me, the board has spent the last eight years transforming an organization established in 1991 as the National Camp and Retreat Committee, Inc. (NCRC). The incorporation of the NCRC was pursued by active volunteers who had been working together since 1976. The NCRC’s original purpose was to plan and implement a national event every two years. Over the years that work expanded as passionate board members saw and addressed ministry needs in coordination with the camp staff person at Discipleship Ministries. The NCRC board has functioned as a management board, volunteering to implement programs on behalf of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries across the country.

The move to reorganize as an association was a natural evolution acknowledging, 1) the expanding and essential work that had been done for years, and 2) the possible elimination of Discipleship Ministries staff support for that work. It was a prescient decision by those board members who preceded us, especially former chairs Mike Huber and Jack Shitama, and I/we owe them a debt of gratitude. The volunteer board, operating out of a management model, expanded its scope of work, recruiting and coordinating the vast talents of the new membership association to broaden the impact of the organization. As our mission says, we sought to “resource, advocate, inspire, and network,” to “RAIN,” on behalf of camp and retreat ministries. And though we began doing completely different work, we believed there was no need for structural change for NCRC, Inc. We assumed that with a change of name to UMCRM, a couple of bylaws tweaks, and some new policies and procedures, the board could continue its new work.

That assumption changed in the winter of 2019 as we were invited to submit a grant request to a family foundation for funding a full-time director for the Association. In truth, we began to feel the challenges of the decentralized nature of the recruitment and nomination process of jurisdictional elections as early as the departure of Ian Hall, our Treasurer, years before, when we realized we had no one on the board with the skill set to replace him. At-large positions allowed us to recruit for expertise, and we found ourselves able to operate fairly well, even though our desire for expanded operation continually outstripped our ability as a management board to ever feel “on top of things.” But as we anticipated the funding to be able to hire our first full-time Director, we realized that the board would have to change from its management model or risk falling into micromanagement and conflict.

“Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”Matthew 9:17 NRSV

A New Model of Governance, and a New Structure to Support It

For the sake of clarity of responsibility, authority, and accountability – for ourselves as a board and for the Association Director we planned to recruit and hire – we decided to adopt a model of board policy governance. Knowing that we would always have members who would bring vision to the board table, we made the decision not to follow Carver-style policy governance strictly. Instead, in addition to developing policies to guide both board and staff operations, a la Carver, we chose to retain authority with the board to set “strategic direction” (but not strategy - this is an interesting and intentional choice, call me if you’d like to know more!) in partnership with the Director, and to delegate authority for finalizing and implementing strategic plans to the Director. This clear delineation of authority and responsibility would allow for the board to focus solely on the association’s governance and visioning work, and for the Director to assume responsibility for moving the association in the direction of vision set by the board.

We decided to include additional funding in our grant request for the director’s salary that would enable us to hire a nonprofit lawyer to manage the name change process for us. The lawyer advised us that the prospect of successfully acquiring a separate letter of determination from the IRS would be difficult for several reasons, including: the change of the nature of the organization from a committee to an association, the NCRC's previous inclusion under the UMC IRS letter of determination, and our desire to move the new organization to a less-restrictive state. He suggested that we establish a new non-profit organization with the UMCRM name and then apply with the IRS, simplifying the process and making the case for the IRS more compelling. We decided to go that route. While we were at it, we streamlined the bylaws and established governance policies to reset the structure and operations of the board.

The New Structure, a Lot Like the Old Structure

The most significant structural change is the number of board members. We’ve reduced the size of the board membership range from 15-17 down to 8-12. The move from full day-to-day operational management by the board to a staff-led organization governed by a policy board has allowed us to downsize, and we were further motivated by travel and meeting cost savings of thousands of dollars per year. In addition, though the board is authorized by its bylaws to establish committees, it currently has no plans or needs to do so. The operational volunteer committees that previously worked for the board (Education, Development, Membership, and the Event Design Team) will work for the association under the supervision of the Association Director. Streamlined board governance frees up more volunteer time and talent to accomplish the association’s many projects and initiatives.

While reviewing our bylaws, we learned from our attorney that while as an association we have “association members,” that the NCRC, Inc. was not organized as a “membership corporation.” So our annual meetings of the association to vote to set budgets, to elect board members, and other official board business were held without legal standing. They weren’t illegal, they just weren’t necessary to accomplish organizational goals. Running an organization with “members of the corporation” and ensuring that membership status, quora, and proxies were in place would add a layer of complexity unintended by this or any board. The new UMCRM, Inc. has been organized as a nonprofit corporation “without members,” even though we are a membership Association. It is the responsibility of the board to represent the fiduciary and missional interests of its owners and membership.

So, What Does This Actually Mean?

The board and staff are working hard to ensure that the transition to the new UMCRM, Inc. corporation goes smoothly enough to be unnoticed by our association membership. I want to list some of the more important and interesting implications of our organizational changes below. If unanswered questions remain, I invite you to contact me at russell.davis@umcrm.org, or to contact any of our board of directors.

Transition Process

UMCRM, Inc. is established and currently inactive

We received our separate IRS 501c3 status this summer!

Its initial board members and officers are the same as our current board for NCRC, Inc.

The Association will continue to operate as we have been as NCRC, Inc. through the end of the year

NCRC, Inc. will be dissolved effective 12/31/20

All NCRC assets, contracts, and records to be transferred to UMCRM, Inc. effective 1/1/21

Closing by year’s end will ensure that our 2020 990 filing can be NCRC, Inc.’s last

UMCRM, Inc. will have its inaugural annual meeting (the board meeting at which it elects officers) on January 7th, 2021

Board Membership and Nominations

As we pursued the goal of a smaller, more nimble board of directors, we sought to honor, to the greatest extent possible, the

nominations of jurisdictional representative board members, the established operational and communication expectations of

the association, and the service of all board members. Once we began meeting again in September, post Covid summer, we realized that we have neglected to reevaluate the nomination process for our at-large membership. That work is underway, with the goal of establishing a recruitment and nominating process that is transparent and external to the board for use this fall as needed.

Our current board of directors and officers for NCRC, Inc. is listed below. They are also the initial board for UMCRM, Inc. as it begins operations on 1/1/21.

Current NCRC, Inc. Board

Abi Fuesler At-Large Class of 2020 1st Term

Russell Davis SEJ Class of 2021 2nd Term

Brant Henshaw At-Large Class of 2021 1st Term

Cat Holbert WJ Class of 2021 2nd Term

Jody Oates NCJ Class of 2021 1st Term

Sam Richardson NEJ Class of 2021 1st Term

Sharon Godbolt At-Large Class of 2022 2nd Term

Jeff Parsons NCJ Class of 2022 1st Term

Ron Bartlow WJ Class of 2023 1st Term

Sarah Ratz SEJ Class of 2023 2nd Term

Arthur Spriggs At-Large Class of 2023 2nd Term

Joel Wilke SCJ Class of 2023 2nd Term

Initial/Current UMCRM, Inc. Board (named in 1023 filing)

Abi Fuesler -- Director

Russell Davis - Director

Brant Henshaw – Director

Cat Holbert -- Director

Jody Oates -- Director
Sam Richardson -- Director
Sharon Godbolt -- Director

Jeff Parsons -- Director

Ron Bartlow - Director

Sarah Ratz - Director

Arthur Spriggs -- Director
Joel Wilke – Director

Initial/Current UMCRM, Inc. Officers (named in 1023 filing)

Russell Davis - Chair

Ron Bartlow - Vice Chair

Sarah Ratz - Secretary

Brant Henshaw - Treasurer

Jessica Gamache - Executive Director

Board size range defined by bylaws changes from 10-15 to 8-12.

The reduction in board size has happened with natural attrition and board members’ decisions not to pursue additional terms of service.

Members completing their terms of service in January will bring the board into compliance with the single “elected” representative per jurisdiction as proscribed by the NCRC bylaws amended in January of 2019. (Those bylaws also prevented the early termination of “elected” jurisdictional reps, leading to the short-term non-compliance with a specific provision of the NCRC bylaws.) The revised UMCRM, Inc. bylaws maintain representation of the “historic” UM jurisdictions by one board member each. The maximum number of at-large positions allowed is reduced from 10 to 7, with the minimum number reduced from 5 to 3.

The revelation by our lawyer that our jurisdictions have no authority under either the old or new bylaws to elect members of the board leaves us with undefined nominations processes for both Regular and At-Large board members. The board is currently at work defining new processes for both types of board members that will be transparent and handled by a group external to the board.

The board is committed to the pursuit of diversity in its membership. By its nature, a governance board represents the interests of the association’s “moral ownership” (those whose interests are served by the association). Board members, therefore, do not “represent” any region (jurisdiction) or subgroup. But the unique experiences, perspectives, and understanding each board member brings to the work of governance enables their decisions to better serve the association, making diversity a critical priority, both in board membership and across all the volunteer work of the association.

In Closing

As previously mentioned, we anticipate that most of these changes will be enacted without being noticed by the association membership. In large part, that’s the motivation for my writing this blog. So many changes have occurred in recent years in the way our association operates, always with a view to serving our mission effectively and sustainably. In a little over a month we’ll celebrate the one-year anniversary of our Association Director! One big change we’re introducing this fall is Association membership for everyone in United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries, abandoning membership dues for what we hope is generous donated support from all of us.

This collection of board-related structural and operational changes all in one spot is for your convenience, explained as fully as your attention might allow(!?), and offered with invitation of your comments and questions to ensure understanding. Please feel free to contact me at russell.davis@umcrm.org.

With gratitude for the opportunity to serve you,

C. Russell Davis, Chairperson

UMCRM Association Board of Directors

Michelle Cummings To Keynote First Bridge Event

Jen Burch — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 18:21:22 GMT

Many in the UMCRM community are familiar with Michelle Cummings and her fun and innovative facilitation style. Whether you are a seasoned team-builder, experiential teacher/learner and game leader or someone newer to the field, time spent with "Big Wheel" Michelle Cummings will energize you with new ideas and fresh skills.

As founder of Training Wheels and co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Personify Leadership, Michelle is a well-known expert in the Team Development industry. She is an accomplished author and sought-after speaker on leadership, team-building, and experiential learning. Michelle's wide variety of facilitation tools and activities have collectively changed the way trainers and educators work.

Cummings holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Kansas State University and a Master's in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University at Mankato. She lives in Littleton, Colorado with her husband, Paul, and two sons. In a non-COVID year Michelle travels extensively to deliver innovate programs for camps and nonprofits, and to train professional associations, corporations, universities, and more.

Register today for the "Be Whole, Live Well, Come Together" event series, and be sure to attend the first one on October 21st when we will hear from Michelle Cummings.

Be Whole, Live Well, Come Together: Announcing the Bridge Event

Jen Burch — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 18:46:14 GMT

We are in the middle of a time where some togetherness is exactly what we need.

As camp and retreat leaders, we thrive off of what we do best: cultivating

community and spaces set apart for people to grow.

UMCRM has created a virtual Bridge Event to do just that.

This is a call to all camp and retreat leaders who are craving community.

This Bridge Event is specifically designed for our fellow camp folks to be whole, live well, and ultimately come together.

A group of UMCRM volunteers has worked to put together a monthly virtual event series for any and all camp/retreat leaders who are interested in joining. These four events align with each other, offering different keynote speakers, worship leaders, and workshops for each event.

When will the monthly events take place?

The Bridge Event will include four virtual events held on Wednesdays, October 21st, November 18th, January 20th, and February 17th. Participants will be able to tune in from the comfort of home, office, or personal space. Different sessions will be available at several times throughout the day.

General Schedule: (times shown in Eastern Standard Time)

7:00am Morning Devotion (recorded for later viewing)

12:00 Vendor Hall Open

2:00pm Workshops (up to 1.5 hrs)

3:00 Vendor Hall Open

4:00pm Special Guest Speaker, Breakout Sessions following

7:30 Evening Worship (later watch parties in various time zones)

How much will this cost?

The cost per participant is just $60 for the whole series. This includes all four virtual events and access to recordings of each event. There will also be a virtual vendor hall to connect with UMCRM-friendly businesses and services. Wait, there's more! Registrants will also receive worship boxes by mail, available while supplies last. Times are financially hard right now, so in order to ensure that everyone is able to attend, scholarships are available upon request. Even if you missed a previous event, register now to get access --it's still a great deal.

What is the worship box?

While supplies last, registrants will be mailed a box of materials curated by our leadership team. These hand-selected items are meant to inspire you to create your own sacred space to worship during our virtual events. Share your inspirations by posting a photo of your worship space using the hashtags #umcrm and #UMCRMtogether on social media.

Where will these events happen?

Our leadership team has created the events within PheedLoop, a virtual conference platform. This platform will allow us to offer a virtual vendor hall, keynote speakers to broadcast their presentations, worship leaders to share, and workshops to happen. Once you register, you will receive more details on accessing the events, including a "what to expect" video.

What if a participant is only able to attend some of the events and not all four?

Recordings of each session will be made available to all registrants. The registration fee is the same whether you register in September or in February, because it includes all-access to the 4 events. However, we hope community members will be able to join in person as much as possible --the networking chat feature, live Zooms, and lunch table conversations really help it feel like we are together in person. Come as you are and join live as you're able!

Still have questions? Drop us a line at bridge.event@umcrm.org

Faithfulness In a COVID Summer: How United Methodist Camp/Retreat Ministries Navigated the Summer 2020 Season

Jen Burch — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 22:09:35 GMT

Committed, adaptable, creative, faithful, hardworking, generous, compassionate. The staff and volunteers of United Methodist Camp/Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) demonstrate so many of the qualities that define effective leaders. This season, those attributes were tested in familiar ways and new ones that stretched even the most resilient among us.

Of the nearly 170 United Methodist Camp/Retreat Ministries in the United States that offer summer camps, the majority (about 90%) did not offer traditional summer camp for the 2020 season.¹ Directors, Executives, and boards of directors led painstaking decision-making processes which took into account guidance from the American Camp Association, CDC, and Association of Camp Nurses, local pandemic regulations and conditions, church and organizational values, priorities and finances, and site and staffing concerns, all filtered through prayer.

Even while sacrificing the service, fun, engagement, and revenue that are part of summer camp, many camp/retreat site staff and volunteers were able to keep on in ministry, sharing God’s good news of love and actively serving as hands and feet of Christ in new ways in their communities. Some offered virtual camp experiences online and through Camp-In-A-Box activities campers could experience from home.² Some welcomed small family retreats to the holy grounds of camp to provide respite, connection, and experiences of God’s creation.³ Some utilized commercial kitchens to cook for hungry neighbors.⁴ A few sites created monastic residential communities with young adults exploring their faith and call.⁵ Others repurposed camp/retreat buildings as quarantine housing⁶ or distribution sites for food and supplies. Some were able to offer short-term day visits to help people find renewal through safely-distanced hiking, fishing, swimming, horse riding, or service projects. Many reached out to support families and children who needed to remember someone cares about them.

The few (about 12) UMCRM sites that were able to offer residential camp in the 2020 summer season did so with trepidation, thoughtfulness, and humility. In a recent UMCRM Community Conversation, several leaders from around the country shared trials, joys, and lessons learned from summer 2020. All of the UMCRM sites that operated this season took a rigorous, layered approach to COVID-19 safety protocols, including low-contact camper drop-off and pickup, increased cleaning and sanitizing of spaces and equipment, dividing campers and staff into discrete and non-mixing “cohort” small groups, daily health screening, decreased capacity and time in indoor spaces to allow for physical distancing, wearing masks, increased hand-washing, eliminating off-site activities, and adapting food service systems. This summer season demanded new inventions like creative hand-washing stations and adapted games that incorporated physical distancing. Staff created new practices, new forms, new communication and record-keeping strategies, new systems for managing the flow of people in our spaces. Counselors became experts in managing masks and hand sanitizer in addition to the usual sunscreen, appropriate footwear, and bug spray.

Some of the COVID guidance provided to camps changed as the summer progressed, so resilient leaders worked hard to stay abreast of local regulations on practices like mask-wearing and group sizes, sometimes needing to adapt operations in the middle of a session. Communication with camper families before, during, and after camp felt graver, less light-hearted than it usually would. A few Directors noted that even our youngest campers were remarkably adaptive and resilient with all the new rules and changes. Families were even more grateful than usual for their children to be able to experience camp and were supportive of all the measures our camps put in place to make it work.

One unexpected blessing that Directors reported from this strange summer was a marked decrease (and even absence) of the usual illnesses and injuries. Maybe everyone was just that much more careful this year? Maybe all of that hand-washing really does make a big difference to our health?!

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that camp, in its simplest form, still works. Even stripped of fancy off-site trips, guest speakers, specialty programs, and other bells and whistles, building community and having fun in a “sacred place apart”⁷ are truly the core of the camp experience. For young people who spent much of the spring and early summer quarantined at home with limited social interaction, time at camp this season felt like an especially welcome joy and adventure. For those who spent way too many hours inside in front of screens, a week of fresh-air activity in a slice of God’s beautiful Creation was especially sweet. When church and youth group activities had become virtual or nonexistent as a result of the pandemic, relevant Christian faith formation among a small group of peers was more needed than ever. For the thousands of campers who missed out on United Methodist summer camp in 2020, our ministry leaders missed you terribly, and they are hard at work to find ways to provide camp and retreat experiences for you just as soon as we can do that safely.

Leading summer camp in a “normal” season always involves late nights, early mornings, surprises, challenges, lots of preparation and stress. Those features were multiplied many-fold in this pandemic summer, and the relief and gratitude for a successful camp season cannot be overstated. When asked whether, if they could go back and decide again whether to hold summer camp, the majority of our Directors who ran camp said a resounding “yes.” They said “yes,” even knowing the financial strain of operating with limited capacity, “yes,” fully aware of the extra work and rigor and sleepless nights that were part of leadership in a COVID summer. Camp staff and volunteers do what they do because they believe in the power of the camp experience to live out God’s love for every child, to be places of safety, fun, learning, acceptance, challenge, and joy. Both those leaders who operated summer camps this season and those whose wisest choice was to remain closed, were guided by those commitments.

Many donors who contribute to Camp/Retreat Ministries have witnessed the power of camp and are committed to making sure those experiences are still around for future generations of children, youth, and families. In places where camps remained closed in 2020, many families who could afford to donate a portion of their registration fees generously gave back to support their camp through the financial loss of the summer season. Donors have stepped up to help these vital ministries to weather this unprecedented year when camp and retreats are not able to offer our usual programming and host the groups that sustain our operations. We salute the wonderful supporters of United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries who give time, talent, treasure, and prayer to sustain these sacred places and their dedicated staff. If you have not had the opportunity to give to your favorite camp this season, please reach out to see what their current needs are and how you can help.

The UMCRM Association brings our nationwide community together to be a resource and advocate for those amazing staff and the generous volunteer deans, board members, and others who support their ministries. Together we are learning how to serve in the midst of a pandemic, mitigating risk and caring for God’s people and sacred grounds to the best of our abilities. If you would like to join the Association or support our mission, find us at UMCRM.org.

1 Based on estimates by the UMCRM Association.

2 Camp in the Community, TN Doorstep deliveries: 1,400 kids experience church camp at home and Camp Alta Mons, VA Montgomery County camp finds way to send camp experience home are just two examples of UMCRM camps that used this model.

3 Camp Wanake, OH Wanake Camp & Retreat Center and Buckhorn Camp, CO Summer Family Camping were among the sites that provided experiences for small family groups.

4 Camp Magruder, OR is one example: https://www.facebook.com/104908182943341/videos/273571057177382/

5 Two examples are “YAISC” at Camp Wrightwood, CA Young Adult Intentional Spiritual Community (YAISC) and the intern program at Camp Dickenson (VA) Summer Interns 2020

6 See Alton L. Collins Center (OR) Eagle Creek facility gives COVID-19 patients space to quarantine

7 One of the “7 Foundations of Camp & Retreat Ministry”: http://umcrm.camp/about-us/7-foundations/

Welcoming Mecan Payne

Jen Burch — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 01:55:25 GMT

“Mecan has been an excellent youth leader in GNJ, leading a growing, successful youth retreat ministry in the local church. Mecan has the passion and energy to bring people together which she balances with the administrative gifts to bring projects from vision to completion. We are in a season of great opportunity to rebuild camping and retreat ministries and I’m thrilled that she will be taking the lead.”

– Eric Drew, Executive Director, Next Generation Ministries of the Greater New Jersey Conference

Mecan (pronounced Mc-Can) Payne and her husband Corbin have been serving in ministry together since the moment they met in college, and they can’t imagine their journey taking any other direction. They have one rambunctious toddler and two crazy pups that keep them on their toes 24/7. Mecan and Corbin are both often described as coming in “like a wrecking ball;” they are passionate and very energetic in their calling to ministry!

Mecan’s passion for empowering younger generations has led to the creation and growth of multiple youth and young adult programs in several local churches in the Greater New Jersey Conference. Mecan holds a degree in Youth Ministry, with concentrations in Psychology and Theology, from Eastern University. Her experience in developing programs, leaders, and powerful worship experiences has led her to a new role as Camp Program Director at The Pinelands Center in Browns Mills, NJ. Mecan is excited to reach children, youth and their families through the ministry of camping and is soaking in every moment, lesson and resource that relates to her new position.

When not serving in ministry, Mecan enjoys spending time outside with her family, drinking hand-crafted coffee, reading true crime books and teaching Christian yoga.

Ryan Clements, Youth & Camping Ministry Coordinator, writes, "We're excited to have Mecan on board and to represent GNJ camping. Together with [Camp Operations Director] Ed Figueroa, we feel that camping and retreats in GNJ are in good hands."

Welcome to UMCRM, Mecan!

New Intentional Leadership Groups (ILGs) Forming

Jen Burch — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:27:58 GMT

Across the UMCRM community, we share a drive to grow and learn. Take your leadership to the next level by tapping into a supportive network of like-minded colleagues and friends. The 2020-2021 season of UMCRM Intentional Leadership Groups (ILGs) will focus on finding inspiration and progress through connection with others who are seeking to grow in similar areas. This year, ILGs will meet as open discussion cohorts; convened by an individual but guided by the group as a whole. Each ILG cohort will meet once a month for 9 months; September through May.

In a time of constant change, when adaptive leadership is utilized every day, this model of open discussion cohorts will allow you and your group to discuss the topics that are relevant to you. Two cohorts are currently open for you to join:

Retreat Center Directors’ Connection
- First Thursdays of the month at 1pm ET / 10am PT (starting September 3rd)
- Convened by Lawrence Jay from Rolling Ridge Retreat Center, this cohort will discuss topics and issues impacting leaders at retreat centers. If you lead a year-round retreat center and/or would like to strengthen your retreat ministry, this group is what you are looking for.
- Sign up for the Retreat Center Directors’ Connection cohort
Camp & Retreat Fundraisers
- Second Thursdays of the month at 1pm eastern / 10am pacific (starting September 10th)
- Convened by Jennie Dickerson from Lakeshore Camp, this cohort will spend time sharing ideas and resources aimed at ensuring our ministries remain as fiscally solvent as possible. We will be stronger and more creative together for our own ministries while also identifying ways to help our neighbors who do not have existing fundraising programs.
- Sign up for the Camp & Retreat Fundraisers cohort

Are you interested in spending intentional time each month with others who are interested in the same area of leadership growth as you?

Suggest a cohort theme and/or mark your interest through this form.

Six Questions To Address Ableism in Camp/Retreat Ministries

Jen Burch — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 00:46:22 GMT

1. Look online at your conference or camp welcome statement (or lack thereof). Is it very clear that you welcome staff, campers, and guests with disabilities?

2. Look at your employment materials. Does the non-discrimination clause include disability?

3. Look at your job descriptions and application forms. Do they describe each position in terms of the core skills that are needed? For example, a lifeguard needs to be able to get quickly to the water, swim well, and have the strength to pull someone to safety, and to be able to communicate clearly to remind, warn and to organize a rescue, but someone at the camp office needs a different set of skills, as does someone working in housekeeping. It makes the most sense to mention potential barriers (e.g., rough terrain) and let the applicant explain how their needs could be accommodated.

4. Look at your staff training. Is disability considered a part of diversity training, not something that you do for others with "special needs"? Consider ways to be inclusive of those who may have invisible disabilities.

5. If you address disability, do you have a person with a disability (better yet a youth and an adult with a disability) do the training? (Would you rely on a Caucasian to do anti-racism training?) Note that disability simulations have not been considered a good thing for many years and should be avoided.

6. Look at your facilities and physical accessibility. Is it evident that each time you undertake a project you plan for and incorporate accessibility whenever at all feasible, especially with structures? Do your long-range plans include accessibility?

Special thanks to Lynn Swedberg for these suggestions! Lynn is an occupational therapist and UMC Deaconess. She serves as liaison for and consultant to the DisAbility Ministries Committee of the United Methodist Church. Lynn has consulted with many UMCRM sites and is an amazing resource for us all.

Riding the PPP Rollercoaster - Guest Post by Lawrence Jay

Jen Burch — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 23:11:55 GMT

I can’t blame my board member for jinxing it, but in early March, with fears of COVID-19 growing and rumblings of group cancellations, she predicted that the situation would worsen quickly, and within a week, our onsite operations at Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center were closed by order of Governor Baker of Massachusetts.

For our facility, and probably for yours also, the past three months have been a rollercoaster with the ups and downs of the PPP loan adding to the adventure. Because of the fluidity of information and delays from our bank, we missed funding from the first round. When our loan was finally approved in the second round, I still wasn’t sure how we would be able to spend 75% of the money on payroll in an 8-week period with our facilities closed and the majority of our staff on furlough and transitioned to unemployment.

While I listened to countless webinars on PPP, none addressed the concerns I had as a retreat center director. I reached out to Horizons Stewardship and began to raise the issues that I was hearing from others in camping ministry who were also questioning how to maximize the PPP loan with summer camps looking to be cancelled. After an online meeting, they agreed to offer a webinar on PPP loan specifically addressing the needs of those in camping and retreat ministry.

Between the time of our initial conversation in mid-May and the date of the webinar on June 3, 2020, restrictions on PPP loan forgiveness were changing as the House had just passed amendments which were going to the Senate. Thankfully, the proposals would benefit camping and retreat ministries.

The full presentation with Ted Batson and Stan Reiff of CapinCrouse, and Joe Parks and Rhodes Logan from Horizons Stewardship, can be found here.

The primary changes in the new law H.R. 7010, The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 simplify the PPP loan forgiveness process and greatly increase the parameters of the forgiveness:

Extension from eight weeks to 24 weeks for capturing forgivable PPP loan expenses.
Relaxation of staff headcount because of restrictions or reduction in business so unable to bring staffing back to pre-pandemic levels.
Reduction of the SBA’s 75% payroll cost requirement with a new statutory 60% payroll cost requirement.
Extension of the time to rehire workers from June 30, 2020 to December 31, 2020.

With the reduction of payroll costs from 75% to 60%, forgiveness is now "all-or- nothing," but the extension to 24 weeks makes forgiveness more realistic for camp ministry sites. For seasonal camps with no summer staff in 2020, the suggestion is to first calculate forgivable payroll costs, and if 60% is not reached, consider bringing on staff in new temporary roles (i.e., donor development). The key principle in whether a site should bring back staff is to balance the needs of the camp with the needs of employee.

While the 60% for payroll is non-negotiable, the remaining 40% of the loan provides camps and retreats the opportunity to invest in the future through proper cash management in either full forgiveness, pending expenses for utilities, mortgage, et al, or as a low-interest loan.

Because the rules of engagement for PPP have changed with reduced payroll over an extended period, more options emerge from a stewardship perspective for the 40%. For many of our sites, recovery will take more than a year. It is important for us as ministry leaders to keep our eyes on the big picture as we make wise decisions, while remembering, as Stan Reiff says in the video, “Our dependency is not on the PPP loan, but on God, who gives us enough for what we need.”

With the PPP situation still fluid, it is important to stay dialed in with the latest updates. Keep in touch with your bank, as they are the ones who will determine whether your expenses are forgiven. Most importantly, fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and our constant companion on this rollercoaster ride.

Rev. Dr. Lawrence Jay is the Executive Director of Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center, one of four CRM sites of the New England Annual Conference. An ordained American Baptist pastor, he has been involved with camping and retreat ministries in both California and Massachusetts since 2006.

UMCRM Summer 2020 Update from Jessica Gamaché, Association Director

Jen Burch — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 22:17:17 GMT

Sadness, excitement, fear, relief, anticipation, anxiety, hope … these are all emotions that camp and retreat leaders have expressed when I’ve asked them, “How are you feeling about making the hard decision to not hold traditional summer camp this year?” Many expressed the surrealness of feeling all these emotions at the same time. As I’ve interacted with United Methodist camp/retreat ministry staff over the past three months, the feeling that I have had most often is the feeling of inspiration. I am inspired by the tireless efforts camp leaders put into the decision-making process. I am inspired by the outpouring of support from our camper families, volunteers, and donors toward our ministries that have needed to cancel or modify summer camp. I am inspired by the way our community of United Methodist camp and retreat leaders have come together to support one another. And most of all, I am inspired by the way all of our summer camps have gotten creative in providing ministry experiences this year.

UMCRM member ministries are learning new ways to provide clean/safe spaces. They are spending weeks preparing and shipping “Camp in a Box” materials. They are figuring out how to implement cohort camping and recording videos for virtual camp experiences. They are reaching out to serve their communities with meals, masks, and other symbols of Christ’s love. The creativity and adaptive leadership on display inspire wonder at the quality leaders that God has called into camp and retreat ministry.

During these past several months, every Director, Board member, and staff member worked hard to gather, synthesize, and interpret information for their context. We leaned into our mission and calling, weighed risk, agonized over contingencies and outcomes, and prayed for guidance. No matter where we landed in our decision-making about Summer 2020, none of us are alone in those decisions.

Of the 170 UMCRM ministries that were anticipating a 2020 summer camp season, we have learned that:

139 have canceled traditional summer camp programming
19 have modified or shortened traditional summer camp programming
6 are planning to hold a full traditional summer camp program,
2 sites have decided to suspend their operations indefinitely

Each and every decision made during these months required courage. God called us into unfamiliar territory, and our UMCRM community members stepped up to the challenge. As the journey continues, the call for courageous leadership remains. The road ahead will bring with it additional challenges and hard decisions. We will continue to feel sadness, excitement, fear, relief, anticipation, anxiety, and hope; perhaps all at the same time. Whatever lies ahead of us, I feel confident that our community will continue to inspire and lift up each other as we journey together. The UMCRM Association will be here to help share resources, show up for one another, and pool our collective courage and creative energy for the benefit of all.

National Gathering News From our Co-Chairs

Jen Burch — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 20:37:26 GMT

Leadership can be challenging and sometimes lonely, even during the easiest of times. That is why the National Gathering of United Methodist Camp & Retreat Leaders is so vital to so many of us. In January of this year, the Design Team met at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado to begin putting together a gathering that would help all of us elevate the ministries we steward. The team began lining up some amazing speakers, workshops, worship experiences, and a vendor party to top all vendor parties. Then Covid-19 hit.

As the weeks turned into months, we still held onto a glimmer of hope that we might be able to find a path to host our planned January 2021 event. Over the past several weeks, a task force was formed to explore the various options available to us. Ultimately, the UMCRM Association Board unanimously accepted the recommendation to postpone our National Gathering until 2022. The postponement also brings with it the need to relocate where we gather. We will share more details of the 2022 Gathering with you as they develop.

While we have pushed pause on gathering together as a full UMCRM community for nineteen months, it is “pause” and not “stop.” Even as you read this, a team of volunteers is being formed to explore new and innovative ways to meet your needs for education and networking over the coming year. We can’t wait to see where the Spirit will lead us!

Kim Bell & Matt Williams, National Gathering Co-chairs

White House Task Force Members Meet With Camp Leaders: Guest Post by Dail Ballard

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 00:42:11 GMT

With great excitement, I anticipated the virtual meeting with Vice President Pence scheduled for May 28, 2020. I was invited to join the call by Tom Rosenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Camp Association (ACA,) and Henry DeHart, Chief Operating Officer of ACA. They were convening a “leaders’ call” during which camping professionals would discuss with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force the challenges that “threaten the ability of camp professionals to provide essential summertime learning experiences… in this unprecedented economic crisis.” The Vice President and his team wanted to learn about how they could help us “preserve the continuity of our camps and respond to the educational needs of children, youth and young adults in this pandemic.”

So I got ready. Dressed better than usual from the waist up (in the new normal of working from home,) and to appear more professional, I followed the instructions to log onto the call early to get in the queue for the meeting. Much to my surprise and amusement I found the instructions to a conference call rather than a Zoom call! I giggled at myself for the vanity of getting dressed up and proceeded to log into the number, punch in the meeting code and record an announcement of my name.

After a roll call of those present, Tom Rosenberg spoke about the camp industry and identified perspectives represented on the call, including faith-based camps, non-for-profit, for-profit, those serving special needs campers, day camps, and overnight camps. He also spoke of the impact of the camp experience and the fact that each summer, camps in America serve over 20 million children and youth.

Vice President Pence then introduced those who were on the call with him, including Dr. Deborah Birx, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, and Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy of the Treasury Department Dr. Michael Faulkender. Pence extended his gratitude for our efforts in what we provide for families across the United States. He shared that he was a counselor at a summer camp in Louisville, Kentucky, and that even today, as a father, he appreciates us for what we do.

Vice President Pence appeared well informed about the difference camps make on lives in the “great outdoors” and our plight over the last few months during the coronavirus pandemic. He spoke about the efforts toward opening up America and referenced the CDC Guidelines and the ACA Field Guide as supplements to state and local laws.

Dr. Deborah Birx spoke and acknowledged camps’ abilities to respond to this pandemic and support children coming to camp. She talked about being a camper back in the day and the impact she experienced. Dr. Birx is supportive of camps and confident that we already have health and wellness protocols in place to deal with communicable diseases. She noted that most have medical staff supporting our summer camp operations. She also spoke about referring many of her patients over the years to summer camps, as she knew first hand our ability to serve even campers with serious medical needs. Dr. Birx recognized camps for the “extraordinary work [we] do.”

Dr. Michael Faulkender talked to us about the economic impact the pandemic was having nationwide, the camping industry being no exception to the economic damage. He also told us that on May 24^th, the Treasury Department “fixed a disparity in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)” in that they added the 12-week period of May 1-September 15 as another look-back period to determine maximum loan amounts. This added period took into consideration the “high season” of the camping industry. Faulkender also anticipated that there would be another round of legislation for families and small businesses.

After about an hour and several questions posed to the Vice President and his team, Vice President Pence closed the time together by saying, “The best thing to do is get our camps back open….” To that, we all agreed, and Tom Rosenberg thanked the team for their time, insight, and input.

I can’t help but believe that this conversation with Vice President Pence, Dr. Deborah Birx, and Dr. Michael Faulkender was time well spent. On at least two occasions, VP Pence made note to include items of interest in a meeting agenda he and this very team were attending after our call. At the very least, I believe that the camp industry was put squarely on their radar and that the numbers affected each year by the camp experience are enough to get their attention for further conversations down the road.

I want to thank Tom Rosenberg and Henry DeHart for organizing the call and including me in the invitation. I, along with many of my colleagues, am deeply appreciative of ACA’s advocacy in Washington and their efforts to include the voices of camping from across the United States in conversations like this.

Dail Ballard is the Executive Director of the North Carolina United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries, Inc. She oversees Camps Chestnut Ridge, Don Lee, and Rockfish.

View the White House's "Readout from the Vice President's call with Summer Camp Owners and Operators"

Remembering Bob Giesy - Guest post by Jen Burch with Rachel Giesy and Rev. Gary Heaton

Jen Burch — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 22:23:12 GMT

Bob Giesy (1940-2020) dedicated his life to sharing a sense of joy and a love for outdoor recreation and for Christ with generations of young people.

In 1964 Bob was sent by the General Board of Global Ministries of The UMC as a US-2 to serve as a group worker with inner city boys at the Wesley Community Center in St. Joseph, Missouri. Through the US-2 program he also met his wife of 53 years, Rosemary.

From 1966-1969 Bob continued serving as a group worker with inner city youth, now at Wesley House Centers in Nashville, TN. Then from 1969-1971 he became Executive Director of Camp Widjiwagan, Nashville YMCA.

In 1971 a childhood friend from Houston, TX and UMC minister, Glen Langston, recruited Bob to Virginia, where he became Executive Director of Camp Highroad in Middleburg. There he was an early practitioner of the decentralized, small group camping model.

From 1980-1982 Bob was President of the Chesapeake Section of the American Camping Association. Following that time, Bob served for 13 years as Superintendent of the Rockville (MD) Civic Center Park.

In 1995 Bob returned to United Methodist Camping, where he served as the first Executive Director of Camp Alta Mons in Shawsville, VA, and where he became known for spinning Willie Jack folktales.

Following his retirement in 2006, Bob and Rosemary moved to Charleston, SC just in time to become grandparents to four active grandkids. He continued to lead group games and tell stories to friends, family and the non-profit organizations he supported. He was an enthusiastic member of Bethel UMC in Charleston, SC.

We're grateful to God for Bob's well-lived life of service and for his lasting contributions to outdoor ministry in the United Methodist tradition.

Read Bob Giesy's obituary here.

Rev. Gary Heaton reflects...

It is difficult to conceive how God used Bob Giesy to mold my experience of the Body of Christ. His faith, devotion to family, and passion for outdoor ministry were generously shared with generations of people whose faith journey led them to camping.

My first exposure to Bob was through a camp counselor, Ron Robey, whom Bob trained and instructed in the the art of Small Group Camping. Bob was among a devoted group of Camp Directors who adopted the Small Group camping philosophy championed by John Ensign, author of the classic "Camping Together as Christians." That philosophy was passed from John to Bob to Ron to me, and I continued to pass it on through my own ministry. Ron answered the call to leave public school teaching to become a career UM Camp Director and I answered a call into ordained ministry that kept me deeply invested in camping.

All across Virginia, generations of campers, counselors, and colleagues were blessed by Bob's infectious smile, corny stories, and confidence in how the Holy Spirit works through a relationship with the out-of-doors. Ron Robey, John Hall, Barry LeNoir, Jen Burch, and Russell Davis (just to name a few) have all been touched by the wake of Bob's leadership in UM Camping and Retreat Ministry in the Virginia Conference. Bob introduced me to my future wife Beth at Camp Highroad and years later I was privileged to hire his daughter Rachel as a camp counselor at Camp Alta Mons. Over the years, I learned many things by watching Bob, and some of his wisdom took time to come to light. For instance, Bob would hire people who did not have outwardly perfect qualifications for working summer camp. He hired me when I was a bit too young to work at residential camp; he hired my wife Beth when she was a little unsure of working for a church camp; he hired John Hall as maintenance staff and he grew into a Program Director. Bob seemed to find people to work at camp who might be out of step or maybe challenged by some social, physical, or emotional liability. Yet time and time again Bob's wisdom was proved amazing by how the summer camp staff would come together into a cohesive and highly functional whole. (1 Corinthians 12!) His gift was a keen understanding of the interdependence of the Body of Christ and the way the Holy Spirit works over time in an outdoor setting. I am sure there are many more names that I have left out who were touched by Bob Giesy's life and ministry (you know who you are). I mostly want to express sympathy to Rosemary and the girls and my gratitude to them for sharing their wonderful father and husband with United Methodist Camping and Retreat Ministry. We are blessed to be part of that family.

Gary E Heaton

Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Charlottesville, VA

Remembering Jack Porter

Jen Burch — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 00:49:51 GMT

UMCRM community members have been sharing memories and celebrations of Jack Porter this week.

From Jane Petke, Co-Director at Suttle Lake Camp (OR):

"Jack and Ruth Porter served alongside of Daniel and I the summer of 2003, supporting us and the camp as we anticipated the birth of our first son. I remember fondly one evening as the campers gathered in the parking lot after the first day's fire drill.

Jack had the circle of campers look up around the circle at each other, asking, "What do we breathe in?" The campers responded, "Oxygen!" Then he asked, "What do we breathe out?". The campers responded, "Carbon Di-Oxide!". Then he had the campers look up at the tall trees surrounding them, asking "What do the trees breathe in?" "Carbon Di-Oxide!" then asking "What do the trees breathe out? "Oxygen!" Then he simply said, "Isn't God good!" I am thankful for the mentor that Jack was to me and so many camp leaders."

From Sandy Sisson: "This is one of those times where you want to push the heart and sadness together...yes, truly a wonderful soul. It has been years ago, but I still count meeting Jack Porter as a privileged path crossing. While attending Southeastern UMC Conference Recreation, Camp, Retreat Gatherings at Sumatanga {week long events of learning/sharing/affirmation}, I was blessed experiencing workshops and his wisdom - fellowship campfire times. He made a difference in my chosen ministry vocation and personal life."

From John Erdman: "It was such an honor to follow in Jack’s footsteps at Wesley Woods and a real blessing to get to know him. He was always so positive, kind and passionate about camp and the young people we served."

From Randy Pasqua: "I am privileged to be from Holston Conference where I experienced as a teenager Jack’s leadership on retreats at Camp Wesley Woods, and then as a young pastor with ambitions for Outdoor Ministry. I am part of his camping leadership legacy that has grown from his deep love for God, for this world, but especially for us. He taught us how to listen deeply to each other as he did to us. He taught us to smile and laugh (particularly at ourselves) and find the joy in most all circumstances. He introduced us to Jack Tales, stories of the adventures of Jack and his brothers and their life in the Appalachian Mountains. He modeled many of the antihero characteristics of Jack as he embraced life as it came, and looked after us with deep compassion and love. He always found a way to help us become the hero of the story rather than himself. This Christlike spirit is the foundation that Jack established for us to carry on as he ventured into the wider world of United Methodist Camping. And then we have been doubly blessed to have Jack back among us in his retirement years. Smiling, encouraging, and leading with a story of hope, possibility and love."

From Jan Thomas: "I remember meeting Jack and Ruth at the first national gathering I attended in 1976. He told me that he was the director of Wesley Woods in Tennessee, which I had never heard of. Who knew that I later would be the director there and would live in the house that he built? Our paths crossed often through the years, and it was always a joy. His was a life well-lived."

From Lee Padgett: "...truly great servant...I remember Jack took me rappelling for the very first time during the SEJ annual recreation lab the week after Easter years ago. He had that genuine sweet gentle spirit that drew you in."

From Camp Tekoa (NC): Jack was the Executive Director of Camp Tekoa in the 1980s-90s. He was a beloved fatherly figure to campers and staff for many years. Under his leadership, Tekoa reached thousands of children in the name of Christ and formed the faith of hundreds of young adults, many of whom are in ministry today. Jack served local churches in our area alongside his ministry at Tekoa out of his deep love of pastoral ministry.

Jack was known for his hilarious and engaging stories, his gentle chuckling laugh and his kindness to every person that knew him. He had a twinkle in his eye as he worked and played at camp, modeling for us all how to share the love of God with children. You might find him climbing a tree or scaling a rock or possibly scratching notes on a piece of cardboard for the next new ropes course element he'd thought up. He would never leave a piece of trash on the ground (after all he grew up in Scouting) and he would never leave a smidge of leftovers in the fridge (he had been spotted eating many varied concoctions and interesting combinations of food). The Camp Tekoa experience of today was formed under his leadership and vision.

Outside of Camp Tekoa, Jack was well-known in the Christian camping community. He revitalized several sites, assisted smaller locations in developing programs and constantly sought ways to support the greater camping community.

May we all remember the fun skits he performed with his beloved wife, Ruth, the Jack Tales stories he committed to heart and the beautiful echoing of Jack's voice across the lake at candlelight. Camp Tekoa exists today because of his deep love, sacrifice and call to ministry.

We know many more UMCRM folks have delightful memories of Jack. Feel free to add yours in the comments below!

Donations in Jack's honor may be sent to the Porter Scholarship Fund for sending children and youth to camp. Make checks payable to Holston Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries and write Porter Scholarship Fund in the memo line. Mail to Mary Thompson, CRM Executive Director, 262 Bart Green Dr., Gray, TN 37615.

UMCRM Resources For These Times

Jen Burch — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 05:41:13 GMT

UMCRM Weekly Community Meeting

2:00 pm Pacific, 3:00 pm Mountain, 4:00 pm Central, 5:00 pm Eastern

Each Monday (until further notice) UMCRM will host a Community Meeting on Zoom – a time to check in with one another, provide mutual support, and share ideas. All who provide leadership in some way (staff, board, volunteers) in United Methodist-affiliated camps are welcome. Here’s the link

Resource Library

Why reinvent the wheel? Check out documents (sample policies, email communications, and more) shared by UMCRM members. Contribute yours by emailing to LibraryAdmin@umcrm.org

Log into the Library

UMCRM Virtual Day Camp

Camp leaders are resourceful, fun, and creative. While we dream of the campfires, hikes, games, and other together-in-person adventures we’ll return to eventually, UMCRM community members are creating an online, virtual resource for campers of all ages to access from home. The free Virtual Day Camp will be up starting next week, with new content regularly added for as long as we need to be “virtual.” Let us know if you would like to contribute content. We will have a social media teaser available for you to share with camp families in the next couple of days. Join the UMCRM Facebook Group for timely updates.

Dave Cook Unsung Hero Award - Nomination from Peggy Lovegren

Jen Burch — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 04:40:12 GMT

I feel honored to nominate Dave Cook, Wallowa County resident for the award of “Unsung Hero 2019"! I met Dave Cook 8 years ago when he was retiring as Wallowa Lake United Methodist Camp Manager and my husband and I were taking over as Camp Directors. Funny thing is, Dave Cook is not “retired”, he is employed as a “volunteer” who works more than full time serving this community as well as the world, to enrich lives and make this world a better place.

Dave Cook lives our camp mission statement. He is a person dedicated to providing quality environments of hospitality and learning, to help persons grow in wisdom and healthy self-esteem. He helps people develop lifestyles of loving interdependence with each other and all creation. He helps affirm and expand people’s faith and their service in God’s world. Dave Cook volunteers thousands of hours at this camp and throughout the community. He is at camp working almost every day unless he is out of town or volunteering somewhere else. He is here rain or snow, heat or cold. He often rides his bike 14 miles round-trip from his Joseph home to camp. Dave builds and builds and builds….building after building has been built under his guidance and many have been totally renovated or remodeled by him. He often works alone, appearing without us even knowing he is here, until we see his bike, car, cinnamon twists from Valis or his smiling face. His energy is contagious so when he invites others to volunteer they almost always say “yes” and work side by side with him. He wants no attention or “fuss” made over his countless hours of labor. If asked, he will drop whatever he is doing and help with something else, including heavy labor moving metal bunk beds or climbing on roofs…jobs meant for much younger people. He has spent endless hours teaching young people how to do what he does. He has helped more than one Girl Scout earn her highest Gold award, teaching them how to build a mountain chapel, a river chapel, put in trails and tear down a hazardous building. There is no end to his patience!

This camp would not be what it is in this community without Dave Cook’s years of service! But in order to understand “why” that is so valuable to this community and to the world, you need to know “who” he has affected by what he does at this camp. Every year, this camp is a sacred place serving amazingly diverse groups and peoples. People with mental struggles, people needing healing, people with devastating emotional scars, people who are alone who need community, people who are lost, people in poverty, people who are unaccepted, people who come to learn and grow, people celebrating… celebrating families, marriages, births, deaths. This camp is a place for quilters to make quilts for veterans, for young people to gain confidence and self-esteem, a place for Nez Perce (Niimiipuu) brothers and sisters to gather on their homeland. This camp is where musicians learn to play. It is where people are fed food and love in community. It is where leaders come to refresh and where peace is plentiful. It is where people are outside, away from everyday stresses, learning from nature and quiet along with programs and people. It is where college students come to know each other, a place of diverse people living in community. Dave Cook not only volunteers quietly, he gives quietly. His wife, Ingrid, and he have donated two cabins to this sacred place along with giving a number of other generous financial gifts throughout the community and world. Dave Cook never complains or says an ill word towards anyone. He doesn’t question why someone needs help, he is there, ready to work. When an older woman neighbor needed a tree cut down, he was there. When pavers and building needed to be done at “The Place”, the new community building at Joseph United Methodist Church, he was there. When a person in the community needed a new metal roof, he was there. When an elderly struggling couple needed firewood cut so they could heat their home, he was there. When Mid Valley Theatre needed someone to build sets for their productions, he was there, building sets for over 10 years, each one taking countless hours of time, creativity, and determination.

As much as Dave Cook helps in the Wallowa County Community, he also helps his neighbors around the world. Every year, he organizes a group of people to travel to Salt Lake City for a week volunteering at the “Depot” to put together disaster relief kits, school kits, layette kits, sanitary cleaning kits etc….to be sent all over the world through UMCOR (the United Methodist Committee On Relief). On his own initiative, Dave Cook started a scholarship program for high school students from his high school, Fredonia High, in Kansas. He has made numerous trips through some of the worst weather, to get to Kansas to set up this scholarship program, put together brochures and mailings, set up and attend meetings, solicit funds and oversee the entire program to make sure it succeeds!

Every Sunday at Joseph United Methodist Church Dave does what is called the “Mission Moment” where he shares ways the congregation can help with needs throughout the community and world. Dave Cook is a bright light in what can often be a dark world. He gently spreads messages of hope and kindness. He lives to serve, and spends his life being an example of what it means to be a hero. He is my hero! Dave Cook inspires me to be a better person. He inspires me to give and keep giving, even when I’m tired. Dave Cook deserves this award and deserves to know what a hero and example he is to so many throughout this community and the world! Please select Dave Cook for the Wallowa County Unsung Hero Citizen of the Year! He deserves it every year in my book!

Blessings, Peggy Lovegren

Unsurprisingly, Peggy's nomination inspired the Wallowa County Chamber to award Dave with the "Unsung Hero" honor. Dave was honored at the Citizens' Award Banquet this weekend. True to form, he was too busy to be present as he was in Salt Lake City volunteering with UMCOR. Dave Cook, you are an inspiration to us all!

Celebrating 2019 Cramer Grant Recipients

Jen Burch — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 03:19:35 GMT

The forward-thinking philosophy and inspired generosity of one individual is changing the lives of many. Throughout his life, the Reverend Solomon Graydon Cramer could see that the ministry happening at United Methodist summer camps across the country was preparing the church’s young leaders for lives of impact through discipleship. As a testament to his belief in the power of camp, Rev. Cramer built up his legacy by endowing a portion of his will to ensure future generations of young people could benefit from the camp experience. Since 2017, the Solomon Cramer Fund has been sending more young people to camp by granting scholarship funds to deserving conference camp programs. In those three years, United Methodist camps have received well over $50K in scholarship grants for young people participating in a variety of innovative programs that reach beyond the traditional ways of doing camp.

Scholarship grants from the Solomon Cramer Fund encourage us to consider the breadth of our ministries by focusing on four priorities:

Experiences that minister with youth living in poverty
The intentional development of young people for spiritual leadership and/or leadership with Camp & Retreat Ministries
Camp experiences that collaborate with local churches and agencies in processes of faith formation
Providing opportunities for diversity within ministry participation and leadership

Special consideration is given to Camp & Retreat Ministries that focus on more than one of the priorities and that are launching new programs/opportunities.

The 2019 Solomon Cramer Fund grant recipients were: Camp Don Lee, Camp Chestnut Ridge, Camp Wrightwood, Jumonville, Loucon & Aldersgate Camps, York City Day Camp/Susquehanna Conference, and Uskichitto Retreat Center.

These grant recipients exemplified the legacy of Rev. Cramer in the programs and projects supported by the Fund. Here are a few highlights from the 2019 recipients:

Camp Loucon and Aldersgate Camp (KY) used their grant to provide an additional 20 young people with the experience of camp through their mission site partners including The Foundry, Grace Kids, Ida Spence Mission, and the Redbird Missionary Conference.
Camp Don Lee (NC) brought together their Leadership In Training youth with local UM churches and AME Zion churches to offer a traveling day camp program that “provides a safe place for children to experience God and God’s creation.” 175 children were reached through the program.
Jumonville (PA) fully funded an additional 10 participants in their HOPE Camp program, bringing foster children and those with an incarcerated parent into “a safe environment to be encouraged, loved, and challenged to grow in their spiritual, social, and personal lives.”
The Lead From YOUR Strength program at Camp Wrightwood (CA) brought together young people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds for an intentional time of discernment, self-awareness, and leadership development.

The March 15th application deadline for the 2020 round of Solomon Cramer Grants is quickly approaching. This is an incredible opportunity for your ministry to provide a camp experience for young people regardless of their ability to pay. A Solomon Cramer Grant could be the pathway for a young person to learn of God's love for them, hear their call into ministry, or grow in leadership at your site this summer. The partnerships and projects you try this year might open new doors for service and collaboration in your Conference and community. Imagine something new. Apply today!

2020 SEJ Gathering Reflection: Guest Post by Haleigh Davis

Jen Burch — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 23:18:28 GMT

The week of the SEJ gathering was a time of immense learning, wonderful fellowship, and spiritual conversations. It was evident that the sessions were thoughtfully planned and led by extremely competent members of the camping community. I especially found this week helpful as a newcomer to the UMCRM world. I feel as though anyone in the camping field would have really benefited from the SEJ gathering.

In addition to the sessions, I learned much during the time of fellowship with other attendees of the gathering. Then, on top of all the other wonderful experiences offered, the worship time presented us with a mindset on how to approach our ever-changing environment by leaning into God.

During the first whole group session, we were given three points as a takeaway by Jack Shitama, Executive Director at Pecometh Camp and Retreat Center and author of Anxious Church, Anxious People: How to Lead Change in an Age of Anxiety. The points are to 1) remember your camp’s purpose, 2) put your employees first, 3) think big, but act small. All of these points centered around the idea that change is going to happen, but with these three things, we can adapt easier and be more successful. Personally, the biggest takeaway I had was not to let the fear of the unknown keep your camp from growing, which goes along with the "think big, act small" point.

In our next large group session, led by Russell Davis, Executive Director of North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries, there was an emphasis on being an adaptive leader. This session was more of a group discussion rather than just a typical presentation. In small groups, we discussed the differences between varying mindsets of leaders, which allowed us to understand better how we lead and if we should re-evaluate that.

Then our last session brought a

more historical approach to help us understand how to make disciples based on biblical examples, which was led by Chris Wilterdink, Director of Young People's Ministries at UM Discipleship Ministries.

In addition to the large group sessions, we were able to attend three different workshops of our choosing. I attended workshops on trauma informed care, volunteer engagement, and experiential activities and how they are used to make disciples.

Amy Foley from Camp Hope Worldwide led the trauma informed care workshop. This workshop brought a unique perspective of how, within the structure of having campers for one week, we can make a lasting impact to help these campers learn to self-regulate. We were presented with many small actions we can take at our camps that would allow our campers who have experienced trauma to feel safe with us at camp.

Jessica Gamache, Association Director for UMCRM, led us in volunteer engagement. We focused on how to get volunteers and then how to keep them. We were given three points for getting them and three more for keeping them. When looking at how to get volunteers, the points are to inform, inspire, and invite. The three points for keeping volunteers engaged are autonomy, mastery, and purpose. My biggest takeaway was always to remember to leave a potential volunteer with a call to action.

Our fellowship time was provided in the form of structured evening events and in free time. We were able to enjoy a silent disco where we all jammed out to our favorite songs while showing off our great camp dance moves. We also saw how talented our peers are in an open mic night. Then my favorite event, game night, allowed us to have some friendly competition with each other. During these times, the leaders of the sessions would also hang around, which provided a great time to ask any follow up questions we had while building a connection with them.

Finally, our worship was a time where God was so clearly present. We were taken on a journey through the seasons of change during the sermons by Joya Abrams, which matched so well with the worship portion. I believe we all left the SEJ gathering feeling refreshed and reassured that no matter what is going on in our lives, work, or even in our denomination, God is still working, and we can still rely on Him and His goodness.

Haleigh Davis has served as a counselor, volunteer, and intern over her time in camping. She served specifically with Camp in the Community (TN) as the intern from 2016 to 2018. Prior to her return as the Assistant Director at Camp in the Community this year, she served at Emerald Youth Foundation as a Youth Ministry Coordinator. We welcome her into the UMCRM fold and appreciate her contributing this post from her experience at SEJ!

The "Disposable" Program Director: Guest Post by Troy Taylor

Jen Burch — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 22:56:38 GMT

My Unfortunately Unique Path as a Program Director

One of the first things I did as a newly hired Program Director for Lakeshore Camp and Retreat Center was to go to the UM National Camp Leader Gathering in 2001, held at Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado. I had graduated college a month before and was stepping into a newly formed Program Director role without much certainty about what it would be like or how long I would be in it. The National Gathering was a great way to plunge right into the United Methodist camping world.

My boss told me to seek out other Program Directors, engage them, pick their brain, learn for myself. I met a lot of people in the course of a week. I returned to Tennessee and started the job in earnest, a 23-year-old who was really just going on 6 years of summer staff experience. Fast forward two years later to the next National Gathering, and I am feeling much more confident, more connected to people, more in touch with what year-round camp work means, but no expert by any stretch of the imagination. Many of the people I met two years ago were absent. Many Program Directors were noticeably younger than me (I was 25). Fast forward two more years. At this point, I’m an elder statesman of Program Directors at the National Gathering. There are only a handful of people my age, and part of why we are close is because there’s this feeling we are the only survivors of something.

Among this small group of old (late 20s/early 30s) Program Directors, our discussions more frequently landed on our colleagues who were not returning and why they had left their positions. It became more and more clear to us that many camp Program Director positions were not designed for longevity, to the detriment of our colleagues and the camps they used to serve.

Fast forward again to the current day. I am beginning my 5th year as a Director at Camp Magruder, a UM Camp on the Oregon Coast. I worked for 13 years in program before stepping into a director role, which is pretty unusual in our line of work. This wasn’t for lack of opportunities--I felt like my calling was still program. I realize though, I was lucky to sustain that kind of longevity. As I look at my camp now through a director lens, and as I think about other camps, it seems crucial to our success and my sanity that my department heads, particularly my Program Director, stick around 5-10 years.

The Road Trip to Restore Faith in Camp

I met Sam and Sara Richardson when they stayed at my camp on an epic adventure they were taking. The Richardsons were (are!) camp people who had just left their camp to take an extended road trip in a grandfather’s RV, visiting faith-based camps, volunteering in exchange for food and a spot to park. They wrote about and vlogged their adventures along the way, seeing much of the country and getting a better taste of faith-based camping than just about anyone I knew.

When I asked them about my suspicion that most Program Directors are set up for burnout, they told me that at one camp where they’d worked the Program Director position was referred to as the Professor of the Dark Arts (a reference to the Hogwarts position that is occupied by a new person in every Harry Potter book).

I would interview them again as I put together my workshop, and I learned this was their story, too. Sam was Program Director for two years before he and Sara got married. Once married, he stayed less than two years at camp before the lack of work-life balance burned him out. By the time he left the job, he wasn’t there psychologically. They told me that their trip had partially been to revive their passion for camps.

A Revolving Door

I found we made similar observations about camp Program Directors. They are typically an all-star summer staffer, just out of college. They know summer camp intricately and passionately. They have very little experience with full-time employment, healthy work-life balance, and long-term visioning. They often end up working at a year-round pace that mirrors their 3-month summer pace. Though they work long hours whenever necessary, their time off policy is dictated by rigid conference-wide standards not designed for camp life. And once a new family member enters the picture, it becomes clear there is no room for a personal life if it is not had at camp.

As I thought about this more, though, I recognized that camps are losing overall by a revolving door of Program Directors. If Program Directors last anything less than 3 years, a Director is almost constantly hiring and training someone new. The program itself is frequently unstable because campers and staffers are constantly getting used to a new personality in that role. There is never a chance to follow a long term vision for growth, because it is constantly being paused or rerouted.

I surveyed 50 Program Directors and 22 Directors across the country in faith based camps to compare some data with my hunches. I asked questions about support, average tenure, thoughts about the future. I concluded that most camps surveyed don’t reach or barely reach the number of years generally agreed on for a Program Director to establish a sustained program and culture. Most Program Directors would describe their training as “trial and error as I lived into the role.” While nearly all Program Directors in the survey reported working over 60 hours a week during peak season (17% reported over 100 hours a week), about 60% of Directors report providing a specific number of vacation weeks that don’t take hours worked into consideration.

We Can Do Better

Young camp professionals who are entering their first full-time job and desperately passionate about camp work should consider the best ways for them to extend this work they love for many years. That means engaging leadership in how training will be executed, who will do it, how long will it take, and how will success be measured. It may mean asking for training if there are inadequacies. That’s going to mean thinking about the work as a year-round marathon and not a summer-long sprint. It will mean considering if the proposed workload and benefits will adjust to home life with a spouse and children. Will there be adequate time to recharge the battery after summer?

Of course, Directors should be thinking of all these things ahead of their newly hired year-round Program Staff. One of the biggest areas needing improvement, based on the surveys, is in training and support. This is an incredible time investment from planning to execution to follow-up. But, the cost for a Director to lose a Program Director every few years is subtly keeping the wheels of large sections of camp spinning in the mud. A Director needs to be aware of:

Time spent hiring and training new full-time Program Staff
Time spent covering inefficiencies from new staff person
Time spent covering challenges from poor/recovering/rebuilding staff cultures
Time spent addressing complaints over inefficient camp system from campers, parents, guests
Cumulative effect on Director of having less time to devote to administrative tasks, being inefficient from a constant state of catching up
Spiritual toll of having less time to be immersed in the joyful camp life crucial to enjoying this work

Camp systems set up like this are a wasteful use of resources and run counter to most camp missions. Simply from a pragmatic approach, they make the work of a Director more difficult. It may not be obvious, but it takes a great toll.

Imagine With Me if You Will

The dream I want all camps privileged enough to hire a full-time Program Staff to aspire to is something like this:

A 10-year Program Director
Stability in training seasonal staff, a summer camp culture that self-perpetuates
Generations of campers growing into seasonal staffers who know and trust said Program Director
Director (after time investments early on) devotes more mental energy and time to big picture, director stuff without interruption
As Program Director masters basics (scheduling, standards, training, support) more time opens for new program developments and broadening camp skills
A great amount of trust develops from top to bottom for camp program’s integrity and dependability, and a stable group of campers/guest groups return annually
Program is able to incorporate more effectively in a site’s long-term master and missional plan
A Program Director who has matured into professional and family life through the work. Personal growth enhances program and program enhances personal growth
When it is time to hire a new Program Director, there will be time for an exit plan, to hire and train side-by-side, creating a smooth transition and taking weight off Director’s shoulders to do all the training exclusively
A Program Director leaves on a high note rather than reaching a breaking point. They leave for new challenges, new adventures, deeper callings, or new ways to help the organization. The exit is graceful and doesn’t leave a rift in camp circles that must be repaired

This will not just happen because a camp wants it to, so the person who supervises this Program Director will need to plan for sixth months for training to be a major time commitment every week. The Program Director will need to be prepared to advocate for these things and have honest conversations about them. I believe, though, the payoff in the following years will save time and energy with interest and make the life of camp more meaningful and sustained. The clock is ticking! Based on my research, one-third of the camps surveyed are less than two years away from losing their Program Director if nothing changes. Over half of the camps have less than two years if their Program Director’s family situation changes. Directors and Program Directors, we can do better. Your life can be easier. Let’s do this.

Troy’s Suggestions On How To Get There

Create a system of work that’s more results-based than hours-based, that incorporates involvement, completion of projects, and success of seasonal staffers.
Define ranges of hours for a Program Director that are realistic to Director’s actual expectations and the demands of the work in its particular season to give a framework, but emphasize the work is still more qualitative than quantitative.
- Explain why hours differ, the pros and cons of involvement, rest, connection, disconnection. Talk about the rhythms you hope to see during summer/retreat seasons
- Set specific hour ranges on where the Program Director’s hours should average (ex. Summer - 70 hours per week, Fall - 35 hours, Winter - 30, etc.)
Director helps Program Directors choose times for vacation their first year that align with the need for rest and the rhythms of the seasons. Make sure they are getting away enough and not becoming chained to the work. I think it is good to schedule a trip of some length before summer and one after as well.
Director is greatly involved in goal setting, particularly for non-summer work to help get Program Director on board with the newer aspects of the job (if the Program Director is former summer staff). Helps Program Director recognize a hierarchy of objectives and how to pace and balance work. In the second year, Director backs away and grants more autonomy, still periodically checking in to evaluate progress.
Camp makes space for a social life and tends to the fact that this person may be dealing with a very lonely form of culture shock. If a new Program Director is a former summer staffer, they are now supervising nearly everyone they might be friends with. Encourage opportunities to socialize with other permanent staff. Director should take seriously requests to be with peers, even if it occurs during busy season.
Director starts training Program Director to accomplish tasks and train subordinates in such a way that they will have time for a significant other, even before a significant other enters the picture. Have them practice handing off responsibilities to subordinate staff, volunteers, etc., before there is an absolute need for it. Be available to monitor these handoffs in the early stages.
Evaluate paternity/maternity leave policy, and create a generous one. Make a plan for a Program Director’s absence proactively, before you need it. This could give you many more years with a Program Director.
Create a camp culture that works like a healthy family, rather than a corporate, ladder-climbing, overly quantitative system. If life and camp can merge in a healthy way, work will be less of a burden and more of a lifestyle. We want good boundaries between work and home, but we want joy and community to be free-flowing between the two.
- Gather as a staff to share a meal periodically outside of the dining hall
- Open your home for visits (while protecting your own personal time)
- Do recreational activities as a staff
- Invite staff member to community happenings you are a part of
- Take time during work day every now and then to digress into conversations not related to work
- Encourage staff to pull together to help other staffers with major tasks; use it as a bonding opportunity
- Get to know your staffers’ families
- Be open to share what you are doing when you take time off, and why
Director should be a consistent voice to identify the Program Director’s next challenge, not always leaving it to them to explore/name/realize where their new challenge will come from. A long-term Program Director needs new challenges, new skills to develop, new projects to engineer. Burnout sometimes comes from lack of challenge rather than overwork.

Cheers to developing healthy working environments for all! If you would like to converse with others around this topic, please comment below. To talk to me directly, email troy@campmagruder.org. Let’s make all our lives easier and better.

Troy Taylor is Camp Director at Camp Magruder, living a charmed life on the Oregon Coast. He first got paid for camp work in 1997. When free, he indulges in running, beach bonfires, movie snobbery, the Chicago Cubs, poetry, walking long distances in the woods, and silently staring off into the distance. He's learning to surf to be a good role model for his two year old daughter. He's excited to see all the ways today’s kids will make the church into something new. Read about him every week on his personal blog: The Adventures of Troy Taylor.

What is a Strategic Plan and Why Do We Need One? Guest Post by Jennie Dickerson

Jen Burch — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 21:35:36 GMT

Do your organization's leaders spend a lot of time being reactive instead of proactive? Does your board or leadership have trouble communicating the goals of your organization? Do well-meaning supporters suggest programming that doesn’t fit, but rejecting their idea puts you in a sticky spot?

You need a strategic plan.

A strategic plan is the guiding document of an organization that communicates who you are, who you want to become, and how to get there. It determines the goals and values of your organization, aligns your programming to your vision, and informs your decisions on a regular basis.

A strategic plan is a decision making and resource allocation tool. The planning process will focus all key stakeholders on a unified vision. Without charting the course together, either hard-working board members will develop their own vision that may not fit with the mission, or they will become disengaged and complacent.

A vision for the future changes the way we think about allocating resources. As camps and retreat ministries, we all face limited time and money, and we make the best decisions we can with what we have. A strategic plan enables us make those decisions more strategically, keeping the goals and vision in mind.

Thinking about creating a strategic plan may sound daunting, but this work is meant to be done over time with the help of a board committee. I like to break the work into these three more manageable sections.

Who We Are

A strategic plan starts with a one-page organizational history statement or timeline, followed by vision statement, mission statement, core values, and a SWOT analysis.

A great vision statement is aspirational and future-oriented. In one or two sentences, it illustrates your organization’s picture of success. A mission statement reflects the day-to-day work your organization does that moves the world closer to achieving the vision. Once these two statements are written, determine three to five core values that serve as culture pillars for the organization and represent the characteristics needed to fulfill the vision and mission.

A SWOT analysis evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization. A great organization capitalizes on its strengths and opportunities and actively works to minimize weaknesses and threats.

Who We Want to Become

The second part uses this foundational work to set SMART goals, evaluate current programs, brainstorm future programs to consider, and create an organizational chart and succession plan.

Work together to set three to five SMART goals for the next five years. Which programs move your organization closer to achieving which goals? You may find that some activities do not align at all, and you may discover goals which no current programming supports. This exercise may present a need to retire programs no longer useful to the vision. For goals lacking program support, brainstorm additions or tweaks to existing activities that will move the organization closer to success. For each addition, determine the year you will begin work on that project. Agreeing on a timeline will increase the likelihood of achieving success.

With goals and potential program additions in mind, prepare an organizational chart and succession plan for leadership, so the vision can move forward even with unforeseen personnel changes. Think about any additional personnel needed to be successful.

How We Will Get There

A strategic plan often requires additional funding, updates to facilities, new equipment, and perhaps additional staff.

Conduct a facilities and equipment evaluation to determine major funding needs for the next five years. Estimate the cost of these needs, their priority, and the year the board will address them.

By the end of this planning process, your organization will have snapshots of the new programs, facility needs, equipment upgrades, and personnel changes for each of the next five years. This snapshot will show the approximate annual cost of bringing this vision to life that will enable a discussion on how to fund this plan.

The final part of the document is an evaluation plan. In order to ensure this work regularly informs decisions, this section determines who is responsible for progress updates and the frequency with which the board will revisit the strategic plan.

Putting it All Together

After doing the work to make the decisions lined out in these sections, it is time to present the strategic plan as one cohesive document to the board for approval!

Still overwhelmed?

For space considerations, I have covered the parts of a strategic plan in a quick overview here. A new series that will break down these three sections in more detail is coming soon to my blog.

Jennie Dickerson grew up camping and working at Lakeshore Camp and Retreat Center and has been honored to serve as their Director of Communications and Development since 2016. With ten years of fundraising experience and as the founder & CEO of Cabin 9 Consulting, Jennie works to equip non-profits with the tools and resources to live out their missions. She lives in Memphis, TN with her two dogs, Corra and Ramsey, and enjoys paddleboarding.

UMCRM Conference Staff Summit 2019: Reflection by Ethan Porter, with Jessica Gamaché

Jen Burch — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 19:31:00 GMT

Pictured, L to R: Russell Davis (N.GA), Mike Standifer (FL), Ron Bartlow (Desert SW), Arthur Spriggs (SC), Jen Burch (UMCRM), Sue D'Alessio (WI), Alan Rogstad (Pacific NW), Kevin Witt (Susquehanna), Dail Ballard (NC), Jessica Gamaché (UMCRM), Gary Lawson (Memphis), Todd Bartlett (OR-ID), Ethan Porter (Great Plains), David Berkey (Cal-Pac), Ryan Clements (Greater NJ), Jack Shitama (Pen-Del), Chris Schlieckert (Balt-Wash), Shea James (WV), Keith Shew (Dakotas-MN), Russell Casteel (TN), Ken Overholser (W.OH)

Present but not pictured: Mike Huber (Upper NY), Brooke Bradley (NY)

For several days in November, twenty-three Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries representatives gathered to fellowship and vision at the annual Conference Staff Summit. Among times of worship and education, this group worked together as strategic advisors on the direction and vision of UMCRM. Several meaningful and inspiring conversations were led by UMCRM Board Chair, Russell Davis. Topics included timely issues such as our Association identity in the changing UMC environment, supporting members through data-driven marketing and development resources, and strategies for leadership development and growth in expertise around faith-formation.

Attending the Summit for the first time this year was Ethan Porter, representing the Great Plains Annual Conference. Here is his reflection on the value that the Conference Staff Summit brought to him as a camp and retreat leader.

My time at the Conference Staff Summit at Lake Junaluska was an amazing learning, fellowship, and networking experience. It was a great time to be able to grow in my position under the guidance of some of our more experienced and knowledgeable leaders in our field. We had many strategic conversations about UMCRM going into the future. Being able to listen and participate in these talks was not only informative for questions that we have here in the Great Plains Conference, but it was nice being able to share some of our experiences in return. The most informative topic for me was the discussion on “Organization of a Reorganization” from the transitional team from Camp Tekoa and the Western NC UMC Conference Council. Listening to how they managed to re-envision one of their camps as opposed to shutting the doors provided valuable insight on how they turned the site around. In another information session, attorney Lach Zemp shared the general process and implications of non-profit incorporation and engaged us in conversation about the benefits and risks, along with answering specific questions from the group.

Keep your eye on S’more Mail for information about next fall’s Conference Staff Summit. It would be wonderful to have each Annual Conference represented at this valuable event.

Ethan Porter has served as the Director of Camp Norwesca in the Great Plains Conference since October 2019. Before coming to Norwesca he was an Assistant Manager for Walmart. He lives onsite with his trusty dog Scout and enjoys swimming and playing games with friends.

RelationSHIFT Great Gathering: Guest Post by Nick Coenen

Jen Burch — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 00:35:18 GMT

For those of us who have attended previous United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries National Gatherings, the start of the journey always feels the same. At least it does for me. After packing the night before and an inevitable poor night’s sleep filled with anticipation followed by the long journey of driving to the airport from our relatively remote camp and retreat centers at some pre-dawn time, loading into a flight or two as we watch the familiar ground of our home states shrink below us, arriving in some new place like an anxious camper walking up to the registration table with our bags tiredly pulled behind us, loading into shuttles to finally arrive at our new home for the week. Did that sentence feel long? So does travel…but it’s always worth it, right?

This is my seventh national gathering event. In camp-staff-dog years, that makes me somewhere in my middle-age thanks to the beautiful longevity I see in our colleagues. While I tend to be a bit introverted, I still know the faces of most of my United Methodist family. I know the eager smiles, familiar laughs, and hugs that come eagerly from those who are committed to tending the same campfires as me, just with different lakes, mountains, rivers and deserts in the background. It’s our extended family arriving for another family reunion.

As we boarded the shuttle from the Greenville airport though, it felt quite different. I saw people that looked like my UM brothers and sisters, but somehow I didn’t recognize a single face on the bus. It was like an odd dream. Did I…did I get on the wrong bus?

So imagine how much stranger it felt as we arrived at Lake Junaluska; a beautiful United Methodist site where I had even been to a previous National Gathering event several years ago. At registration there were the familiar fleece-vested organizing team members…but not a single face I recognized…oh wait…is that Mike Huber?

This odd dissonance lasted the first several hours. Eerily the same, yet somehow unfamiliar and altogether different. It was unsettling to me somehow. How different would this week be? We settled into worship for the evening, gathered together below the exposed wood and history of the Stuart Auditorium. We sang, we prayed, and we laughed. We marveled together as Ken Medema weaved anthems of the words we heard shared into instantaneous song. At the right of the stage stood a giant blank canvas for Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity to share her gift of worship art with us. It stirred in me a wonder of just what kind of painting would fill that canvas as the week progressed. What kind of new creation would God make of all of us?

The week proceeded with an insightful keynote from Joan Garry, who challenged us to reexamine how we prioritize and structure our non-profit effectiveness. Dr. Jim Cain stirred us with insights and new skills all week long. We heard from Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor in one of the most resonant messages of appreciation and gratitude for the work we do I have ever heard. Shane Claiborne reminded us that the need for our deep commitment to share Christ is the essential path to love needed to restore a world that seems so eager to break itself. Rev. Dr. Luke Powery concluded the week by reinforcing the potential we can have as a truly unified body of Christ, working together as unique parts, but divinely whole too.

This feels familiar. It was encouraging and good for my soul. But do you know what was even better for my soul? Getting to know the names, ministries, and stories from all of those new faces. These were not my UM brothers and sisters. But they were my beloved siblings from denominations that have much more in common with mine than I might have considered. There were people I met who serve in camp and retreat ministries located in the same state (just a few counties over!) from where I have served for the last 14 years. And yet, in many cases, this was the first time I had ever met an actual living, breathing person from the staff of “the other church camps” in my state. It took two flights and bus ride, but we finally met!

With these newfound friends, we shared our successes and struggles as the week went on. What a joy it was to ask questions like, “What is the best part of your camp?” and hear such wonderfully similar stories that remind us all of the best moments of serving a God who shows up in miraculous ways. And -- can I be real honest for a second? There was a small bit of relief to hear from other denominations without the looming anxiety many of us have felt from our United Methodist connections in recent years. I was reminded that despite the weight of all the decisions that are out of our control, the basic model of camp and retreat ministries remains incredibly effective. That while our future may be uncertain, our mission to show Christ’s love, grace, and forgiveness in all the ways we can remains the same and all the more important in this difficult season. That while some parts of the body of Christ are hurting, we continue to be places where all are invited to know God more. That when someone feels unsettled in a new crowd of unknown people, they can feel the comfort and care of Christ through our words and actions, inviting them into something new and good.

Had it not been for the Great Gathering, many of us would have continued to journey in parallel to brothers and sisters who tend campfires just like ours, just under a different name. But now, after a week of shared meals, worship, teaching, and communion, perhaps we can move forward with a broader understanding of what the kingdom of God might look like here on earth.

There is a common sadness as an event ends and we say good-bye to an even larger family who truly “gets it” when we share about the joys and challenges of camp ministry. Yet there is also a deep and resounding joy as new connections have been made and new partnerships of faith forged as a result of this historic gathering. Now that we have found joy together, may we be eager to remain connected, and may we find ways to meet again this side of heaven.

Nick Coenen is Director of Pine Lake Camp & Retreat Center in the Wisconsin Conference. His newest ventures include (but are not limited to) becoming an Emergency Medical Responder and developing a local youth Lego League.

Somehow Nick was able to write this reflection *during* the Great Gathering. The UMCRM Association extends its admiration and gratitude for this gift.

It Works For Us: Bead Program at Spring Heights – Guest Post by Amy Mullins

Jen Burch — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 21:39:31 GMT

It can be hard to keep track of all the fantastic activities at camp! Spring Heights Camp and Retreat Center in Spencer, West Virginia has taken basic plastic craft beads and turned them into a fun way for campers, staff, and volunteers to remember participating in camp activities.

Each person at camp wears a leather nametag that they personally decorate. When they complete an activity, they “earn” a bead to add to their nametag. These beads are not only an excellent way to keep track of the activities at camp, but also a unique reward system for campers who may need the extra motivation to participate, behave during activities, and choose a challenge that is outside their comfort zone.

Family groups have a “bead ceremony” each night before bed. At the bead ceremony, staff and campers can share beads with one another. Each camper begins their journey with a Spring Heights bead. As they move through their week at camp, campers will earn friendship beads, happy camper beads, hydration beads, a bead for hiking, a bead for swimming, etc…the opportunities to earn beads are endless! Each bead is unique and reminds campers of their many accomplishments while at camp. The bead ceremony is a great time of bonding as a family group. Our bead program is extremely popular with staff and campers. Many campers can point to a bead and proudly say, “This is my friendship bead that Sarah gave me!” and “I earned this bead horseback riding!” Some campers have collected their name tags for years to grow their bead collection!

We have two extra-special beads: the “Spirit of Camp” bead and the “Christian Leadership” bead that we hand out at closing campfire (an all-camp gathering). A camper must be nominated to receive this bead. The “Spirit of Camp” bead goes to campers who exemplify the true spirit of Spring Heights, who are always positive, participating, and ready for adventure! The “Christian Leadership” bead goes to campers who shine God’s light in everything they do, dive deep into Bible Study, and lead their peers into a deeper relationship with Christ.

The beautiful part of a bead system is it is adaptable to any camp context. You can make it what you need! Craft beads are readily accessible, and your camp can assign meaning to any bead based on your camp activities. The bead system encourages kids to try new things, builds self-esteem, and creates a strong bond in family groups. It is a simple and fun way to make a lasting memory!

My name is Amy Mullins, and I serve as Camp Manager of Spring Heights Camp and Retreat Center. I have been with the camp for 9 years and started at the horse barn. I love animals and I am always looking to add to our camp farm. I love spending my spare time with my two kids and husband. I have the best job and would not change it for anything.

Photos courtesy of Spring Heights.

Faces of UMCRM – Meet Anne Horton

Jen Burch — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 01:34:34 GMT

As Anne Horton looks forward to retirement, we asked her to share a little about her experiences and insights from her journey in Camp & Retreat Ministries.

How were you called into C&R ministry?

I started going to camp in junior high. Loved my experiences so much that when I was of the age to be a counselor, I did. During this time I felt called to work in the area of Christian Education. I worked in several churches, always taking kids to summer camp, weekend retreats, or festivals. It was during my time in South Carolina, planning, training, and leading sessions of summer camp and day camp, that I felt God's direction moving me more into camping ministry. God's word gave me direction and guidance for this, as did several mentors I had at that time. I'm grateful for the folks who, in different ways, have served as mentors for me: Peggy Mauldin, Nina Reeves, Bert Goodwin, and Jack Porter, to name a few.

Where have you served?

In my forty plus years of ministry I've served at:

Mulberry Street UMC, Macon, GA - 2 years as Director of Youth
Central UMC, Decatur, AL - 3 years as Director of Christian Education
Gardendale-Mt. Vernon UMC, Gardendale, AL - 3 years as Director of Christian Education
Buncombe Street UMC, Greenville, SC - 11 years as Director of Christian Education & Program

Camping sites that I've served are:

Sumatanga Camp & Conference Center, Gallant, AL (North Alabama) - 10 years - Director of Program(4), Executive Director(6).
Susquehanna Conference (formerly the Central Pennsylvania Conference) - 10 years as Executive Director for 4 sites (Camp Penn, Greene Hills, Mount Asbury & Wesley Forest).
North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries, Dahlonega, GA (North Georgia) for 2 1/2 years as Director of Business Operations.

Describe your greatest blessings in this work?

Of the many blessings I've seen:

* Seeing how God works in the lives of the children, youth, and adults in large and small ways has been impactful.

* Helping folks step out of their comfort zones to enrich their lives. Sometimes this is through challenge course experiences. Or seeing a camper have the opportunity to share their gifts, like singing or playing an instrument for the first time in front of other campers. Seeing young people letting go and letting God give guidance through struggles and helping them know they were not alone.

* Seeing a young woman feel loved and accepted by Christ and her peers and ten years later seeing how she is encouraging others to share their gifts in similar ways. She's paying it forward as God provides those many opportunities.

What's one important thing you've learned that you would like to pass along to other camp & retreat leaders?

Stay focused on God and His direction. Keep the big picture the big picture. There will be many who will want to keep you in the weeds or the small things. God calls us to keep focused on the mission of making, training, and being disciples. Try to stay balanced between work and family.

What's something you're looking forward to doing in your retirement?

* Spending more time with family and friends.

* Traveling.

* Doing some volunteer work.

* Working on projects around the house that need to be completed.

Anne, you're an inspiration. Thank you for serving so well. We hope you won't be a stranger to the UMCRM community even once you're not employed full-time in this ministry!

Exciting News! Welcoming UMCRM's First-Ever Association Director

Jen Burch — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 03:37:53 GMT

The UMCRM Board of Directors announced this week the selection of Jessica Gamaché as its first-ever Association Director. We are excited about the new potential for our Association under Gamaché’s leadership!

The Process

Jessica was recommended by the Director Search Task Force after a three-and-a-half month process that began with over 300 initial applicants, saw almost 50 complete the essay and video requirements, narrowed to six phone interviews, and finished the first of October with three candidates interviewed in person. We were blessed to choose from an incredibly strong pool of talented individuals from within the UMCRM & UMC communities and beyond.

The UMCRM Association Director position was made possible last spring by a generous foundation grant that will fund the position in full through 2022 and will phase out by 2024. The UMCRM Board developed the search process and an independent task force to find a person whose skill sets would help the Association best pursue its mission. Hearty thanks to our dedicated Task Force members for their commitment to what turned out to be a pretty time-consuming process: Todd Bartlett (OR), Kim Carter (AR), Abi Fuesler (NC), Pam Harris (NY), Jody Oates (OH), Mike Selleck (GA). They were asked to recommend to us a seasoned leader to assist our member-driven, volunteer-based association toward our strategic goals of developing the servant leadership and faith-forming capacity of camp/retreat ministry professionals. A profile was developed to help communicate the Board’s priorities of acquiring project and volunteer management skills in filling the position.

Why We’re Excited

Jessica Gamaché is an engaging camp and retreat professional with proven success in administrative oversight and fund development in the faith-based nonprofit context. As Camping and Retreat Ministries Coordinator in the Western PA United Methodist Annual Conference for the past eight+ years, she has been resourcing and leading camp and retreat site directors in meeting operational, financial, and programmatic objectives. Through her leadership in Western PA and her elected service on the UMCRM Board of Directors since 2015, Jessica has earned respect as an ambassador of camp and retreat ministries and as a gifted collaborator. She understands this ministry we all share and its importance as a pathway of discipleship in the Church. Her deep Christian values and strong understanding of organizational leadership, volunteer engagement, and hospitality will certainly be assets to our Association.

Background Information

Having grown up as a camper, Jessica first came to United Methodist camping leadership as Assistant Site Manager and Nature Resource Guide at Wesley Forest in Central PA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Resort Recreation Management and a Master’s in Parks and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. In her most recent role as Camping and Retreat Coordinator for the Western PA Annual Conference, Jessica oversees the Directors of 6 sites, has spearheaded an extensive multi-year, multi-million-dollar capital campaign, worked with hundreds of volunteers, and championed camping ministries in the local church, Conference, and beyond. She was elected as a Northwest Jurisdiction representative to the UMCRM Board in 2012 and has served in various roles, most recently as Board Vice-Chair. Jessica is a proactive initiator at work and in her volunteer service, too. As a volunteer in our Association, she has been a primary driver for the Intentional Leadership Groups, UMCRM Book Group, and Online Volunteer Training, in addition to her contributions to policy governance and strategic planning. We can’t wait to see what she will be able to accomplish when UMCRM is her full-time work and primary focus!

Getting Started

Jessica will begin her work as Association Director on Monday, November 4th. She will participate in the Great Gathering at Lake Junaluska on November 10-14 and will meet with the Annual Conference Camp/Retreat Staff from across the country at their annual Summit, November 14-16.

Please join us in congratulating Jessica and in praying for her as she and her family embark on this new adventure. You can reach her by email at jessica.gamache@umcrm.org.

Bamboo Toothbrushes and Fettuccine Stir Sticks? The Inconvenient Journey to Environmental Sustainability - Guest Post by Gary Lawson

Jen Burch — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 01:17:51 GMT

Bamboo Toothbrushes and Fettuccine Stir Sticks?

The Inconvenient Journey to Environmental Sustainability

Rev. Gary D. Lawson, Sr.

“So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

I saw it out of the corner of my eye. I growled a little bit. I was about to go out the door of the camp parsonage to get my workday started. Tough commute: just saunter across the front yard, cross the street, and walk in the office. I opened my door thinking I would just ignore what crept into my peripheral vision. The light in the back room was still burning bright. Was I in a hurry? No. Should an environmentally sensitive camp director ignore an unnecessary light using up needless power? Of course not.

I let the door close behind me anyway, went down the front steps, took two steps through the front yard and hit the old guilt wall. I growled a little bit more, turned around, and did the thing a person of ecological integrity should have done in the first place – turned off that light. Faced that whole “inconvenient truth.” (Whatever happened to that Al Gore guy, anyway?)

You know, I growl often and sometimes fail to choose the “inconvenient,” Creation-friendly action. I am betting that you, reader, can relate. Would you go back? Would one unnecessary light bulb bother you? I guess I hope that it would. Overcoming those little inconveniences in my home will not save the world, but I want to think that it makes a difference if all of us hit that guilt wall occasionally and turn around in response to a sacred calling to care for God’s Creation.

It has been a few years now since I penned an early UMCRM blog post entitled, “From the Giving Tree to Meatless Mondays: A Memoir of a Sacred Calling.” At that time I shared my calling in outdoor ministry as a “caretaker of holy ground,” and the struggle to make the changes needed for Lakeshore Camp and Retreat to be a leader in caring for creation. Just about everything we implemented in those days met with intense initial resistance, but those attitudes have mostly given way, and the “change curve” has leveled out toward normalcy. The occasional summer staffer will still try to sneak in a meat-based burger on Meatless Mondays, but they try harder to keep it to themselves. (Little do they know that we camp leaders have bigger eyes in the back of our heads than their moms do.)

So, the journey to environmental sustainability continues. A few years ago, getting ready to teach in our UMCRM Certification core training, I made a list of over 30 things we had done at Lakeshore on our journey to become better caretakers of Creation. Each change came with a bit of excitement, followed by a bit of growling and inconvenience. I do not know about you, but each little bit of new helps me feel the energy of being the tree hugger some have called me. Each little step feels like faithfulness to that sacred calling as a steward of God’s good Creation.

Maybe, like me, you are the victim of what the marketing world has coined “The Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility.” It is the law that says that our excitement will lessen the longer we experience something. The moral satisfaction of adopting a new earth-friendly practice may soon lose its shine. Soon, either we’ve mastered a discipline and the practice has become our habit, or we forget all about it until we crash into the guilt wall. Many times, we just quit those best environmental practices altogether, and the Creation is left suffering as the victim. You have experienced this “law” I mentioned. Maybe you have been out mowing the yard on a very hot day. You finish and head into the kitchen for a cold soda. As you drink it, you think that it is the best soda you ever drank. You grab another. As you cool down, this second soda tastes good also. The third soda, however, probably sits unfinished. Need another example?: Remember that first kiss? Oh my! Remember your last one? That, my friends, is the “Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility,” and if it applies to kisses, you bet it will apply to your energy in attending to all the disciplines and habits you need to maintain and care for the environment in a world that still doesn’t demand it.

This post is meant as an encouragement to stay the course in your commitment to God’s Creation in every big and small way. Lakeshore’s latest couple of exciting commitments to Creation care at camp may go in the small category. With the ever-growing problem of plastic, we will be offering our guests a bamboo toothbrush if they arrive on site without their typical plastic one. (Fun fact: each year, if you laid all the plastic toothbrushes used by humanity end to end, you could circle the globe 3 times!) The second is replacing the little plastic stir sticks in the coffee service area with fettucine (or any other sturdy, straight pasta). I mean, come on, they are just going to stir once and throw the plastic in the trash (or, more likely, on the surface in front of the coffee pot, am I right? Growl.)

As for me and my house, we will continue to strive to stay the course while looking for new ways to do ministry with ecological integrity. I am feeling a bit of a nudge about getting rid of my K-cup coffee service in the office and my beloved Mini Moos. (Growling again, over here by the guilt wall.) You know, those constant bits of plastic waste are hard to justify. The journey to environmental sustainability is truly inconvenient. But then, I guess no one promised that following God’s mandate to care for Creation was going to be convenient. Maybe by bearing witness together to that inconvenient truth, we in Camp & Retreat Ministry can stay encouraged about the “utility” of our small, faithful steps. Like the apostle Paul, I exhort you to not grow weary in doing what is right.

The Rev. Gary Lawson has led at Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center in Eva, TN since 1992. He's served several terms on the NCRC and UMCRM Board of Directors representing the Southeastern Jurisdiction, and has often served as a workshop leader and faculty member for United Methodist Camp/Retreat Ministry Certification and training events. His deep faith includes taking seriously a call to caring for God's Creation. As we go to publication this week, Gary and his spouse Vickie are actively appreciating God's Creation on an Alaskan cruise.

Buffalo to Bays: Moved By Camp! --Guest Post by Jeff Wadley with Whitney Winston

Jen Burch — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 22:29:22 GMT

Buffalo to Bays: Moved by Camp!

by Jeff Wadley, with Whitney Winston

Just before the ribbon-cutting at Camp Bays Mountain, Director Rev. Jeff Wadley makes sure the finishing touches are in place. Hints of a beloved camp, now closed, are sprinkled throughout the newest addition to Holston Conference Camping, honoring the past and looking to a bright future. At the campfire circle are 63 stones comprising the fire ring, one for each year of ministry held at Buffalo Mountain Camp (BMC). In the dining hall, the mantel from Allison Lodge, where children gathered around the table for meals, is now mounted above the massive fireplace at the new camp. And at the center of Camp Bays Mountain, the bell, moved from BMC, is ready to ring in campers for years to come. The journey of closing one camp and opening a new one is filled with ups and downs, joy and tears, tragic endings, and beautiful new beginnings.

Standing at the Washington County courthouse steps in 1947 in Jonesborough, Tennessee, the M.H. Allison family purchased 600 acres of mountain land which fell into delinquency for unpaid property taxes by a lumber harvesting company. The Allisons presented an opportunity to the Methodist Church to create a camp for the young people of the region based upon the success of the earlier campmeeting traditions of the area. Local congregations embraced the challenge and opened Buffalo Mountain Camp two years later.

Besides developing a thriving summer camp, the Board of Directors funded and built cabins, bathhouses, a retreat center, adventure elements, off-site adventures, whitewater kayak instruction, partner collaborations, opened the facility for weekend retreat groups, and created an environmental education center for school groups. BMC was thriving. Over many years hundreds of campers made decisions to follow Jesus, and dozens of others sensed a call into ministry at the site. Marriages were performed, baptisms were conducted, and many lives were transformed by the ministry of Buffalo Mountain.

Buffalo Mountain Camp served the East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia regions faithfully until 2012 when disaster struck. A huge thunderstorm developed over the valley and dumped more than six inches of rain in less than two hours, resulting in a flash flood and several landslides. The new pool was filled with debris, several buildings were washed from their foundations, and pavement was ripped from the surface. Plumbing was pulled from the ground, electricity was interrupted, and even the creek was rerouted along its course. When the rain came to an end, the camp staff surveyed the property with broken hearts.

Former staff, congregations, businesses, and individuals from the community offered their assistance. Donations were received to help clean and repair what was remaining of BMC. However, the damage was done. Once hydro engineers, contractors, business leaders, landscape architects, and other leaders collected information, the Board of Directors decided to suspend operations and close the camp. Sixty-three years of fruitful ministry came to a screeching halt. Tears were shed, a decommissioning service was conducted, and a plan was set into motion to liquidate assets and to sell the property.

In the same year as the devastating flood, another denomination ceased operation of their nearby camp and retreat center. The BMC Board decided that camping should not cease, but could be reborn. Once the BMC property sold, assets were liquidated, and the remaining donations from the flood relief were in hand, the Board acquired the new camp property about forty-five minutes away and announced that camping in the United Methodist tradition would continue in the region. From that decision was born Camp Bays Mountain located in the foothills of the mountain by the same name, situated conveniently just outside Kingsport, Tennessee.

A $4.1 million-dollar capital campaign, led by Director Wadley and the camp’s development team, began after consultation with Kaleidoscope, an architect firm, the City of Kingsport, church leaders, potential donors, and contractors. Now, all but 2% of capital campaign funds are secured, and the anticipation is that the effort will be fully funded by the end of 2019. Camp Bays Mountain exceeded its first two years of summer registrations, serving 578 campers, and has seen over 150 first time decisions, re-dedications, and calls into ministry. Dozens of retreat groups have made Camp Bays Mountain their new tradition. The Board has a master site plan supported by an integrated financial business plan to be a sustainable ministry into the next generation.

To honor the closing of one camp and the opening of a new facility, the Board orchestrated not only a decommissioning service led by Rev. Randy Pasqua (Holston Executive Director,) but a running-of-the- flame event. Jason Onks, former director at BMC, lit a torch at the former camp and began a 35-mile run/walk which involved former staff, campers, board members and supporters. The flame was moved through the countryside and past the courthouse steps where the original BMC purchase was made in 1947. Waiting at Camp Bays Mountain were the very first campers and staff. Anticipating the arrival of the flame from Buffalo, the campers began to sing. In the distance, the flame entered camp and was passed to the director, who started the first campfire at the new site. It was a fulfillment of a dream which resulted in United Methodist camping returning to the upper East Tennessee region.

The God we serve made a way in a dismal situation and turned a disaster into something blessed and fruitful. The experience of building Camp Bays Mountain has been a faith-building adventure and an exercise in honoring the legacy which the founders of Buffalo Mountain Camp began in 1947. This new camp ministry is now entrusted to the next generation.

Rev. Jeff Wadley is Executive Director of Camp Bays Mountain. Prior to joining UMCRM, Jeff was founding pastor of Sycamore Tree UMC in Marysville, TN. He's been instrumental in developing the ministry at Bays Mountain, alongside an outstanding Board of Directors. He welcomed the first campers to the site in the summer of 2018.

Whitney Winston is Director of Camp In the Community for the Holston Conference. She began volunteering with the UMCRM Communications Team in fall of 2017.

A New Start: Rural Mission Becomes Sea Islands Camp & Retreat Center

Jen Burch — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 18:15:39 GMT

A South Carolina ministry site is getting a fresh start and a new purpose. On May 31, 2019, ownership of the former Rural Mission property was transferred to South Carolina United Methodist Camps and Retreat Ministries. Arthur Spriggs, Camps and Retreat Director, said the property was deeded to them in exchange for the relief of debt. “No way we were going to be able to afford such property at fair market value,” Spriggs said, noting the Lowcountry property was not only extremely valuable but attracting much interest from local real estate developers. The site is 5 acres in Johns Island, South Carolina, that sits on a two-mile waterway leading out to the Atlantic Ocean, just 2 miles by road away from the Kiawah public beach. Right now, there are about 40 beds with a dining hall, kitchen, and 3 program buildings.

The desire was strong to keep the property in the United Methodist family. Rural Mission has a long history and a special place in the hearts of many South Carolina Methodists. Many pastors received their call to ministry while working there, and its five decades of service to the rural poor on Johns Island has drawn thousands of volunteers in ministry from across the nation.

Spriggs said the site will now be called the Sea Islands Camp and Retreat Center. “Our first priority right now is to get the property secured, then we’ll hold a community meeting, a charrette, which will be a dreaming session of what the property can be,” Spriggs said. “We’ll be inviting community stakeholders, leaders in the area, key folks from the board, the marina folks across the water, etc. It will be a huge planning think-tank session, where we will literally ask the question, ‘What could this place possibly be?’” “We really will take off from that meeting,” he said. “We’re hoping something really cool will come out of it.”

Also this fall, the Camps and Retreat board plans to host a big thank-you celebration for the former Rural Mission staff. Former Rural Mission Director Linda Gadson, who served at the site for 47 years, stated, “I want whatever happens now to be successful.” Gadson noted she is happy the property is staying in the UMC family. “The most important thing for me is the property was not sold from the people. I pray the property will somehow still be available for local people, then when activities take place they are still a part of it—that they can have access even if not ownership, that the connecting link to the past will still always be there.”

Spriggs said he is excited about the future possibilities of mission, spiritual growth, and renewal that will certainly shape the outreach at the Sea Islands site. He’s also extremely excited about the camps and retreat possibilities the property will allow. He envisions being able to bring in small groups for team building exercises, such as obstacle courses and other group bonding experiences. He said the site is perfect for water activities, too, such as sea kayaking and other programs. “That’s the key thing when we signed up for this—to do all we can to make it sustainable and give it our best shot,” Spriggs said. “We’re excited about that opportunity.”

This article is excerpted from the original by Jessica Brodie, published by the South Carolina Annual Conference Advocate.

Photo credit to Matt Brodie, SC Conference Production Coordinator.

Forming Faith at Camp the Methodist Way: Sing Lustily - Guest Post by Ron Bartlow

Jen Burch — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 02:57:02 GMT

‘Ere thirty, I learned a lesson profound,

visiting nursing homes the town around.

Their mem’ries faded, of what would I speak

when visiting members older and weak?

I told stories of self, new to their town;

but upon my return, many would frown

with no memory of who I might be.

Distressed at my lack of pastoral charm,

I sought to do good and not to do harm.

So on visit two the Bible I took,

and found as I read they knew that good book!

Verses and stories they hap’ly recalled!

Our communication no longer stalled,

we would end by reading Psalm 23.

Their response to me was ere more profound

when I brought a hymnal. For at the sound

of the first sung line of “Amazing Grace,”

they joined me in singing, both tune and pace!

The hymns learned in childhood, years behind

were still alive and fresh, lodged in their mind!

We sang with joy; these parishioners and me.

….

I’ve heard tell that there are numerous studies about music and the brain, though I’m too lazy to confirm. I do know that brain waves synchronize with music at performances, and also that music helps one to focus, study, and learn. I have found that music and associated lyrics linger long in the minds of those who are otherwise slowly losing so much of themselves to dementia. And who hasn’t experienced an “earworm,” a song or partial tune that gets lodged in one’s brain on repeat?! Music demonstrates the ability to impact us deeply; influencing memory, emotion, and even our spiritual formation.

A church was replacing its decades-old, moth worn hymnals, and one senior member was vocally unhappy about the change. After a few weeks with the new hymnal, this older man was becoming increasingly agitated and upset. Initially the pastor dismissed it as resistance to change, but finally he asked the man, who had come to the church council yet again to complain, to share why the change bothered him so much. After some thought, the man replied:

“Well, when I was a child, my granddad and I would stand in these pews and share a hymnal, singing the songs out of it. Even now, decades later, when we sing these old hymns I can feel him standing beside me. Now, with these new hymns and their different words, I don’t feel him as much.” (In response, the pastor wisely had old hymnals returned to the pews alongside the new ones, and integrated hymns from both into worship.)

John and Charles Wesley seized upon the power of music as a key mode of forming faith in the 18th century Methodist movement. Charles Wesley wrote over 6,000 hymns during the course of his life, working with his brother John to fulfill their mission to “spread scriptural holiness throughout the land.” Charles penned lyrics that expressively praised God and taught aspects of Christian faith, even setting them to known and popular tunes (though there is some debate over the oft-taught expression that he used “bar tunes”*), some of which we still sing in worship to this day.

As he gave guidance to the spiritual formation of the Methodists, John Wesley collected hymns for their use. He included among these collections advice on how to sing! His “Directions for Singing,” including the exhortation to “sing lustily and with a good courage,” are still found at the front of our United Methodist Hymnal. In encouraging one to learn these songs first, and sing them with “an eye to God in every word you sing,” Wesley was drawing upon the innate power of music to help people grow in faith.

Today, communal singing faces a variety of challenges. It is not as familiar or as accepted as it used to be. Many come to worship and stand quietly while others sing. I’ve even seen the very act ridiculed by some outside of the church. So, why do we still sing, be it at church or camp? It’s certainly not to recall the ancestral account of Noah by chanting “arky, arky!”

We sing because it is an expression of our human spirit, connecting with and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We sing because the act embodies the spirit of community, whether joining in unison or adding harmony to the melody of others. We sing because our brains respond to it; a person’s whole brain “lights up” in response to music. We sing because it engages our bodies and breath and stirs our hearts. And sometimes we sing because it’s just plain fun!

Music both informs and inspires, and can play a vital role in forming faith, as the Wesleys vividly demonstrated. While we might remember part of a pastor’s sermon on Ephesians 2; we are likely to remember the verses of “Amazing Grace,” whether it be set to its original tune or that of the Gilligan’s Island theme. Even more, when we sing the song we might remember the story of John Newton’s radical transformation as a follower of Christ. We very well might recall a Sunday School lesson about God’s love for us, but it might take better root in our inner selves when we sing “Blessed Assurance.” Its meaning will linger all the more when we know Fanny Crosby’s story of faith and perseverance.

Music plays a role in the formation of life-long faith at camp, too! Children and youth return from our camps with excitement about worship and the lyrics of “Awesome God” fresh on their lips. They come home sharing about a significant moment of introspection (though they might not use that word!) as their group prayerfully sang “Sanctuary” during holy communion. Sometimes their faces will light up in worship and they’ll “sing lustily” a hymn that is old and familiar to the rest of us, but was recently introduced to them in a new and “sticky” way at camp. The songs of camp – including the others we sing just for fun, like “The Belly Button Song” or “Little Green Frog” – take up residence in the hearts and minds of campers. When we can embrace this method of faith formation, our use of music can have a lasting impact on the faith and lives of those we serve.

We still aim to “sing lustily and with a good courage… and above all… spiritually” at camp. We sing not just to praise God, and certainly not for the performance value; but also for the long-term benefits such action brings to our spiritual growth. May our camp experiences leave us humming tunes of God’s love and grace, messages worth singing for a lifetime.

*See “Did The Wesleys Really Use Drinking Song Tunes For Their Hymns?” for debunking of this popular myth.

This is the fourth in an inaccurately described series of three reflections promised by Ron Bartlow on the influence of our Wesleyan heritage upon the spiritual formation that occurs at camp. Portions of the preceding text were sung by trained monkeys in iambic pentameter over the voicemail of UMCRM's long-suffering editor.

New Season of Intentional Leadership Groups Starts Soon

Jen Burch — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 21:23:59 GMT

The Intentional Leadership Group (affectionately, “ILG”) program is a new avenue, facilitated by our United Methodist Camp Retreat Ministries (UMCRM) Association, to bring together leaders in supportive community at least monthly to inspire and encourage each other in growth as spiritual leaders of camp/retreat ministries.

We choose to belong to an association that enhances the Christian missional effectiveness, vitality, and sustainability of UM camp and retreat ministries across the connection. One pivotal factor influencing whether we will reach this horizon together will be our own intentionality to grow as spiritual leaders capable of guiding adaptive change. As a circle of colleagues, we are and can become even more, a community of leaders committed to a common direction through mutual support of one another in life and leadership.

ILGs are designed to provide what many of us long for – a network of colleagues and friends as a source of real encouragement, learning, and energized shared vision as we journey forward together. Each group forms its own unique covenant to know each other, care about each other, and strengthen each other in going deeper both in spiritual growth and leadership while also reaching specific missional effectiveness goals for our own settings of ministry. An online platform is used so group members from across the country can learn and grow alongside one another.

Here's what current Intentional Leadership Group members are saying about the benefit they have seen from being a part of their ILG:

“Great to have supportive people around the nation who understand the struggles and triumphs of camp and retreat ministry. Very helpful to bounce ideas off of.”

“I enjoyed learning from people who work in a variety of roles in UMCRM and learning about the diversity of programming and opportunities our ministries provide throughout the nation!”

“I deeply appreciate this opportunity to continue to stay connected with peers outside of my specific geographical location. One of the things I crave in this mainly solitary ministry, are for relationships with others who understand. My ILG are those people. And I'm so grateful for this experience for bringing us together.”

“I loved connecting with folks from different camps! It brought me really valuable perspective.”

“The thing I enjoy the most is the community, and having the time to just take a breath and fellowship with others.”

This year the program has been revamped based on the feedback and recommendations from last year’s group members. We would like to invite you to join a group during the ILG program year that goes from September 2019 to May 2020. You can sign up for a group based on the availability in your schedule by going to this registration page. On the registration page you will be able to see the meeting spots available and who has already joined each group.

Are you part of a group from last year that would like to continue meeting during this upcoming year? Let us know by emailing jessica.gamache@umcrm.org. We will then connect you with resources to help your group grow in fellowship and leadership in the coming year. Included in these resources will be new session guides, a Zoom account link specific to your group, along with automatic meeting reminders.

We invite you to deepen personal connections and care of colleagues in ministry by being a part of the ILG program.

– The Intentional Leadership Group Curriculum Team:

Rev. Ron Bartlow

Jessica Gamaché

Rev. Chris Kindle

Geneé Morrison

Sarah Ratz

Rev. Kevin Witt

UMCRM Director Search – Everything you wanted to know but didn’t know whom to ask...

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:51:49 GMT

By now you’ve likely heard the good news that UMCRM is hiring its first Director! This is something our camp and retreat ministries family has dreamed of since beginning the association five years ago. And now we’re looking for the very best candidate to lead UMCRM into the future of its support of our camp and retreat ministries. You can help to spread the word of this opportunity by sharing this Director Profile.

Your UMCRM Board wants this search and hiring process to be as transparent as possible. To that end, I’d like to share with you more about the grant funding, the search process, the search task force, and the qualities we’re looking for in a Director for the association.

The Grant - Funding for this position comes from a grant given by a Foundation that values children, the outdoors, and United Methodist ministries. The Foundation wishes to be unknown in its giving. This is a five-year commitment that will fund the Director’s salary, benefits, travel, and office expenses. Those expenses will be fully funded for three full years, after which funding will reduce to two-thirds in the fourth and one-third in the fifth and final year. This unbelievable generosity and faith in our association will give us the opportunity to establish ourselves more fully and to develop funding to continue the position into the future. The board is deeply grateful to the donor!

The Process - The UMCRM Board has set a search and hiring timeline that includes an application deadline of August 15th and a projected start date of November 1st for the new Director. The position has been advertised broadly: in our own S’more Mail, through the communicators of each annual conference, through the communications of our sibling associations of the Outdoor Ministries Connection, and through three non-profit job sites: Indeed, Work for Good, and The Nonprofit Times. We’d like to leave no stone unturned in our effort to find the best candidate for the position.

The Search Task Force - One of the strengths of UMCRM is the ability to draw on the volunteer expertise of our members. To ensure the transparency of the search and hiring process, the board has recruited a volunteer task force to conduct the search, the interviews, and to recommend a candidate to be hired. This Search Task Force consists of three board members, two members of our association, and one participant with denominational perspective. The group includes clergy and laypeople, a range of ages, and varieties of expertise. Each UMC jurisdiction is represented. The task force is co-convened by an association member and a member of the board. It will receive all resumes and collateral material submitted directly through the email, apply@umcrm.org.

Members of the Search Task Force:

Todd Bartlett, co-convener - Executive Director of Camp and Retreat Ministry, Oregon-Idaho Conference
Kim Carter, co-convener - Director, Camp Tanako, Arkansas Conference
Abi Fuesler - Student, Brevard College Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education
Mike Selleck - Retired, Director of Connectional Ministries, North Georgia Conference
Pam Harris - Principal Consultant, Run River Enterprises
Jody Oates - Principal Consultant, Kaleidoscope, Inc.

Please be in prayer for these volunteers as they serve our association. Their work will be confidential and accomplished as a team. Please do not contact Search Task Force members directly; rather, honor the time and energy they have already committed by submitting your resume directly through apply@umcrm.org and by addressing any clarifying questions about the position to me at russell.davis@umcrm.org.

The Director’s Position - We have never had a Director of our association before. In the absence of a history of the position, it is easy to substitute the faithful performance of those who have served in similar positions. We may recall the way those serving us through Discipleship Ministries performed their duties, or how those in conference staff positions served well, or, perhaps, even the good work of former chairpersons of our association board. Those understandings were definitely where we started as a board in trying to define this new position.

But as we worked, we realized that the person who will best serve UMCRM moving forward won’t be a traditional executive director or consultant-type. We are seeking a leader who will be able to leverage the expertise of our membership by identifying and connecting that expertise to association strategies and initiatives, and by managing association projects to their successful conclusion. The person we hire will certainly have other attributes as well, but this is a core competency. In short, we’re looking for the “Great Go-Between” instead of the “Great Idea Person.” This is language borrowed from 7 Measures of Success: What Remarkable Associations Do That Others Don't, a research study by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) based on the famous research method used by Jim Collins in the book From Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t.

Two measures from the ASAE study stand out for UMCRM in our Director search: 1) Dialogue and Engagement and 2) CEO as Broker of Ideas. Each of these measures of successful associations fits with our association’s efforts to develop a culture that engages the expertise of the membership in the work of UMCRM. So the idea of hiring a Director who can help the association function better, rather than being the source of expertise or the one who does all the work, is a core value in our search for the best candidate.

I hope this is helpful to your understanding of the work of the board these past several months. We want to be transparent in everything we do, but especially as this important work moves forward. As always, I’m available to answer any questions you might have about this exciting time in the life of our association. russell.davis@umcrm.org

May God guide and honor our efforts to support our camp and retreat ministries across the country…

C. Russell Davis, Chairperson

Forming Faith at Camp the Methodist Way: Enthusiastically Square – Guest Post by Ron Bartlow

Jen Burch — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 23:20:30 GMT

Forming Faith at Camp the Methodist Way: Enthusiastically Square

(Methodism’s spirit-filled, structural approach to faith formation)

My poor campers. It happens every morning at camp (and I mean, every morning)... If the risen sun shining through their cabin windows isn’t enough to rouse them, they have to suffer through the indignity of my overly enthusiastic, off-pitch rendition of this little ditty:

“I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic!

I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic!

I’m alive, awake, alert;

I’m alert, awake, alive;

I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic!”

John Wesley would probably roll in his grave if he heard me! Not just due to my performance (which I admit might distress the dead as much as it does sleepy-eyed campers), but in linking him with the word “enthusiastic.”

In Wesley’s day, barely a century removed from the English Reformation and its conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism, the term “enthusiast” had become a negative critique. It was used of certain Protestants whose theology or religious practice was reminiscent of the suspect-to-them mysticism of Catholicism. “Enthusiastic” (from the Greek, “possessed by a god or spirit”) was one of the derogatory terms that followed and frustrated Wesley, used by others to dismiss him and the spiritual revival he led.

Yet here we are today, ministry leaders and volunteers around the nation enthusiastically gearing up for summer camp ministries that will invite participants into a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Indeed, we are fulfilling part of Wesley’s original vision of his ministry, “to spread scriptural holiness throughout the land” (if we, like him, define “scriptural holiness” as the fulfillment of the great commandment to love God and neighbor). Many of us are enthusiastic for the work, enthusiastic to be responding to the call of God, enthusiastic to be partnering with the Holy Spirit to nurture spiritual formation in people young and old!

In the last decade, my understanding of “enthusiasm” in the religious sphere has become synonymous with appreciation, gratitude, and acknowledgment of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in my life. As a life-long Methodist, I am part of a holiness tradition that has always taken the Holy Spirit seriously; we believe we are a Spirit-filled people; that God’s presence illuminates and motivates our lives and actions. Today, I would say that we are enthusiastically open to the Spirit’s movement and guidance!

In responding to the movement of God’s Holy Spirit over the centuries, the people called Methodist have formed and followed some particularly sound methods of faith development. In previous blogs, I reflected on our heritage’s emphasis upon holistic faith formation that recognizes the interconnectedness of the spiritual experience. (View “The Third Rule” and “Shoulders & Knees.”) Today I aim to show how, led by the Spirit, we Methodists have developed some distinctive organizational structures for both thought and community.

First, we are a bit "square" when it comes to theological reflection. While faith is more than belief, belief is still an important aspect of one’s faith; one that is nurtured, challenged, and formed throughout our lives. We do not arrive at a mature system of belief – a deeply held interconnection of thoughts on God, Creation, humanity, Scripture, etc. – instantaneously. We reflect upon what we know of God (e.g. “theology,” or knowledge of God). Traditionally, Methodists approach theological reflection with an understanding of four interconnected, mutually dependent resources, what Wesley scholar Albert Outler named the “Wesleyan quadrilateral”: Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason.

Methodists are enthusiastic about this spirit-filled approach to theology. We value the Spirit’s inspiration of Scripture; not only for the Spirit’s presence in the past (during the creation and canonization of the scriptures) but also in the Spirit’s presence in the present as we read and interpret. We look to our own experience of the Spirit, discerning where and how God might be speaking a word to us today. We reflect upon what we can learn from the traditions of the church, recognizing that even the Bible comes to us via tradition. Through it all we integrate our God-given capacity for reason, since God did not give us minds just to check them at the door of faith!

While scholars rightly insist that Scripture is primary for John Wesley, they generally acknowledge that Wesley brought all four elements of this so-called “quadrilateral” to bear in his own theological reflection, and invited others to do the same. For Methodists, these four sides are a Spirit-influenced frame for the lenses through which we read Scripture and see the world; a frame that develops as we grow in faith.

Our heritage is born from a tradition of Spirit-filled revival, and Camp and Retreat Ministries owe a portion of their creation to the revivalist tradition of camp meetings in the 19th century. Sensing a need for ordinary Christians to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit more directly, camp meetings gathered people together outside of their usual churches and homes to hear the Word of God read, sung, and expounded upon. These experiences very often led participants to make a commitment in response to what they heard. These camp meetings were an experience of the “creative dislocation” I have shared about elsewhere [The Prophet Elijah’s “Creative Dislocation”], and were at least partial progenitors of camp ministries. In such experiences of “creative dislocation,” Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason are experienced by participants in new ways that help form their faith.

In addition to the stability of our square-ish theology, our heritage is also one of organized community structure. Over time, through practical needs that required logistical organization, the Methodist movement formed a three-tiered structure many of us can recall: Society, Class, and Band. As a quick summary:

the Society was the location for preaching and teaching, where a large group of Methodists from the local (Anglican) church parish would gather midweek to hear more teaching about God and faith than they experienced in Sunday’s sermon;
the Class was an organizational unit of about 12 that owed its origins to the need to collect money, but became a place for the smaller group of participants to account for their commitment to the three rules (sometimes supplanting the place/role of a band);
the Band, with its roots in the Holy Club at Oxford, was a much smaller group of like-minded individuals who went deeper into their faith and behavior, including a focus upon its members’ “backsliding” (penitent bands) or their service as leaders (select bands). Whereas classes were diverse, bands were also more intentionally homogeneous.

The logic and effectiveness of this structure have enduring merit. The deepening levels of intimacy from Society to Band allow for greater trust and accountability among participants, building relationships that can help foster behavioral change. (Remember, Wesley was early in teaching that behavior can influence belief.) While we can learn concepts and theory in larger groups, to truly embody them we need to practice with the help and evaluation of others. Interestingly, this practical structure was not imagined and devised in advance of the movement, but developed in response to the growing needs of communities yearning to grow in faith.

Though perhaps not of conscious origin, I have actually seen much the same structure in camp and retreat settings. Many of our events feature times when the large group gathers with featured speakers or special leaders, who teach from Scripture and their own life experience. But we don’t expect the large group gathering to be enough to foster faith formation; we re-gather in “small groups” to further read Scripture and reflect upon it together. Sometimes we see even smaller groupings, where mentoring and leadership development occur.

I would share one example from my current location in ministry. Two years ago we initiated “Leadership Camp” for a small number (12) of Senior High youth. Each day the youth gather as a large group (Society) for reflection together, learning about healthy leadership from Scripture and other sources. They spend a couple of hours each morning working in pairs to serve, helping lead activities with elementary campers. Half return at a time to reflect upon what they learned and what they did (Class). We don’t, perhaps, get as deep as the “band” level might, but I am blessed to bear witness to their faith and leadership formation over the week.

Our Spirit-fueled enthusiasm, Wesleyan quadrilateral for theological reflection, and organizational structure may no longer be entirely unique to Methodism, but they were distinct developments of our heritage that continue to guide our efforts at faith formation to this day.

This is the third in a series of three reflections on the influence of our Wesleyan heritage upon the spiritual formation that occurs at camp, allegedly written by Ron Bartlow, interim Director of Camp and Retreat Ministries in the Desert Southwest Conference and a member of the UMCRM Board. In trying to confirm his authorship we were informed he was “dead, asleep, inattentive, and apathetic.”

Forming Faith at Camp the Methodist Way: Shoulders and Knees – Guest Post by Rev. Ron Bartlow

Jen Burch — Wed, 15 May 2019 18:08:54 GMT

Forming Faith at Camp the Methodist Way: Shoulders and Knees

(our holistic approach to faith formation)

I vividly remember my strangest experience of a camper behavior. My third year volunteering at summer camp, I was warned that a camper, whom I’ll call Bobby (mostly because I cannot recall his real name), had the occasional habit of sleepwalking. But I wasn’t prepared for what happened after lights out that first night!

After a rambunctious campfire with lots of singing, my cabin of 5^th and 6^th grade boys was late in settling down. Younger than I am now, I was still in good spirits despite the late hour when I finally laid down to sleep myself. It felt like only minutes had passed (though it was a couple of hours) when I was jarred awake by the sound of a boy singing:

“Head, shoulders… [pause]

head, shoulders… [pause]

eyes and ears and mouth and nose;

head, shoulders…. [pause]”

Getting out of bed, I found Bobby sitting up in his sleeping bag, his eyes closed. I watched as he raised his hands to the side of his head:

“head, shoulders…” his hands dropped limp beside him as he paused, then came up again:

“head, shoulders…” and his hands dropped limp beside him again.

Bobby wasn’t sleepwalking, he was sleep-singing! None of us could believe it! I gently woke him up, and once he was aware of where he was he lay down, rolled over, and returned to sleep. (No doubt you can identify what was missing from Bobby’s song. I assume that because his knees and toes were buried in his sleeping bag he simply omitted them from his version.)

I’m sharing this story not only because I find it a humorous anecdote, but because I want to connect it to our history of faith formation. One of the incredible aspects of our Methodist heritage is that from the start it took pains to approach spiritual formation holistically. For Methodists, the faith in which we are formed is more than just the beliefs we hold.

John Wesley, founder of our Methodist movement, is often identified as a “practical” theologian. Wesley did not set out to create a well-organized system of belief (e.g. a “systematic theology”); rather, he brought his theological understanding to bear on the real lives of Methodist participants. As he did so, both the theology and actual practices of Methodism embraced an understanding that faith is greater than just what one believes. Faith is an interconnected web wherein the whole person (inclusive of our thoughts, emotions, actions, bodies, and relationships) connects with God, with the communities in which we live(1), and even with Creation at large.

John Wesley and the early Methodists seem to have understood this deep interconnectedness and built our faith tradition around holistic spiritual growth. Wesley would not have us leave out knees and toes; whether inadvertently because they are out of sight, or intentionally because some deem them of less importance. When John and Charles Wesley and the other members of their “holy club” at Oxford began their methodical approach to spiritual formation, they focused not only on the spiritual, but also the physical. The members of the group naturally gave attention to their personal and communal acts of piety (such as prayer, worship, and even their study of Scripture), but they didn’t stop there. With John’s encouragement, they also made “acts of mercy” a focus of their spiritual formation; they made it a priority to serve and do good to others. They went so far as to do what was otherwise unthinkable in their day, and visited strangers in prison! To this day, Methodists are convinced that the path of Christian perfection, the journey toward spiritual maturity, involves not just spiritual contemplation but also real-world activity. As part of our pursuit of living out the great commandment, we care for one another in ways that nurture body, mind, and spirit.

I find further emphasis on our approach to holistic spirituality within the lyrics of a lesser-known hymn by Charles Wesley. Entitled “At the Opening of a School in Kingswood,” and published in the 1778 edition of A Collection of Hymns for the Use of The People Called Methodists, the song encapsulates our holistic means of pursuing faith development:

Unite the pair so long disjoined,

Knowledge and vital piety:

Learning and holiness combined,

And truth and love, let all men see…

The lyrics may be viewed as a commitment on the part of the singer or as an appeal for God to take action, but in both cases the expression makes clear that a holistic faith integrates knowledge and piety. Mature faith connects what we think with what we do. Methodists have always taken education and action seriously, that is part of the reason why there are both universities and hospitals founded by and still named after our movement. Faith involves belief and behavior, body and spirit. (Indeed, John Wesley’s understanding of the holistic care of souls motivated him not only to open health clinics in the Methodist Societies, but also to write a medical text!)

I was not only nurtured within, but am an enthusiastic fan of this holistic understanding of faith. Rev. Adam Hamilton, pastor of one of United Methodism’s largest congregations, Church of the Resurrection in Kansas, points out that this approach balances head, heart, and hands, influencing preachers like me to educate the mind, influence the heart, and motivate the will (2). What we think or believe, how we feel, and what we do are all intimately wound together, and healthy approaches to faith formation take this balance seriously – “head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes”!

Long before the behavioral health movement began teaching it, John Wesley was leading Methodists in discovering that behavior/action can both come first and actually influence belief, thought, and mood. (One might cite John’s experience with Moravian bishop Peter Boehler as the seed of this. Spiritually distraught after his failed mission in Georgia, Wesley was encouraged not to quit preaching; rather, Boehler encouraged him by saying he should “preach faith until you have it; then, because you have it, you will preach faith.”) Whatever the origin, the society and class meetings of Methodism emphasized accountability for participants’ behavior as an important step in their faith formation. When it comes to our Methodist history of faith formation, ortho-praxy (right practice) has always been holistically interconnected with ortho-doxy (right belief).

Other theological principles of our Methodist heritage integrate this holistic approach, too. We often put an emphasis on John Wesley’s articulation of grace as the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives (name the three with me, now: prevenient(3), justifying, sanctifying!), but Wesley's theology was not just about the grace of God given to us. Wesley's theology revolved around both grace and holiness. Indeed, many of the modern denominational offspring of the original Methodist movement are those churches accounting for the "holiness movement" of the 19^th century.

I’ve been coming to better understand the ongoing balance of grace and holiness in my life in this way: I receive with joy and thanksgiving the grace of God and then try to extend that grace toward others, while at the same time the holiness of God inspires my personal pursuit of holiness. (Although I can’t directly pinpoint this articulation in Wesley’s work, this is how I have internalized his teachings: I expect much of myself, and seek to extend much grace to others.) As my faith grows, I grow both in what I receive and in what I give.

Once again I can observe and celebrate that this holistic approach to faith formation is an integral part of many ministries of The United Methodist Church, our camp and retreat ministries included. Consider how at camp we often…

…embrace experiential learning. We regularly balance learning with doing. Camp curricula integrate modern pedagogical insight to teach to multiple learning and/or emotional intelligences. Worship leaders invite participants into worship experiences while also teaching about why we do such activities. Camps integrate active service projects alongside Jesus’ teaching that we are to love our neighbors.

…debrief, bringing theological and psychological insight to bear on camp activities. Before, during, or after campers face their fears and climb the rock wall or step off the zip-line, we lead them in reflection on the action and its relationship to other fears in their lives. So many of our camp and retreat center staff expertly help to connect a camper’s experiences during the day to larger themes of self-esteem, personal development, and faith formation. It’s what you do!

…care for the camper’s physical safety and comfort as an integral part of their experience of spiritual formation. Come on, how many of us haven’t heard that the food was one of the best experiences campers had during their week? Many of our staff can cite Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in relation to the work we aim to do with faith formation. Even if we can’t, our staff seem to intuitively know that we must meet basic physical and psychological needs – helping campers feel safe, cared for, and that they belong – before we can help nurture their experience of deeper formation of faith and self.

…encourage new behaviors in the expectation they will inform belief. I’m among those who look at the zip tower and assert that there is no way I can do that; but, with encouragement, I have stepped off the edge. (Twice, for the record. And that really is enough.) Some leaders encourage their campers to keep a gratitude journal (writing down things they are grateful for) recognizing that writing what we are thankful for can actually influence a sense of gratitude. Homesick campers can be encouraged to think of what they want to have happen during their week at camp, and in contemplating their hopes they help vision them into reality.

These are just some of the ways that our camp and retreat ministries realize our Methodist approach to faith formation. Like the intricately connected joints in our shoulders and knees – where ligaments, muscles, nerves, and bones work together with our conscious self – we strive for interconnectedness in our efforts at faith formation. We balance head, heart, and hands; we aim to unite “knowledge and vital piety;” we integrate belief and behavior together as we seek to inspire formation in faith. We look to the whole of a camp’s experience as part of God’s ongoing work in and with us, to help participants pursue holistic faith formation.

Happy camping, Methodists!

Footnotes:

When Wesley writes, “I know of no holiness but social holiness,” it is his assertion that our faith, and any formation we experience in that faith, is deeply entwined with others. John Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Preface, page viii: “‘Holy Solitaries is a phrase no more consistent with the gospel than Holy Adulterers. The gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness.”
This three-fold saying is not original to me. I do not have a notation of the original source, but many others have used this handy alliterative phrase.
Wisely advised to utilize this oft-used modern term for the first movement of grace in Wesley’s theological articulation, the author still wishes to point out that Wesley’s “preventing” (by which he means the movement of grace before, e.g. pre-, the event of justification) would be in better keeping with the verb form of the other two.

About the author:

This is the second in a series of three reflections on the influence of our Wesleyan heritage upon the spiritual formation we seek to nurture at camp. Author Ron Bartlow insists he has some level of expertise to share these ideas with our UMCRM community. This entry, handwritten on a saloon napkin, was delivered to our offices wrapped around the leg of a sorely aggrieved jackalope.

A Letter of Reflection on the UMC Judicial Council Ruling – Jessica Gamaché

Jen Burch — Thu, 02 May 2019 02:13:02 GMT

Dear Camp and Retreat Ministry friends and colleagues,

As many of you may have heard by now, the United Methodist Judicial Council made some important decisions last week. My hope is this letter will inspire you to seek an understanding of how this moment in our denomination’s path will impact your ministry setting and those you walk beside in mission.

Need some more context? Following the called Special General Conference in February, the Judicial Council, United Methodism's "Supreme Court," was called upon to rule on the constitutionality of the Traditional Plan approved by that General Conference. Read more from United Methodist News Service

First, I would like to share my understanding of the Judicial Council Decision 1378. Of the 15 Traditional Plan petitions that were passed in February at the special called General Conference, eight were ruled constitutional and seven were ruled unconstitutional. The parts of the Traditional Plan that will be implemented as church law, effective January 1, 2020 (and later in 2021 for the Central Conferences – outside of the US) will bring a more detailed definition of what it means to be a “self-avowed, practicing homosexual” to the Book of Discipline, mandate specific penalties for clergy who violate the rules around conducting same gender unions, and provide clarity on the parameters of the complaint process. The parts of the Traditional Plan that will not be implemented include: tighter accountability for Bishops, stricter requirements of Boards of Ministry (example – conducting an examination of each candidate to ascertain whether an individual is a practicing homosexual), and mandated financial penalties for Annual Conferences that are not in compliance with requirements around human sexuality. An additional decision was passed (Decision 1379) and declared constitutional allowing local congregations and clergy to enter into a disaffiliation agreement for “a gracious exit” from the denomination.

The effect of these decisions is being felt in various ways and at varying degrees across our camp and retreat connection. There is not one correct interpretation or plan for moving forward that applies to all of our UMCRM sites. However, in order to truly come alongside one another in this next season of ministry, it is vital that we stay in relationship with our local communities and in healthy, compassionate, open-minded communication with the leadership of our Annual Conferences. Gracious communication about these matters and an unwillingness to criticize those with whom we disagree are necessary to the integrity of our collective ministry. I would also like to hold up the opportunity of finding support and counsel in your UMCRM colleagues as we navigate the course together.

As this journey continues, I hope that we can all remember these important sentiments:

Although there is a divide within our denomination, this divide is not between people who love Jesus or people who believe in the Bible and those who do not love or believe. No, it is a divide between Christ-following people who have come to different interpretations about how the Bible is to be read and applied. Our role in camp and retreat ministries is to be a place for all Christ-following people (and those who do not yet know Christ), where they can have the space to come to their own understanding of God’s mysterious and wondrous plan for their life.
Within the congregations that we serve, all across the country, there is a wide diversity of people with equally wide perspectives and convictions. By our camp and retreat centers being safe, sacred places set apart from everyday life, we can be a source of inspiration for others to become more attentive to the diversity of thought that surrounds us. Through worship, play, and relationship, people from a variety of perspectives and experiences are together, practicing living in holy community. This is an honest expression of sharing the truth that “You are loved.”
Finally, United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries will continue to have a crucial and wonderful ministry to offer to the world for the sake of Jesus Christ, in a unique way that no one else can. We can’t shy away from proclaiming the importance of our ministry. Now is the time to find courage to reach out to donors and find new ways of promoting your ministry so these holy places of “creative dislocation” continue to grow in the future.

James 5:16 – “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”

I am with you in this, friends, and I pray for you daily. Together, let’s continue to pray for our denomination, Bishops and Cabinets, local church leaders, congregations, and one another. Let’s pray for continued guidance along this complex route which we find ourselves traveling, giving thanks that we are traveling it together. I am grateful to be alongside you in this journey.

God bless,

Jessica Gamaché
UMCRM Board of Directors, Vice-Chair

Jessica Gamaché is the Camping Coordinator for the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference. She has served on the UMCRM Board since 2015.

Forming Faith at Camp the Methodist Way: The Third Rule – Guest Post by Ron Bartlow

Jen Burch — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 02:37:21 GMT

Two years ago I chose to simplify my practice of establishing rules with campers down to giving them “three simple rules.” As you read them, you’ll no doubt find them familiar, but with a significant alteration:

1^st: Do no harm.

2^nd: Do good.

3^rd: Participate.

If you grew up in The United Methodist Church and/or are aware of our heritage (or, worse yet, were victim to one of my confirmation or new members classes!) then you know these as the General Rules of the United Societies, with an editorial adjustment to the third. For over 200 years, the people called Methodist have made use of these “rules,” not because they are obligations to be followed, but because like a ruler they delineate how to measure the fruit of our commitment to living as Christians.

In my ministry, Wesley’s expression of the third rule has often been a source of consternation and obfuscation. Wesley’s original words for the third rule are that we are to “attend upon all the ordinances of God.” Many pastors rephrase this to “use the means of grace,” while bishop and scholar Reuben P. Job succinctly shortened the idea to “stay in love with God.” For the purposes of camp behavior, I simplified it down to “participate,” recognizing that the very acts I was about to invite campers to take part in were those self-same “means of grace” and “ordinances of God” by which our faith is formed and our love for God nurtured.

John Wesley, his brother Charles, and other members of their Holy Club at Oxford received the derisive “Methodist” nickname from their “methodical” use of a variety of spiritual practices. In establishing the General Rules, they maintained this constant use of the means of grace as a “rule” to measure spiritual maturity. They recognized that it is in and through such activity that faith matures. For the same reason, as someone called by God to nurture people into a deeper Christian faith, I invite campers to participate in our camp activities because they are spiritually formative; all the more so when we pursue them with intention!

Consider for a moment the significant power of the sacraments in a camp experience. I can remember being a teenager near the fireplace when our youth director led us in communion, inviting us to serve one another after a retreat focusing on every individual’s self-worth. Since then, I have been to many camps where the week wraps up with holy communion during a particularly inspirational and moving evening worship. I’ve borne witness to commitments to Christ, and even callings to ministry, happening at such times. In much the same way, when campers gather together in community to experience the baptism of a fellow camper, the sacramental act can have a powerful and lingering impact on their understanding and living of Christian faith.

Of course, there are more faith-forming practices than just the two sacraments. Many are a regular part of our camp experiences. For simplicity, and to ensure this author doesn’t wax on endlessly, let us consider just those listed under the third rule in the General Rules:

Public worship
Worship is often a daily occurrence at camp, and sometimes more! Camp planners and curriculum writers work with intention to bring elements of worship to bear around particular themes. Counselors and worship leaders engage campers in active participation. Often campers are included in leading elements of worship.

Ministry of the Word
Many of us are diligent to ensure that camp participants encounter Scripture in different ways. Not only may they read it, hear it, or hear it discussed, as the Rules suggest, but campers may also find Scripture integrated into an art project, skit, or a walk through the labyrinth.

Communion (referenced above)

Family and private prayer
Camps build in intentional time for participants to experience prayer in different ways. We may sing grace before meals, pray the Lord’s prayer during worship, take time in silent prayer, pray at the close of a small group, or even pray for a friend in need.

Searching the scriptures
Interestingly, the General Rules mention the Bible twice. In this case, the phrase has to do with seeking to know something about God, and specifically Jesus Christ, as we read the Bible. As we engage in Bible study, discussion, and even worship, we often seek to find how God is speaking to us and what we are learning about Jesus, even in stories about other people.

Fasting or abstinence
Okay, this practice is probably not a focus you intentionally think about often; and yet this practice of choosing to limit ourselves from other things is actually something we practice at camp. Consider the power of silence, when we abstain from talking, during prayer or a walk through the labyrinth. Or consider the beneficial (and even statistically documented!) benefits of abstaining from cell phones and other digital devices for a week at camp.

We do these things at camp, often with great intention, because we know they play a part in nurturing spiritual maturity. Our efforts may come as recommendations from a curriculum, be based around a theme or experience, or even connect to outcomes we seek to measure; but in the end, these practices are a part of our Methodist heritage precisely because they help to form faith.

“There’s nothing particularly unique about that,” you might suggest, echoing centuries-old critique of Wesley’s description of what a Methodist is. You would be right. Other Christian camps also integrate these activities into their day. But the intentionality with which we pursue these practices, the “methodical” way we integrate them into our camps’ daily schedules, are a distinct and important echo of our heritage as it is brought to bear on faith formation at camp.

(In two future posts, “Shoulders and Knees,” and “Enthusiastically Square,” I will share thoughts on how our heritage of faith formation is both holistic and structurally sound.)

This is the first in a series of three reflections on the influence of our Wesleyan heritage upon the spiritual formation that occurs at camp. Author Ron Bartlow, the Director of Camp and Retreat Ministries for the Desert Southwest Conference and member of the UMCRM Association Board of Directors, has a passion for our Methodist heritage, a lifetime of camp experience, and a white light-saber. Ron has meticulously crafted each blog post and aged it in a charred oak barrel for the smoothest texture possible.

Twinlow Hiring Announcement

Jen Burch — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 20:52:05 GMT

An announcement from Alan Rogstad, Executive Director, Camp and Retreat Ministries, Pacific Northwest Conference –

The Pacific NW Conference and The Twinlow Board of Directors are excited to announce the installation of Kristen “Moonie” Moon as the new Director of Twinlow Camp and Retreat Center! After a nationwide search process, we are very pleased to have hired someone from of our local PNW camp system! Kristin first came to PNW Camping Ministries as a Lazy F staff member, and later went on to fill the position of Assistant Director of Twinlow Camp in 2014.

From Kristen:

As a kid growing up in Wyoming, I attended Baptist camps. It was there that I found the perfect place to nurture my love of Jesus and nature. I was always somewhat of a “wild child” and camp served as a perfect outlet for me. Camp also provided a strong Christian community to be a part of. Fast forward to my college years when I became a summer staff counselor at Lazy F Camp & Retreat Center in Ellensburg, WA. It was at Lazy F that I first heard the call to ministry. It was through that call that I soon found myself moving to North Idaho to work at Twinlow Camp & Retreat Center as Assistant Director. Five years later I am now blessed to be transitioning into the role of Director.

When I am not working at camp I spend most of my time in the outdoors either rock climbing, surfing (yes, we surf in North Idaho), or snowboarding. I have always been able to connect to Jesus, myself, and others best when playing outside. Because of that I am excited to be serving as Director of Twinlow Camp!

Kristen brings the perfect mix of experience, energy, and vision to her new role as Director of Twinlow. Please join us in welcoming Kristen!

Compass Points testimonials – Spring 2019

Jen Burch — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 22:12:16 GMT

I've appreciated the chance to dialogue with my UMC peers and with peers from other denominations about the similarities that we share and the different challenges that we face. I also really appreciated the experience in our Biblical and Theological reflections class of working through the challenges in our different denominations and that we are not alone in those challenges, but share the opportunity to work together.

- Sarah Ratz, Director, Beersheba Springs Assembly

We so often forget that our camp’s “problems” are not just ours; everyone else is experiencing and navigating the same challenges. To be in Compass Points and to have an honest space where conversations about our difference led us to that common ground was SO refreshing.

- TayLa Fugate, Program Intern, Cedar Crest Camp

A Reflection Following The UMC Special General Conference

Jen Burch — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 18:27:23 GMT

This has been a hard week for our beloved United Methodist Church. Barring a miracle, decisions made at the Special General Conference will fracture the church I’ve loved, for which I’ve worked my entire adult life, and that nurtured my faith from childhood.

Even so, this year over a million children, youth, and adults will visit our United Methodist camps and retreat centers. Faith will be birthed and formed in countless lives in our ministries across the country. The work to which we are called continues to have eternal value as we invest in disciples who will transform the world.

There is a quote we use in our leadership program, ELI, in North Georgia, to which I’ve become attached. It is attributed to French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:

If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.

Now, more than ever, the people called Methodists (and the world beyond) need to grow in our longing for the endless immensity of God’s love. We in Camp & Retreat Ministries are uniquely equipped for that work because the context of a temporary community helps us practice being the body of Christ for one another. Campers and retreat participants leave longing for the immensity of God’s love and better equipped to build a church in which it may be made manifest.

It is time for us to do our best work! So as we wipe away tears, pray for one another, and clasp hands with all our beloved and gifted siblings in God’s family, please remember that UMCRM stands ready to offer resources, inspiration, and a network of colleagues in support of your ministry. Within our association are folks who have dealt with every challenge you might be facing, people who have your back. Let’s continue to be there for one another. The need is greater than ever for sacred places apart, fruitful partnerships in the church and community, and space to experience the endless immensity of God’s love.

May the Lord lift up God’s countenance upon you and give you peace,

Russell Davis

Chairperson, UMCRM Association

2018 Solomon Cramer Grant Recipients

Jen Burch — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 03:24:24 GMT

Congratulations to all of the United Methodist Camp/Retreat Ministries who received 2018 Solomon Cramer Grant funding for your innovative, youth-serving projects.

Baltimore-Washington Conference Retreat & Camping Ministries ($3,000)

The camp partners with Baltimore Metropolitan District and seeks to eliminate barriers to summer camp experiences for youth in Baltimore who are impacted by high rates of violence and poverty. The program offers Spring Break Camp which is a 1-week camp offering arts, crafts, worship and activities. Residential Summer Camp offers week-long programs at West River and Manidokan throughout the summer and reaches a predominantly African-American population.

Camp Chestnut Ridge ($3,000)

This camp launched a new Traveling Day Camp in order to expand summer camp opportunities for youth from underserved ethnic populations who may not otherwise be able to attend camp. The lower cost of the Traveling Day Camp, and the central location within the community of Chestnut Ridge will allow for more children who do not regularly attend camp to have a camp experience. Chestnut Ridge strives to create a diverse population among campers, and is located within the community of the participants, which helps overcome issues with transportation.

Camp Chippewa ($3,000)

This camp has encompassed the mission to provide an atmosphere in a simple, outdoor setting where individuals can experience the presence of God in nature, for a relationship with Jesus Christ and others, nurture one’s journey as a disciple of Christ and experience spiritual and personal growth and renewal. Camp Chippewa offered a high-school camp for the first time which focused on leadership and was held at their camp site.

Camp in the Community ($3,000)

This camp is a week-long day camp for children in poverty. The camp operates in partnership with a host church located in an impoverished community within the Holston Conference. A high-quality summer camp experience is offered to those who could not otherwise afford to attend summer camp.

Cedar Crest Camp ($3,000)

The camp has a two-fold initiative including empowering immigrant faith communities in the Tennessee Conference and to inform and transform the camp culture to better serve the children of these communities. Through this initiative, children from immigrant areas were shown support, love and empowerment. Space was created to facilitate cross-cultural conversation within the camp experience to better inform staff and campers about the richness of sharing in multiple contexts of life experiences.

Don Lee Camp & Retreat Center ($3,000)

The initiative seeks to build greater partnership and collaboration between UMC churches, local school and the AME Zion Church to strengthen, develop and renew congregations and communities in an effort to make disciples. The Voyages initiative offered camp experiences in a local church setting. The churches worked together to provide this experience to 200 children who were able to experience camp within local churches.

Go Camp NTC ($3,000)

The camp provided camping opportunities for kids in underserved communities in North Texas which focused on faith formation, community outreach, and nature conservation. The camps were mobilized to bring the experience to communities where they would not otherwise have camp experiences and offered a way for those populations to connect with the United Methodist Church.

Lakeshore Camp & Retreat Center ($2,000)

The Camp Hope series is dedicated to at-risk youth from difficult, impoverished and/or minority populations. There are nine camps that focus on drug and/or alcohol abuse, anger management or sexual abuse. The funding focused on Camp Grace, which is a week-long camp for girls age 12-15 who have experienced sexual abuse.

Next Generation Ministries, the Missouri Annual Conference ($3,000)

The initiative provided on-site camping ministries as a tool for children, youth, and young adults to encounter Christ. The camp was brought to local churches, which focused on low-income families who would have difficulty with the cost and transportation to a camp site. Local church volunteer staff help to provide one-on-one Christian mentoring and participate in reflection and discernment exercises with campers.

Pecometh Camp & Retreat Ministries ($2,000)

The Directors’ Leadership Week develops a combination of secular and spiritual skills that develop principled Christian leaders who are prepared to serve. The program fosters a relationship between Pecometh and the local church to develop young leaders. Campers are chosen by their church with the understanding they will be placed in a position of leadership within the church in the following year.

Applications for 2019 Solomon Cramer grants are due by March 1!

View the application

"O, Allisons!" - a tribute

Jen Burch — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 01:43:18 GMT

"@ the Table" keynoters Beth and Travis Allison are camp pros and Canadians. How do United Methodist Camp/Retreat Leaders welcome such esteemed guests?

With this heartfelt song, sung to the tune of "O Canada!"

O Allisons

Our friends from the True North

Teaching their ways to all camp mavericks

With each CampHacker post we see

Camp Code becomes ingrained

Their podcast shows help us make

staff trainings better than poutine!

God keep them both, awesome and free

O Allisons, we stand and clap for thee!

O Allisons, we stand and clap for thee!

Creative credit to Heather Withrow and Matt Williams.

Richardson To Lead at Camp Penn

Jen Burch — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 03:37:21 GMT

Camp and Retreat Ministries of the Susquehanna Conference are thrilled to announce that Sam Richardson has been hired as the new Director of Camp Penn.

Sam Richardson is from Bradford, Pennsylvania, where he grew up as an active member of the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. Sam attended Edinboro University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education. After spending his summers working at Wesley Woods Camp & Conference Center during college, Sam joined the year-round staff at Wesley Woods as the Program and Marketing Director in 2013. He and his wife, Sara, met and were married in the chapel at Wesley Woods.

In 2016, Sam and Sara started the Camp to Camp project. They had both experienced the transformative power of Christian camping in their own lives and wanted to share the value of this ministry with as many people as possible. Over two years, they traveled to camps around the country, working alongside and learning from other camping professionals. They shared their experiences through a blog and YouTube channel and collected footage for a short-form documentary highlighting the amazing stories of camp. During this time, they also built a creative content business providing marketing services, design, photography, and virtual tours to camps and other nonprofits.

Sam believes that Christian camping is an amazing opportunity to offer people a safe place to explore their faith, seek answers to big life questions, and learn to trust others. Even after growing up in a Christian home, camp was the place he learned what it really meant to know Jesus and follow His path. Sam is excited to be joining the dynamic team of camping professionals and volunteers in the Susquehanna Conference and work hard to honor to legacy of Camp Penn.

Analytics 101: What They Are and Why You Should Care - Guest Post from Jacob Turner

Jen Burch — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 04:14:35 GMT

Analytics 101: What They Are and Why You Should Care

by Jacob Turner, Website and Analytics Specialist, Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church

At first glance, “analytics” sounds like something that’s restricted to big corporations looking to make more money off of their products, not something that a camp or retreat center would ever need. But that’s not true! Analytics can actually be really useful to you in your work to market your camp or retreat center, as the data can tell you who your current audience is, what they’re most interested in, and what you should be putting out there to best get the word out about what you’ve got to offer. Today I’d like to take you on a brief tour of what data is, ways you can see your own data, and some good ways to make sense of it!

Which analytics are most useful for a camp/retreat center?

For a camp or retreat center, there are three sets of data analytics that are most useful: web, social media, and email. These three provide different sets of data, so here’s a sample breakdown for each one:

Web analytics: number of people viewing posts and pages, when/how they’re viewing them, where they’re viewing from, where they’re coming from and going to
Social media analytics: number of people viewing posts and liking/following the account, general information about who’s viewing them by age and gender, when they’re viewing them, where they’re viewing from
Email analytics: number of people reading the email or clicking links in the email, when they’re viewing them, where they’re viewing from

And while that may seem like an overwhelming amount of data, most companies actually present it in ways that help you make sense of it! What companies do that, you may ask? Well…

How can a camp/retreat center access its analytics?

A disclaimer here: I use these products personally, alongside many others, for my work with the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church. However, I don’t necessarily endorse these specific tools, and there’s a wide variety of products that you can use to get analytics for any given web/social/email platform that your camp/retreat center uses, including one big one that I’m leaving out: Google Analytics (and the reason I’m leaving it out is because it’s incredibly powerful but can be a bit tricky, especially for newcomers). However, if you’re just getting started, these are the ones that I consider quick and easy to set up.

Web Analytics: Jetpack by Automattic

This one is specific to popular content management system WordPress, but since WordPress is one of the most popular products on the web, it’s natural to include a very helpful plugin by WordPress’s creators Automattic. Jetpack does more than analytics; it’s an all-in-one plugin that allows you to do “hassle-free design, marketing, and security” through a wide variety of tools. But the site statistics are definitely one of the most useful parts of it. For example, this sample set of statistics shows us that a good number of views on our Conference website ARUMC.org came from Facebook! For more information on Jetpack, find its website at jetpack.com or its WordPress plugin page at wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack. Please note that while Jetpack is free, there are a number of paid options for it, as well, that provide enhanced features.

Social Media Analytics: Page Insights by Facebook

Of course, with Facebook being one of the largest social media networks out there, most everyone has a Facebook Page already. But have you been using “Page Insights?” This tool, part of every business Page on Facebook, allows you to access a wealth of data about your Page. Learn the most popular content, explore the demographics of your Page likes, and see how people are engaging with the content you’re putting out there! For more information on what Page Insights are and how you can use them, visit facebook.com/help/794890670645072. In addition, if your camp or retreat center uses Twitter or Instagram, you can find out how to access analytics for those platforms at business.twitter.com/en/analytics.html and help.instagram.com/788388387972460, respectively. (Note: your Instagram account will need to be a Business Account in order for you to access your analytics on there. For more information, go to help.instagram.com/502981923235522.)

Email Analytics: Reports by Mailchimp

Finally, we come to email analytics, and with that also comes another popular platform: Mailchimp. As a platform that’s built around marketing, Mailchimp has a full-featured and robust set of tools to allow you to analyze your statistics from either overall or campaign-by-campaign, and from any number of angles including open and click rate, how people are subscribing, when they’re unsubscribing, and so on. For more information on this, go to mailchimp.com/help/about-email-campaign-reports(and if you’re using Constant Contact, you can visit knowledgebase.constantcontact.com/articles/KnowledgeBase/5562-reporting-for-an-email-campaign).

Hopefully this gives you a head start on really crunching the numbers that all of these platforms have to offer! Spend some time with the data and you’ll find it will provide you with so many ideas to consider when it comes to effectively promoting your camp or retreat ministry.

Jacob Turner is the Website and Analytics Specialist for the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church. When he’s not working, he’s a student at Hendrix College working on his Religious Studies degree and managing (and DJing on) the college’s radio station, KHDX-FM.

What I Learned About Creating Community and Radical Hospitality While Sleeping in a Chick-Fil-A Drive-thru – Guest Post by Mark Walz

Jen Burch — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 05:31:09 GMT

Recently, I found myself sitting in a camping chair in a Chick-Fil-A parking lot, cheering on a man who was a complete stranger to me a mere 12 hours before. I was chanting his name, along with 99 other strangers, as we all rallied together and watched new friends and fellow “original chicken sandwich” lovers dance and sing to songs like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Let it Go.” Later that evening I ended up participating in a bizarre game with a 5-year-old girl that involved me attempting to hula hoop whilst trying to “juggle” bean bags (okay, throw randomly) while she wore a “KanJam” barrel around her.

Chick-Fil-A opens nearly 100 new restaurants every year, and since 2003 they have been offering free Chick-Fil-A meals for a year to the first 100 people to join their “First 100 Campout.” The challenge involves staying on the restaurant grounds for up to 24 hours, not leaving the grounds (not even once), and participating in mandatory (but fun!) line checks. I have always been enamored by this idea of camping out and sleeping in a Chick-Fil-A parking lot for 24 hours to get free food for a year, so I had previously said that if a Chick-Fil-A ever opened near me, I would be one of the first in line.

Well, it finally happened. A new Chick-Fil-A opening was announced in my town and I knew I had to go. I was number 13. I arrived at 5:45 a.m. along with several other folks, got my wristband, secured my place in line, and set up my tent in the drive-thru area right in front of the menu and ordering speaker. I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I brought a chair and my laptop, a few books, and several other things to occupy my time. It turns that I wouldn’t need any of those things at all! The Chick-Fil-A staff not only welcomed us and made us feel at home by using phrases like “welcome to our family,” and “we are excited to be a part of your community,” but they also had exciting community-building activities and games for us to play. There was almost no down time because in between all of the free meals and mandatory line checks we played name games, minute-to-win-it games, trivia, had scavenger hunts, dance parties, and even a lip-sync contest.

Everyone was welcomed regardless of social status or class or age or gender or background. I met mothers and fathers, the housing challenged and housed, rich and poor, students and unemployed. It didn’t matter who you were because we were all on this together and shared a common goal: free Chick-Fil-A for a year. We were all there “suffering” and “enduring” together. It was a single shared experience and we all quickly became friends and family. We became a tribe of Chick-Fil-A campers who shared meals, played games, talked about life, and even defended each other on social media after the news came, shared a story online and negative comments started rolling in.

As I was setting up a tent alongside strangers, I started to make new friends by helping them set up tents, swapping stories, sharing jokes, and even talking about Christian theology (there were a lot of seminary students there for some reason.) The whole time I kept exclaiming to my wife, “This is like camp!” – I truly felt that it was. As I thought about it, the similarities to camp became clear: we didn’t know anything about each other, we all had the same goal, we were diverse, we were in a fixed state of sabbath and retreat (limited electricity, no A/C or heat, no comfy beds) and we truly felt welcomed with the radical hospitality of this fast-food franchise’s employees. The employees would and did bend over backward for our every need – and they didn’t have to! We weren’t there to give anything, we were only there to get free chicken for a year and they treated us like we were royalty.

Chick-Fil-A’s “First 100” camp outs are, oddly, an incredible model for how to do camp. Radical hospitality and community building. Unbelievably organized. Unconditionally welcoming. Dropping a bunch of strangers from different backgrounds into a shared goal or mission is incredibly unifying and socially leveling. We were stuck together, and there was not much we could do but listen to each other, love on each other, eat with each other, and learn about each other.

We don’t have to know anything about somebody to be able to love them and to celebrate them. Every person is important to God and to the Church. At camp, we already have all we need to kindle an incredible Christian community and invoke radical hospitality. “Radical hospitality” requires intentional invitation and welcome. It requires welcoming every person as an honored guest. So let’s let people know who we are and what we value. And if it somehow involves a free chicken sandwich, even better.

Mark Walz Jr. is a life-long United Methodist Camper. He has previously worked on staff at Aldersgate Camp in Kentucky and has since then been a “permanent volunteer” working on everything from leading weeklong camps in the summer, retreats in the winter, and running the camp website and working with their communications and technology year-round. Mark and his newly-wed wife Ciara live in Lexington, KY, where he serves as the Director of Communication and Technology at St. Luke United Methodist Church. He is a type 2 on the Enneagram, the helper. As such, he is involved with volunteering for so many things, including a local community development after school Program, a secret concert series, and a monthly community personal storytelling event. Mark and Ciara will be eating a lot of chicken sandwiches this year.

Conference Camp Executives Learn A Lesson - A Sideways Reflection on the 2018 Summit

Jen Burch — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 01:17:17 GMT

You must begin by experiencing the natural wonder of the outside world. No doubt you can step outside and appreciate some combination of the natural mystery where air, water, land, rock, sea, plants, and animals all come together, inspiring spiritual awe. For their part, our executives were riding together in a short bus through the windy roads of South Dakota, twisting, turning, and corkscrewing through mountainous forest. As the bus traveled, one noted how incredible it was that the fallen branches from the local trees were all piled together in large mounds within the forest. “Why do they do that?” another asked. Without hesitation, a smart aleck executive who shall not be named replied, “to provide habitat for the elusive land beaver.” The tale continues, because the gathered piles were numerous. For miles upon miles, as the bus carried its special cargo of camp and retreat leaders through the forest, they noted with growing awe the vast number of wood piles, and the incredible amount of labor that must have gone into it. “When do you think they do all this?” someone asked in hushed awe, to which the other executive quickly quipped, “At night. The land beaver is nocturnal.”

Here is the thing about the elusive nocturnal land beavers of South Dakota: they work hard, unseen, unbidden, somehow making the world a better place. By gathering the trees’ discarded branches into neat piles, they help remove fuel for fire that might otherwise affect greater portions of the forest. Even if those piles are not intentionally burned and simply decay on their own where they sit, the forest is a safer, better place for it. One caring executive marveled at how the piles provided habitat for local animals, until the driver commented that while that may be true the piles tend to be burned after two to three years. Roast critters aside, the work of the land beaver was inspiring to behold. Great labor went into creating the wood piles, and even if they were destined to be temporary monuments to the land beaver’s herculean efforts, they stood witness to the elusive animal's dedication to improving the forest.

That’s the nature of the land beaver, to be helpful without needing to claim the spotlight. The elusive land beaver is the parent who would pack pepperoni rolls in your carry-on because you had a long day of travel ahead of you. The elusive land beaver is the counselor who would never lose a camper or leave a passenger behind when the vehicle rolled out for an off-site adventure. The elusive land beaver is that volunteer or staff member who regularly goes above and beyond, not for recognition and oftentimes without any awareness of the work s/he has done. They work quietly in the background, gathering whatever sticks or branches may exist in the ministry that might trip others up, making our camp and retreat experiences safer and more enjoyable. Perhaps they even impart some special meaning into otherwise ordinary or mundane activities.

While our executives acknowledge that they may be spotlight-loving, oversized personalities powered by the adulation of campers and staff, as they witnessed the results of the land beaver’s tireless work a change came upon them like that which descended on Ebenezer Scrooge. Seeing the hard work done to protect the forest, one by one the executives admitted that each of their ministries was blessed because of industrious critters like the elusive South Dakotan land beaver. Staff, volunteers, parents, and other supporters make a daily difference in these Christian outdoor ministries, working diligently behind the scenes to help accomplish the awesome work of life transformation that occurs at camp. Camp truly changes lives, and such work is dependent upon the committed alignment of people passionate about helping one another connect to God, nature, and others. Grateful for all the elusive land beavers who create the foundation for the success of these outdoor ministries, our executives broke from their annual gathering, descending upon the local airport en masse to cause chaos and disruption on their way to leading their ministries with a playful, non-anxious presence.

Contributed by an anonymous UMCRM executive.

Unamused by the executives’ shenanigans, Washington looks on, stone-faced.

Pictured: (front row) Bryan Johnson, Jack Shitama, Mike Standifer, Dail Ballard, Gary Lawson, Sharon Cook, Shea James, Todd Bartlett. (back row) Joseph Bradley, Keith Shew, David Berkey, Russell Davis, Warren Hopper, Kelly Peterson-Cruse, Chris Schlieckert, Jen Burch, Alan Rogstad, Ron Bartlow.

Music and Worship @ the Table

Jen Burch — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 00:09:44 GMT

Kids love camp worship services because they are fun and provide experiences where campers can encounter the Lord in new ways, realizing that God speaks in music, through sermons and skits, and in the silence or sounds of creation. One of our goals as summer camps is to partner with the local church to ensure that our camp worship experiences build on what campers experience at home. At January’s National Gathering, we will seek to do the same thing for camp and retreat leaders.

Each evening of the event, our worship services will aid us in reflecting on each day’s theme and will do so through liturgy, music, spoken word, and prayer. As a gathering of primarily United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministry leaders, we will have a wide range of experiences that will keep us close to our Wesleyan theology, but will be diverse in musical styles, reflecting the diversity of camp and local church musical experiences. Our worship leader for the event, Chuck Bell, and the other members of the band will lead us musically each night.

Chuck loves to help folks consider ways they can take something familiar and make it unique and provide opportunities for participants to become leaders. Know the chords G, D, E minor, and C? If so, plan to bring your instrument and join in with the instrument choir during a service. If you like to sing, plan to lift your voice in song as part of the congregational “choir,” with and without other instruments. Got rhythm? Be a part of the interactive percussion segment. Not so much a musician? Join us to read, sign, or simply listen and reconnect as Rev. Junius Dotson brings us the Word each night.

This is one table that mom won’t fuss about you singing around!

Established in 2002, Chuck and Kim Bell have been serving in ministry from the start of their relationship. Over the years they have led youth choirs and orchestras, young adult ministries, children's worship services, workshops, youth and children's retreats, small groups, and family dinners at the table together. Blessed with two awesome daughters, Lucy (13) and Blakely (9), their ministry has expanded to include their whole family, as both girls love to sing and play instruments while leading others in song and worship, and are often referred to collectively as Team Bell. Kim currently serves as a Director at Glisson Camp and Retreat Center in North Georgia and serves as a Worship/Main Stage Coordinator for the upcoming National Event. Chuck is a Worship Consultant and CEO of Chuck Bell Music, serving churches, retreat groups, annual conferences, and more, and is the Worship Leader for @the Table. Team Bell loves living in their Hallmark town of Dahlonega, GA with their outdoor cat, Mr. Fluffy Pants, and thousands of their closest friends every summer camp season.

Saving More UMC Dollars: Guest Post by Steve Claypool, Trinity/HPSI

Jen Burch — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 03:10:48 GMT

Editors’ note: Trinity/HPSI has been serving United Methodist camps and retreat centers (currently more than 100) for many years and would be glad to talk with you about how they might partner with your ministry, too. Plan to chat with Rod at their booth in the Vendor Hall at the UMC National Gathering, or contact Steve directly at the email listed below.

HOW TO SAVE MORE UNITED METHODIST DOLLARS

by Steve Claypool of Trinity/HPSI

We at Trinity/HPSI are happy to highlight some of the ways you can save, keeping those funds to use in your ministry to reach people for our Lord. For those who are unfamiliar with our program, here is a brief explanation of why you might be over-paying for some of the goods your camp uses most often, and how we can help you save substantially.

Our experience has shown that foodservice represents the greatest recurring purchase expenditure for most camps and conference centers, much greater than most other recurring purchase categories. Consequently, even though greater percentage savings may be found in other areas, foodservice usually offers the largest and most easily achieved savings opportunity, typically amounting to 10 to 20% off normal “street” pricing. We are pleased to have been able to help many United Methodist camps & retreat centers realize that level of savings or more.

A “street” account, historically the predominant structure with foodservice companies and distributors in other industries, allows the sales representative to set pricing at their discretion anywhere above a defined base cost level that they can get the customer to order. We have often heard of representatives with less than full integrity who “low-balled” pricing initially to “get a foot in the door,” then let prices drift up over time as the customer became loyal and trusting and the representative thought they wouldn’t notice. In one extreme case our program brought a 35% foodservice savings opportunity for a camp.

A “program” account (also called a contract or multi-unit or national account), as in the Trinity/HPSI structure, usually has a couple of service level options, with one being just like a “street” account, except for the very significant benefit that the sales representative has no ability to increase or control prices. Instead, the specified pricing structure is applied by the foodservice distributor’s computer system to each program customer’s account.

NOTE: Some distributors are offering what they call program accounts that incorporate deviations as described in the next paragraph, but with the continued ability of the sales representative to set prices. Though this may be somewhat better than a traditional street account, it often just results in the sales representative’s maintaining or increasing margin.

Two main factors result in the substantial savings opportunity of a true program vs. a street foodservice account. The first is “deviations,” or allowances that have been negotiated with many manufacturers based on the tremendous aggregate volume of the organizations (under HPSI, more than 18,000) included in the overall program. Deviations serve to lower the distributor’s ultimate net cost and reduce the invoice price. On a periodic basis the distributor claims and receives reimbursement from the manufacturers for the deviations that have been passed through to the program customers. Not all items have deviations; they are much more common on processed foods than on commodity items. Some deviations are modest, while others can be dramatic, such as those for liquid eggs, paper goods, and trash liners.

The second factor is simply an attractive pre-negotiated margin schedule for all items except capital kitchen equipment that is applied to the distributor’s actual purchase cost including freight to their warehouse. Additional factors contributing to the program savings opportunity can include delivery size and prompt payment incentives and rebates.

The cost of propane is often second to foodservice as a recurring expense for camps and conference centers and sometimes, especially in the northern United States, can be even greater than the cost of foodservice. Propane prices vary widely. On rare occasions we have found camps that have pricing roughly in line with our national account pricing. At the other extreme, we have had reports of savings of $3.00 per gallon and more, and those savings can be achieved with a brief telephone call if your current propane supplier is one of our national account partners. If a transition from the current supplier needs to be made, the national account partners provide tanks with no rental charge, and there is no charge for delivering and setting up tanks.

Many other agreements are available for everything from paint, office supplies, mattresses, maintenance supplies, and sporting goods to credit/debit card processing services, first aid supplies, kitchen equipment and much more. Whatever the purchase category, however, we recommend that each camp/conference center consider each area individually and do whatever is best for your ministry. You may have a friend of your ministry who is sacrificing a reasonable profit margin to sell at a level that is better than national account pricing; or she/he may be selling to you at “street” prices, then donating $10,000 or $50,000 per year to your scholarship fund. Only you can solve that value equation and determine what is best for your ministry.

For help with any questions left unanswered or to request a complimentary analysis to identify your savings opportunities, please feel free to visit www.trinity-usa.net or to contact us at 615-672-0229 or steve.claypool@trinity-usa.net.

2019 UMCRM Auction - Join the Fun! - Guest Post by Stephanie Gaines

Jen Burch — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 01:10:06 GMT

Hey Folks,

On Wednesday afternoon we will once again hold our silent auction to raise funds that support UMCRM's Intentional Leadership Groups.

This is an afternoon where the focus is on what you can give rather than what you can get. There will be nice items, great trips, and all sorts of cool camp stuff to bid on. The real purpose is to have a fun afternoon of camaraderie and fellowship while we give financially to the organization that supports our work.

What can you offer?

● Trips and Stays: Do you have a personal cabin or a facility at your site that you could provide for a few nights to support the ministry? If you are open to sharing your gifts with other camps, these offers are really useful and can raise a lot of money.

● Talents/Experiences: Do you offer consulting, grant writing, carpentry, or do you have other talents that you would be willing to share?

● Art: Do you paint, make jewelry, cross-stitch, or do woodworking? Is your tie-dye to die for? Why not give the gift of your art to the ministry? Conference participants love having something handmade by their friends.

● Consumables: Bring your desserts and treats from your neck of the woods. We love trying things that we can’t get at our specific sites. Examples of this would be maple syrup, candies, pecans, peanuts, etc.

● Wearables: Give your gear or your gadgets. Bring stuff that you would want and give it. Humorous items are always crowd pleasers. Examples: books, shirts, flashlights, etc.

How to Give

If you know an item or two that you would like to offer, please fill out this brief web form so the volunteers organizing the event will be able to better plan the auction. When you arrive, there will be a designated area to place your auction items so you don’t have to hold onto them during the Gathering.

If you need to ship an item, you can send it to: Life Enrichment Center, Attn: UMCRM Gathering, 4991 Picciola Rd. Fruitland Park, FL 34731

Who Benefits?

The funds generated will go towards supporting our Intentional Leadership Groups.

And Finally...

As camp leaders we know the importance of fundraising. I am sure that we are all very thankful for the donors that support our individual ministries. Now we get the chance to exercise our own generosity by enthusiastically taking part in a festive afternoon of giving.

We all have something we can offer. Please send your auction submissions and come to the auction filled with a playful attitude and a grateful heart. As the saying goes: “Bid early! Bid often! Bid High! But, Bid Last!”

If you have any questions about the auction, please contact Auction Coordinator Stephanie Gaines, 256-483-1536

ACA Accreditation Process Workshop @ the National Gathering

Jen Burch — Thu, 08 Nov 2018 03:15:53 GMT

Details about the Workshop:

A 2019 ACA Accreditation Process Workshop will be offered as a National Gathering pre-Conference event, Monday, January 28th from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the Life Enrichment Center. It's open to all (you don't need to be UMC nor necessarily attending the Gathering to take part.) We're just making it available for your convenience since so many of us will be in one place at one time.

This workshop is designed for camp representatives who are preparing for ACA accreditation visits in 2019 and beyond. It is appropriate for those who are new to the accreditation process AND those who have been part of an accreditation visit or completed standards training in the past. There's no "update" this year -- if your camp will be visited, someone from your ministry must take this full course.

Register in two places:

If you'll be attending the UMCRM National Gathering, please note on your registration that you are planning to participate in the ACA course. If you'd like to stay over at the Center on Sunday night, you're welcome; there's a very reasonable "Add A Sunday" option on the registration form that includes the overnight and meals. If you're already planning to attend, please also register with ACA so they'll have materials for everyone.

Help spread the word among fellow ACA camps about this opportunity.

If you're NOT attending the UMCRM Gathering but want to attend the ACA Course, you're more than welcome! Click to Reserve a hotel-style room to stay over Sunday night, or plan to join us for a meal or two on Monday.

Want to learn more about ACA?

If you are unfamiliar with ACA and wanting to learn more about accreditation and other benefits of membership, there will also be an informational ACA workshop during the National Gathering. The event described above is for those already accredited or ready to get accredited next year. But we want all UMCRM folks to be familiar with the best practices in our industry and to access the benefits and resources that the American Camp Association provides. Some of those are free and don't require membership. There are over 70 UMCRM-affiliated sites that are accredited by the ACA, and our colleagues are wonderful about sharing advice, sample documents, and encouragement with one another. Remember you are not alone as you seek to operate a safe and high-quality camp ministry.

Questions? Contact Jen Burch, UMCRM Registrar

Partnering With UM Churches and Agencies is Actually Kind of Awesome: by Dan Benson

Jen Burch — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 23:27:52 GMT

Our Denominational Partners at Alton L. Collins Retreat Center:

Sharing Mission, Growing Together

by Dan Benson, Director of Alton L. Collins Retreat Retreat Center

Of the Seven Foundations of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries, "Partnering with United Methodist churches and agencies" sounds both the most boring and obligatory. I say this being fully committed to the work of The United Methodist Church and as an ordained Elder serving under appointment. But still, on the surface, this foundation might appear to be less engaging than all of the others.

However, what I have experienced at our sites throughout the conference is that we facilitate some of the most dynamic opportunities for congregational visioning and deepening of relationships. Believe it or not, partnering with United Methodist churches and agencies is some of the coolest work we do. Camp and Retreat Ministries [in Oregon-Idaho] also does very cool work officially partnering with Episcopal churches and agencies!

The most common and direct way that we support the work of United Methodist and Episcopal churches is through hosting church board and vestry meetings. When the leadership of a congregation steps outside of their busy lives and sets aside time for one another and their congregation, the results are dramatic. Often I see the participants come into the center, looking weary and distracted, searching for the wifi password in order to keep tabs on all of the projects left behind. In these moments I understand that these people need time away to be open, to listen for the voice of God prompting them to set forth on more grand adventures with God. Over the course of the day, weekend, or week, I see people look less anxious and more energized. I hear people talking excitedly about one idea or direction. I encounter laughter and smiles as new experiences are shared together. I get to see the hand of God at work in their life together. While I had expected to encounter these church council, board, vestry, and committee meetings, I did not expect to see such a significant change in the lives of the participants in such a short time together.

The other thing that I did not expect to see is the sheer number of ways that we support the work of the larger church. We have worked with our conference to host numerous groups and agencies. In my short time here I have worked to support:

United Methodist Women region-wide events
Certified Lay Minister training (this is a vital ministry for many of our smaller congregations to find ways to survive and thrive amidst changing demographics)
A community of practice around new circuit rider and other models addressing the changing needs and compositions of our congregations
The Love Your Neighbor Coalition
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission
Jurisdictional meeting for the work of General Board of Global Ministries
A gathering of Episcopal female clergy focused on Women Embodying Executive Leadership
Time to Sow, a four-day lectionary preaching planning session to map out and dream about how God is speaking to a congregation for the coming year

The change and energy that each of these groups bring as they do their work here is intense and remarkable. These and many other groups use the gift of our camp and retreat sites to foster the work of the local and global church. It is a blessing and ministry to provide space and input into these processes through which our congregations, communities, denominations, and world are transformed to more readily reflect the likeness of God.

For congregations or organizations feeling lost in the wilderness, looking for the spark of God toward the next big adventure, camp/retreat experiences can provide inspiration and direction for what’s ahead. Individuals and teams looking to fan the flames of the Spirit may encounter God’s Spirit in new ways in UMCRM’s beautiful “places apart.” Let us listen together and grow the love of God in our hearts and in our world.

Peace to you,

Dan Benson

Worship for All @ the Table: National Gathering Preview

Jen Burch — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 22:07:57 GMT

Camp has always been a place of connections for me. Connecting with friends, connecting with nature, and connecting with God. At the National Camp and Retreat Leaders Gathering we want to give you opportunities for all three of these, and today I want to focus on the third– connecting with God. As a community we will connect with God through worship and Bible study, allowing God's Holy Spirit to move in and amongst us and to refuel us for the vital work that we do. Worship, though, is more than what happens as a collective community and it begins before we even find our seats.

When we gather in Florida, as you begin your day and as you enter the worship space, you are invited to take a personal journey with God through prayer stations. These prayer stations will be set up during the breakfast hour for those early birds who want to take advantage of the peaceful, quiet of the morning to be with God. Walk the labyrinth, sit at a station to lift your prayers to God, experience communion in the chapel, or follow a guided meditation as you look across the glassy lake. Then as you enter the worship space each day, interactive prayer stations will be set up incorporating the daily themes. Play dough, mirrors, puzzle pieces, and photo booths will help move you from the world into a place of connection with God as we celebrate our place at God's incredible table. Sit with your Creator and be creative through artistic interactions. Humble yourself before your Healer and empty the worries of your heart to the one who hears you. Engage with your Savior as you experience grace in hands-on ways.

We can't wait for you to arrive at the Life Enrichment Center to experience God's presence and God's grace through all that we do. Are you registered?

Rev. Stacy Dickson is an ordained elder in the California-Pacific Annual Conference and is blessed to be serving as the pastor of the multi-ethnic, multi-generational congregation of First UMC of Torrance and mother to three amazing children. Stacy attributes much of her calling to the years she spent growing up at church camp, where she found a community of love, acceptance and faith during some difficult years growing up. God clearly called her to ministry her senior year of high school while standing on the volleyball court at camp, helping to lead the communion service, changing her life forever. Today she pastors a congregation, but still commits time to helping with conference retreats and summer camps in an effort to help foster the same community that she found at camp, hoping to help change lives the way that she was changed so many years ago. One of her favorite weeks of the year is her week at summer camp, where her mother also serves on staff and her children attend, bringing the family together in a special way that is uniquely blessed and priceless. Pastor Stacy has volunteered as this National Gathering's Worship Chair. We're blessed by her leadership in this key aspect of the event and really excited for our experiential adventure in worship!

Hospitality "@ the Table" - 2019 National Gathering Preview

Jen Burch — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 01:10:43 GMT

The basis for the word “hospitality” is the Latin root hospes, which refers to welcoming a guest, a word that evolved into meaning "to entertain." Consider that providing hospitality means “making your guests feel at home.” On January 28th, the extended UMCRM community will make our home at the Life Enrichment Center & Warren Willis Camp in Fruitland Park, Florida for a week “@ The Table.” We hope you’ll experience unforgettable hospitality as a participant in the National Camp & Retreat Leaders' Gathering. I want to give you a little preview of some of the ways you’ll be welcomed.

Whether you drive in or board the luxurious coach buses for a ride from the airport, you will be greeted upon your arrival with smiling faces and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Yes, you read correctly -- fresh-squeezed Florida orange juice. Upon receiving your room assignments you will make your way to your housing, greeted by clean rooms and stunning views. Get settled, take a load off, and enjoy the snack that is waiting in your room.

If you are ready for a self-guided tour or to mingle by a campfire, there’s something for those needing to enjoy an active, social, or relaxed afternoon. The dinner hour will bring your first of many wonderful meals provided by the food service team at the LEC & Warren Willis. Meals have been planned just for us and will be sure to please. Don’t forget to note any dietary restrictions when you register so our hosts can be 100% prepared to meet your needs.

After wonderful worship sessions and workshops full of everything you can imagine, we will have a few hours ‘off’ on Wednesday. Take a break and enjoy the afternoon at the LEC with airboat rides, reptiles from Gatorland, games, prayer station Make & Take, music, canoeing, massages, snacks, and so much more. No need to head off-site, Florida hospitality is coming to you! So much to learn, no time to play? That’s okay, we will also offer another workshop time for those who can’t get enough.

On Thursday, to avoid those end-of-camp tears, we are thrilled to close our time together laughing together with comedian Bob Smiley.

The Hospitality Committee is truly excited and honored to be a part of helping to provide a faith-filled, relaxing time away for refreshing renewal as we come together in January 2019.

Can’t wait to welcome you all.

See you in January!

Apryl Miller, for the UMCRM Event Design Team’s Hospitality Committee

P.S. - Is Hospitality one of your gifts? Contact Apryl to find a place to plug in and help out at the Gathering.

Click for more info and registration for the National Gathering!

2018 Sustainable Pathways Reflection: Guest Post by Paige Railey

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 01:56:14 GMT

Are we really sustaining our pathways?

A reflection on the 2018 Sustainable Pathways event

Every year camping professionals gather to discuss important topics in sustaining our ministries. Some years those topics include marketing, finance, or development. This year, those important topics were a little more hard-hitting. With guest speakers Shane Totten, Kate Mosley, and Niambi Jaha-Echols, 2018 Sustainable Pathways participants explored what it means to really care for God’s Creation and how to build our own inclusive ‘Camptopia’.

We started our day with traveling to the beautiful Calvin Center in Hampton, Georgia. Sessions kicked off with the topic of Creation Care and what it means to be good stewards of our resources. We discussed everything from the lightbulb lighting the storage closet in the dining hall to how you insulate your buildings, and the presenters helped us consider next steps in true stewardship. Shane Totten with Southface Energy Institute and Kate Mosley from Georgia Interfaith Power & Light grabbed the interest of those in attendance with their informative statistics and tips to better our communities.

Lightbulbs, Water Usage, and Waste, Oh My!

Some major topics both Shane and Kate hit on included water usage, energy efficiency, waste control, and air quality. What do these have to do with camping? If you aren’t positive how these things connect with camping, rest assured, they do! How? Glad you asked!

According to Shane, there are quite a few things you can do now to ensure you are taking care of the resources you already have. He suggested starting with light bulbs. By simply changing your light bulbs from incandescent to LED, you will see a great return in energy savings. Have you already made that switch? Maybe consider looking into lighting with sensors. Bri Payne, Executive Director at the John Knox Center, mentioned that switching to occupancy sensor lights has already given them great savings in energy usage.

Have you noticed that your facility is using more water than it should be? Shane Totten suggested replacing your showerheads to ones that use less water. Being good stewards of our resources means turning off the light when you leave a room or thinking twice about water usage. Maybe we should all consider what we use now to be the resources for the next generation. What we are using now is what will end up in landfills or at recycling facilities. Are you okay knowing that those things could either help or hinder the next generation?

Shane shared a few statistics that will surely blow your mind. 133 billion pounds of food is wasted per year. Does your camp use a buffet line or serve family style? How can you cut back on food waste? 40% of the food prepared in the U.S. is never consumed. This means that we are eating only a little over half of what we prepare! Where is all that wasted food going? Hopefully that uneaten food is going into some sort of compost, but Shane shared that one person produces about 4.4 pounds of trash per day. Surely there are some ways your camp community can help cut back on that.

Something Kate Mosley touched on was air quality. Do we really know what is in our products? Do we know what is in the buildings where we serve our campers? According to Kate, there are more air pollutants indoors versus outdoors. Do you know what is in your products, even down to the paint used on the walls? Kate suggests looking for seals on products that validate you are using safe materials. She encourages to look for Green Seal Certified and Greenguard seals.

Kate Mosley also explained the importance of knowing what we are throwing away and why. How do you do this? You facilitate a waste audit. Yes, it sounds time-consuming and not so enjoyable, but very necessary! Think about this: if you don't weigh yourself, how can you maintain yourself? How can you know what you need to put in your body if you don’t already know what is in your body? It works the same with waste. If we aren’t aware of what we are throwing away, how can we adjust what we consume to reduce what we throw away? Kate Mosley suggests using the free Energy Star Portfolio Manager as a place to start.

What about your guests? How can you manage their waste? Kate and Shane both explained the importance of developing a Sustainability Policy at your facility. This could be something as simple as creating a letter you send out to your guests before their stay with a list of things you’d like for them to avoid bringing. Maybe you are planning to cut back on plastic waste so you ask that your guests bring reusable water bottles rather than plastic ones. What about asking your guests to use the plates and cups in the dining hall rather than bringing paper ones, to cut back on paper waste? Starting here can help change the culture at your facility and start making your footprint smaller.

Building the "Camptopia" from the Roots Up

Switching gears to the second portion of the conference, we dove into another topic that is sometimes hard to navigate: Diversity. Niambi Jaha-Echols from Cross-Cultural Agility joined the conference for the second half to share her insights on creating the perfect ‘camptopia’. How do we do that? Niambi started at the roots. After sharing where the word ‘camp’ comes from, Niambi explained exactly what it means. The word ‘camp’ comes from the Greek word ‘campus’ meaning level ground. Niambi suggested that we do just that and get back to level ground in the camping world. Niambi uses the phrase, ‘Intentional Community Building,’ meaning that inclusion in our camp communities isn’t what we do but who we are. She quoted Albert Einstein, saying that “we cannot solve a problem at the same level that it was created.” This simply means that we cannot make our camps more culturally diverse if we are doing the same things we have always done.

People generally like to be with people who are like us. We all have our own culture, and those personal differences play an important role in understanding culture. Niambi used an example of a vehicle to vividly illustrate this. If someone gets into a wreck, we are typically more concerned with what is in the car than the car itself. What if we would imagine our skin as the “vehicle” in this metaphor? Niambi called her skin her "skin suit," making the point that the outside is only a covering for the more important contents inside. Our culture goes much deeper than our skin tone. Our "skin suit" is just for this lifetime, not for eternity.

Have you ever caught yourself adding new decorations or fresh flowers to a room in your home to ‘add some color’ or ‘change it up’? What happens to those fresh flowers? They usually die, right? Why do they die? They die because they aren’t rooted in our home. Niambi used this painfully accurate example to explain why it is so important to make sure all people feel rooted in our camping environments. If you plop something into a new environment just to mix it up, it won’t survive. We have to intentionally add to our camping environments to make space for all cultures to root; otherwise they will not thrive in our communities. We have to think outside of the box so we don't get trapped in our cultural boxes.

While these topics are large and daunting, it is helpful to remember that these changes cannot happen overnight, and that is okay! Changes may be necessary, but they also take time, so start small and work your way to what is best for your facility and ministry. As Burt Goldman says, “There is only one way to get dark out of a room, and that is to let light in.” Whether that light is literal light from the lightbulbs you replaced to save energy, or the light of new cultures, let it in. Let that light in and let it shine bright, because we are in the business of changing lives for the better.

Paige Railey is the Marketing Director for South Carolina Camps & Retreat Ministries. We’re grateful for her contributions to the UMCRM blog and for allowing those who couldn’t attend this year’s Sustainable Pathways to get a glimpse into the important topics featured. Thanks, Paige!

Getting Christians to Care About the Earth

Jen Burch — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 01:12:51 GMT

Many Christians ignore environmental issues because they don’t view it as an important faith-related concern — but what if environmental justice was essential to evangelism? In many ways, taking care of our environment is a direct form of evangelism that many Christians have yet to realize, or have even rejected as truth.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

This verse is often referenced to justify the doctrine of Natural Revelation and is the damning biblical evidence used against non-believers for rejecting God, even if they’ve never directly heard the gospel message. Christians point to this Scripture passage to show that God’s existence is visibly obvious through the beauty of creation. Is it really? Theologians have often argued that the splendor and wonder of creation — Natural Revelation — is observable proof of God and God’s awe-inspiring power. What happens when it’s not visible? What are the spiritual ramifications of destroying our world?

The concept of Natural Revelation is often taught from a privileged and Westernized perspective, where scenes of picturesque mountain ranges, pristine lakes and rivers, beautiful wild animals, and lovely plants are used to portray the sheer majesty of God.

When the natural physical existence is heading toward death instead of life, how does it point people to God?

For many of us, this is an easy reality to absorb because we love nature and have access to the outdoors, scenic parks, and unpolluted land. But for many around the world, the idea of Natural Revelation is absurd, and often a theological idea that actually argues against the existence of a God. When water is too unsafe to drink, air too toxic to breathe, and the sheer decay of the surrounding environment endangers you and your family, how is God glorified? When the natural physical existence around you is taken away, broken, or heading toward death instead of life, how does this possibly point people to God? The sad reality is that Natural Revelation (as we interpret it to be) doesn’t really exist for millions of people living in conditions where their environment is being exploited for corporate and political gain.

The sad truth is that Natural Revelation isn’t equally apparent to everyone, which is why creation care and environmental justice is so important. Because if we really believe that the earth reflects God’s glory, by not taking care of it and allowing it to become corrupted — we’re essentially keeping people from experiencing the goodness of God.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. (Psalm 19:1-4)

The Bible says that the skies declare God’s craftsmanship. So what happens when people can’t see the sky due to smog and waste? Pollution, destruction, and the exploitation of our world isn’t a victimless crime — it’s intentionally hiding God from others, and the act of making our earth less desirable is blinding others to the goodness of God. If Christians seriously want others to experience God, we should start making the earth a better place — ultimately reflecting the magnificence of God.

Excerpted from “Why Is It Difficult to Get Christians to Care About the Earth? From Sojourners, 3/28/17, used with permission from author Stephen Mattson.

Come To The Table: National Gathering Registration Open!

Jen Burch — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 00:22:49 GMT

You’re Invited To The Table

Join us “@ the Table” Monday, January 28th-Friday, February 1st for a week of worship, community, leadership development, and relationship building with other United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministry Leaders from around the country.

We’ll explore, as followers of Christ and leaders in the camp community, what it means to gather around the table: to celebrate, connect, create, and share. Each day we’ll be challenged and inspired by the words of Rev. Junius Dotson and Rev. Melissa Cooper. Additionally, some of our friends from up north, Travis & Beth Allison, will be offering guidance and practical suggestions as we “do the work” of camping ministry.

The program fee for the Gathering is $385 for members of the UMCRM Association and $435 for non-members. (It’s not too late to join if you’re not a current member!) The inclusive room-and-board cost varies depending on which lodging option you choose. Options include bunk-style lodging, cabins (great for rooming with folks from your home camp/organization), shared hotel-style or single hotel- style rooms. There’s even a campground if you’d like to bring the RV.

2019 National Gathering Registration

Remember, you may register now and make payments later (just choose the “Invoice me” option at checkout). Contact the Registrar with questions.

More details, including a full schedule, speaker information, and more will be released with the revamped UMCRM website in the next couple of weeks, so check back with us at UMCRM.org.

Interested in leading a workshop “@ the Table"? Simply fill out this form to submit your proposal by October 25th.

Sustainable Pathways - an invitation from Arthur Spriggs

Jen Burch — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 00:33:30 GMT

Sustainable Pathways

“Tending the Common Ground through Resource Stewardship, Creation Care, and Diversity”

September 9-12, 2018

Hampton, Georgia

It’s not too late! Greetings colleagues, there’s still time to take part in this most important training and discussion on Resource Stewardship, Creation Care, and Diversity. Please join us in Hampton, Georgia, at the Calvin Center (just 28 miles from the Atlanta airport!) We will dig deep to:

Identify the best strategies for achieving better resource efficiency in our camps and buildings. We will also examine our facilities as holistic systems, look at how this can inform how we approach future improvements, and consider how this tangibly demonstrates our faith and stewardship for Creation.

Explore a different dimension of diversity and inclusion with creativity, humor, insight, and a fresh perspective. With the goal of learning ways to create camp and retreat environments that are more inclusive and welcoming, we will look at how stereotypes and assumptions contribute to intentional and unintentional bias, misunderstandings, and discrimination.

Leading the charge on these topics will be Niambi Jaha-Echols, a Cultural Agility Strategist from Charlotte, North Carolina; Shane Totten, an architect working at the Southface Energy Institute; and Rev. Kate McGregor Mosely, Executive Director at Georgia Interfaith Power & Light. UMCRM's own Kevin Witt and Arthur Spriggs will close out the event by sharing successful programs and strategies that others are currently using around the country to expand ethnic community and leadership in camping, helping you develop a plan to take back to your center.

Don’t miss this great lineup. Take a clean break from summer, and take advantage of some great cheap airfares to Atlanta. Hope to see you soon!

Here's the brochure with all the details.

Here's the link to register.

Blessings,

Arthur

Arthur Spriggs is the Executive Director for South Carolina Conference Camps & Retreats. He's an At-Large member of the UMCRM Association Board of Directors, and in that role he also serves on the coordinating committee for the Sustainable Pathways partnership.

Biggest Summer Ever!: Marketing Advice from Paige Railey

Jen Burch — Thu, 16 Aug 2018 00:55:32 GMT

Biggest Summer Ever! Tips From A Marketing Pro

My name is Paige and I am the Director of Marketing & Communications for SC Camps & Retreat Ministries. I work full time handling anything that falls into the category of marketing or communications and I absolutely love it! It has definitely taken some time to get into ‘my groove’ and learn what works best for me and for Asbury Hills. We are so incredibly blessed to be in a season of growth, allowing us to experience our largest summer to date. We have watched our registration numbers soar past what we could have imagined! There have been quite a few things that have worked really well for Asbury Hills and then a few things that didn’t work so well. I want to share with you some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way that may help bring your ministry to new levels, too.

What has worked for us:

–Figure out where the majority of your campers are finding out about your ministry
We have a question on our registration form that asks parents to tell us where they heard about Asbury Hills. The options are camp fair, from a friend, my church, Parent magazine, social media, and website. Now, this is not a required section, so of the 1253 campers we had this summer, only about 35% actually responded to the question. (This may be because we have a lot of returning campers, so they may not see the relevance of the question.) While that does skew the numbers, the results make a lot of sense. According to our data, 60% of our campers hear about Asbury Hills from a friend, 33% hear about Asbury Hills in their church and the rest is either from a camp fair, Parent magazine ads, social media or our website. Once I get an idea of where the majority of our campers come from, I get to planning how to better market to those places and then the places where we aren’t showing quite as high of a referral rate.

—Put more (time, effort, money, etc.) into where you get the majority of your campers
Clearly we get a ton of campers from friends of campers. I do a few things to fuel this, including mailings, social media posts, and e-newsletter blasts. For example, when I mail out our summer brochure, I send 2 brochures and a little postcard in an envelope to each camper. Not only do our campers get excited about new brochures, they also get excited about sharing those brochures, which is why we send one for them and one for a friend. The postcard with the 2 brochures explains that.

We are lucky to have a super supportive United Methodist Conference here in South Carolina. Aside from friends, churches are where a lot of our campers hear about Asbury Hills. In late fall/early winter I put together a ‘recruiting team’ of previous-year staffers who had a good rapport with campers. I train and send them out to churches to speak/share about Asbury Hills.

—Figure out ways to fuel the places you don’t get as many campers from
I am constantly working to grow our social media reach because I am fully aware that our social media platforms are tools to retain our campers. We have started attending more camp fairs (I send those recruiting team folks to these) to increase our presence.

—Plan plan plan!
I have a plan for everything! Social media plan, marketing plan, blog post plan, newsletter plan—you name it, I probably have a plan for it. Having a plan keeps me on track and holds me accountable to follow through. There are so many ways to develop your plans, so take time to figure out what works best for you. Creating a plan for yourself allows you to see in front of you want needs to be done.

What NOT to do:

—Don't have a social media plan
We have a pretty good following on social media and like I mentioned before, social media is a good platform to retain campers/families. My first full year in this position, I just posted on social media whenever I had something to post. This made our presence inconsistent and very hit or miss with interactions. Now, I have a detailed and up to date social media plan that I stick to like glue! There is a lot I could say on this subject alone but just know it took a good year to figure out what works best for me, Asbury Hills, and our followers.

—Let your website become outdated
Our website has evolved over the years and my knowledge on it has evolved, too. I realized very quickly that not keeping it up to date and regularly checking the links can hinder even just a few registrations. We all know EVERY registration counts! Example: keeping a banner about Open House up after the event has passed or page links not working properly.

—Don't track your links and analytics
Before I realized that social media platforms and Google provide you with analytics if you just set it up, I was shooting in the dark with our posts and updates. Now I comb through all of our analytics on all social media platforms to see exactly who looks at our posts, how old they are, when they look at it, and if they interact or not. There are also quite a few programs you can use to track clickable links. One of my favorite pastimes is looking at those analytics!

—Forget the stories

In the camping business, we don’t necessarily sell product; we sell experiences and stories! Other people’s stories and experiences are what get families to register their children for camp. They want their kid to experience what the others do. The moment I switched my brain from ‘sell registrations’ to ‘sell Asbury Hills stories’, I started to get a better hold on our ministry and mission.

Adapting to growth

In the introduction I mentioned that our ministry has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Last year we had 1122 campers and that was one of the biggest summers we have ever had. This summer we had 1253! Along with this amazing increase have been some challenges that pushed us to adapt. Here are a few things that we needed to do a bit differently:

Train our seasonal staff to be flexible

Staff have to be flexible enough as it is, but with more campers than we expected, folks had to really step out of their comfort zone and support each other. We call it ‘good growing pains’!

Time management

With more campers than expected, we had to be more organized and pull together as a team to use our time well.

Pour into EVERYONE; promote self-care

We can’t minister and serve our campers if we aren’t spiritually fed and taking care of ourselves. This is something we tell our seasonal staff a whole lot: take care of yourself!

Determine actual max capacities

With the influx of registrations, our full time staff had to determine what our ‘sweet spot was’ with camper numbers and ratios. How many is too many campers, that the mission and ministry could be impacted negatively? Do we have enough staff to keep our ratios in check? Do we have additional staff on standby should we need more? The answer was “yes” to those last two because our Summer Camp Director, Sarah, planned for it. We set our goal at 1150 campers, so when we started tracking that we were going to surpass that, Sarah started implementing plans to ensure our ministry wasn’t hindered.

Hopes and plans for seasons to come

I have already worked on getting a social media plan set for the next year, along with a marketing plan tracking into 2020. As a full time staff, we plan our summer themes about a year in advance, giving me ample time to put together print materials, marketing plans, etc. My hope is to stay ahead in our marketing by maintaining my social media and marketing plans, reading as much as I can on marketing trends, and constantly staying in communication with our full time staff on their needs..

Maybe you don’t have a full time ‘Paige’ focused on your camp’s marketing and communications. Here are some options that don’t require a lot of resources:

—Start with learning your audience. Who are you trying to reach and why?

You can learn your audience by evaluating who calls your office asking questions, seeing who follows and interacts with your camp on social media, getting to know the type of campers your camp attracts and learning your staff (full time and seasonal). In my experience, I can reach campers on Instagram and Twitter while reaching their parents on Facebook. When you go to create a webpage or update your current one, you’ll want to keep it user- friendly to whomever you are trying to reach/whoever will be using it most.

—Create a presence on Instagram and Facebook. Already have it? Keep it consistent.

Do you have a summer staffer eager to help; maybe someone studying marketing or communications? Have them set up social media accounts. These are FREE platforms that college aged summer staffers are well versed in. With the insights/analytics tool on business accounts in both of these platforms, you can see exactly who is looking at/interacting with posts, when they are looking at them, and where they are from. It can get tricky allowing a summer staffer to run those social media accounts, so be sure to document and implement guidelines and expectations.

—Create interesting content for your platforms.

Take lots of photos and post them! (Always be sure you have a parent’s permission, of course.) You don’t need a fancy camera or photographer for social media—Instagram and Facebook are made to work well with smartphones. People like to see happy campers doing fun things. Walk around during activities and get a few good shots to post! I’d suggest starting with ‘Happy Monday’ or ‘Yay for Friday’ posts.

— Encourage your staff to gather stories.

Ask staff (and volunteers) to write down their favorite stories from the summer. Maybe even bribe them with an item from the camp store in exchange for a marketing-worthy story. (We do this and it works great!) Just by asking for the story, you save yourself time because you didn’t have to come up with the content. You also got your staff involved and there is nothing campers want more than to hear from/about their counselors. Use those stories for when you are speaking to groups about your ministry, creating a blog post, posting a photo on Instagram, encouraging your staff or just sharing your camp in general!

—Send thank you notes.

Who doesn’t love happy mail?! Any chance I get, I send a thank you note—handwritten, of course. Did you have volunteers at camp? Thank them. Did you visit a church to share about your camp? Thank them. Did you meet new families at a camp fair? Thank them for their time. Thank you notes go a long way and the word spreads about your hospitality. Plus, you now have that address to add to any other mailings you want to send (with the proper permission, of course).

—Welcome campers or retreat groups.

New registration? Send them a welcome postcard. Get some printed ahead of time to mail out as the registrations come in. This will not only get those campers or retreat groups excited about camp but will help them feel welcomed. When people feel welcomed or valued, they want to stick around. You may get lucky and they may show their friends!

—Subscribe to other camp newsletters.

Even if you don’t send a newsletter out to your camp family, subscribe to your favorite camp newsletters. This gives you an inside look at what is working for other camps, how they are reaching their camp family and will hopefully give you some ideas to utilize at your own camp.

—Don't be afraid to ask for help—I sure did!

This camping community is FULL of folks who have been there, done that and are ready to share.

When it comes down to it, you have to focus on building your camp family, keeping your existing camp family connected, and continuing to add members to your camp family. My biggest prayer is that the Lord will grant me the knowledge and courage to maximize our ministry resources while growing God’s kingdom. I hope I’ve inspired you to go out and build your camp family, pour into and nourish your camp family, and always be ready to add more!

Paige Railey is the Marketing Director for South Carolina Camps & Retreat Ministries, serving Asbury Hills Camp & Retreat Center and Camp Providence Day Camp. She grew up going to summer camp and spent college summers working on summer staff, and she can’t imagine her life without the impact of camp. Outside of camp, you’ll find Paige painting, drawing or photographing a wedding.

All photo credits to Spencer Willoughby, Asbury Hills.

Faces of UMCRM: Meet Sharon Godbolt

Jen Burch — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 23:39:44 GMT

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.

#UnitedInCamping Photo-A-Week Extravaganza!

Jen Burch — Thu, 31 May 2018 03:36:33 GMT

Those of us involved with United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries have amazing stories to tell! Stories of unity, of hope, of transformation. We help unite kids, teens, and adults from all walks of life. We help them unite in encountering the risen Christ. We use intentional experiences to help them unite together in building bridges from where they are to where they can be. We inspire them to unite in transforming the world. We live out what it means to be #UnitedInCamping!

You're invited to join with the UMCRM community this summer in collaboratively sharing our stories through the visual medium of photography. It’s as simple as posting at least one photo each week—from June to August—that best reflects the given word for that particular week. You can post on whichever social media platform(s) you prefer, we just ask that you use the hashtag: #UnitedInCamping. If you post to Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag @UMCRM in your photos. You might also consider inviting your campers, guests, and staff to participate (just make sure that all appropriate permissions are acquired and that individuals know your camp's social media guidelines in advance).

Inspiration for the weekly themes comes from the 7 Foundations of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries. We hope this helps all of us think more intentionally about our shared core values in the daily chaos of summer. We also hope this helps the people of our denomination and the world better understand the vital role Camp and Retreat Ministries plays in the current and future “Big C” Church!

June 3 — Creation

June 10 — Disciples

June 17 — Transformation

June 24 — Sacred

July 1 — Nurture

July 8 — Faith

July 15 — Care

July 22 — Appreciation

July 29 — Partner

August 5 — Hospitality

August 12 — Community

August 19 — Leader

August 26 — Inspire

We look forward to seeing your stories this summer!

– Matt Williams (Sky Lake, Upper New York), Collin Grooms (Lake Lucerne, WI), and the UMCRM Board of Directors

National Youth Event and Camp 2019- What’s a Camp Person to Do? – Advice from Kelly Peterson Cruse

Jen Burch — Thu, 24 May 2018 01:26:59 GMT

By now most have you have received or seen promotional information for the United Methodist National Youth Event, Youth 2019. Past events have taken place in the latter part of June, so most groups found it “doable” to attend the youth event and their regular session of summer camp. However, in 2019, the event will take place in July, right smack dab in the middle of camp! As a person in ministry with young people in BOTH youth ministry and camping ministry, I’m committed to both, and would like to help leaders consider your options. I believe in and value the camp experience for each and every young person, and as well, I know the power of this national event on the faith formation of young people. To be in that place with THOUSANDS of other United Methodist youth in worship and service and fellowship is second to none. So WHAT IS A CAMP PERSON TO DO?

I suggest you make Youth 2019 part of your summer camp program! In my home conference we have some very small youth groups that did not have the numbers or resources to attend as a youth group. So our conference offered the event as a week of camp so individuals could sign up and attend. Consider the following ways to support BOTH important ministries for our young people:

Offer the Youth Event as a week of camp. Here’s how our ministry did it: We did not run our regular senior high program during the week of the National Youth Event. I sought funding for two chaperones through Camping and Young People’s Ministries at our Conference and had individuals sign up through the camp registration system. The price included the event and coordinated transportation. I also collected forms needed for both the event and my chaperones, registered the group, and arranged for the extra day activity (last time it was in Florida on a Disney property).
Offer it as a part of a camp experience. Have a group attend the event with some of your staff, then return to camp for a few days to debrief and apply their experience from the event to their life of faith through a few days of reflection and further processing at your site.
Schedule senior high camp during a different week (NOT the week of the event), so if their youth group is attending they don’t feel that they have to choose between camp and the event.

Bottom line, there will be those who will choose one experience over the other because of time or money or both. There will be those who will choose the event because it only happens every four years or they aren’t a “camp person.” I will say, the year I ran Youth 2015 as a week of camp, it gave me the opportunity to have a connection with young people with whom I had not connected before. A few of them even tried out camp the next year as a way to reconnect with the youth they had met at the national event. I feel it is our responsibility not to be in “competition,” but to embrace and support the many ministries outside of the local church that help in creating disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Learn more about Youth 2019 : http://youth2019.com/

Connect with "Live Well" on Facebook

Kelly Peterson-Cruse is a former Camp Director/Owner and served for 10 years as Director of Camping and Young People's Ministries in the Cal-Nevada Conference. She

has just accepted a new position relating to Camp/Retreat Ministries at UMC Discipleship Ministries, along with her part-time role with Young Peoples' Ministries for the Western Jurisdiction of the UMC. Her ministry is fueled by good coffee, the energy of young people, and the love of Jesus.

A National Gathering Meditation: Guest Post by Cat Holbert

Jen Burch — Thu, 17 May 2018 01:44:01 GMT

Close your eyes and imagine yourself surrounded by 300 of your colleagues, friends, and camp family...

...joining your hearts and voices in worship under the music leadership of Chuck Bell. Be filled with the spirit through the words of Reverend Junius Dotson and the lively teaching of Reverend Melissa Cooper.

Breathe a few deep breaths as you consider the connections you make at tables and the connections you’ll make “@ the Table”. Forging new relationships and reestablishing old relationships—be filled with the hope that friends in ministry bring. These connections “@ the Table” will be strengthened by a variety of keynotes and workshops—brought to you by professionals in camp and retreat ministry, Beth & Travis Allison. You, too, are invited to share “@ the Table” as a workshop leader (Apply now!).

Smile and feel the joy of soon-to-arrive campers and of the opportunity to create new communities as we offer places where children, youth, and adults feel the celebration of being fully loved and fully included. That same work and time is being placed into creating this space for you “@ the Table” this coming winter. You have a place, and we hope you’ll join us “@ the Table.”

Registration will open in late summer. In the meantime, make sure the Gathering is on your calendar (January 28-February 1, 2019!) and in your 2018 budget.

Rethinking Board Development: Guest Post from Lisa Jean Hoefner

Jen Burch — Thu, 03 May 2018 02:59:31 GMT

Are you trying to strengthen your board?

The answer should be “yes!”, an ongoing goal of every director and existing board member. We always need to be on the lookout for who is needed and can bring resources to our work by serving on the board. But sometimes we go about it in ineffective ways. We think we need a lawyer or business people or people who have wealthy friends, before we take stock of what skills are already inherent in the current board membership, and what skills are needed to help us accomplish the goals for this ministry in the next several years.

Focus on actions needed when developing a board membership matrix!

Rather than recruit someone "with connections to city hall," ask a prospect if he would be willing and able to set up a meeting twice a year with those responsible for building and zoning regulations that might affect your next building plans. Instead of recruiting someone because she's wealthy, ask her whether she would be willing to organize three other board members into a group that would try to raise $50,000 per year as a group. Instead of framing your need for persons of various racial/ethnic backgrounds, recruit members of communities you actually want to and can serve. Together identify leaders who provide the people connections and possibly the training needed, so that more diverse populations actually participate in your ministries.

By focusing on what people will do rather than what people are, we accomplish three goals:

We broaden our field of sight as we recruit for the board. Rather than just looking for someone in marketing, we think more widely and include bloggers, writers, community organizers, and others who know how to communicate a message.

We don't end up recruiting someone with the right demographics or professional background or financial means but who can't or won't do what we have mistakenly assumed they could or would. When we recruit people for what they will do, we get people who can and do what is needed, because we've asked them if they can and will. And someone who has joined a board to help with something they’re passionate about and able to do, is someone who will want to get started on that at his or her very first board meeting.

We ground board recruitment in the needs of this organization at this time in its development, rather than on a generic set of skills or attributes out of a textbook. By doing so, we focus our recruitment on the critical path of our unique organization and its strategic, pressing needs.

So throw out that template board composition matrix. Instead, ask these questions:

What are the three most important things for our board to accomplish in the next 1-4 years?
Do we have the right people on the board to make those things happen?

Rev. Lisa Jean Hoefner serves part-time as Director of Lake Tahoe UMC Retreat Center in King’s Beach, CA and pastor of the Dinner Church housed at the Center. She also chairs the UMCRM Association’s Development Committee, is UMCRM's unofficial expert on the History of United Methodist Camping, and plays in the Tahoe Toccata Symphony. Lisa Jean retired as Executive Director of Camp/Retreat Ministries for the Oregon-Idaho Conference in 2015. Her career has spanned nearly four decades serving local churches and camp/retreat ministries. Lisa Jean also holds a D.Min. in Camp/Retreat Ministry and a certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Consumption, Simplicity, and Dr. Seuss: Guest Post from Genée Morrison

Jen Burch — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 02:40:25 GMT

Have you ever wondered what Dr. Seuss’s stout character the Lorax and the United Methodist Church might have in common? Well honestly, I would be surprised if you had. But indulge me for a moment by considering the possibilities. Once you begin recalling the whimsical illustrations yet raw themes of Dr. Seuss’s colorful environmental tale, it might not be too hard to scrape up an answer: both entities realize the sincere importance of creation care and declare it in ways they deem most effective. (The Lorax had a habit of “shouting and puffing” to get his point across—surely we don’t know any good Methodists like that!)

One of The United Methodist Church’s clear avenues of sharing the importance of creation care is through camp and retreat ministries. In fact, one of the Seven Foundations of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries is to specifically Teach Creation Care and Appreciation. While I can’t stake any claims that the Lorax was a practicing Methodist, I can say with certainty that he shared some of the same values. One section of the Social Principles (found in The 2016 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church) reads:

All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. (Read the whole text here)

Readers of this UMCRM blog are likely to already regard Creation with a certain sacredness. It is likely you have experienced the presence of God while sitting on an old log around an outdoor campfire, heard the whisper of the Holy Spirit as you strolled through the still woods. You have probably gaped in awe of our Creator as you gazed at a magnificent mountain or as you lay beneath the vast spattering of stars across a soundless night sky, silently beckoning your heart to worship. I’m sure you can sympathize with the Psalmist as he exclaimed, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1)

As we ponder the wisdom and magnificence of our Creator, take a moment to consider your connection with nature a step further—do you only appreciate it, or do you care for it? Do you only consume it, or do you give back to it? Do the actions of your daily life benefit it or harm it?

In my work at Outdoor Science Camp, one of the primary themes we try to impart to students is the practice of stewardship of the creation. We encourage them to pick up trash, remove invasive plant species from local ecosystems, protect and conserve watersheds, and weigh their food waste at each meal. We do these things not only because God has given us the responsibility to steward the precious, life-giving resources to which we so readily have access, but also to teach that consuming anything in excess can be harmful. The more resources one consumer uses, the fewer another has. You’ve heard it said, “Live simply so others may simply live.” How might the way we live day-to-day perhaps impact a neighbor down the street or another across the ocean?

A favorite game we play at Outdoor Science Camp to demonstrate consumption and balance in an ecosystem is called Oh Deer. Students are divided into two groups, some as deer and others as resources, which include food, water, and shelter. The group collectively decides “symbols” to represent each resource. (Making waves with one’s hands to represent water, for example.) The resources and deer are placed in separate lines facing one another. The deer each choose one of the three resources they would like to “find” during a particular round and tell the facilitator which they will be looking for. When the round begins, each stationary resource puts up the symbol to represent which resource he is providing for that round, and each deer tries to tag the resource she told the facilitator she is hoping to find. If she tags the resource before another deer does, she lives another round and the resource becomes a deer as well, causing the deer population to increase; conversely, if she doesn’t tag the resource she needs, she becomes a resource herself and the deer population decreases. During the game, we graph each round to illustrate that when an ecosystem contains more consumers than resources, the deer population is, over time, affected, thus demonstrating the need for balance in an ecosystem. I always like to take discussion of this game a step further by relating it back to the concept of stewardship. A phrase I find myself frequently using is: “Anything we consume in excess can be harmful.” When the strongest, fastest, wealthiest, most privileged consumers use resources more quickly than the resources can support or be distributed to the whole, some consumers don’t survive. I know that for me, it’s easy to feel far-removed from those lives receiving the “picked through” or “left-over” resources or those being detrimentally affected by our consumption, but that does not mean it’s not happening, and it certainly doesn’t mean we should be allowed to avert our eyes.

I challenge you to prayerfully take a few moments for an introspective look at how you consume. A few questions you might ask yourself are: What do I consume on a regular basis? Which items are a necessity, and which just a luxury? Where is [object of consumption] sourced? Is there a particular area in my life that I can simplify, thus decreasing my consumption? Do some of the things I consume place a greater burden on God’s Creation; and how might I minimize the environmental and human footprint of my daily choices?

I believe that as the church, we are to be at the leading edge of creation care, not only because we have been entrusted an incredible creation by a more magnificent Creator, but because our consumption of the earth and its resources affects other people, children made in the image of the Creator himself. So what do we do? What might be a next step? In the words of Dr. Seuss, spoken through the Lorax, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” It is our duty and blessing, as followers of a good Creator, to help things “get better,” participating in the redemption of the whole Creation that God has promised. We honor the Creator when we live lightly and help those who camp, learn, and retreat with us also to grow in their care for creation.

As you observe Earth Day this weekend in whatever ways you celebrate, I invite you and those you teach and lead to consider your own day-to-day consumption of resources, perhaps trying a new way to simplify. Let us encourage one another in the joy of simplicity and hold each other accountable to the discipline of it. Of this, I think the Lorax would be proud. In this practice, we honor God’s commandments and our United Methodist values. I believe our Creator might just be smiling as well.

Genée Morrison and her husband Zane live in Santa Cruz, CA, where they both enjoy teaching at Mount Hermon Outdoor Science School. Although this is their second year in CA, they have deep roots in Kentucky, where they spent many summers at Aldersgate UM Camp and Retreat Center, the place their passion for camp ministry was fostered. In her free time Genée enjoys hiking, climbing at the rock gym, and experimenting in the kitchen. Her most recent experiments include chocolate kidney bean dip and garbanzo bean curry. Genée also serves on the UMCRM Association Board of Directors.

It Works For Us: Amazon Wish List – Guest Post by Derek Bergman

Jen Burch — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 02:41:35 GMT

Of course we are all thankful for donations of all kinds. Recently our site has been blessed by many #SurprisePackage deliveries. A year ago, my staff and I started a Wish List through Amazon. As we thought of things we needed, could use but not a necessity right now, or simply thought would be fun, we added them to our Wish List. Over the last year we gathered a wide variety of items. You can view our current Wish List here. We have dog toys for programming, office supplies, kitchen supplies, a wet floor sign that looks like a banana peel, mountain board parts, and so much more. Every now and then we go in and check to see if there's a high need for something that we'll just go ahead and purchase ourselves. Last year when we started the Wish List a few people contributed and sent us a gift. This year it has taken off! It seems that every other day we receive a new package of blessings from someone. Sometimes they include a note and we're able to use the Amazon QR code to send them a thank-you. Other times we have no idea who sent it. Either way, we take a picture of whatever arrived and post it on our Instagram and Facebook to share our excitement. This past week we received 16 hammocks, 12 tiki torches, 2 mops, batteries, a keyboard, name tags, and a paper cutter! Our camp supporters are amazing. If your camp doesn't have a Wish List, I highly advise you start one soon to give your supporters an easy, new way to contribute to your ministry.

Here are Amazon's instructions to create a List:

Go to any Amazon page. Hover over "Account & Lists" and select Create A List from the drop-down.
Click Create your list. Your list will be available and you can change its name by hovering over the list name and clicking the Edit list name link.
Select Edit list profile from the List Actions filter at the top of your list to update your default shipping address, personal description and preferences.
Note: Gift givers will only see the name, city and state of the shipping address you select unless the List is marked as for an organization.
You can designate whether your list is for an organization and you'll have the option to provide the URL of the organization’s website.
Click Save and browse for an item.
Click Add to List under the Buy box on the right-hand side of any item's product detail page.
You can make updates to your List any time.
Choose your List sharing settings -- you can make it public or limit access to only those with the link. You can share the link to your Wish List on your website, via email, on social media...

Derek Bergman is a lifelong United Methodist from Elkhorn Nebraska, just outside of Omaha. He served at Camp Fontanelle (NE) as the Assistant Site Director from 2008 until he and his family joined the family at Lake Okoboji (IA) in February of 2017. Derek enjoys all areas of camp life and especially enjoys seeing all the various ways children of all ages are able to connect with God. He's awash in blessings this week with the donation to camp of a Tiny House, not to mention all those wonderful #SurprisePackages!

Global Ministries EarthKeepers Training - Guest Post by Jenny Phillips

Jen Burch — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:00:18 GMT

Global Ministries EarthKeepers:

A Free Training Opportunity to Enhance Creation Care in Your Camp and Retreat Ministry

By Rev. Jenny Phillips, Global Ministries Creation Care Program Manager

Atlanta, GA ● May 17-20, 2018

Detroit, MI ● Sept 27-30, 2018

Salt Lake City, UT ● Nov 1-4, 2018

I first felt my call to ministry at Camp Indianola on the shores of Puget Sound near Seattle, WA. My experiences as a camper, camp leader, camp administrator, and camp fundraiser taught me the deep connections between care for creation, stewardship of resources, and discipleship. Now I’m part of the Global Ministries EarthKeepers program, where I’m working to build those connections for people throughout the church. EarthKeepers is a terrific opportunity for both new and seasoned volunteers and professionals to focus on environmental stewardship in their camp and retreat settings.

EarthKeepers equips United Methodist laity and clergy to develop or deepen environmental initiatives in their churches and communities, and it connects them with a broader community of United Methodists who are active in creation care. Training topics will include eco-theology, intersectionality, strategies for social change, and United Methodist resources. Participants will leave the training with a plan to develop a project that addresses a need in their ministry setting or community. Projects of current EarthKeepers include solar campaigns, community gardens, curriculum and program development, and building efficiency projects.

The Atlanta training will include a component on green buildings. We will meet with Shane Totten, Director of Research + Innovation at Southface, a non-profit organization that promotes green building. Shane has experience working with camp and retreat leaders and has practical know-how for saving money and improving energy and water efficiency at camp and retreat sites.

The Detroit training will include a component on sustainable community development. We will meet with leaders at Cass Community Social Services, an agency that provides food, housing, health services and job programs in green industries. Cass is a great organization to learn from if you’re looking for ways to meaningfully expand your ministry with limited resources.

The Salt Lake City training will include a component on climate change as it relates to disaster mitigation, relief and recovery. We will meet with Brian Diggs, Associate Director of the UMCOR West Depot, and will visit and volunteer at the Depot. Many of our camp and retreat centers are experiencing the impacts of increasingly frequent and severe weather events. At this training, you’ll develop skills for talking about the connections between climate, weather and disaster.

Lodging, meals and training are paid for by Global Ministries; participants are responsible for their travel to/from the training. Application due for the Atlanta training by April 26, for the Detroit training by Sept 6, and for the Salt Lake City training by October 11. Apply today!

Click for more information about the training, cost, commitment and more

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at jphillips@umcmission.org if you have questions, would like to brainstorm project ideas, or want to discuss creation care aspects of your ministry. Many thanks for your good work!

The Prophet Elijah's "Creative Dislocation" - Guest Post by Ron Bartlow

Jen Burch — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 02:35:23 GMT

In the not-too distant past, I was struck with a new insight into an old story. In the book of 1 Kings, the prophet Elijah has successfully stood up to the prophets of Baal, proving that God (Yahweh) is the real God and Creator of the universe. Unfortunately, as a result, the evil queen has declared she wants to see Elijah put to death. So Elijah flees into the desert, despairing to the point of requesting death. An angel sends him further on to Mt. Horeb, where he spends the night in a cave. From there we pick up with what is likely to be a familiar story:

[The angel] said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place...” (1 Kings 19:11-16, NRSV)

You’ve likely heard the story before; perhaps in the context of a sermon about how we should seek God in the still, quiet place. And that is a legitimate interpretation. But let me share my insight.

I believe, deeply, in the immanence of God. This means I believe God is always present in all of Creation. We sometimes get glimpses of that: it might be a “theophany,” an appearance of the divine like Moses saw in a burning bush or the disciples’ witness of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, or it might be a glimpse of the divine breaking into our ordinary world through a beautiful sunset or spectacular vista. There are the moments people tell us about when they’ve experienced God in nature; when all the world comes into a different, sometimes sharper focus, and one gets a glimpse of the glory that surrounds us all the time but goes unseen.

While such moments may be rare, I believe in the immanence of God as the underlying truth of them. God is always present; everywhere. And so, when I read this story recently, I struggled with the assertions that “the Lord was not in the…wind…earthquake… [or] fire…” Because I believe God is always present, I believe God would be present in the wind, earthquake, and fire. And that’s good news to me in my life, because if I allow the story to become metaphor about the presence of God it reminds me that God is present in whatever chaos (wind), whatever world-shaking news (earthquake), whatever raging crisis (fire) I encounter. God is present. I am not alone.

But the story reads that “the Lord was not in the…” wind, earthquake, or fire. At face value, the story seems to contradict a theological doctrine I hold close to my heart; undermines part of my understanding of the mysterious nature God. Until I realize, this is not an objective narrative; this story is being told to us from the point of view of Elijah.

Elijah has already (twice!) heard an angel and/or the Lord speak to him. Elijah has defiantly and successfully stood up to the prophets of Baal. But now Elijah runs in fear for his life, expressing that despite his own zealousness for God, he is endangered; threatened. I now see that, from Elijah’s perspective, God wasn’t present in the wind, earthquake, or fire. These external, physical phenomena of chaos echoed the circumstance within his soul. But as they passed – as the world stilled, as the quiet came – then Elijah was able to discern God; when he and the world were quiet, Elijah was able to hear God, was able to speak and be spoken to.

I think this is the core of the story, and it connects with my understanding of “creative dislocation” as a value of camp and retreat ministries. You see, Elijah was so enveloped by the chaos of his circumstances that he could not find or sense God in the midst of them. That is not the same as asserting that God was not present. Yet it seems to be in keeping with our experiences in this life; there are times when it seems next to impossible to experience the presence of God.

Elijah had to go into the cave and wait for the moment of stillness, the moment of quiet, to re-encounter the divine. This is exactly the reason retreats are so important to our spiritual journeys. From time to time, it behooves us to take a few minutes away from the busy-ness, the chaos and clutter of our lives. It benefits us to step away from the wind and fire and earthquake, to still and center ourselves in such a quiet way and place that we can, once again, connect with God.

Camp and retreat ministries provide us the opportunity to come away from our ordinary routines in which we are no longer able to discern God’s presence. Retreats allow us to see the world with new eyes and gaze on the wonder and divinity that always surrounds us. (This, to me, is the miracle of the Transfiguration [Matthew 17]. Jesus wasn’t changed; he was always the divine son of God, and the glory of God always surrounded him. But for a moment the disciples were changed, their eyes opened; able to see clearly the glory of the divine that walked with them.)

Elijah might not have perceived his fleeing to Mount Horeb as a retreat, but in that mountain top experience he was able to re-encounter God, was able to more clearly hear God’s calling on his life. (And it is intriguing to me, but probably a topic to explore another time, that part of what he heard from God while on the summit was the call to go and appoint a new prophet to follow him.) At their best, camp and retreat programs provide for us a means to disconnect from the ordinary in order to more directly re-connect to the extraordinary; to step away from the mundane and encounter the spiritual; to have our own eyes and spirit opened to the ever-present glory and wonder of God… and then take that remembrance and experience back with us into our daily lives.

Rev. Ron Bartlow is a member of the Desert Southwest Annual Conference, where he serves as co-pastor of Trinity Heights United Methodist Church in Flagstaff, Arizona, and as the conference Director for Camp and Retreat Ministries. Ron has yet to receive a kyber crystal to build his own lightsaber, and so is content to swing a flashlight around at night while chanting “I am one with the Force..."

Like Camp for Leaders – Reflection on the 2018 Immersion Experience by Collin Grooms

Jen Burch — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 03:53:50 GMT

When was the last time you went to camp? Not went to camp, like every day walking out your back door across the soccer field to get to your office, but truly went to camp— packed up, headed off to a different site where you’re not responsible for leadership of the program or the logistics of the experience, having a vague understanding of what activities might happen while you’re there based on a short brochure description, and going to meet and live with completely brand new people for a week.

For me it had been over ten years since I headed off to my last session as a summer camper. Since that time, I’ve spent every summer as seasonal staff and then year-round staff. Somewhere along the way, I somewhat forgot what it was like to go to camp. As a participant in the recent UMCRM Immersion Week, I got to go to camp again. Remember that unique combination of excitement and nervousness of the first-day-of-camp, driving down the main camp road and finally meeting your cabin-mates and counselors? Remember the joy of having someone you just met a few days ago call you over because they want to make sure you are included in experiencing an awesome sunset? Remember the feeling of pride from words of affirmation from a trusted camp leader? Remember the swing of emotion that occurs in sharing a first meal with strangers and then a few days later sharing a final meal with dear friends? These are the experiences we all lived for as campers and helping facilitate these growth moments was almost certainly part of what drove us into camping ministry as a profession. Not only did the UMCRM Immersion Week remind me of what it’s like to be a camper, but that reminder refueled my passion for why I am called to this incredible ministry.

We all know that archery, swimming, crafts, and low ropes are the experiences we’re facilitating for campers, but the actual goal of those activities is much deeper— community building, development of self-confidence, and other growth edges we work to find. So too, with the Immersion Week. Sure we learned all about the teachings of John Wesley, the ministry of administration, and the complexity of United Methodist polity, but actually we were building community, developing self-confidence, and discovering growth edges for ourselves personally and professionally. I learned a lot of information from the UMCRM Immersion week, and I learned a whole lot more from the community and personal edge-work surrounding the content of the week.

One of the pieces of practical advice from the Ministry of Administration session was that it is important to sleep in every type of lodging at your site so that you can have an understanding of what your guests are experiencing. I’m going to add to that advice that you should go to camp so you can be reminded of the highs, lows, and everything in-betweens of being a camper. The UMCRM Immersion Week is a perfect opportunity for that reminder. Led by caring, knowledgeable and passionate instructors and attended by caring, understanding, and passionate peers, the Immersion Experience will benefit anyone in any stage of their career in camping ministry. The content learned creates a richer understanding of the foundations of our United Methodist camping heritage and the community that is built is uniquely suited to be supportive and compassionate towards the joys and challenges of the calling we all share.

It is my prayer that each successive iteration of this program will continue to create space for community and cooperative learning in ways that ripple out throughout the rest of our Association and into the lives of God’s people. Special thanks to the UMCRM Board and Education Committee for committing to making this program a success.

Collin Grooms is the Site Director at Lake Lucerne Camp and Retreat Center in Neshkoro, Wisconsin. Spouse to Katie and dad to Owen, Collin thought he was being asked to attend UMCRM Immersion Week because he had made one too many jokes about being Lutheran and wanting to hold raffles to fundraise for camp. He left Immersion Week honored to be considered a colleague to an incredible group of faithful disciples of Christ.

Circumnavigating The UMCRM Globe at Mach Speed: Guest Post by Matt Williams

Jen Burch — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 23:55:33 GMT

Once upon a time, in a far off land… Actually the story goes more like this: last January at the UM Camp & Retreat Leaders Gathering in Texas, someone spoke about the Compass Points Program and camp director certification within the UMC. Something welled up within me at that moment and before I could rationalize how I didn’t have the time, etc., I found myself registered for the set of classes being offered the following month. Last autumn whilst I was in the midst of another set of Compass Points classes, I learned a bit more about the UM Immersion Experience and immediately registered for that as well.

One of the many great takeaways from the Compass Points classes I’ve taken so far is the importance of claiming and articulating one’s personal core values. Learning is one of my deeply held core values, particularly the kind of learning which helps me be a more confident, effective leader within Christ’s church. So it makes sense that I jumped at the opportunity to learn more about camp and retreat ministries from a uniquely United Methodist perspective.

I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I had relatively high expectations nonetheless. To use a flight metaphor for a moment, from the Immersion description I anticipated that we’d basically take a 35,000-foot view of the topics covered by Compass Points, and then drop down to 5,000 or so feet to get a closer look at our United Methodist heritage, our present realities, and vision for our future. What I didn’t anticipate was that we’d do it at mach speed and basically circumnavigate the globe twice in four days. In many regards, I imagine John Wesley would be delighted with the speed and intensity at which we proceeded.

At times it felt as if we were at camp ourselves—complete with some sage mentors. While there were quality and practical instructional sessions, the connections made in intentional small group times, sitting around the dining room table, going for walks after meals, and sitting in silence together were equally important and impactful. I feel that not only have I personally benefited from this Immersion Experience, but that my site will, too. While I won’t expect everyone at camp to geek out about our Wesleyan heritage to the same level as many of us in the Experience did, I came away inspired and equipped to help our staff and campers better articulate the Wesleyan understandings of what it means to be a disciple of Christ in the 21st Century.

As an avid snowshoer, I’m glad I didn’t let the possibility of a big snowstorm in upstate New York keep me from travelling to warm, sunny Florida for this experience. It was well worth it and I highly recommend even seasoned camp directors consider attending the next Immersion Experience wherever it is held!

Matt Williams is Director of Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center in Windsor, New York. Ask him what podcasts he's listening to. And then invite him to say something in Welsh.

UMCRM Immersion Experience 2018: A Reflection from Russell Casteel

Jen Burch — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 06:02:12 GMT

Immersion Week 2018

This was the perfect event at the perfect time with the perfect group of people for me. The excellent content was secondary to the relationships that were built, while still providing a good overview of areas of continuing learning that can (and should) be undertaken as we grow in this profession.

– Immersion Week 2018 Participant

The first-ever Immersion Experience, geared toward providing colleagues in camping ministry a chance to immerse in learning about the importance, potential, and best practices of United Methodist Camp and Retreat ministry, was a huge success! Fourteen students and seven facilitators from 4 Jurisdictions and 12 Annual Conferences gathered at the Life Enrichment Center/Warren Willis Camp in Florida to steep in camp leadership in the Wesleyan tradition, exploring together how our unique identity can give voice to a more meaningful future.

Each day was focused on core content and themes central to the UMC camp experience: United Methodist and Camp History, John Wesley, Faith Formation, Discipleship, Personnel and Administration, Best Practices, and the 7 Foundations of Camp and Retreat Ministry. Each morning was spent exploring self-awareness, conflict, and identity exploration; each afternoon allowed for small group exploration of that content. Evening worship explored spiritual discipline practices including breath prayer, the Ignatian Examen, lectio divina, and guided biblical imagery.

Deep conversations around discipleship, offering radical hospitality, and imagining a future in the midst of a turbulent present became the heartbeat of the week, giving life and flesh to the narratives that shape our current sites and ministries. The week was a reminder of the possibility we have when we engage in intentional, meaningful conversation! As one student wrote in reflecting on the week: The Immersion Experience was really wonderful with the commitment and excitement we modeled. To deliver so much information with such care for individuals was fantastic.

As someone who found a life’s calling in the midst of learning and friendships in the UMC Camp and Retreat Ministry Certification Program, I was in awe of the level of commitment of last week’s Immersion group. The culture of learning extended beyond our identities as facilitators, instructors, and students: all learned, all taught, and all listened. It turns out that Millennials, GenXers, and Baby Boomers alone don’t have an answer, but together we have gifts to help bring a bright future to our shared ministry. We learned that we can deepen the meaning and intentionality in what we do by doing it together. Thanks to the UMCRM Board and Jen Burch for lending their support, expertise, and logistical help to make the event such a success. Thanks be to God for all who brought their gifts together, and for the good work ahead of us now.

Interested in learning more about future Immersion Experience opportunities? Contact Gary Lawson at garydlawsonsr@gmail.com for more information.

Russell Casteel is the Director of Cedar Crest Camp in Lyles, TN, the Executive Director of Camp & Retreat Ministries for the Tennessee Annual Conference, spouse to Callie, and dad to baby Brown, born in September 2017. Russell serves on the UMCRM Association's Education Committee and shared his expertise and passion as part of the faculty team for the 2018 Immersion Experience.