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Welcome to the way-too-early, unofficial, pre-conference playlist for the 2027 UMCRM National Gathering!

Spotify Link
YouTube Music Link

"Why do we need a National Gathering playlist?", you might be asking.

Truthfully, this is just Jeff's excuse to share new music with UMCRM friends. Who doesn’t like new music? 

Like any good mixtape or burned CD of yesteryear, there is a rhyme AND a reason to this playlist. My goal was to sonically or lyrically encapsulate an aspect of our Uplift theme or our Lake Tahoe destination. You’ll notice hashtags that help explain which element of our conference I think each song best connects to. But don’t stress out too much about that. There won’t be any trivia questions about this playlist. (Or will there??)

While I tried my best to cast a wide net to fit as many genres as possible, the pastel color palette and overall hopeful message tended towards more poppy and positive music. Think sparkly synths, mellow vibes, and jazzy basslines. Sorry, Phoebe Bridgers fans!

While I don’t expect everyone to love every song, I hope you're able to find some new music to connect to through this playlist! Can’t wait to see you all in January! 

Fall Into Place by Couch

#ShapeOfChaos 

If there was ever a non-corny musical about working at camp, I’m convinced this song would be the opening soliloquy for the Camp Director.

Keep It Up by Good Neighbors

#PureVibes #ShapeOfCourage

Millennials, if you liked Grouplove, Cold War Kids, or Passion Pit, then you’ll like Good Neighbors.

Then The Rain by Joe Pug

#ShapeOfCommunity

Joe stands firmly in the tradition of singer songwriters like Bob, Joan, John and Joni. If you’re an acoustic-only kind of person, this one’s for you. 

Make It Happen by Josha Daniel

#PureVibes #ShapeOfCourage

This song is what I feel when I look at our Uplift logo. Pure retro Synth-Pop.

Take Me Where You Go by Fulton Lee

#ShapeOfCommunity

“Don’t let the lights outshine you girl. Don’t let the shadows drape your world.” – Fulton Lee

Epigram by Tycho

#PureVibes

This is what I feel when I stand on the shoreline of Lake Tahoe. Big air, cold sparkly water, grounded by mountains.

Dreamers by DOUBLECAMP

#PureVibes

Funky bass, bright synth. Who doesn’t need more of that in their life?

Pacific Coast Highway by Jeff Lorber

#PureVibes #ShapeOfCreativity

How can we have a color palette and conference location so retro without having a little bit of retro music? Straight from 1990’s Weather Channel Local on the 8s, it's smooth jazz. Use this for your travel montage.

Good Day by Surfaces

#PureVibes

Mellow pastel pop, projecting good vibes your way.

Tides by flipturn

#ShapeOfChange 

This is what all the cool college kids are listening to nowadays, at least the ones who aren’t chronically on TikTok. Having trouble with staff recruitment? Wear a flipturn sweatshirt to your next visit and tell me I’m lying.

Anything Could Happen by Dylan Cartlidge

#ShapeOfCourage #ShapeOfCreativity

This song is very “World Cup” to me. Still a banger. “You might win, get up, and start again.”

Received by The Avett Brothers

#ShapeOfCreativity #ShapeOfChange

I know all of UMCRM was wondering how I was ever going to get our favorite band, The Avett Brothers (jokes) in a playlist that tends towards pop. But I’ve done it! While there are many elements of this album that feel very “on brand,” The Avett Brothers' collaboration with Mike Patton (Faith No More) shows a willingness to step out, embrace newness, and search for creativity in unlikely places. And if that ain’t the whole dang point of our theme, then I don’t know what to tell you!

Breezer by Tigers Jaw

#ShapeOfChaos #ShapeOfChange

This is probably the most sonically challenging song in the playlist, but boy did I feel this song my first few summers as a Program Director. Anyone in our field who has experienced a change in role, camp, or community, probably will relate to this one! 

Echoes by Appleby

#PureVibes #ShapeOfChange

This one is simple, but all about being at peace with what may come our way.

00:01 by Hundred Year Storm

#ShapeOfCourage

Your benediction. If you really liked Explosions in the Sky or This Will Destroy You, you will like this one. “Here’s to new beginnings, Here’s to a new start”

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YouTube Music Link

Jeff Wilson, who is graciously donating his time and talents as one half of UMCRM's 2027 National Gathering Co-Chair team, is the Director of Operations at Camp Lake Stephens (MS). His love for camp began as a counselor at Camp Lake Stephens in his freshman year of college and led to him eventually accepting God's call to serve in full-time camping ministry. Jeff and spouse Emily have two children, Jude and Sollie, and they share a love of being outdoors and traveling. Jeff achieved certification in United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministry in 2015. Now we've got a glimpse into Jeff's musical taste, too. You'll have lots to discuss with him and 250+ new friends from the UMCRM community when we all meet up in January.

Learn more & register for the UMCRM National Gathering

In my role with UMCRM’s Character at Camp initiative, I’ve been thinking a lot about character development and how leaders of character are formed at camp. I noticed powerful illustrations of character development in the Inside Out films from Disney Pixar. 

The movie plots show how, as we collect life experiences, we are developing a “sense of self” and a set of beliefs. Riley (the movie’s protagonist) struggles with the contradictory beliefs “I am a good person” and “I am not a good person,” based on her experiences and feedback she has received throughout her life. Her behavior and choices are impacted by the story she tells herself about her character. As our campers and staff journey through the experience-rich setting of camp, how can leaders model and invite reflection on the beliefs and “sense of self” they bring with them? As we debrief challenges and celebrate growth, we can reinforce character-building narratives that support not only positive behaviors but the belief systems that underlie those behavior choices.

In the movie, Anxiety begins to hijack Riley in the teen years, and we are reminded of the out-of-control thoughts and feelings that can be part of the transition to adulthood. Many of our campers and young adult staff are living in that reality, yet the camp experience can help them develop tools for pausing and centering (as Riley does in the penalty box in Inside Out 2). Narratives like “I am a beloved child of God,” and “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine” can make space for different self-understandings and fresh choices. Community practices of grace, forgiveness, and encouragement can support campers and leaders alike in developing the kind of character God created us for.

Near the end of Inside Out 2, Joy reminds Anxiety that “you don’t get to choose who Riley is.” We don’t get to choose who our campers are or who they will become. However, our camp’s culture can model and invite a healthy sense of self and positive beliefs that reinforce good behavior and character development. We are all created in God’s image. God made humans and called them good. Together, let’s practice living that identity and helping one another embrace our intrinsic goodness.

Rev. David Berkey

Co-Project Coordinator

2026 UMCRM Character at Camp Initiative

It’s late January 2026, the last full day of our retreat to kick off planning the 2027 National Gathering. The team is about ten of us - a mixture of UMCRM staff, board members, and the National Gathering leadership chairs. We’ve spent the week filling lots of giant sticky notes with ideas and options and visions; they coat every surface of our meeting space. Every surface except the windows behind us that look out over Lake Tahoe.  

Lake Tahoe was formed from the uplift of mountains on the east and west sides, while another smaller block slipped down and the north end filled with lava.  Over time, snowmelt and rain filled the basin, creating Lake Tahoe, one of our country’s most beautiful alpine lakes. I can’t really wrap my head around that amount of change, not with my small life.

It’s a good reminder that change is a constant in this life – whether it’s the camp budget this year or the formation of these mountains two million years ago.

At our midday break, I trot down to the waterfront with Ryan, the Hospitality Chair, in my swimmies and a hoodie. Ryan has convinced me that a cold plunge is a good idea. I'd said I’d do it earlier this week, and I’m not really one to back out of something like a cold plunge (even if I am questioning my life choices currently).  

On the count of three, we run in, and then as soon as my head comes out of the water, I am hooping and hollering, while Ryan bears the cold a little more stoically. We raise our hands in the air for a quick photo from our friends on the dock, and we run out. We high five and walk gingerly over the pebble beach towards our cabin where a warm shower awaits.

On the other side, we are new. 

There are moments like this all through life. It wasn’t just the cold plunge, but the week of planning, too. The time together shapes us anew. As camp leaders, we all know this. Community is formed first in the small moments: sharing a meal or sitting next to each other at the camp fire. But then it’s the big moments – the cold plunges – that solidify that something has changed.

I have found this sense of community over and over again in camp ministry. You have, too, I’m guessing, or you wouldn’t be doing work that asks so many hours and so much energy. In the last many years, the community that has most captured me is at these National Gatherings. These are the friends that I go to when the entire landscape changes.

Come join us January 24-28, 2027 at Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center for a time to connect with old friends and new. Learn more and register!

Hope Montgomery is Assistant Director at Camp Magruder, Oregon. She's a singer-songwriter, artist, and, along with Jeff Wilson from Camp Lake Stephens (MS), is bringing her creative spirit as co-Chair of the 2027 UMCRM National Gathering Design Team. 

Summer staff training season is here. Across the country, camp and retreat leaders are preparing worship spaces, finalizing schedules, organizing supplies, praying over cabins, and welcoming young leaders who will soon help shape the spiritual lives of campers. There is excitement in this season, but also weight. Camp communities are formed quickly, and the culture that staff create in the first days of training often becomes the culture campers experience all summer long.

Most camp leaders care deeply about creating spaces where people feel welcomed, valued, and safe. Yet hospitality is deeper than friendliness alone. Christian community asks more of us than simply “being nice.” It invites us to notice who feels seen, who feels left out, whose voices are centered, and how our everyday actions shape belonging.

Recently, UMC’s General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) released a helpful resource exploring the difference between overt and covert racism. The resource offers language for recognizing both visible and subtle ways exclusion can take shape within Christian community.

For camp and retreat ministries, this conversation matters because camp is such a deeply relational environment. Campers and staff live, worship, eat, laugh, and grow together in close community. The small moments matter. The offhand comments matter. The assumptions matter. The patterns of who is included and who is overlooked matter. Sometimes harm appears in obvious ways. More often, it emerges quietly through habits, assumptions, humor, silence, or unexamined norms that unintentionally communicate who belongs and who does not. For summer staff teams, this conversation does not need to begin with fear or defensiveness. It can begin with curiosity, humility, and a shared commitment to Christian hospitality. 

Camp communities are full of opportunities for belonging — and also opportunities to unintentionally exclude. It may look like:

• assuming a camper is unfamiliar with church or worship practices because of how they look or speak

• joking about names, hair, food, or cultural differences during staff bonding

• consistently choosing the same types of leaders for visible roles like worship, games, or announcements

• labeling some campers as “difficult,” “aggressive,” or “not a good fit” without reflecting on underlying assumptions

• expecting everyone to communicate, worship, or lead in the same way

• allowing “camp traditions” to continue without asking who might feel uncomfortable or unseen within them

Many staff members do not intend harm when these moments happen. That reality is important. But intention alone does not determine impact. Part of leadership development is learning how to recognize the ways our actions affect others and growing in our ability to respond with grace, accountability, and compassion. Camp ministry is uniquely positioned to help young leaders practice these skills because camp communities are immersive, relational, and rooted in shared life together.

Opportunities During Staff Training

Sharing the GCORR resource with your staff may be helpful in framing deeper questions for reflection & discussion. As your summer staff prepare for campers, consider creating space for conversation around questions like these:

• When have you personally experienced genuine belonging in Christian community?

• What are small actions that help people feel welcomed and valued?

• What are behaviors or assumptions that can unintentionally communicate exclusion?

• How do we respond when someone causes harm without intending to?

• What does Christian hospitality require beyond friendliness?

• How can counselors avoid making assumptions about campers’ backgrounds, families, or experiences?

• How do we help create a staff culture where people can speak honestly, learn, and grow together?

These conversations do not need to be perfect to be meaningful. In many cases, the most important step is simply creating intentional space to listen, reflect, and grow together as a community.

At its best, camp ministry helps people encounter the love of God through community. Intentional conversations about belonging and inclusion can help build awareness around the culture and values that are important at your camp.

Christian hospitality is more than welcoming people into our space. It is the ongoing practice of helping people know they are valued within the body of Christ. It asks leaders to pay attention not only to programs and schedules, but also to relationships, culture, and the dignity of every person created in the image of God.

Summer staff will not get everything right this season. None of us do. But camp and retreat ministries have long been places where people learn how to live differently together — with humility, courage, grace, and love. We hope this summer is another opportunity to practice exactly that.

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.

• 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. 

This year UMCRM received 40 grant applications with stated need totaling nearly $280K! $34.9K in funding was available to distribute based on a 5-year average of fund earnings. Sixteen programs that most closely aligned with grant priorities were selected. The UMCRM Association is pleased to announce the 16 recipients of 2026 Solomon Cramer Grant awards:

The Camp Connect Initiative - Mount Shepherd Retreat Center (Western NC)

Camp Connect focuses on removing financial obstacles for youth connected to the Asheboro Housing Authority by providing scholarships for summer camp. This year, the program is achieving a significant milestone by transitioning participants from day camp into a more immersive overnight experience to foster deeper personal growth. Beyond the camp activities, the organization provides financial literacy resources to families to build long-term community sustainability rather than dependency.

Ashley Youth Campers - Camp Lakewood (IN)

This initiative establishes a strategic partnership with a local church in Ashley, Indiana, to bring children from rural, under-resourced backgrounds to a week of summer camp. By coordinating transportation and providing full scholarships, the program ensures that logistics and finances do not prevent local students from experiencing outdoor adventures and spiritual mentorship. Campers participate in a wide range of activities, including ziplining and archery, while being discipled by trained counselors in a Christ-centered environment.

The ABLE Initiative - Camp in the Community (Holston) 

The ABLE Initiative focuses on providing inclusive, community-based day camps for children on the autism spectrum who live in poverty. The program equips staff and high school junior counselors with trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming training to ensure every child feels a sense of belonging. By offering specialized sensory tools and calming supports to all participants, the organization fosters a welcoming environment where accommodations are normalized and no child is singled out.

Traveling Day Camp - Camp Chestnut Ridge (NC)

The Traveling Day Camp is a mobile program that brings the camp experience directly to local United Methodist churches to overcome transportation and language barriers for underserved populations. The initiative specifically targets children from Hispanic communities and families experiencing homelessness, providing them with activities like archery, team building, and worship. This year, the program is expanding to include specific leadership development roles for older campers who have aged out of the traditional participant roles.

The Spirit Community Day Camp - Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center (Eastern PA)

The Spirit Community Day Camp serves the diverse and growing urban population of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, through a partnership with Covenant United Methodist Church. The curriculum is centered on the Wesleyan "The Three Simple Rules" and incorporates daily character traits to help children grow in their faith and personal identity. Additionally, the program supports participants by providing necessary camping supplies to those who wish to transition from this day camp into an overnight experience.

Innabah Day Camp  - Camp Innabah (Eastern PA)

This project provides campership assistance for elementary and middle school students from the Pottstown area who face economic hardships. Participants engage in a safe, welcoming community where they build resilience through daily swimming, nature exploration, and team challenges. By partnering with local school personnel and community leaders, the organization identifies youth who will most benefit from these transformational, faith-centered experiences.

Mission Service Camp - Little Grassy Camp and Retreat Center (Illinois Great Rivers)

The Mission Service Camp Scholarships provide opportunities for youth groups to participate in week-long missions focused on home repair and environmental stewardship. These experiences combine hands-on service with intentional spiritual formation and peer-led leadership training to help participants put their faith into action. The program specifically seeks to empower underserved youth, equipping them with the confidence to return to their home congregations as motivated leaders.

Glisson First Camper Grant Scholarship Fund - North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries

The Glisson First Camper Grant Scholarship Fund is designed to build trust and increase diversity by supporting first-time overnight campers from racial- and ethnic-minority backgrounds. By reserving specific registration blocks and partnering with local minority ministry organizations, the program ensures accessibility during the most popular weeks of the summer. The initiative creates a unique faith environment where young people can build meaningful relationships that transcend racial and ethnic differences.

Leadership Opportunity Through Camp Experiences for Migrant Youth - Ocean Park Camp and Retreat Center (Pacific Northwest)

This pilot program offers a culturally responsive summer camp experience specifically designed for migrant youth from Latino and other underrepresented communities. The initiative features a youth leadership track that includes bilingual orientation, stewardship projects, and outdoor skills workshops to build confidence and identity. Participants engage in hands-on environmental education and practice public speaking by leading peer discussions in both English and Spanish.

Native Roots Camp Initiative - Oklahoma United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministry

The Native Roots Camp Initiative is a new project aimed at expanding camp access for Native American youth representing the various tribal nations in Oklahoma. Through partnerships with indigenous congregations, the program offers culturally attentive and faith-rooted experiences tailored to the participants' backgrounds. The project seeks to foster spiritual leadership and build a lasting community among a population that has historically been underrepresented in traditional camp settings.

Faithful Foundations - Suttle Lake Camp (OR-ID) 

Faithful Foundations is a youth-led retreat program at Suttle Lake Camp that empowers middle and high school students to plan and execute their own spiritual gatherings. The initiative brings together young people from diverse denominations to create a unique ecumenical faith community in an area with low church engagement. By expanding to multiple yearly sessions, the program helps participants grow as Christian leaders while discovering their place in the modern church.

The Bridge Project - Shoal Creek Camp (AR) 

The Bridge Project collaborates with university programs and local churches to offer an enriching outdoor camp experience for children living in poverty. College students and youth serve as trained mentors, guiding campers through activities like swimming, fishing, and Bible study focused on faith development. The initiative removes financial barriers for both the young participants and the student volunteers, fostering a safe environment for personal growth and leadership.

Counselor-in-Training Program - Camp Connect at Epworth By the Sea (South GA)

The Counselor-in-Training Program is a leadership development initiative for graduating high school seniors, particularly those from rural areas with limited access to ministry formation. Participants engage in virtual community building followed by an immersive hands-on residency where they mentor elementary campers and explore their own vocational callings. This bridge program is designed to equip the next generation of staff and church leaders with the practical and spiritual skills needed for lifelong service.

Urban Methodist Youth Camp - United Methodist Urban Youth Alliance (MI)

The Urban Methodist Youth Camp provides a week-long, faith-based experience for urban youth from underserved and low-income neighborhoods. Campers participate in intensive skill tracks, such as arts or wellness, alongside leadership workshops and spiritual formation activities like daily worship and small groups. This flagship program serves as a gateway to year-round engagement, connecting young people to ongoing Bible studies and community service projects.

Care & Connect  - Westview on the James (VA)

The Care & Connect initiative provides supplemental funds to families from urban and rural areas who need financial assistance to enroll their children in summer camp. The program specifically reaches out to families who learn about the camp outside of traditional church networks and ensures that all recipients receive an identical experience to their peers. By maintaining privacy regarding who receives funding, the organization ensures that children from lower-income households are fully integrated into the camp community without stigma.

If you’ve felt like there have been more surveys than usual this spring, you’re right. And it’s not by accident.

This is a season of listening. Across UMCRM, we are paying close attention to what leaders are experiencing, where ministry is thriving, and where there are real challenges. We are gathering insight that will shape how we support you, how we advocate for camp and retreat ministry, and how we move forward together in the years ahead. But none of that happens without your voice.

Every survey you complete is more than a data point. It’s a way of strengthening your leadership and contributing to something that reaches far beyond your own site. The information we gather becomes the benchmarks you can use in conversations with boards and conference leaders. It becomes the foundation for new tools, training, and resources that are grounded in real experience. It becomes the story we tell about the impact of camp and retreat ministry when we are seeking support, building partnerships, and advocating for this work across the denomination.

This spring, each survey has been focused on a different part of that shared story. The Character at Camp work is helping us better understand how formation is actually taking shape in our settings and how we can be more intentional in nurturing it. The Salary & Compensation Survey is giving us a clearer picture of sustainability, equity, and what it takes to support healthy leadership over time. As we move into the summer, the Effective Camp Project will invite campers at 36 sites to share their experiences, offering us one of the most meaningful ways to articulate the impact of what happens at camp.

Taken together, this is not random. It’s a coordinated effort to see more clearly, speak more confidently, and lead more effectively. This particular moment matters. We are in the middle of new research initiatives, strengthened partnerships, and a strategic planning process that will guide UMCRM’s direction for the next several years. The insights gathered right now will directly influence what is prioritized, what is developed, and where resources are invested. Your perspective helps ensure that what comes next is grounded in reality, not assumption.

That’s why we want to give you a heads up about what’s coming next.

On Monday, you will receive the UMCRM Strategic Planning Survey. This is one of the most important opportunities to shape the future of our work together. The direction we take over the next three to four years will be informed by what you and other leaders across the network share in this moment.

We know your time is limited. We also know that requests like this can feel like just one more thing in an already full season. But even a few minutes of thoughtful input makes a meaningful difference. In many cases, these surveys can be completed quickly, and some may be appropriate to share with others on your team. All responses are used in ways that help us see the bigger picture so that what we build reflects the collective experience of the whole community. Just as importantly, we are committed to sharing what we learn and how it shapes what we do.

Thank you for the ways you continue to show up not only in your own ministry, but in your willingness to contribute to something larger. This is one of the ways we lead together, and your voice truly matters.

Like so many of you, I have found myself glued to the updates from the Artemis II mission and the crew aboard the Integrity. There’s something magnetic about space. It's that curiosity and unknown that spark childlike wonder. I’ve felt like a kid again eagerly awaiting new pictures and updates: seeing the excitement of the crew as they orbited the moon, glimpsing a perspective of the universe we can't see from Earth, and venturing further than humans have gone before. 

I’ve been struck this week by the crew’s presence in each moment. They look ahead on their journey, yet fully savor the “moonjoy” along the way. Space travel has a way of showing us what it’s like to encounter something vast and unfamiliar, to see differently, and to return changed. 

We may not have zero-gravity fun or cool space suits, but isn’t this process exactly what we aim to provide at our camps? The chance to explore the unfamiliar, reshape our perspective, and return transformed.

When our team sat down to contemplate our theme and vision for our next National Gathering, we spent time trying to describe this. That shifting from where you are to where you want to go. We wondered if a conference can give you all of the answers to make that shift for you. Plot twist- it can't. But what CAN happen is time in community, contemplating what’s to come, celebrating where we’ve been and what we’ve been through, and stepping into something new. This something new isn't fully defined or mapped- we are on our journey to see what’s on the far side of our metaphorical moon, and we hope that in taking time to wonder and experience awe together, this shift starts to happen within us all. 

You're invited to Uplift with us next January at Zephyr Point, to look across Lake Tahoe to the surrounding mountains and take it all in. Mountains themselves carry the story of transformation: triangular peaks shaped over time by forces above and below, revealing change in visible form. There’s a rhythm and pattern to it. A mountain’s triangular peak even resembles a delta—the symbol for change. How poetic is that? Standing in awe of the mountains, we are lifted spiritually and reminded that change is forward momentum, upward movement.

Plan to Uplift and explore the shape of change as our UMCRM community makes space for curiosity, to dream about what’s next, and to launch toward the unknown.

More to come,

Audrey

Audrey LeSage’s camp story began as a Glisson (North GA) camper, then summer staffer (2014-18) and Intern (2018-19) and has grown into a full-circle career in camp ministry. Audrey holds a Bachelor’s in Outdoor Recreation from Central Michigan University and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University. After a few years working with a disability services nonprofit in Atlanta, she returned to the Glisson year-round team in 2021 where she currently serves as Outpost & Sparrowwood Program Director. When she’s not at camp, Audrey can be found hiking the trails of North Georgia, playing trumpet in her community band, coaching adaptive swim team, or getting very invested in the current season of Survivor. Audrey is one of the nine illustrious Design Team volunteers who are planning the 2027 UMCRM National Gathering.

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.

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!

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.