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

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 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.

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!

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:

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
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 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!

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! 

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. 

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.

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.  

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.