The Busy "Off Season"

Camp and Retreat Ministries

Rev. Mary Thompson Executive Director of Camp & Retreat Ministries

POB 850 Alcoa, TN 37701

(423) 667-8269

marythompson@holston.org

While serving in a local congregation, I remember having a parishioner tell me that “I must be very bored when it wasn’t Sunday and I didn’t have anything to do.” While the comment was made sincerely, it also showed a deep unawareness about what ministers do day-in and day-out. I have found in camping ministry that many have a hard time wrapping their minds around what it is our Camp & Retreat Ministries staff do when it is not summer. You may have wondered the same thing! I hope you will find this update from Camp & Retreat Ministry to be informative and maybe even a little reassuring that you aren’t the only one busy on your “days-off.”

“Spreading joy and hope feels especially important right now.” That was one of many powerful things shared with Holston Camp Directors at Lake Junaluska the week of November 10 th . It was shared by author, entrepreneur and speaker Joan Garry. The Holston Camp Directors and I were fortunate enough to receive continuing education at the largest ever camp gathering aptly named The Great Gathering. Shane Claiborne, Barbara Brown Taylor, Joan Garry, and Luke Powery were among the many speakers. It was a windy and cold time at Lake Junaluska (see picture to fully understand how windy it was); however, we found our hearts strangely warmed from the time we had to get away at a retreat center and soak up new ideas, fellowship together, and to be reminded that we are not alone in our work. We left inspired. Aren’t retreat centers (and God) great for that?! Having just finished the Advent season at your congregation, I pray that you feel recharged to continue to spread joy and hope in your church and community. I know we at our camps feel emboldened to stand beside you in your ministry.

“Spreading joy and hope feels especially important right now.” That was one of many powerful things shared with Holston Camp Directors at Lake Junaluska the week of November 10th . It was shared by author, entrepreneur and speaker Joan Garry. The Holston Camp Directors and I were fortunate enough to receive continuing education at the largest ever camp gathering aptly named The Great Gathering. Shane Claiborne, Barbara Brown Taylor, Joan Garry, and Luke Powery were among the many speakers. It was a windy and cold time at Lake Junaluska (see picture to fully understand how windy it was); however, we found our hearts strangely warmed from the time we had to get away at a retreat center and soak up new ideas, fellowship together, and to be reminded that we are not alone in our work. We left inspired. Aren’t retreat centers (and God) great for that?! Having just finished the Advent season at your congregation, I pray that you feel recharged to continue to spread joy and hope in your church and community. I know we at our camps feel emboldened to stand beside you in your ministry.

Besides attending The Great Gathering in November, our camp staff had 6 Board of Directors meetings in the span of just a few weeks. Our final meeting occurred November 22-23 at Camp Dickenson. During this two day meeting, the CRM Board of Directors met with Camp Directors, Camp Board Chairs, Cabinet Representative

(Hugh Kilgore) and the Director of Connectional Ministries (Mike Sluder) to hear year-end reports and approve our 6 operational budgets for 2020. You may be surprised to learn that for 2020 our combined operational budgets for CRM will be about $2.6 million. Our camps receive about $500,000 from Holston Conference but raise over $2 million each year through fundraising and revenue generating efforts like summer camp, outdoor education, and retreats.

In addition to our operational budget, the camps fundraise about $1 million annually to continue our capital projects (see pictures of Camp Lookout’s new cabin and Camp Bays Mountain’s new Welcome Center). As you can imagine, those efforts take up a fair amount of our time. But we consider ourselves to be very fortunate that in our “off-season,” we have ministries that need our time and attention. So whether you read this article during the busy Christmas Season or during Ordinary Time, I hope you hear us say that we see you. We see you busy doing God’s work in every season and on every day and we appreciate you.

New Cabin Under Construction at Camp Lookout

Holston Camp Directors: (left to right)Anthony Gomez—Camp Dickenson, Whitney Winston–Camp in the Community, Rev. Mary Thompson—Holston Camp & Retreat Executive, Rev. Jeff Wadley—Camp Bays Mountain, Rev. Tony Lea — Camp Wesley Woods, Rev. Don Washburn—Camp Lookout (not pictured)

Anderson Welcome Center at Camp Bays Mountain

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