Outdoor Ministries Summit

ALLENSPARK, CO —The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) held an Outdoor Ministries Summit in September at Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Allenspark, Colorado. Member denominations in the NCC sent representatives to participate in the summit, organized by the NCC's Committee on Outdoor Ministries (COM). Jen Burch was asked to attend on behalf of ACA‐RAC (Religiously‐Affiliated Camps). More than thirty participants represented the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren, Episcopal Church (USA), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church. 

The purpose of the Summit was to discuss the future of outdoor ministries in the United States and to explore opportunities for denominations to collaborate. Each day, a primary topic was discussed in large and small group settings. Those topics were "Sustaining Our Ministry Through Cooperation," "Program Resourcing," and "Leadership Development." The keynote speaker on the first day was Kathy Trotter of Kaleidoscope, Inc., who spoke about sustainability and gave participants some thought‐provoking ideas and trends to consider. The next day focused on NCC‐COM's ecumenical curriculum offerings. Jenny Youngman, the new editor for New Earth Outdoor Resources, met with participants to discern needs and innovations for curriculum resources.

The Leadership Development conversation centered on training and certification opportunities for camp ministry leaders offered by various denominations. Most of the offerings would be relevant to leaders from other Christian denominations and beyond. Participants explored ways to make resources more ecumenical and more widely available. 

Chad Hershberger, executive director of Camp Mount Luther, Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, attended the Summit as one of five representatives for the ELCA. Hershberger said the experience sparked new ideas and new ways of working together.

"In the future, this summit experience will be pointed to as a turning point in ecumenical relations when it comes to camp and retreat ministry. All the participants started thinking outside the box on ways we at a local, regional, and national level could start to partner and work together for a common goal. The discussions held during that week in Colorado provided a framework for how we all move forward together," Hershberger said. 

Camp Mount Luther has already begun working ecumenically. For the past five years, the camp, the Upper Susquehanna Synod, ELCA; and the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania have partnered to offer a joint summer camping week for both Lutherans and Episcopalians. That successful partnership will expand in the coming year to include a senior high week and a second‐season cooperative venture.