In the spring of 2022, the UMCRM Association received word that it was granted one million dollars from an anonymous family foundation to distribute to United Methodist Camps & Retreat Ministries in the U.S. The goal of the gift was to enable individual sites and ministries to take one significant step in the 2022 calendar year toward long-term impact and sustainability. What a joy to be invited to invest in a thriving future for camping and retreats in the United Methodist tradition! As nonprofit organizations, many of the 183 UM-affiliated sites in our network do big things with small dollars, creatively stretching shoestring budgets while continuing to innovate to meet the needs of today’s youth, families, church, and communities, maintain and develop historic properties, and support the church’s transformational mission. As camps and retreats rally to return from Covid shutdowns, minister with a changing church, and provide sacred places of renewal in challenging times, it is rare to be invited to dream big and imagine what might be possible for our ministries’ future. The 2022 Ministry Impact Grant was just that invitation.
We have been sharing the stories of completed Ministry Impact grant projects over on the UMCRM blog:
- Announcement of Grant Awards
- Wesley Woods (IA) & Sea Islands (SC)
- Camp Don Lee (NC), Wanakee (NH), and Allegheny (PA)
- West River (MD), Beersheba Springs (TN), and Westview On the James (VA)
- Lakeside (KS), Gretna Glen (PA), Lakeshore (TN), Wesley Woods (MI), Lake Lucerne (WI), and Shoal Creek (AR)
- Ceta Canyon (TX), Lake Huron (MI), Chippewa (KS), and Casowasco (UNY)
- Mount Shepherd (NC), Baltimore-Washington Conference, Aldersgate (RI), Flathead Lake (MT) and Tekoa (NC)
- Aldersgate (KY), Asbury Retreat (NY), Bay Shore (MI), Mountain Sky Conference Camps (CO) and Camp Lodestar (CA)
- Alton L. Collins (OR), Aldersgate (NY), Egan (OK), Lake Tahoe (CA), and East Bay (IL)
- Blue Lake (AL), Butman (TX), Wesley Acres (ND), Twinlow (ID), Sky Lake (NY)
- Cal Pac Conference (CA), Chestnut Ridge (NC), Camp Horizon, (KS), Mechuwana (ME), Lake Junaluska (NC)
- Ocean Park (WA), Uskichitto (LA), Olmsted Manor (PA), Mount Eagle (AR), Luccock Park (MT)
- Urban Camp (MI), Upper NY, Susquehanna Conference (PA), Rolling Ridge (MA), Loucon (KY)
- Wisconsin Conference, Camp Dickenson (VA), Camp In the Community (Holston Conference), Camp Magruder (OR), and Canyon Camp (OK)
- Camp Tanako (AR), Wesley Pines (MS), Wesley Woods (TN), Carson Simpson Farm (E.PA), and Epworth By The Sea (S.GA)
- Camp Koronis (MN), Glen Lake Camp (TX), Camp Innabah (PA), Little Grassy Camp (IL) Lake Poinsett Camp (SD)