2020 Conference Session: Cultural Mindfulness

Cultural Mindfulness is an attempt to personally become more aware of the thoughts and feelings of those around you as it relates to race, gender, identity, etc. We will begin to lay the groundwork for understanding and communication amongst ourselves which will lead into interactive sessions. Cultural Mindfulness is a process that starts with having the conversation.

Presented by: Douglas Sutherland has been in the summer camp world for 20 years. He is currently the Executive Director of Brantwood Camp in Greenfield, NH. He has presented at camp conferences, training workshops, and organizations. Doug is looking forward to watching his young daughter grow in the camp industry.

2020 Conference Session: The 3 R’s of Reparations

Reparations is a topic mired in misunderstanding and controversy. It creates discomfort. For some, an unexpected sense of animosity arises when it is discussed. This workshop is intended to provide an opportunity to talk about the issue of reparations on an intimate level, beyond stereotypical associations, and to dismantle myths often associated with the idea of reparations. Using the model of a three-legged stool, we will break down reparations into three Rs, exploring the importance of restoration, restitution, and reconciliation.

Presented by: The Rev. Canon Christine (Chris) L. McCloud is the Canon for Mission. Prior to her call to the Diocese of Maryland, she was the founder and Executive Director of Turning Point Community Services in Irvington NJ, an agency that provides emergency housing and supportive services to homeless women and children. Chris has spent nearly thirty years working in the not-for-profit sector in the development of special needs housing and job training programs for formerly incarcerated individuals. Coming from the Diocese of Newark, Chris was the Archdeacon for Administration and Formation, deacon-in-charge of Church of the Holy Innocents in W. Orange NJ and a spiritual advisor for the Diocese of NY Episcopal Cursillo program. She is also a veteran of the USAF where she was a Law Enforcement Specialist. Chris was honored as the Tactical Air Command’s Law Enforcement Specialist, 1st Term Airman of the Year in 1984.

2020 Conference Session: Way of Love/Becoming Beloved Community Roundtable

Share your ideas and resources at this round table on integrating the Way of Love and Becoming Beloved Community at camps and conference centers. Facilitator Miriam McKenney will share a process she’s developed using story to engage people with the Way of Love to enter into the challenging work of racial healing and reconciliation.

Presented by: Miriam McKenney finds extreme joy parenting her three girls: Nia, 24; Kaia, 19; and Jaiya, 16. She and her husband, David, met at the Union of Black Episcopalians conference in 1981. Miriam serves as Development Director at Forward Movement and Youth Minister at Calvary Episcopal Church in Cincinnati. She was a children’s librarian and school media specialist for 20 years before joining Forward Movement’s staff. She loves to evangelize about her love of outdoor fitness, even in extreme temperatures — as there is no bad weather, just incorrect clothing choices.

2020 Conference Session: Connecting the Dots: Your Mission and Your Story

Forward Movement’s mission is to inspire disciples and empower evangelists. Let’s strategize about the best ways to tell the story of your organization by reconnecting with your mission. Miriam will share research on how communication works in the brain and how we can use that information to tell the story our constituents need to hear.

Presented by: Miriam McKenney finds extreme joy parenting her three girls: Nia, 24; Kaia, 19; and Jaiya, 16. She and her husband, David, met at the Union of Black Episcopalians conference in 1981. Miriam serves as Development Director at Forward Movement and Youth Minister at Calvary Episcopal Church in Cincinnati. She was a children’s librarian and school media specialist for 20 years before joining Forward Movement’s staff. She loves to evangelize about her love of outdoor fitness, even in extreme temperatures — as there is no bad weather, just incorrect clothing choices.

2020 Conference Session: How Not to Get Sued - And - How to Win If You Are: The Lessons Learned By A Camp Safety Expert Witness

The ACA Hot Line provides seasonal feedback to camp operators about emerging issues; similarly, we will look at some liability cases brought against camp and conference centers. TCDI has taken the 100+ cases we have provided expert witness services for and refined them to share the lessons learned with owners and operators of day camps, residential camps, retreat and conference centers. Few of these lawsuits reach a jury and public review; settlements are often subject to non-disclosure restrictions putting the critical causal factors of an incident behind court gag orders. TCDI reviewed these cases and we'll bring the analytics refined to a "What went wrong" level.

Somewhere between Perry Mason and My Cousin Vinny, we believe sharing this overview is an important opportunity for decision-makers and leaders in our camp community to have. The health, safety, and wellbeing of our campers, staff, and guests should be at the forefront of our operations.

2020 Conference Session: Retirement Readiness Workshop

Church Pension Group (CPG) is committed to helping lay employees prepare for retirement – even when the retirement date could be many years away! In this workshop, led by Larry Dresner, you will learn the concepts, strategies, tools, and resources to help your financial wellbeing. If you’re unsure of the when, how, and what of improving secure your financial future, this workshop can help!

Presented by Larry Dresner: Larry has been a financial planner for over 26 years and is a registered tax return preparer. He is an author, columnist, and speaker. His book is titled Personal Finance for Clergy. His articles have appeared in Financial Planning Magazine, the Journal of Practical Estate Planning, the Electronic Accountant, local newspapers, and web sites. He taught adult education courses and gave seminars at various seminaries in the New York City area. He served as a board member on his congregation's Executive Committee, Board of Trustees, and was the investment manager for their endowment fund. Larry is a member of several financial industry organizations including the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and National Association of Tax Professionals. (NATP).

2020 Conference Plenary: Parity & Equity in Pension Benefits, a Listening Session with Church Pension Group

The Church Pension Group (CPG) is very pleased to be with the ECCC at this conference. In 2018, at the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, the Church Pension group was asked to make several reports back to the church at the 80th General Convention in 2021. As a part of the report requested about parity and equity in pension benefits across the church, we at CPG have been holding listening events with as many different groups as possible in order to have all voices and ideas represented. We will use our time with the group to get your particular input on this issue in order to strengthen our report. Thank you for this opportunity to be with you and to listen to you.

Facilitated by: The Rev'd. Clayton Crawley is Executive Vice President and Chief Church Relations Officer for the Church Pension Group (CPG). He is responsible for strengthening CPG’s ties with the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, General Convention, and other groups and stakeholders around the Church. He joined CPG in 1999. Previously, Fr. Crawley led CPG’s technology program and served as Chief Information Officer. Prior to this, he was the Associate Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church, Palo Alto, California. He has more than 25 years of ordained ministry experience and currently serves as a non-stipendiary priest at St. Bartholomew's Parish and Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City. He holds an MDiv from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific.

2020 Conference Session: Bootstrapping Improvements

Is it a struggle to come up with the money needed to run programs and make payroll?  Does addressing deferred maintenance at your camp or conference center seem out of reach?  Could there be a way to do both with the resources that you already have?  If there is, would you want to know how to do it?  Attend this session and leave with ideas and methodologies to help you turn the corner from surviving to thriving.

Presented by Steve Rumage. Steve is a graduate of Purdue University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Resource Administration. During college he worked at the Boy Scouts of America Philmont Scout Ranch, a 216 square-mile high adventure property in northern New Mexico. He was recruited into the executive ranks of the Boy Scouts of America and served in positions of increasing responsibility during a 27-year career during which he directed and managed a total of 15 different camps. During that period, Steve authored the Learning for Life Outdoor Education Program for the BSA which became a model program for BSA councils across the country. Although the BSA always treated camp as an additional responsibility, it was the element of his work he enjoyed most. Steve transitioned to full-time work in Christian camping in 2005 and has directed Christian-affiliated Camps and Conference Centers in Maine, Oregon, and currently serves as the Executive Director at the Episcopal Conference Center in Oakhurst, CA.

2020 Conference Session: What Does Faith Formation Look, Sound and Feel Like?

What does faith formation look like, sound like, and feel like at our individual camps and conference centers? What makes it go? What are our challenges, concerns, or fears? Take a deep(er) dive into the nuts and bolts of four components of faith formation (awe/wonder, Christian education, discipleship, and worship) as we explore topics like:

• As an executive or program director, are my spiritual needs met? Am I ready to lead (or to lead those who are leading) faith formation at my camp?

• Are our staff hiring, training, and nurturing practices supporting our faith formation goals?

• What am I most proud of in our formation goals and practices? What could we do differently?

• What are the faith formation resources available to camp and conference centers (individuals, curriculum, organizations, etc.)?

Presented by Beth Bojarski and Lisa Kimball, from research they recently conducted on behalf of Virginia Theological Seminary

2020 Conference Plenary: Speaking the Same Language: Faith Formation Across the Church

A collaborative and experiential plenary, join bishops and diocesan leaders to brainstorm, discuss and dream about faith formation at camps and conference centers and its connection to the ecology of lifelong formation within the larger church. What are our current contributions? Challenges? How might we build relationships within our dioceses and the national church? What are the benefits of such connections (and are there disadvantages)?

Facilitated by: Lisa Kimball and Beth Bojarski and rooted in recent research on faith formation and Episcopal camps by Virginia Theological Seminary, this plenary will be highly engaging and content-rich. We need your voice and perspective!

2020 Conference Session: Harvesting Abundance: Agrarian Ministry in the Episcopal Church

This workshop will share best practices, ideas and inspiration for camps and conference centers that want to share the Way of Love through God’s good creation and abundance. Our orchard and field of exploration will be creation care and agrarian ministries of the Episcopal Church, Anglican Communion and beyond. It will also provide liturgical resources for food, agriculture and stewardship of creation. It will provide examples of agrarian work and prayer - ora et labora. We will do some indoor planting and plant blessings. We will also sample local Episco-pickles, Anglican-okra, Parish-preserves, Camp-jam and Cathedral-honey.

Presented by: Brian Sellers-Petersen currently serves in two roles, Missioner for Agrarian Ministry for the Diocese of Olympia and Senior Advisor for the Society for the Increase of the Ministry.. Up until 2018, Brian spent 30 years working for faith-based organizations engaged in international relief and development. From 2000-2018 he worked in a variety of positions with Episcopal Relief & Development. He was at the center of helping the organization grow from a small denominational organization to a global NGO that works in partnership with Episcopal, Anglican and ecumenical bodies including countless grassroots civil society organizations in over 40 countries. Prior to work with Episcopal Relief & Development he worked with World Vision; Bread for the World; All Saints Episcopal, Pasadena; and the Student Christian Association of South Africa. Brian is the author of Harvesting Abundance: Local Initiatives of Food and Faith published by Church Publishing Inc.

2020 Conference Session: Setting Boundaries for Life and Work Balance

Boundaries? Balance? Does the idea of having either make you laugh, yearn, or cry? While the idea of a balanced life may seem like an oxymoron in the world of camp and conference ministry, it is imperative that we keep boundaries for the health of ourselves, our families, and our organizations. In this workshop, we'll discuss ideas, skills, and tricks that will change mindsets and pave the way for a more balanced life.

Presented by: Lauri SoJourner, Executive Director, Lake Logan

2020 Conference Session: Community Rules: Leading & Living the Gospel in Christian Community

Churches and other church-related organizations are divinely intended communities representing the body of Christ on earth, and yet leading and living in them can be hard work. In this session we will engage with some of the forty-eight simple Community Rules and consider tangible ways of implementing them within our various communities. We will explore tangible ways in which the Rules can be used as a means of creating, nurturing and sustaining Christian communities where the values of the Gospel are present and evident in our actions and interactions.

Presented by: Katie Glover serves as Vice President for Administration and Institutional Effectiveness, and Secretary of the Corporation at Virginia Theological Seminary. She oversees governance, human resources, communications, hospitality and the childcare center and teaches in the areas of governance and parish administration. She is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, and George Mason University, where she earned a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in non-profit management. Glover is a certified senior professional by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and is co-author of the book Community Rules. Glover is a member of the board of trustees for the Claggettt Center and serves as the chair of the Governance Committee for the In Trust Center, strengthening theological schools by connecting their leaders to essential resources for mission vitality.

2020 Conference Session: Setting Visions: Making Dreams Come True, Removing Limits & Staying Grounded in Reality

Your vision is crystal clear to you: but can others visualize and understand your dream? Every beautiful dream needs a quality plan that is realistic, exciting and attainable. Come to this two-part workshop to learn how to create, implement and evaluate strategic plans.

Presented by: Stuart Campbell & Rob Watson

2020 Conference Session: Creative Center Fundraising

This session is an opportunity to hear from Gravatt, Lake Logan, and Shrine Mont about non-traditional methods of fundraising, including special events, from fly fishing tournaments to music festivals.

Panelists: Kirk Gibson, Scott McNeeley, Lauri SoJourner

2020 Conference Session: Summer Staff Exchange Program

2019 was the kick-off year for an ECCC staff exchange program. Funded by a grant from the Episcopal Church’s Office of Formation, this program aims to:

• Cultivate a new generation of Episcopal camping and retreat ministry leaders

• Strengthen programs around the network with fresh ideas and energy

• Broaden our programs’ hiring pools

• Pursue ways of diversifying our camps’ staffs

• Lovingly support young adult staff moving “out of the nest.”

• Pay summer staff a fair wage

• Make Episcopal camping leadership a visible, productive, and rewarding ministry path.

In this session, we’ll discuss the process, successes, and challenges of the program, and introduce an ECCC-wide Staff Exchange Program.

2020 Conference Session: Executive Director & Board Chair Partnerships -- It's Not Just About Roles. It's About Relationships.

Camps and conference centers are inherently collaborative. Executive Directors must work hand-in-hand with the board chair to provide the comprehensive leadership the business requires — for both management and governance of the organization. Each person in this partnership was chosen for their unique skills and leadership abilities and they can accomplish great things working together. However, there are many things that can stand in the way of a good partnership — from differences in communication style to unnamed or unmet expectations. This workshop will explore the roles and responsibilities of the Board Chair and Executive Director, and how to help manage the complexities of their relationship.

Presented by: Joanne Kovac-Roberts has been the Executive Director of St. Crispin’s Conference Center + Camp since 2011. As a past camper, counselor, and Director at various camps, a therapist for a domestic violence shelter, and an Executive Director of a Child Advocacy Center and Court Appointed Special Advocates Program, Joanne has over 25 years experience working with children, youth, and families. She also has experience in two successful capital campaigns, board development, organization assessments, grant writing, consulting, and program development.

2020 Conference Session: Let Me Tell You a Story -- How to Engage Your Audience & Share Your Mission with Lasting Impact

You shouldn't take this workshop. Unless...you believe your camp or conference center makes a powerful impact. In fact, you can stop reading right now. Unless...like Doug, you believe sharing the story of your Ministry and Mission is one of the most important things we do as leaders. In this workshop, you'll look at real-world examples from classic literature, movies, television, sports marketing, and social media, while exploring how to more effectively engage your audience -- campers, parents, staff, congregations, donors -- and strengthen the impact of your messaging. You'll take home easy to implement tips, tricks, and best practices from the fields of psychology, communications, marketing, and fundraising you can put to work, right away, in your speaking engagements, presentations, written appeals, newsletters, and social media posts.

Presented by: Doug Walters serves as the Executive Director of Camp Hanover, a Presbyterian Summer Camp and Retreat Center located in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Before joining the Camp Hanover team in 2012, Doug served for over a decade in a variety of leadership roles at various PC(USA) summer camps, and as a board member of the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association. Doug is a graduate of Ithaca College, whose career path tended toward broadcast journalism before following a call into full-time camp ministry in 1998. Doug resides at Camp Hanover with his wife Lynn and their three children.

2020 Conference Session: Managing the Marathon -- Long Careers in Camp/Retreat Ministries (Panel)

Hear from panelists who are leaders in the ECCC network who have dedicated 15+ years to their work and ministry. Maintaining a healthy work/life balance, dedication, self-care, and professional decision-making are all essentials to a long-term career in camp and retreat ministry. This panel will provide a thorough "how-to" from experienced executive leaders.

Facilitated by: Brad Thompson, Executive Director of St. Columba in Memphis, Tennessee

Announcing ECCC Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Scholarships

Since 1989, ECCC’s commitment to developing leaders has been core to who we are and what we do. With your generous support, each year we raise money to offer scholarships for the Annual Conference, and our other educational events.

To expand these efforts, we are excited to announce the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) scholarship program. This program will support continuing education for leaders from historically underrepresented demographics in Christian camping and retreat ministry.

This program aims to provide an opportunity for professional growth, while advancing the cause of Episcopal camping and retreat ministry, and fostering deep, authentic representation and inclusion within our community.

In partnership with the Claggett Center and Diocese of Maryland, for 2020, ECCC will offer five full scholarships and 20 partial scholarships (accommodations and meals; the remaining balance will be $200) to the Annual Conference.

These scholarships are available to self-identifying members of underrepresented or marginalized populations, currently serving, or interested in serving, in rising leadership positions at an Episcopal summer camp, retreat center, or conference center. We invite you to consider with intentionality the members of your staff and community who may be interested in, contribute to, and benefit from attending ECCC’s Annual Conference, and support them in applying and attending.

You are eligible to apply for an EDI scholarship if you identify as a member of an underrepresented group including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identification, or are a non-native English speaker.

We acknowledge that showing up to spaces occupied by those from primarily more dominant groups can be challenging and vulnerable for marginalized or otherwise under-represented populations. Scholarship recipients will not be asked to serve as “ambassador” for any population, or an educator of others. Scholarship recipients are encouraged to focus on getting the most out of their ECCC conference experience and have no special duties or obligations. All first-time attendees will have the option to be paired with a repeat attendee.

Scholarship applications must be received by November 1. Award notifications will be sent by November 15.