Last winter, 2024, when our board of directors held its annual retreat at Highland, we began by sharing our own camp stories and dreams for Highland. As each person shared, the common thread was so clear, our experiences as summer staff at a Christian Retreat Center profoundly formed us.
Some experiences took place at Highland while others took place at Spruce Lake and Laurelville. They all centered around the special community that was formed while serving Christ at a Christian camp. We recognized the many ways God used the camp community to shape us into our adult years: our Christian faith, our leadership abilities, our parenting skills, our commitment to the church. It was no coincidence that we found ourselves around the same circle, serving Christ as board members at a Christian Camp.
At the Highland Banquet last November board members Rachel Stutzman and Brad Kolb shared this story so well. They emphasized the Highland Board’s resolve to prioritize the staff experience in effort of building lifelong commitments to Jesus Christ, camp ministry and the church. Program Director, Dean Williams followed by sharing his joy in the way God uses Highland in the lives of young adults, and his desire to make sure we care for our staff. He then announced moving to a shorter week of camp where most campers depart on Thursday early evening rather than Friday afternoon.
Having healthy, well-rested staff to care for children year after year is our goal, Dean shared. After campers depart, staff will have time, while at camp, to worship together, enjoy peer relationships and do the necessary weekly chores and meetings at a relaxed pace. There will now be margin between summer camp departures and weekend church groups arrivals, so everyone can breathe easier on Fridays. Camp staff will still work from Sunday to Friday, but they will wrap up Friday by 3pm to enjoy a longer weekend AND their weekly salaries will modestly increase.
The Highland Board has identified formation as one of three strategic priorities for the next years. A focus on formation led to this major schedule change and other decisions such as creating a new camp week (Navigators) focused on Christian leadership development, committing to a summer pastoral role for staff, and continuing the intern partnership with VMMissions. We look forward to seeing how that priority shapes the ministry of Highland Retreat in the years to come!