Written by Rev. Tina Heck
UCCR Director of Reservations & Communications

You may be considering sending your child to camp this summer. Perhaps you are a teenager or young adult looking for camp experience over your summer break. There are many residential camp opportunities available in the United States. Non-profit organizations such as 4-H, the YMCA, and Scouts all provide summer day camps and residential camps. Many private camps are also available to youth of all ages.  

Church camps are among the most plentiful among traditional programs offered to youth and families. Some church camps are sponsored by denominations while others are independent camps offering religious-based programs. The programs among religious camps vary widely and reflect the beliefs of the organization or leadership.  

Among United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) sites, we manage camps owned by mainstream Christian denominations; the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Each of these denominations run their own summer camp programs at UCCR managed facilities. 

I grew up attending one of these church camps and attribute my work in ministry and as a camp & retreat professional to my years of camp life as a young person. Beginning at age 12, I attended the summer camp programs with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at the Community of the Great Commission in the northern California foothills of the Sierra Nevada. I attended one year of 4-H camp at age 11 and worked as a program director for the Berkeley YMCA during college, so I understand some of the differences between a secular program and a faith-based program. 

The American Camp Association (ACA) republished an article by Camp owner & director, Audrey Monke, who identified the following.

Five key areas that provide important growth for young people when attending a residential camp program:

1. Develop Independence: Giving the child the opportunity to live and thrive without being with a parent and under their constant scrutiny. The growth in confidence and independence happens at camp BECAUSE parents are not there.

2. Experience the Outdoors: Giving the child the gift of magical childhood memories — dirt, adventure, story, and joke-filled days and nights spent with friends outdoors, under the stars, and around the campfire. These childhood memories will last forever. 

3. Relax: Giving the child a break from the pressures and stress of competitive sports, school, and parenting. Kids need a break from their parents’ well-intentioned involvement in their lives.

4. Unplug: Giving the child the chance to unplug and connect face-to-face with other kids and positive, young-adult role models. Getting unplugged is one of my favorite topics, so you can read more at Five Reasons to Unplug and Get Unplugged to learn about the many benefits of taking a break from technology.

5. Making Friends: The bonding and friendships that happen at camp are different from those that occur at school and on sports teams. The intensity of living together and experiencing life together, without distractions, creates the ideal setting to form lifelong friendships and get to know people well. 

These five fundamentals take place at most summer camps. It is like the residential camp experience that friendships are formed, new skills are gained, and participants have time to relax without their phones in hand. Some camps may emphasize sports or physical activities. Others prioritize the arts and drama. Science camps have also gained in popularity. 

So, what sets church camps apart from secular camps? 

Spiritual & Faith Formation is a term used to describe the process and practices by which a person may progress in one's spiritual or religious life. This may include biblical teaching, prayer or meditation practices, and learning about the social implications of the culture of the sponsoring church. At a church camp, spiritual and faith formation is an integral part of the experience.  

For the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), there is an emphasis on living in a community where all participants are valued, embodying the teachings of Jesus, applying Jesus’ teachings to social justice concerns in the world, and practicing communal prayer and rites such as communion. In small groups, personal awareness exercises may be used to help individuals be better listeners, learn how to talk about their journey of faith, and explore their gifts and talents. 

Typically, campers spend part of the morning in a large learning community, then break out into small groups for activities and deeper conversation. The afternoons at camp are for swimming, hikes, games, service projects, and rest. In the evenings, usually, a whole camp activity takes place followed by a campfire program before bedtime. 

I have found over many years of working in the church camp setting that individual campers and counselors take away a deeper sense of self-worth, an appreciation of what it feels like to be in a close-knit community of friends, and an increased awareness of their spirituality. 

As a youth, my top reasons for attending church camps were primarily reconnecting with camp friends. I made lifelong friendships that continue to this day, over 50 years later. Secondly, I found my life to be more meaningful and felt free to explore my inner world of emotions and spirituality at camp. This kept me coming back for more as I grew into my teenage years. Lastly, the camp was just plain fun. Swimming in the hot mountain afternoons and singing with my friends were some of the best times ever. 

Church camp continues to this day at the Community of the Great Commission. The forest has grown older and some of the features at the site have changed over the years. But some things have remained the same. Kids still sleep in cabins. Singing both loud and quiet songs start and end each day. Substantial friendships are formed and reignited every summer. Individual and collective spirituality is explored, enriched, augmented, and manifested in ordinary day-to-day life. 

The following video features three adults who have been campers and/or leaders at the Disciples’ summer camps at the Community of the Great Commission for many years. They talk about how camp has inspired and influenced them to become more fully themselves and the deep connections they have made with others who shared their camp experiences.