My kids went to UC camp, each of them a few times.  They wanted to go to a camp and our local choices were UC, Anglican and Fundie Boot Camp! 

As caring parents we immediately ruled out the camp that had neighborhood kids brainwashed by the time they came home.  The kids were terrified that the parents were going to hell - and prayed long and loudly about that bit of nonsense until school started again and they got busy with other things.

The Anglicans turned their applications down because they weren't baptised Anglicans.

The United Church welcomed any kid provided the parents managed to find enough money to pay - not easy when there are several kids in the right age group.

They enjoyed it, didn't have anything to say about the religious aspects other than that Bible Study was boring.  Like most normal kids they enjoyed the swimming, games, crafts, canoeing and campfires.

I'd say it is good public relations - my kids are more accepting of the UC than other denominations.

I went to United Church camp as a teenager several times - and absolutely loved it. One of my favourite parts of camp was going to Vesper Point each evening. It was a beautiful spot where we would have a short worship service each evening.

I think that, ideally, church camp offers a place to go where kids can explore their relationship with God. I know that I feel closest to God when I am in nature - much closer than when I am in a church building. I suspect many kids feel that way - so getting them to camp can only be a good thing.

Part of the fun of camp, for me, was always simply getting there. I lived in Vancouver and two of the three camps that I went to each year were on islands (Camp Moorecroft, on Vancouver Island, and Camp Fircom on Gambier Island). That meant we had to take a boat to get there, so I really felt that I was getting away from everything.

I have nothing but fond memories of camp!

I went as cook. Loved it

Hi Jobam,

I have 4 full seasons of Camp Ryerson (8 weeks per season).  While at Camp Ryerson I was Counsellor, Head Counsellor (boys) and Wilderness Director.

I have 3 full seasons of Camp Ganadaoweh (8 weeks per season).  While at Camp Ganadaoweh I was primarily the Wilderness Director and when required Counsellor.

I worked as the Camp Coordinator at Camp Bimini for 8 weeks and then as a Director at Camp Bimini for another week after that.

I worked as Camp Director at Camp Lau-Ren for 1 week.

I have worked as a Facilitator at several Youth Camps (roughly another 4 weeks all told).

The United Church of Canada recognizes several models for staffing camps and I have had the priviledge of working in almost every model and I have seen how effective each has been with respect to the program each has provided.

Some have a permanent staff that works for the whole camping season.

Some have a permanent core staff that is supplemented weekly by volunteers.

Some have pretty much a new staff every week.

Importance of camp varies from person to person.  

I have recently just been contacted by a camper from 1985.  I couldn't remember the name (not that surprising really it is 18 years ago and over the course of a season I would be directly responsible for 64 campers (eight per week) have another 64 campers that I worked with in a Discovery Group.  The numbers add up.  Add to that the fact that the individual was never actually one of my campers.

I was just somebody who was remembered.  For what reason?  I treated him with respect and there was a certain skit that seemed to really blow his mind.  So, for that one individual it had some importance.

Other kids go and don't enjoy their time there.  It wasn't what they expected or worse, it was exactly what they feared.

I remember one young girl.  She must have been malnourished, she was skinny as a rail, and weighed half as much as a sparrow.  She had a mop of hair that was knotted, tangled and filthy.  She didn't talk that I recall.  Her clothes were greyed, stiff and smelly.  She clung to me like glue.  Any time I stopped moving she was velcroed to me.  If I sat down her bony arms would wrap around my neck and squeeze tight.

She was a child starving for affection and for some reason I was the one she wanted it most from.  If she had talked we might have found out why.  I could hug her back and for a moment be the love and security that she was looking for.

For that week Camp was important to her.

Grace and peace to you.

John

I went to Camp Big Canoe growing up. It's actually where I learnt to paddle!

I worked at Camp Sparrow as a teen. (both United Church camps in Ontario)

I sent all 3 of my kids to Pioneer Camps (Lodge and Ranch) for the superior programming. Awesome Ridng and Paddling-the United Church Camps came no where near in terms of activities.(In Alberta)

Sparrow Lake United Church camp? Near Orillia, Ontario? 

I LOVED Camp MacLellan in Nova Scotia!  I really enjoyed the camp fire songs and playing games with other kids.