I remember that my parents thought it was a great idea. I also remember thinking quite the opposite. I was seven years old and fresh out of first grade. I was ready for a summer filled with bike rides, trips to the pool and a week at the beach with my grandparents. What I wasn’t prepared for was being left alone at the end of a gravel road in Pamlico County at a place called Camp Don Lee.

After unloading my suitcase from the car, my parents checked me in and walked with me to my cabin. While my mother made my bed, my father helped me meet my counselor and all of the other boys in my group. Once the bed was made and introductions completed, my parents took me back outside for pictures. I remember getting a last hug and kiss from both my mom and dad. That is when the tears spilled forth. Dad tried to give me the, “But you are going to have so much fun!” speech, but it was hard to hear between the sobs. Then as if the separation wasn’t enough, dad suggested that he take my teddy bear home for safekeeping. It felt like my world was crumbling. My parents were leaving me in a strange place for three days among people I had never met before, and they were taking my one source of comfort – my teddy bear!

Believe it or not, my world didn’t crumble! I actually ended up having an absolutely incredible time. I got to swim in a pond with tadpoles, sail across the Neuse River for lunch, camp out on the pier under the stars, catch crabs, make new friends, experience the beauty of God’s creation first hand, and best of all learn about Gods’ love for me. Seriously, who could ask for anything more!

My mother loves to tell the story of how I wept when she left me at camp and how when she came back to get me I cried again because I didn’t want to go home. In fact, I made her sign me up for the next summer before we loaded my bags in the car. For the next nine summers I returned to Camp Don Lee. When I turned sixteen I participated in and graduated from the Leaders in Training program. Following that I worked at camp for eight summers. It was in the summer before my senior year of college that I experienced my call to ordained ministry during a worship service on the banks of the Neuse River.

I am in large part who I am today because of the ministry and mission of Camp Don Lee. How did my parents first find out about camp? They first heard about Camp Don Lee through their Sunday school class at First UMC in Wilson. The amazing part is that my story is not unique. Life transformation has and continues to take place at all of our North Carolina United Methodist camps and retreat centers. It takes place not just during the summer months, but all year long as churches, schools and families utilize our camp and retreat centers.

While our camps and retreat centers are intentionally geographically set apart from cities and towns, they are not at all set apart from the ministry of local congregations across our annual conference. Rather, there is a vital and necessary connection between our retreat centers and local churches. Both need each other in order to help fulfill the mission of life transformation in the name of Jesus Christ.

So don’t wait another minute. If you serve in leadership in your local church, look for ways to utilize our camps and retreat centers. Take your Sunday school class or your youth group on a retreat at one of our camps. Encourage your families with children and youth to register their children and youth now for summer camp. Experience first hand the beauty of God’s creation and God’s love for you. Finally, look for ways to partner with the camp or retreat center nearest your church. Find out from the director what the greatest needs are and as a church covenant to help meet one or more of those needs.

Disciples for Jesus Christ are not just made on Sundays and are not just made in the pews. Our camps and retreat centers are ready to partner with you to offer a place of spiritual formation, community, hospitality, sanctuary, learning, stewardship, and adventure. Camp changed my life forever, and it can change yours or that of someone you know. Remember, we are a connectional people. Let us work to build stronger and more vital connections with our camp and retreat centers. I look forward to seeing you soon at one of our retreat centers. Until then, covenant with me to pray for our camp and retreat centers as they seek to offer Christ to a world in desperate need of Good News.

Ben Williams
Pastor, St. Marks UMC
Raleigh, NC