News From the Hills!
There may still be snow on the ground and trees with bare branches, but Templed Hills is active and busy! We’ve welcomed lots of groups on site for retreats and meetings already this year. Youth Groups, Church Family Retreats, Clergy Study Retreats – many have gathered to relax, rejuvenate, connect, and experience God’s spirit in the beautiful setting of Templed Hills.
New opportunities await you if you want to spend some time at camp! Join us on March 2 for what promises to be an inspiring and engaging event we’re calling “Seeing the Forest AND the Trees: Visioning Outdoor Ministries Together.” This will be a time to not only share our hope and dreams, but to put plans into place to start making them happen. We need ALL voices, those who have been a part of shaping Outdoor Ministries in the past, and those who want input about how it might look in the future. We’re hoping to engage, not only those who are familiar with camp, but those who might bring new perspective and new insights. Together let’s imagine and plan how this enriching ministry can continue to nurture individual spiritual development as well as how we can continue to uplift and support the ministry of each of our local churches. Click here for more information and to register.
Summer is quickly approaching and we’re gearing up for summer camp! Our schedule is set, registration is open, and plans are underway. In addition to all the traditional camp fun – swimming, hiking, campfires, songs, and friends – we will be spending time this summer exploring our theme of “Peace Works”. What could be timelier to teach our children, and ourselves, than how Peace works, and how to make it more of an integral part of our day to day lives as we live out our faith in this world? Together we’ll explore how Peace Works in other cultures, what the Bible says about peace, and how our faith guides us to embrace Peace as a core value of who we are as people of God and followers of Jesus Christ.
There are several ways you can be a part of camp this summer. Register here for one or more of our events – we have camps for adult women, grandparents and grandchildren, adults who what to come with a special child in their life, campers completing grades 2-12, campers who like to swim, campers who are interested in Arts and Drama, campers whose passion is singing, campers who enjoy playing sports, campers whose heart is in mission, campers who want to live on the edge, and campers who simply want to be at camp! If you are in grades 9-12 and want to learn more about what being a counselor is like, we have a Youth Counselor Training event with several opportunities for you to then serve as a Youth Counselor.
Volunteer opportunities are abundant as well. If you are over 18 and are interested in serving as a counselor at one or more of our weeks of summer camp, please either be in contact with the specific event director, or contact Joyce Oyler at joyceo@ocucc.org. Want to come spend a few days helping out in the kitchen or being part of the maintenance crew? Our Site Directors would welcome your help! Please send an email to TempledHills@uccr.org to let Andy and Miranda know of your interest.
This summer we are excited to partner with our Ohio Conference Disaster Response Team. The Ohio Conference Disaster Response Ministry seeks to bring relief and assistance to all people who experience loss in times of disaster through the resources and commitment to Christian servanthood by
the members of the United Church of Christ. Our campers will learn about our Disaster Response Team and will be invited to help with projects that support this ongoing mission and ministry.
As the snow melts and the sun warms the earth, come be a part of the sacredness that is Templed Hills. Experience the beauty, engage your senses, grow in your faith, and join us as we continue in this ministry that matters.
Looking forward to seeing you at camp!
Joyce Oyler