August 26, 2017
To the Wider United Church of Christ in Ohio, Northern Kentucky and West Virginia
Dear Ohio Conference friends:
The Board of Directors of the Conference received a carefully prepared and respectfully presented appeal to reverse the decision made in February, 2017 to sell Pilgrim Hills camp. Materials prepared by those making the appeal were distributed in advance for Board study.
At the heart of the request for appeal was a conviction that information gathered since the February decision suggests that estimates for repairs at Templed Hills had been understated and anticipated capital improvements at Pilgrim Hills had been overstated. It was believed the best interests of the Conference to continue an outdoor ministry were better served by Pilgrim Hills than Templed Hills.
After extensive discussion, the following motion was presented:
- That the Board of Directors reverse the decision to sell Pilgrim Hills and instead sell Templed Hills.
Two members voted for the motion. The motion failed.
Another motion was made:
That proceeds from the sale of Pilgrim Hills be used as follows:
- to pay off an existing loan for improvements and programs at both campsites (approximately $262,000);
- that approximately $350,000 be added to funds currently on hand to provide a Capital Improvement Fund for Templed Hills of $750,000;
- to establish an endowment fund of at least $1 million to generate income for a Conference Faith Formation plan and program
The motion passed unanimously.
A Business Plan committee has been gathering information and developing an outline for the sustainability of Templed Hills since the February Board meeting. The committee will report its work at the Annual Gathering, September 15-16 at Westerville Community United Church of Christ, Westerville, Ohio.
The Camp Operations Team reported work in process at Templed Hills, and will now move quickly to accomplish many improvements at the camp to prepare Templed Hills to serve beginning in 2018 as the sole camp site owned by Ohio Conference.
A Camp Sales Team is scheduled to interview prospective auctioneers. When a contract is finalized, information will be provided throughout the Conference for the benefit of all interested parties.
A Service of Farewell will be held October 7 at Pilgrim Hills. Information and registration details will be provided in the September edition of Connections enews and will be posted on the Conference website.
As the Moderator, and on behalf of the Board of Directors, I recognize the sincere concern of those who brought forward their beliefs about these two camp sites. I also commend the Board members for their careful, prayerful, and deliberate discernment of the issues involved in providing an outdoor ministry component for a broad faith formation ministry.
We pray for God’s continued guidance as the ministry of faith formation develops in new ways throughout the Ohio Conference.
Blessings abound,
Rev. Mindy Quellhorst, Moderator, Ohio Conference
Rev. John Gantt, Interim Conference Minister, Ohio Conference
As a member of the group that presented the facts about Pilgrim Hills to the board at the August 25 meeting, I am appalled at the lack of responsible decision-making demonstrated by most of the members present. In spite of the facts presented that clearly showed the many advantages of Pilgrim Hills over Templed Hills, the majority of the board, elected to represent the best interests of the congregations of the Ohio conference, chose to respond to emotional anecdotes from a camp director who represented his experience as universal. Spending limited funds outrageously on a camp that will not serve our youth and adults as well as Pilgrim Hills already does is poor stewardship. Those in opposition to my view are certainly entitled to their own opinion, however they are not entitled to their own facts. Unfortunately the board’s persistence in continuing the sale of Pilgrim Hills will net a great loss to the youth and adults of the Ohio conference. Shame on them!
Very disappointed that the Board after hearing the well presented facts still did not reverse their decision to sell Pilgrim Hills. The facts presented indicated that estimates were overstated at Pilgrim Hills (PH) and understated at Templed Hills (TH), This alone should have been a red flag to the Board. I question whether these estimates were thus because of someone thinking about the amount of money to be made off the land of PH because of the natural gas on the property. It makes no sense to me that a logical decision could ever be made TH over PH. PH is already handicap accessible. Proximity from cabins to pool is much less than at TH. Personally, I want to go to camp for the quiet meditative atmosphere not hear the noise of the freeway. The viable reason I can see for the sale of PH over TH is the profit to be made off the land of PH. The money that will have to be alotted to make TH camper worthy is way too much. The mold issue alone would stop me from going to TH. I really would like a statement from the Board stating that money is not the reason for the decision. I also would like a statement from the Board as to how they will assure the property they are selling will not be used for fracking and going against the UCC stance on our environment.
Also, I keep hearing about the location. But think you are mistaken. People want to "get away" and feel that peace that comes along with being at PH in the "middle of nowhere". Its part of the experience. TH you can hear the traffic from the highway and 97.
Total mistake! I would like to know why board members did not vote for the motion after hearing ALL the facts. TH is in much worse shape than PH. Including pool issues, mold, shape of buildings, kitchen facility. And it was found that a majority of the major issues were not issues at all at PH!!! Like the pool and sewer system (pool was a simple fix and the sewer system actually has acces for 70 more beds. Please see this link for the facts affirmcamp.org
Thank you for all your work and deliberation on this difficult decision. There is much grief around closing one of the camps, but it is necessary and has been done with great care. Blessings.
I cannot tell you how diapooainted I am in the board's decision. Pilgrim Hills means SO much to so many and the experiences that camp goers have is amazing. This decision does not sit well with many of us. Templed Hills should have been sold as it is in much need of repair and will not provide anything close to the experiences that kids have at Pilgirm Hills. So disappointed.
I do hope this will prove to be the right decision in the future. It seemed that Pilgrim Hills had a lot going for it rather than Templed Hills. Now all we can do is wait & see.
I was 'pulling' for Pilgrim Hills but will now trust in the God-led decision to sell it. I hope the PH attributes lacking at TH can be duplicated in time and becomes financially successful.
Having been there, I know how hard these decisions are. Thank you, board, for your faithful stewardship.
It is sad that we must sell one of our camps. However, I thank all those who have spent so much time and effort in prayerful consideration of this situation. Faith Formation through outdoor ministry is important, so if selling one site is the way to continue to make it happen, then, filled with the Holy Spirit, that is what must be done.
Thank you for your diligence in discerning through this process with long term goals as the commitment to serving our God