PreConference Training Sessions

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• Pre-Conference Training Sessions
• May 16th, 2009

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Board of Camps and Retreat Ministries

• Our purpose is to support the local church by
  providing an open door into the Christian life in
  the United Methodist tradition using year-round
  outdoor settings for extended experiences of
  spiritual growth and discipleship.

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History

• 1968 Merger gave the new United Methodist
  Church 5 camps. Discussion was held of going to
  1 camp. Conference membership was 156,576.
• 1983 Annual Conference voted to sell Asbury
  Acres.
• 1984 OCEC grappled with subsidizing Whispering
  Pines and Byron Centers end of year budget.

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History

• 1987 Statewide Camping Study. Asbury Acres sold.
• 1989 Annual Conference at 120,592 members.
• 1990s to date BCRM consistently finds
  budgetary methods to subsidize budgets of
  Whispering Pines and Byron Center to keep all
  four camps afloat. Good returns on Foundation
  Funds greatly assist.

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2002 Camp Study

• 2002 Kaleidoscope, Inc. conducts a study of
  camps using 2001 numbers and reports to 2003
  Annual Conference.
• Recommendation options
• Divest of Byron Center
• Divest of Byron Center and Whispering Pines
• Keep all 4 sites and upgrade sites to increase
  usage.

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2005 Visioning Retreat

• Provide for financial strength that under girds
  the long-term health and viability of the
  ministry.
• Establish and expand proactive partnerships with
  local churches and non-profit groups growing from
  deep listening to their goals and needs.

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2008 BCRM Task Force

• In light of declining membership, loss of
  apportionment dollars, and changing Conference
  priorities, the Task Force was charged to look at
  all aspects of Camp and Retreat Ministry.
• Wisconsin Annual Conference is now at 86,809
  members.

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Task Force Findings

• We cannot worship our sites
• Retreat groups expect more comfort, privacy and
  high tech
• Youth groups want expect more comfort, privacy
  and high adventure
• We need to make a major shift in mind set in
  light of these realities

• We provide beautiful places
• We provide excellent summer programs
• We are under capitalized to improve both
  properties and programs
• UM Membership is aging and declining
• We need to improve our properties and programming

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Summary

• Your Board of Camp and Retreat Ministries and its
  predecessor, Outdoor Christian Education Council,
  has been working very hard to keep four Sites
  open and available for your use.
• Our Kaleidoscope consultant agrees that divesting
  of these two camps must be done to allow
  Wisconsin UM Camp and Retreat Ministries to move
  into a more focused and powerful future.

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Immediate Next Steps

• Build upon the benefits of geographic proximity
  of Pine Lake and Lake Lucerne
• Financial savings due to
• Combined ordering of supplies.
• Staffing
• Administration
• Develop long range plans for
• Program planning
• Differentiation across the two sites.
• If approved by the Annual Conference, proceed
  with the orderly shut down and divesture of Byron
  Center and Whispering Pines.

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Why Now?
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Market Conditions

• Less money is available from endowment accounts
  for annual Training and Educational Grants.

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Why Now?

• Even with 5 to 7 annual increases in camping
  fees, accounts utilized for capital projects,
  emergency repair, long term maintenance, and
  programming have remained stagnant at levels that
  do not permit growth.
•  According to camping industry standards, we are
  over-Sited and under-capitalized for a successful
  future.

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Our Hope

• The Board of Camp and Retreat Ministries believes
  that this action will help us to create and
  maintain financially sustainable sites that have
  attractive programming to reach new people for
  Christ.
• The BCRM hopes that this brief presentation has
  provided a better understanding and acceptance of
  the motion that will be brought before our 2009
  Annual Conference.