In 2020 Heartland made the switch to online training due to COVID, and we aren't going back. Learn how we created and structure the online portion of our summer staff training (in addition to onsite training). Hear the benefits we have already seen and where we hope to go in the future.

Jared Briscoe has been a director at Heartland since he graduated from college in 2015. Jared loves anything that has to do with competition, including racquetball, softball, and board games. He is also a passionate defender and advocate of the Kansas City Chiefs, Royals, and the best BBQ in the universe. Jared is lucky to be married to and work with his wife, Jessica, for the last year.

We will discuss the various ways for you to consume less energy as well as to pay lower rates for the energy you use. The workshop will cover solar energy, procurement, curtailment/demand response, lighting, bill auditing, cogeneration and more. It would be constructive for you to bring your facility's energy bills to the workshop so that the process of account analysis can begin as soon as possible.

Miriam Stiefel has over 20 years of experience helping companies and organizations make the most cost-effective energy decisions for their homes and businesses. As Director of the Reflective Energy Solutions Affinity Program for the last 3 years, Miriam has produced revenue for non-profit organizations while helping members save money on energy costs. To date, Miriam has generated over $2 million in revenue for her Affinity Program customers.

Whether it was crossing the Delaware to run a summer camp program at Camp Lackawanna or hosting our first week of LGBTQIA+ camp, Johnsonburg was and is involved in a host of new programs and partnerships. In this workshop, we'll share about: working with other camps; our Wonderfully Made week; our Social Justice Cohort and Social Justice Summit; Living Waters for the World; and a few other irons in the fire and some of the ones we've let go cold. Come hear our stories, successes, ideas, and what we've learned.

Elise Bates Russell is the Executive Director of Johnsonburg Camp and Retreat in New Jersey. She enjoys all aspects of God’s ministry in the outdoors, but her passions include leadership development, nature exploration, wilderness trips and sustainable architectural design. This has grown out of a lifetime (almost!) of living and working at Presbyterian camps in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Michigan, and Minnesota. Elise is part of the consultant team for Run River Enterprises and recently served as board president of PCCCA. Tommy Campbell joined the Johnsonburg team in late 2021 as the Associate Director of Programs. For nearly five years, he was the Director at Kirkwood Camp and Retreat Center in nearby Stroudsburg, PA. Recently, Tommy has been studying for his M.Div at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Va. He is a staff alumni at several other camps, including several PC(USA) affiliated sites in Virginia.

"Evangelism" might as well be a 4-letter word these days. Thinking about how leadership can reach out to its campers in a way that helps them on their faith journeys is critical to their future path. By showing care through the Christian practices of invitation hospitality, nurture, and welcome, campers will build relationships during their experience while growing in faith.

Rev. Dr. Kathryn Campbell is a lover of summer camps and retreats of all shapes and sizes. Kathryn is wife to Austin and mom to Avis (10) and Archer (2). When she's not serving as taxi, working out, or cooking meals for friends and family, she serves as Pastor of Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, and is currently President-Elect of the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE). Her theology is rooted in helping the Fellowship Family understand how caring for friends and loved ones at home is not any different than how they care for each other at church.

Join this part-presentation, part-conversation workshop to explore the gifts and challenges of working with college-aged summer staff. What makes them want to invest time and energy into a community? What kind of feedback works, or doesn't? What do they value most in a work environment? We will look at some responses compiled from actual summer staffers, and have the chance to share questions and lessons learned from our own experiences.

Rev. Allison Wehrung lives in Oxford, MS, where she's the Presbytery of St. Andrew's Associate Executive Presbyter. That involves wearing several different hats, but her favorite ones are serving as the Campus Minister at UKirk Ole Miss and offering support to the good people at Camp Hopewell. Allison is a former board member of the UKirk Collegiate Ministries Association, and feels passionately about nurturing spaces where young adults feel welcomed and supported as they figure out who they are and what God has to do with it.

For all of you operations-nitty-gritty types, here is your chance to tour Heartland's kitchen and maintenance facilities and ask all of the detailed questions you want. The tour will start in Grace Hall with a tour of Heartland's Kitchen led by Guest Services Director, Lindsay Boehmer, and Food Service Manager, Denise Campbell.  The group will then travel to the maintenance shop to visit with Maintenance Director, Luke Boydston, about anything related to Heartland's Maintenance program.

Lindsay Boehmer started as an intern with Heartland in 2018. After working as the Cultural Immersion Facilitator on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, she came back to Heartland in 2021 and now serves as the Guest Services Director. Denise Campbell, Heartland's Food Service Director, has worked in the food service and catering industry for most of her adult life. Denise has been with Heartland since 2019.  Luke Boydston, like many maintenance directors, is a true renaissance man, skilled in so many trades. If he can't fix it, it isn't broken.

Are you a pitcher or a fountain? Servants of the church are conditioned to pour ourselves out in service to the Kingdom. But what happens when our wellspring is no longer overflowing? In this workshop we will explore perspectives and practices that will sustain us in our ministries, ensuring that our wellspring of life and faith does not run dry. Together, participants will be invited to reflect on where they find purpose and meaning in their calls, to identify practices that enhance wellbeing, and to re-establish healthy boundaries and communities of support and care.

Rev. Lori Neff LaRue is Director, Board University, at the Board of Pensions, where she is responsible for planning, developing, and delivering face-to-face and online educational programs that are rooted in a Theology of Benefits and consistent with the Board's strategic vision and initiatives. Lori has over 30 years' experience in higher education, including 10 years in theological education. In addition to her role at the Board of Pensions, she serves as the preaching pastor at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church, and serves on the Permanent Judicial Commission for the Presbytery of the Coastlands. 

Learn how to batch create and schedule content for Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! Make the most of your time and create targeted posts on the most appropriate platforms for your diverse audiences. In this session you will learn how to use the Creator Studio scheduling platform, how to create and save TikTok drafts, and which platforms are most compatible with your skills and resources.

Christin Gillard has a degree in Media Communications, a Diploma in Media Studies, and has kept up to date with post secondary certifications through Hootsuite, the American Marketing Institute, and more. An artist and graphic designer, Christin most enjoys curating a brand image and voice, and has enjoyed the challenge of maintaining continuity through evolving social media platforms. She has worked as the Administrator and Communications Coordinator at Camp Kintail in Goderich Ontario for the last 6 years and looks forward to helping other camps make the most of their time to have the greatest impact in their digital marketing campaigns.

We typically think about aging as something we don't need to worry about until we are in our 60's and 70's; even then, denial can cause us to put off doing the things that we know we should be addressing. The modern day reality is that all generations are affected by the aging of their parents or grandparents or other older family members and so multiple generations need to become aware sooner of the challenges of aging. As normal life expectancy continues to increase, more and more younger adults and children are going to experience, first-hand, the inevitable effects of aging of the older generations in their family. How can these younger adults be better informed, aware, and prepared for what they might witness? How can they interact effectively with older family members who are mobility or mentally impaired. How can one's spirituality assist in the challenges that face us all? This workshop will interactively discuss these issues and more.

Chris Pomfret is a retired aerospace engineer and business owner who in 2013 started the “Third Thirty” concept, looking at how we can age wisely, gracefully, sensibly, and spiritually from 60-90. He wants to challenge conventional wisdom that aging was no fun and best not talked about and he thus set about identifying best practices such that aging can be as enjoyable as possible for the individual and their loved ones. Chris is a former Vice-President of the Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry Network and has conducted many “Third Thirty” workshops across the U.S. and overseas over the past decade.

Feel like you are spinning your wheels? Doing a lot of busy work yet always just getting by? This workshop will focus on how to strengthen your business through staff (alignment, support, and retention), marketing, and customer retention. Leave with practical ways to strengthen the business of your ministry. This is a repeat workshop from the 2021 Annual Conference with additional content.

Kevin Cullum is the Executive Director for Camp Wyoming, a Presbyterian Summer Camp and Retreat Center in Eastern Iowa. He has served in this role since 2004. Kevin has over 20 years of experience as a camp executive. His strengths are staffing, marketing, and financial management. He has also led multiple successful campaigns. Kevin and his wife, Shelley, have three kids, two cats, and two dogs.

This is a walking tour of Heartland's lodges and meeting spaces. The tour will start in the lobby of Nunemaker Conference Center and end at the swimming pools. Most of the tour will be outdoors and will consist of walking on the camp sidewalks, trails, and roads. The tour will not include Heartland's rustic tent and cabin facilities, activity areas, or the bulk of the hiking trails.

Dan Scheneman grew up as a camper at Heartland Center, served on its summer camp staff during his college-age years, was camp program director for nine seasons in the 1990s, and became the Executive Director in 2001. Dan is married to Jennifer Scheneman, and they have three children ranging between 17 and 22 years of age.

Go for a nice relaxing horseback ride through Heartland's rolling wooded hills and golden meadows.  This is a gentle trail ride (one horse behind the other, skill level: novice); no previous experience is necessary. Riders must have a good range of motion, sign a liability waiver, and wear closed-toed/closed heels shoes (long pants are recommended). Space is limited to the first nine riders.

Heartland's trained wranglers will start with an orientation and will accompany the group throughout the ride.

Neurodivergence lives at a complex intersection of life and the camp experience for a growing number of youth. As more research is being done to understand the dynamics around neurodivergence, there is a need for specific and intentional camp resources. In this workshop, Rev. Pepa Paniagua will talk about statistics and definitions around neurodivergence in youth, and provide concrete examples of what has worked in her context of kin-dom camp. We will talk about strategies, approaches, and ways to equip camp staff, leadership, and volunteers.

Rev. Pepa Paniagua (she/her) is the founding pastor of kin-dom community, a new worshipping community offering transparent welcome to the LBGTQIA+ community and others who have felt cast out by or uncomfortable in "traditional" church. She is an advocate and ally, and does her best to gently lead others through the sometimes hard conversations about inclusion and the vast expanse of God's love. While she would say she is an "indoor girl.” Pepa has a deep love for outdoor space and nature, and quickly gave a whole hearted "YES!" when she was asked if kin-dom would host a camp for LBGTQIA+ youth, and is so proud to be a co-founder of kin-dom camp.  Pepa and her wife, Kelli, live in North Texas with their two dogs, and they are passionate about good food, good coffee, good road trips, and good people.

Are you new to fundraising? Are you paralyzed by fear at the thought of asking people for money? The most effective way to raise money is through Relationship Fundraising. In this session you will learn how to approach and solicit high net worth individuals for big gifts to support your mission.

Mark L. Duncan is a seasoned fundraising professional with over 20 years of fundraising management experience. He brings over 35 years of experience in the nonprofit sector from a wide range of organizations that include camp and conference ministry, higher education, K-12 education, public media and healthcare. Mark established The FundCoach, LLC in 2016 to empower nonprofit leaders with the skill and confidence to secure significant funds from high net worth individuals through his Relationship Fundraising Method. 

During our time together, we will explore, brainstorm, and plan ways to encourage youth and adults in new spiritual practices using the camping setting- Including use of glow sticks, arts, crafts and experiences to help encounter God in new ways.

Michelle (Mich) Phillips grew up going to church camp and has spent over 20 years counseling and directing a variety of camps, using many different types of spiritual practices to enhance the camping experience. Mich currently serves as the Director of Christian Education and Congregational Ministries at The Kirk of Kansas City.  She is also active in a variety of local, presbytery, and national youth conferences.

Join us in an engaging conversation where we explore the definition of success in the camp, retreat, and conference ministry world. What are examples of success? What are examples of failure and dysfunction? This workshop will be a great opportunity to affirm your impact on the world as well as focus your ministry more effectively.

Kevin Cullum is the Executive Director for Camp Wyoming, a Presbyterian Summer Camp and Retreat Center in Eastern Iowa. He has served in this role since 2004. Kevin has over 20 years of experience as a camp executive. His strengths are staffing, marketing, and financial management. He has also led multiple successful campaigns. Kevin and his wife, Shelley, have three kids, two cats, and two dogs.

Bed bugs and unwanted odors can easily become serious problems in your campground. But what is the best way to deal with these issues? How do you permanently and safely eliminate odors? How do you keep campers and staff safe from bed bug infestations? Let talk about the pros and cons of your options for dealing with these pervasive problems.

Jeff Zimmerman is the co-founder and co-owner of Bed Bug Heat Doctor Prevsol, a company that has bed bug heaters being used in all 50 states and Canada. He has over 30 years of experience in the pest control industry with about half of those years owning his own pest control company. Jeff has personally treated over 5,000 hotels and treated over 5,000,000 square feet of treatment space, consisting of homes, apartments, condos, hotels, camps, and more.

Join Upper Crust as we explore food trends, dietary trends, technology trends, impacts of COVID-19 and looking ahead. Gen Zer's are going to want 2022 to be a blend of the best of 2020 and 2021, combined with a bit of futuristic thinking.

Shana joined Upper Crust Food Service in Fall of 2017, as the Director of Strategic Partnerships; she was recently promoted to Vice-President of Strategic Partnership. Shana worked in the food industry as a home economist and food rep for over 12 years and over 20 years of property management experience ranging from single family resident to commercial/industrial leases and then into Greek Housing.

Within the life of the church, our organizations have capacity that others do not. We have space to house in disaster, expertise in volunteer management, professional food service, and a loyal constituency to invite into mission. Camps across the country are often the center of service in crisis; from providing basecamp to firefighters, to sheltering in natural disasters. Our ability to respond in times of crisis as Matthew 25 camps, in part depends on our ability to resource our services by quickly standing up an emergency fundraising appeal. In this session we will explore, disaster based fundraising and what you can do today, to be ready to respond when needed.

Evan Moilan brings energy and innovative thinking, based on over 25 years of Executive leadership and Board service for non-profits. His professional service includes large social service agencies, disaster relief organizations, foundations, global relief agencies, and camps and retreat centers. Evan brings expertise in strategic planning, fundraising, governance, marketing, and organizational growth. Holding the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential, an undergraduate degree from Arizona State University, and a graduate certificate from the University of Texas in Non-Profit Management; Evan brings passion and expertise to organizations large and small.

We will discuss the 8 Habits of Evangelism. We will particularly review the habit of Radical Welcome. We will further discuss how this is connected to our call to be Matthew 25 disciples of Jesus Christ.

Carlton serves as the Coordinator for the Office of Vital Congregations for the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA). Carlton is an associate minister at the First Afrikan Presbyterian Church in Lithonia, GA where he leads the Ujima Men’s Fellowship, Kijana Boys Rites of Passage, Fawohodie Ministry to the Incarcerated and their families, and serves in music ministry. He is a board member of the First Afrikan Presbyterian Church Community Development Corporation, the Presbyterian Pastoral Care Network and NEXT CHURCH (Strategic Planning Team). He is a regular contributor to the Presbyterian Outlook monthly magazine. Carlton and his wife Cara split their time between Atlanta, GA and Louisville, KY.

How do you create a vibrant, Spirit filled culture of legacy giving? In this workshop we will go over some best practices regarding planned giving and non-profit institutions. We will explore the power of harnessing story in developing robust and fruitful legacy giving campaigns. The workshop will be a mix of content and interactive time with attendees.

Rev. Joseph Moore is a PCUSA Pastor, and Ministry Relations Officer at the Presbyterian Foundation. He spends his days walking with PCUSA related ministries as we explore what sustainable ministry looks like in 2022. He helps churches and church related institutions explore creating cultures of generosity, sustainable giving, the power of story telling, and best practices around legacy giving. He is convinced that the Spirit is not yet finished with us. He also believes that camping ministry has the potential to form disciples in ways that can change the world. Joseph lives in Ft. Collins, CO with his wife Shelley, and their three children. When he isn't traveling around for work or his kid's swim meets, he can often be found trying (and failing) to become better at fly fishing.

This past summer saw more staff dealing with mental health struggles than ever before. How we can we help support these staff so they're able to take care of themselves, as well as the campers in their care? This Program Connection style "crowdsourcing" workshop will give participants the opportunity to share what has worked for them while hearing ideas from others.

Harry Zweckbronner serves as the Associate Director of Programs at Camp Hanover, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. He has been in camping ministry for almost 20 years and also serves as a standards visitor for the American Camp Association.