Thank you for your interest in presenting at the Campfire Collective Annual Conference.

This event will be held at Zephyr Point Conference Centerr on the shores of Lake Tahoe on November 10-15, 2024. The Annual Conference will bring together camp and retreat leaders from across the United States and Canada. This is the signature event of the Campfire Collective, representing the camp and conference ministries of the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association, the Outdoor Ministries Institute (serving the United Church of Canada) and several other denominations. The conference is also endorsed by the Association of Disciples in Outdoor Ministry and the Outdoor Ministries Association of the United Church of Christ.

The Planning Team for the conference is seeking workshop presenters.
Our workshop sessions are scheduled throughout the week and are approximately 75 minutes in length. As a community of servant leaders, we do not compensate workshop leaders. If an honorarium is appropriate, please list your fee after your bio in the Leader Bio field below. If you are not planning on attending the conference as a participant, we are willing to provide you meals and the program participant fee during the day of your session.

The theme for the conference is “REFRAME: Growing Leaders through Listening, Learning and Responding.”
Our faith has been indelibly shaped by the ministry and person of Jesus Christ. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if He had stayed around long enough to teach us more about best practices in outdoor ministry? The Good News is that Jesus commissioned us all to be his living witnesses in the world! For this event, The Book of Acts will serve as our guide through this years theme: REFRAME: Growing Leaders through Listening, Learning and Responding. Stories throughout the Book of Acts model for us what it is to Listen, Learn and Respond with the hope of and commitment to growing together. 

“REFRAME” will be an enriching conference that will invite outdoor ministry professionals on a journey of learning, listening, and responding with a spirit and intention of growing leaders with and among us. 

The Planning Team suggests the following as possible workshop presentations.
In connection with our theme, and the ongoing work of our ministries, the following topics are suggested. If you feel confident in leading one of the following (or a topic of your own), we encourage you to submit a proposal.

  • Listening and Learning from Gen Z - perspectives from Gen Z, understanding Gen Z from different generational perspectives

  • Mental Health and Neuro Divergence for Camp Staff & Campers

  • Adaptive Habits and Curriculum - designing engaging learning experiences for campers

  • Building a Culture of Lifelong Learning

  • The Art of Active Listening - cultivating listening skills

  • Transformative Leadership - empowering campers and young staff to be agents of change

  • Supporting Staff Wellbeing & Building Resilience - strategies for cultivating resilience, empathy, well being and coping mechanisms

  • Sabbath and Self-Care for Camp Leaders and How to Model It

  • Leadership Succession Planning - developing future leaders through mentoring and coaching

  • Cultivating Diversity and Inclusion in Leadership Development

  • How To Use AI in Outdoor Ministries

  • Best Practices - camp board development, food service, summer staff training, summer staff recruitment, etc.

  • A topic of your own that you are passionate about 

Submit a Workshop Proposal Today
Whether it is one of the suggested topics above or one of your own creation, please fill out the form below to submit your proposed session. The Planning Team will finalize workshop selections in September. You will hear from us then regarding your submission(s).

Workshop Proposal Form