August 2010 Newsletter

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be a heroBy Kevin Starcher, Director of Summer Camp and Youth Programs

This summer, on Sunday nights at Highlands, we asked our

campers what they thought it meant to be a hero. Answers around the glowing campfires often included a fireman running into a burning building to save the life of a helpless victim, or a soldier going off to war.

Sometimes we got answers out of the comic books and movies, like Batman, Wonder Woman, even Sponge Bob Square Pants. However, once the laughter died down in the quiet mountain evenings, we discussed the essential elements of what it takes to be a hero. You can guess now that our theme this summer revolved around the idea of what it means to be a hero. In fact, our theme “Be a Hero,” charged us to live into a lifestyle of being a hero for others.

generosity is the word of the summer!By Maria Shupe, Executive Director

As I was preparing the outline for this newsletter I wrote:

• Capital Campaign Update• Milestone Ride Update• Scholarship Update• Zip line update

And I’ll give you all those updates . . . but to sum it up in a word . . . GENEROSITY!

In our Capital Campaign we have received 410 gifts from 109 donors. These gifts reflect the generosity of folks who have given large one-time gifts, as well as the generosity of folks who regularly give quarterly and monthly gifts. To date, $869,459.09 has been raised towards our goal of $2,800,000. This is 31% of our goal! We are making progress . . . because of your generosity! Our Capital Campaign Committee has also engaged the services of a grant writer to help us identify appropriate grants to fund our campaign, and to make applications for these grants. We are excited about this new direction.

One of the generous gifts given to the Capital Campaign this summer was a gift given by the Jouard Family to name room #11 in memory of Robert C. Jouard.

We were delighted to have members of the Jouard family here this summer for “Seeing is Believing” and to celebrate the naming of room #11 in the Retreat Center.

Saturday, July 17th, was an amazing day. We were filled to the brim . . . and overflowing to tables on the porch and in the ball field, as friends gathered to celebrate Cleon Kimberling’s 80th birthday. The Milestone Ride had 44 bicycle riders who climbed from Lyons to Highlands in celebration of Cleon’s birthday. Over $10,000 was raised to support scholarships at Highlands. In addition, a gift was provided to cover all expenses for the Milestone Ride and celebration. We are grateful for the

“Be A Hero” – Continued on Page 3

“Generosity” – Continued on Page 5

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Dear Friends,

In her book The God-Bearing Life Kendra Creasy Dean encourages us to be “hand-holders” and “finger-

pointers” with children and youth, as we show them where they might find and experience God. This summer, our summer staff members have been incredible “God-bearers,” holding the hands of campers and pointing them to God through worship, Bible Study, hike day, the beauty of God’s creation and just plain fun!

Here are a few excerpts from letters written to us by campers . . .

“I got to make new life long friends, and experience God in a whole new way. Keep doin what your doin!”

“We got to rock climb, hike up the Twin Sisters, and have worship half-way down the mountain. We also got to go whitewater rafting down the Poudre river and that was awesome. It was also fun because we got to worship every night by thinking of ways to be a better Christian and then we would sing for a couple of hours. We slept in tents every night and that was exciting.”

“You might hear this a lot but thank you. The time I had was sublime.”

“I am overjoyed when I go to Highlands because we can have fun. I also love Highlands because each year I get closer to God in worship. This year I went to adventure camp and it was awesome. I loved each day. I also loved the counselors. But my favorite thing was worship.”

“I love the final worship we have, it really expresses my love for God and everything else, even if it means leaving Highlands until next summer!”

We do many things at Highlands… • host church retreats and youth groups, • bring adults to our beautiful facilities for adult

programs, • celebrate families with family reunions and

weddings, • help encourage care of God’s creation and world

peace in our hospitality to guest groups.Summer camp is the heart of our ministry! Through

Summer Camp, we . . . • live together in community, • nurture leadership in young adults, • provide opportunities for worship and study with

campers. I spent 17 years working in congregations, and I’ve

said for many years that there are two things I love about Summer Camp that you rarely see in the local church . . . the kids come early—they can’t wait to be here — and they cry when it’s time to go home! This summer I saw a third thing I love . . . I watched campers crawl around and over other campers, who were already there, in order to sit in the front at worship! What a joy!

Thank you for all you do to make this ministry possible . . . your prayers, your time, your financial gifts! Thanks for being a “God-bearer” and helping us hold hands and point the way to Christ for campers! It has been an awesome (and sublime!) summer.

Maria ShupeExecutive Director

my week of summer camp – “the differences a week can make“

By Mark Sears, Moderator of the Highlands Committee

Who is ministering to whom? I asked myself this question

many times during my week at camp this summer. I was the volunteer worship leader for a week of Saddle Soars - Horse Camp, it was my job to lead the Bible Study lessons and the worship, in essence be the spiritual leader, and minister to my horse campers. Often times I felt that the campers were the ones ministering to me. Our youth are wonderful; they are often wise way beyond their age and so caring. Their kindness, insights and advice ministered to me and inspired me.

The Highlands family during my week at camp included so many

people: Highlands’ permanent staff; summer staff; volunteer counselors; several volunteers; campers from several different camps; nursing staff; and our kitchen staff. All seemed to be ministering to me and to each other in so many wonderful ways. God’s ministry at Highlands was so alive; it was very difficult to tell who was ministering to whom. God seemed to use everyone in His Highlands family to love, to care, to help, and to minister. What a loving Christian family experience.

I realized once again why I continue to come back to Highlands, why I support the ministry at Highlands, why I serve

Highlands, and most importantly why I volunteer to be a worship leader. It is simply amazing to see the differences a week at Highlands can make in so many lives; so much spiritual growth; and so many lives transformed. And just think, God ministers to people at Highlands 52 weeks a year touching the lives of thousands of people. And just think, God has ministered with Grace for 65 years in this special majestic mountain place called Highlands.

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The Bible verse we explored on Sunday nights came from the Gospel of John, where the little boy brings the five loaves and two fish to Jesus as a small offering to help feed the crowd of over 5,000 people that day. Through this scripture, and others explored during our time at Highlands, we learned that we don’t have to have super powers like invisibility or the gift of flying or superhuman strength to make us special, but rather, we learned that when we offer only ourselves and the little that we have, Christ takes us and transforms our meager gifts and talents for the betterment of God’s Kingdom.

Throughout our time at Highlands this summer, we explored this concept of what it means to be a hero. We made our own personal masks and capes during craft times, and played superhero games all summer to reiterate our theme. In fact, this superhero theme culminated every Thursday night when we celebrated all-camp worship. At this joyful and meaningful service, held at the pond with the sun shining its last few amber lights at sunset, we held

an entire worship service about the heroes in our lives and living into the identity of a hero to which Christ calls us. And, as campers lighted a candle in honor of a hero in their life, we didn’t hear stories of Batman or Sponge Bob Square Pants. Instead we heard stories about grandparents who believe in us. We heard about parents working hard to provide for us. Memories of good friends who love us, even when we don’t deserve it, were shared. Through these life experiences and meaningful scripture passages, we learned at Highlands this summer that as God calls us to be heroes, we simply need to offer ourselves to God and his Heavenly Kingdom – a Kingdom filled with love, mercy, justice, and wonderful grace.

I’ve been able to think about the heroes in my life, and the heroes that makes Highlands possible. I remember my grandfather, who believed that I could use my God-given talents for something good in this world. I think of the wondrous people who make the ministry of Highlands possible. I think of the children, youth and adults who

attend Highlands and teach us about God’s grace. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of heroes working all over to make this ministry at Highlands happen, who work for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Normal. Everyday. Average. Heroes.

Take a lesson from a typical, everyday, average camper at Highlands this summer: Be a Hero! Share what little you have in life and give it up to Christ’s Kingdom. Love someone close to you. Love someone far from you. Offer up a meager five loaves and two fish, and just see what Christ will do with it! Go ahead, and join us as we seek to be Heroes in and through Jesus Christ.

“Be A Hero” – Continued from Page 1

Each week this summer, campers have enjoyed 65th Anniversary cupcakes as one of the snacks! Each Friday evening, at our closing program, we have enjoyed

seeing video clips of stories from the early years of Highlands’ history, and celebrated with a beautiful anniversary cake created by our food service staff.

Our celebration continues . . . mark you calendar now and plan to join us for the Annual Highlands Christmas Party! This year’s celebration will be our BIG 65th Anniversary Celebration and we hope you will be there! Enjoy wonderful food, great stories and lots of fun as the Highlands family gathers to celebrate “65 Years of Grace in a Beautiful Place!”

1945 – 2010:65 years of grace in a beautiful place!

Highland’s Annual Christmas Party&

65th Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, December 4th

1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.The Retreat Center

at Highlands

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senior high retreat:november 5 – 7, 2010:

“come and see”

We live in a culture in which the Gospel has ceased to be Good News. We must recover a robust Gospel that

calls young people into more than “getting saved so they can go to heaven” to a Gospel that contains the overarching narrative of God at work to restore and redeem. Come and see where young people will be invited to recover this good news, while re-engaging evangelism, re-imaging spirituality, and restoring scripture to vibrant status in our lives.

Our keynote speaker is Mike King. Mike is in his 35th year in youth ministry and serves as President/CEO of Youthfront, a church assisting organization. Youthfront is committed to creating holistic, missional environments for Christian formation. Youthfront works to bring youth into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by creating environments where spiritual transformation occurs, by working with those who are involved in the spiritual formation of youth and by providing church-assisting events.

Cost: $115 when registered by October 18th

$130 when registered after October 18th

way-points: writing your spiritual memoirs

September 27 – 30, 2010, Highlands will offer you the amazing opportunity to identify your most significant spiritual experiences and make easy the writing of spontaneous drafts.

This Way-Points event will be led by Nan Phifer, author of MEMOIRS OF THE SOUL: A WRITING GUIDE. During this retreat, you'll write about several landmarks in your spiritual journey, gain ideas for more chapters to write later and experience a writing process you can continue to use. The cost is $375.00/person double occupancy. See more on Nan's website: www.memoirworkshops.com.

Additional opportunities will be offered to experience some personal spiritual ‘highs’ in the beautiful surroundings of the Rocky Mountains and Highlands. To register for this event, please contact Holly at [email protected] or visit our website at www.highlandscamp.org.

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generosity of those who rode and those who sponsored them!

It is only because of scholarships that many campers are able to come to Highlands each year! This year the Development sub-committee set the goal of raising $25,000 in scholarship funds to guarantee that no one would be unable to come to Highlands because of the cost. Our

long-term goal is to raise $50,000 each year for scholarships. Through the generosity of many, this $25,000 goal has been met and exceeded. To date, scholarship donations total nearly $23,000. Combined with funds from the Milestone Ride, we had over $33,000 available for scholarships this summer. Funds not used for Summer Camp will provide scholarships for our Senior High and Middle School retreats, as well as a foundation for 2011 scholarships!

This spring a donor approached Highlands with the idea of building a Zip Line in honor of Ken Husbands. This generous donor provided 50% of the funds needed, and wrote a personal letter inviting other friends of Ken Husbands to join in this effort. We have reached 93% of

our goal of the $12,000 needed to build the zip line. An additional donor has promised to provide the remaining funds. In August, we’ll be working with the contractor to begin the installation of the Ken Husbands Memorial Zip Line.

Generosity is the word of the summer! In addition to financial support, donors have supported Highlands in so many ways!

Generous gifts of time have been given by volunteer directors and medical staff for Summer Camp. We have volunteers who regularly spend their Mondays and Fridays helping out in the office, and with maintenance. Generosity is what has made this another year of grace in a beautiful place! Thank you for your generosity!

“Generosity” – Continued from Page 1

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Road Scholar is the new program name for Elderhostel, Inc.

Rocky Mountain Halloween The Stanley Hotel and Other Things

That Go Bump in the Night October 28 – 31, 2010

Fascinated with horror? Love ghost stories? Then set off on a Rocky Mountains Halloween adventure that will make your spine tingle. Expert-led presentations and discussions immerse you in the literary and film genres of horror. Enjoy a screening of Stephen King’s “The Shining” and walk through the hallways of the Stanley Hotel to gain a sense of the aura that this historic lodge lent to King’s famous novel. Before sitting down to a meal in the Stanley Hotel’s elegant dining area, discover the fascinating history of the hotel and the stories that lead many locals to believe it is haunted. Explore Estes Park’s charming downtown, Rocky Mountain National Park and Highlands Retreat Center at the foot of beautiful Mount Meeker.

Glenn Miller: Big Bands and Fancy Footwork

A Valentine Celebration!February 13 – 16, 2011

Brush up on your swing dance skills or learn them for the first time, then strut your stuff at a cozy celebration high in

the Rocky Mountains. Bring a partner, or meet new friends as you combine dance lessons led by professional instructors with presentations and films on Glenn Miller's life and music. Investigate the swing era of jazz with the curator of the University of Colorado's Glenn Miller archive, and enjoy the charming mountain town of Estes Park while you explore its river walk and small shops. Join in a festive celebration, complete with a champagne banquet and swing dancing, and let the party continue the next morning with a joyful farewell breakfast.

World Affairs Conference: Reflecting in the Rockies

April 3 – 8, 2011

Founded in 1948, the Conference on World Affairs has grown into an expansive forum on issues ranging from the arts and technology to human rights and the environment. Attend the conference on the Boulder campus of the University of Colorado and join the ranks of past participants like Arthur Miller, Eleanor Roosevelt, R. Buckminster Fuller, Henry Kissinger and other intellectual heavyweights. Choose from the myriad presentations and renowned speakers featured at the conference and discuss each day’s topics with fellow participants in local eateries in Boulder. Between sessions at the conference, relax amid the beautiful surroundings of a first-rate retreat center, enjoying hikes and other outdoor pursuits in a unique mountain setting.

For more information on any of these events, or to register, go to www.roadscholar.org.

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Summer Camp numbers are approximately 15% behind a year ago. This is a trend nation-wide in

camping programs. Summer Camp will run approximate $32,000 below budget. Adult programs including Elderhostel (Road Scholar) and Way-Points, will run approximately $72,000 below budget. Guest reservations however, are well ahead of a year ago and we anticipate $120, 000 more in guest revenue than budgeted by year-end, with most of this increase coming in the fall. We expect total generated revenue to meet budget by year-end.

Highlands hoped to operate in 2010 without a Line of Credit and without adding any short-term debt. Denver Presbytery supported this by providing all of their support in the first half of 2010, allowing us to better manage our cash flow. Our highest expenses come in May, June and July as we add summer staff and summer camp

programming costs. Our highest revenue comes with guests groups in the fall and year-end donations. With the approval of the Council of the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks, Highlands accepted a private loan in place of a Line of Credit. $50,000 has been loaned to Highlands at 2% simple interest through the end of 2010. These funds are intended to help meet cash flow needs, and will be repaid from operational funds by the end of 2010.

Your unrestricted gifts help to support the ongoing operations of Highlands. This year our budget includes $425,000 in unrestricted support from congregations and individuals. To the end of July we have received $79,000 in unrestricted support. We expect that year-end will bring unrestricted gifts to help us meet our goal. Thank you for your generous support!

summer camp facts and figures

• 498 campers registered for Summer Camp 2010• 108 Campers from 24 congregations in Denver Presbytery• 173 Campers from 26 congregations in the Presbytery of

Plains and Peaks• 42 Campers from other Presbyteries• 156 Campers from other denominations or with no church

affiliation• Campers came from 24 states and 4 countries• 7 Partnership Day Camps with 4 congregations from Denver

Presbytery and 3 congregations in the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks

• 335 day campers in our Partnership Day Camps• Highlands has provided $21,071.50 in scholarships to

campers• Congregations have provided an additional $19,201.00 in

scholarships to campers from their congregations• 35 Summer Staff (including Guest Services and Food

Services) from 11 different states and 5 countries• 31 Camp Sessions with 25 volunteers• 28 student nurses through our partnership with the Denver

School of Nursing

financial update

Are you a seamstress? Columbine cabin

could use new curtains? We can provide

photos, fabric and measurements. If you can

help with this project, please contact Maria

at [email protected].

wishlist . . .

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P.O. Box 66Allenspark, CO 80510

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDOmaha, NE

68102Permit No. 1951

For more information about Highlands Presbyterian Camp &

Retreat Center Contact 303-747-2888

[email protected] u www.highlandscamp.org

Address Service Requested

MISSIONThe mission of Highlands is

to provide gracious hospitality and quality Christian programs in a majestic mountain setting

and to nurture spiritual renewal and transformation in a safe and inclusive environment.

what’s inside:Be A Hero .....................................................................................1Generosity is the Word of the Summer! ...................................1From the Executive Director ......................................................2My Week of Summer Camp – “The Differences a Week Can Make” ......................................................................21945 – 2010: 65 Years of Grace in a Beautiful Place! ...............3Senior High Retreat: November 5 - 7, 2010 “Come and See” .......................................................................4Way-Points: WritingYour Spiritual Memoirs ..........................4Road Scholar – Adventures in Lifelong Learning ..................6Summer Camp Facts and Figures .............................................7Financial Update .........................................................................7Wish List . . . ................................................................................7