After reviewing the information that was gathered during the Now For the Future listening sessions in the spring of 2004, the Board of Directors agreed that the most compelling objective was to ensure that the ministry at Silver Lake remain vital and viable for the churches in the Connecticut Conference.
For almost 40 years that ministry has addressed two of Now For the Future’s original goals: enhancing youth ministry with summer conferences and youth weekend retreats, and the development of future leaders for the church. After a six-month process that included dialogue, gathering of data on current use, and evaluating the facilities in light of current and projected uses, the Board of Directors accepted a Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Ministry at Silver Lake. The Silver Lake Board of Directors was closely involved in the planning process and enthusiastically recommended the plan to the Conference Board of Directors. An architectural firm, Susan Maxman Associates, widely experienced in camp and conference center designs, has been retained to develop proposals for the new and renovated buildings in the strategic plan.
We are pleased to report, therefore, that all the pieces are now in place so that by October we will have gathered a fundraising committee and will be in a position to ask the delegates at the Annual Meeting to approve Phase 1 of Now For the Future, The Campaign for Silver Lake. We don’t yet know the financial goal, but we do know that the money raised will make all the facilities at the Lake more attractive, more accessible, and more amenable to use by groups of all ages.
