"We Need to Tell More Stories:" Silver Lake Deans Prepare for Summer

by Drew Page

SHARON (03/08/2010) -- “We need to tell more stories.” That message opened the 2010 Dean’s Retreat for this summer’s Silver Lake summer conferences. It was not a critique or reprimand: It was a charge to ensure that this summer’s conferees get the best experience possible.

Over 40 volunteers gathered at the Connecticut Conference's outdoor ministry site on Friday, March 5th, to share, train and prepare for the coming summer. It was one of the largest Dean's Retreats in recent history.

Alongside several first-time deans in attendance, there was a wealth of experience from returning leaders with no lack of stories to tell. As the agenda ranged from child safety practices to exploring the way we approach spirituality in conference programming, the deans and chaplains were able to share personal experiences to illustrate a topic or to offer alternate perspectives.

Unlike some outdoor ministry and camping settings, Silver Lake relies on volunteer leadership for a substantial portion of its program. Uncompensated deans and counselors are responsible for each conference's theme and activities, and for being with conferees throughout the week. The summer staff, one of Silver Lake's great assets, brings a special energy to each camper's experience, as well as providing many of the essential services that make a camping week: lifeguarding, cooking, cleaning, running the challenge courses, and teaching arts and crafts.

Subjects varied during the weekend. Silver Lake co-Director Anne Hughes shared trends in camp attendance throughout the nation, and also the difficulties in getting children to unplug from the restless, electronic society in order to witness God’s creation through a quiet moment in the woods or even the disturbingly rare activity of free play. Small groups discussed the surprises deans still face, even after years of experience.

The elements of a conference week that deans can -- and cannot -- control stimulated a good deal of conversation. Whendi Cook Broderick shared one experience with which many could relate: “I learned to get myself out of the way and let the Spirit work through me,” she said.

Karen Ziel, the Connecticut Conference's Minister of Christian Education, provided an opportunity for the deans to discuss how stories shape us, what ritual means to us, and where relationships affect us. She offered several resources for deans as well. One resource the deans were all reminded to explore further was the Bible itself.

“We are unapologetically a Christian Conference,” said the Rev. Kathy Peters, pastor of the United Church of Chester UCC and a returning dean. “The Bible is our proof. It should be the basis of our week.” With this in mind, the deans began planning the activities of the summer.

The weekend ended with a fantastic Dean’s Appreciation Dinner prepared by Silver Lake’s chef, Bob Slagel. Armed with good food, inspiring stories, and a reminder of what drives and guides us, the deans left the retreat ready to finish planning, train their counselors, and prepare their spirits for the excitement that awaits this summer.

Drew Page is Media Assistant for the Connecticut Conference, and volunteer co-dean for "I Learned It All in Volleyball" this summer at Silver Lake.

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