Impact Report | North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

IMPACT REPORT · 2015
Seat
A
at the
Table
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries
690 Camp Glisson Road
Dahlonega, GA 30533
706.864.6181
growsomewhere.org

What a year!
We paused after the summer to reflect (and, frankly, to take a breath!)
on the wondrous things God has done in this 90th year of camping
ministry in North Georgia. Counting blessings can be a transformational
spiritual practice: Doing so this year led us to create something we’ve
been considering for years – a first Annual Report of our ministries.
The document you hold is offered with two hopes in mind. As a
stakeholder in these ministries please read this as an accounting of
our work in the spirit of the traditional organizational “annual report”.
As a partner in our ongoing and growing collaboration in God’s work
in the lives of children, youth and young adults, please read this as a
celebration of the fruit of our efforts, an “impact report”.
Since the opening of the place we call “Glisson” in 1925 our work has
been about the practice of faith. Now “North Georgia Camp and
Retreat Ministries, Inc.” continues and deepens the practice through
expansion of Glisson’s ministries, the broad reach of Grow Day Camps,
and the intentional depth of the Experiential Leadership Institute (ELI).
And we’re looking ahead to broadening our opportunities in 2018 with
the introduction of a new residential camping program.
We invite you to celebrate with us the impact of our ministries together…
Lee Highsmith
Chairperson NGCRM, Inc.
C. Russell Davis
Executive Director
Contents
IMPACT
REPORT
2015
Letter from Leadership 1
Mission · Core Values 2
2020 Vision 2
Ministry Sites 2
Glisson Village 3
An Experiential Christian Community 3
Village Schedule 3
John’s Village Story 4
More Than Just Eating 4
A Gift to Keep Growing 5
Glisson Sparrowwood 6
Where Campers Aren’t Defined by Disability 6
Michael’s Sparrowwood Story 6
Sparrowwood Schedule 6
ELI 7
Grow in Faith, Develop as Leaders, Make a Difference 7
ELI Program Sponsors 7
ELI Schedule 7
Taylor’s ELI Story 8
Leaders’ Circle 8
ELI Participants 8
Glisson Outpost 9
Outdoor Living Skills 9
Outpost Schedule 9
Leigh’s Outpost Story 10
Expanding to Make Room for More Explorers 10
Grow Day Camps 11
Camp Ministry Experience 11
Grow Day Camps Schedule 11
Demetrius’ Grow Story 12
Glisson Annual Fund 13
The Circle of 100 13
Annual Fund Donors 13
Ministry By The Numbers 14
Financials 14
Team 14
Board of Directors 14
OUR MISSION
North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries
joins with the church to make disciples of Jesus
Christ and to nurture leadership by creating
experiences in Creation and in Christian
community that encourage transformation,
growth, and renewal for all people.
GLISSON
GROW
ELI
32 sites
throughout
the 12 districts of the
North Georgia Conference UMC
In 2010, after 16 months of prayerful discernment by a task force
appointed by Bishop Watson, the North Georgia Annual Conference
adopted the following vision for its Camp and Retreat Ministries:
To advance the evangelism and discipleship efforts of the local
church, the North Georgia Annual Conference commits to rekindling
its Camping and Retreat Ministries. We intend to develop Christian
camping experiences that are more accessible geographically,
culturally, ethnically and physically. Using existing facilities, churches
and other available sites, we will double the current number of campers
from 2,500 to 5,000 in the next 10 years.
In 2015 – halfway to 2020 – we served 3,747 campers – halfway to our
goal! Since 2010, we have expanded from Glisson as our only ministry
to North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries, INC – a family of sibling
ministries serving the children, youth, and adults of the North Georgia
CORE
VALUES
CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
RADICAL ACCEPTANCE
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
2020 Conference Vision for Camp & Retreat Ministries
Conference and beyond; Grow Day Camps was born, growing from a
Glisson pilot program serving 69 campers at three church sites in 2010
to a stand-alone sibling ministry serving 928 campers at 32 church
sites all over the annual conference; finally, the Experiential Leadership
Institute developed from a leader-in-training pilot program at Glisson
into a more accessible sibling ministry focused on offering the highest
quality Christian servant leadership development, pairing leadership
training with the opportunity to lead.
While these ministry programs continue to grow – 2015 was the highest
attended summer on record for Village, Sparrowwood, Outpost, ELI,
and Grow – we’re not done growing yet. In 2018 we’ll introduce a
new resident summer camping ministry designed to support making
disciples in ways we’ve never done before. Reaching 5,000 children
and youth for Christ – changing one life at a time.
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 1 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 2
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

An
Experiential
Christian
Community
After 90 years of camp ministry in the Cane Creek valley, we’re still
discovering ways to improve creating Christian community in God’s
creation. 2015 was a banner year for improvements to Glisson’s main
campus, greatly enhancing the camp experience for Village and
Sparrowwood campers – and we’ll get to that on the next two pages.
Before that, though, it’s important to remember what has held constant
for generations.
With room for more Village campers than ever in 2015, our focus
on small groups is still as strong as ever. Up to 12 campers and two
counselors form living groups who experience pretty much everything
together for the week. They share meals together, go on creek hikes
together, worship in chapel together, go on a camp out together, take
on the challenge course together, and more. All along the way, their
counselors are facilitating our core values of Christian community,
radical acceptance, unconditional love, and experiential learning.
Campers experience a group where the team’s needs come first, where
every member is loved and accepted as uniquely loved and gifted
children of God, and where each person’s participation is key to creating
a collective experience rather than consuming an individual one.
VILLAGE CAMPERS
2013 2014 2015
1933 1909 2141
Beyond attending chapel services, which living groups take turns
planning and leading for their peers with the help of a Theologian-in-
Residence, campers are encouraged to practice living out the songs
they sing and sermons and scripture they hear throughout their day
at camp. As one camper so aptly put it decades ago: “You know those
things we learn in Sunday school? Here at camp, we do them.” With
the help of their counselors, Village campers experience what it means
to be a Christian in the creek, at the archery range, below the Alpine
Tower, inside the cabin, and around the family dinner table.
John’s
Village Story
At Glisson for a seventh-straight summer,
14-year-old John Hairston surprised his parents,
his counselor, and perhaps even himself.
“This past summer I had a strong experience with God,” John reflected.
“I was led to share a sermon for Thursday night chapel about how the
Holy Spirit flows through us; I felt that God spoke through me that night.
That week I felt closer to God than I ever have.”
John wasn’t exactly known for his public speaking, and he certainly
didn’t come to camp expecting to preach to a hundred of his peers.
John’s counselor, Dylan, recounted the backstory.
“When the TIR asked our group if anyone wanted to give the message,
John was quick to volunteer. I was a bit surprised, but definitely excited
for him. We worked on his message and it was so awesome to see him
analyze the word and apply it to his life. Then, Thursday night chapel
came and John and the rest of our living group absolutely crushed it! I
could see that their hearts were truly into it and they were understanding
what this thing called the Holy Spirit was.”
Rev. Tonya Lawrence, the pastor in camp that week, recalled running
into John the next day saying, “He asked what motivated me to ask
him to preach. With a smile, I responded, ‘The Holy Spirit.’ I then asked
him what motivated him to say yes, and he responded, ‘The Holy Spirit,’
GLISSON VILLAGE CAMP
and we both smiled. Because of the willingness to respond to the Holy
Spirit, neither of us will ever be the same.”
John’s parents, Peter and Laurie, were overjoyed with John’s experience.
Laurie shared how it felt discovering camp’s impact.
“This summer was an answer to prayer for us. John’s experience
represented an openness to the Lord we had never seen. Our insecure
teen suddenly opened up and allowed the Lord to work through him.
Playing his guitar in chapel was a HUGE deal because he had never
been willing to play outside of our home. We were so surprised to find
out that he willingly played in front of hundreds of kids each day.Then,
we found out that he gave the sermon on the last night of camp. I have
never been more surprised! John has never spoken in front of people,
and I honestly didn’t realize that he had enough knowledge of the Bible
to be able to do this. When he got home, he shared his notes from his
sermon with us, and I was moved to tears.
“Glisson is truly in the business of making disciples and bringing kids
to Christ. The counselors and staff reflect the grace and love of the
Lord. Our kids always have an awesome time doing all the activities,
but truly the activities are secondary. Non-Christian camps offer tons
of activities. The spiritual foundation is what is priceless.”
“Glisson helps me grow a stronger relationship with God,” John
explained. “Glisson is such a great place, but the best part is the
counselors and staff. They are amazing people who strive to lead you to
the Lord. In the future, I really hope that I can be a counselor at Glisson
and lead other boys to the Lord.”
More Than Just Eating: New Ministry Facility Serves Many Purposes
Glisson Village 2016 Schedule
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9
Grade May 29-June 3 June 5-10 June 12-17 June 19-24 June 26-July 1 July 3-8 July 10-15 July 17-22 July 24-29
grades 2-4 • mini • mini
grades 3-6 • • • • • • • •
grades 7-9 • • • • • • • • •
grades 10-12
•
1) SHARING MEALS
TOGETHER:
Serving one meal three
times a day instead of two
shifts
7) A NEW “DOWN
UNDER” OF SORTS:
New large group meeting
room on ground floor
Top Twelve Ways The New Dining Hall Made Camp Better Than Ever
2) EATING FAMILY STYLE:
Customized kitchen and
dining area for familystyle
dining
8) A PLACE TO ROCK ON:
Rocking chair porches
for fellowship and group
reflection
3) A SINGLE “SOP”:
One big Singing-on-the-
Porch instead of two
smaller ones
9) S’MORE STORAGE:
Customized storage space
for living group campout
supply pick-up
4) THE PRAYER CHAPEL:
Inspiring small group
space designed for prayer
and reflection
10) SAFER CREEK:
New vehicular bridge lets
old one become gathering
area for creek entry
5) LOBBY FELLOWSHIP:
New indoor area for casual
fellowship before and
after meals
11) COZIER CAMP STORE:
New camp store can
welcome an entire living
group comfortably
6) TRUCKLESS CENTER:
New back entrance keeps
service trucks out of
camp’s center
12) PLACE TO LOUNGE:
New rustic coffee lounge
for fellowship before or
after meals or store
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 3 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 4
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

GLISSON VILLAGE CAMP
A Gift to Keep
Going and Growing
our biggest capital
campaign ever followed
by the biggest single
gift ever
Where Campers
Aren’t Defined
By Disability
SPARROWWOOD
CAMPERS
2013 2014 2015
157 155 184
Over the past four decades, the Sparrowwood program has had a
profound impact on its participants, their families, and our summer
staff. Specialized training is given to counselors, each of whom offer
custom care to two campers, focusing on ability rather than disability.
Sparrowwood’s impact doesn’t stop there, though. Its embodiment of
unconditional love spreads through all of Glisson and beyond.
Glisson as a whole wouldn’t be what it is without the powerful presence
of these campers – their smiles, songs, dance moves, chapel skits,
celebrations, sporting prowess, hugs and high fives. Sparrowwood
campers visit Outpost for a campout each week and participate daily in
Village camp living groups, allowing all involved to discover that we are
more alike than different.
As wonderful as Sparrowwood is, we’re still hard at work to keep
making it better than ever. Over the past few years, our focus has
shifted from integration – Sparrowwood campers joining a Village living
group for an activity or two per week – to inclusion – Sparrowwood
campers and their counselor being part of a Village living group for
as many events as possible throughout the week. This shift has only
increased the effect these beautiful children, youth, and adults have
on everything about Glisson. And in 2015, the new Lanford Lodge and
cabins in Village allowed Sparrowwood campers and staff to stay in Ivie
Lodge. Campers (and staff) appreciated the comfier living conditions,
and the increased number of beds made room for more Sparrowwood
campers than ever before.
blob zipline wet willie
Michael’s
Sparrowwood Story
“It honestly left me speechless and very excited.”
That’s what Ellen Holland expressed when asked
about the impact Sparrowwood had on her son,
Michael, in 2015.
The Biggest Program Activity Addition
Since The Alpine Tower
On the heels of completing our biggest capital campaign ever, Glisson
received its largest single gift ever: one million dollars! This unexpected
gift was given specifically toward projects of our Master Plan that were
not included in the Serving Generations campaign...and in the hope
that we’d start building right away – which we did!
A key improvement this incredible gift allowed was developing the
Lake Hale waterfront – our biggest-impact program activity addition
since the Alpine Tower in 1998.
One of our basic program goals in Village is to get campers wet
and off the ground at least once a day – wet because it’s summer in
Georgia and off the ground because that unusual circumstance offers
a chance to build trust and self-confidence. The pool and creek can
only handle so many campers at a time, and the lake had largely been
limited to kayaking for decades. Thus, in 2015, we unleashed the three
most-awesome ways ever to enter Lake Hale: zip line, Blob, and Wet
Willie water slides. Beyond being an absolute blast, these three new
program activities get campers wet and off the ground at the same
time. Campers from all three Glisson programs gave rave reviews for
the chance to zip, slide, bounce, and fly their way into the once-sleepy
and now-bustling Lake Hale.
While the new waterfront may be the most immediately noticeable
improvement from this generous gift, it has also created more lodging
space and meeting space and, in the near future, activity space.
Room For Many More
Two new Village cabins
and renovation of a third
– combined with the new
Lanford Lodge that was
a key part of the Serving
Generations campaign
– offered more room for
more campers in 2015.
A New “Old” Dining Hall
After 64 years as a
food service facility, the
heavily-loved dining
area was renovated into
a large group meeting
space and the kitchen
area is being converted
into a meeting space and
bathrooms.
Bigger, Better Ball Field
The fourth piece of the
$1M gift projects will
be creating a full-size
recreation field near the
old Rustic campground
to accommodate a wider
variety of activities for
larger groups.
Back for his fourth summer, Michael spent the week at a brand-new
program offering: Sparrowwood @ Outpost. It’s safe to say the concept
was a raging success with at least one veteran camper. At the end of
the week, Michael’s mother exclaimed: “He wants to do Outpost again!
Michael has not made a decision in 19 years. It’s always ‘Whatever, I
don’t care.’ He immediately said he wanted to do Outpost again.”
When asked to elaborate on what that meant for the parent of a child
with special needs, Ellen shared: “It made us so happy to see that he
found something that he connected so much with that it made that
much of an impact. He still makes very few to no decisions, but that
was a moment he was sure and confident. Glimpses like this, milestones
like this, really are priceless for a parent of a special needs child. It’s like
watching a child take their first steps.”
Glisson Sparrowwood 2016 Schedule
* - horses
** - @ Outpost (horses)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9
Age May 29-June 3 June 5-10 June 12-17 June 19-24 June 26-July 1 July 3-8 July 10-15 July 17-22 July 24-29
9-13 yrs • •
14-17 yrs • • • • •*
Ellen adopted Michael and raised him as a single parent for many years
before meeting her husband, Danny, who embraced Michael as his own.
When asked what impact Sparrowwood has had on their family, Ellen
shared similar sentiments we’ve heard for decades:
“Sparrowwood gives us a chance to send Michael to a place where we
know he will be safe and cared for. In addition it gives him the same
camp experience I was lucky enough to have growing up….It gives
Danny and I time as a couple. We also get to see Michael grow through
his experiences.”
18-40 yrs • • •** • • •* • •
40+ yrs • • • •
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 5 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 6
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

ELI PARTICIPANTS
What are your God-given strengths? What are you passionate about?
Is there only one way to lead, or does a leader lead in different ways
based on the needs of a group? What does it mean to be a Christian
servant leader? How do you care for followers? How do you cast a
vision and motivate yourself and others to get after it?
ELI participants spend a week of intense leadership development
diving deeply into these questions, then spend 1-8 weeks practicing
servant leadership together while volunteering as counselors for nearly
1,000 children at local churches all over the northern half of Georgia.
The impact is huge in every direction – for the ELI participants, the day
campers, the families, and the churches.
In 2015, the actual program cost for an ELI participant was $645. This
included the intense leadership development week at Glisson followed
by anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks of continued room and board and
mentorship while practicing servant leadership as a day camp counselor.
Thanks to the generosity of our 2015 program sponsors – North Georgia
Conference Board of Laity, LaGrange College, and Reinhardt University
– applicants accepted to the program automatically received a $500
leadership award toward their ELI fee, dramatically reducing the cost
from $645 to $145. We were thrilled to be able to offer the same high
quality leadership development at a fee that helped make this lifechanging
experience a possibility for more youth than ever.
2013 2014 2015
27 34 51
Grow In Faith,
Develop As Leaders,
Make A Difference
Eli Program Sponsors Make Servant Leader Development
More Accessible
ELI 2016 Schedule
The Experiential Leadership Institute (ELI) is a safe space for rising 11th
and 12th grade youth to discover, practice and reflect on their emerging
leadership skills in live ministry settings. Put simply, ELI is a chance to
grow in faith, develop as leaders, and make a difference.
In 2015, 51 ELI participants volunteered 5,750+ hours as day camp
counselors making camp ministry experiences possible for 928 children
at 32 local churches across the North Georgia Conference. We’ve made
room for 100+ ELI in 2016. Our ultimate goal is to immerse over 200
rising high school juniors and seniors each year in a culture of Christian
servant leadership conducive to hearing God’s call in their lives and
being better prepared to respond.
October ‘15 - April ‘16 May 29 - June 3, 2016 June ‘16 - July ‘16 Fall ‘16
Applications, Interviews,
Registration
ELI Leadership Training
Week + Commissioning
1 to 8 Servant Leadership Weeks
As Day Camp Counselors +
Summer Celebration Banquet
Servant Leadership Role
in Home Church
Taylor’s
ELI Story
“ELI changed her life.”
Pellum Peters couldn’t stop talking about the impact ELI had on his
daughter, Taylor. He told one staff member in-person, then talked to
another by phone, then sent a follow-up email to make sure we caught
it all.
“This experience gave her a new sense of accountability and
responsibility for serving her peers – a new desire to help her peers in
the development of their relationship with Jesus Christ.”
While many ELI participants have been Glisson campers in the past, a
camp ministry environment was foreign to Taylor at first.
“Her confidence grew,” Pellum explained. “She was initially very hesitant
going into a strange environment with people she did not know. It was
an opportunity to trust Jesus in a way that she had not previously. She
walked out on faith.”
“It was very inspiring…”
A few months removed from summer, Taylor reflected on her experience.
“It was very inspiring – looking at yourself, at your leadership style,
and getting experience working with others and seeing life from their
perspective. Stepping into a new environment and meeting new people
prepared me to make new friends in college. And talking about others’
faith and experiences allowed me to grow closer to God.”
When asked what she loved about ELI, Taylor mentioned listening to
the campers’ stories, and that while being a day camp counselor could
be challenging at times, “The kids didn’t want to leave and neither did I.
Every day was a good time.”
ELI participants debrief with their mentors on a daily basis. That practice
has stuck with Taylor moving forward.
Emily (2015)
Northpoint Church
”This summer truly changed
my life. The change in my
mindset has already been
so evident this year as I go
through senior year. ELI
helped me find my passions.
I have found that I am truly
passionate about servant
leadership, and since the
summer has ended, I have
been heavily looking into longterm
opportunities to serve in
the mission field.”
Joseph (2014-15)
Kennesaw UMC
“ELI is the perfect training
program that teaches you the
skills and mindset for being
a leader of all age groups.
Everyday is perfectly planned
out to give you real-life
situations. I couldn’t have
asked for a better way to learn
about leadership.”
Jorge (2014-15)
McEachern UMC
“I came into ELI with
leadership skills from the
sports that I play, but I was a
little shy about taking a lead
role outside of sports. Now I
know more about my natural
strengths and how to use them
in a variety of new settings,
and I’m the first to volunteer
and take on harder tasks
because through ELI, I learned
that everything is possible with
faith and Christ.”
ELI · EXPERIENTIAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
“Evening reflections helped me make the next day better. I find myself
reflecting on my experiences every day. I try not to be too hard on
myself when things go wrong – just reflect and find a way to make it
better. I pray a lot.”
Pellum was thrilled with his daughter’s experience and just thrilled in
general that ELI exists.
“ELI should be a priority in the church. It’s crucial for the growth of the
church and the development of our youth into the type of adults that
will make the church vital and vibrant on into the foreseeable future – to
bring about the change that we say we’re about.”
Pellum praised the chance to learn leadership theory at a young age
and then the opportunity to put it into practice immediately, solidifying
the lessons learned. He also made a point to note the cultural aspect
of the experience. “Serving all types of churches – small/large, urban/
rural, black/white – encourages innovation in one’s approach for
making disciples for Jesus Christ.”
Taylor wrapped up her thoughts on her experience with this encouraging
directive:
“Everybody should do ELI.”
Leaders Circle
Helping Raise a Generation
of Servant Leaders
For 2016, we’re looking for a group of
leading congregations to partner with
ELI in developing Christian servant
leaders by identifying five emerging
young leaders in their church and
supporting them through the ELI
experience. Contact us to become part
of The Leaders Circle.
Margaret (2014-15)
Mt. Pisgah UMC
“Last summer I had the most
incredible experience of my
life. The training week had
a huge impact on the way I
see myself as a leader. I loved
learning the way people work
together and my different
strengths. I discovered that
leadership doesn’t have to
be loud and crazy and that
my leadership style is very
relational.”
Reid (2013-14)
Lawrenceville First UMC
“Now, I know what I want to
spend my life doing. I want to
go into ministry after college.
Specifically, children and camp
& retreat ministry areas inspire
me. I feel like God is calling
me to do this, and I know a
life doing something I’m truly
passionate about is a life
well spent – especially if it is
potentially changing the lives
of others. My ELI experience
has blessed me beyond belief
and has pointed me in a
whole new direction I never
imagined.”
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 7 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 8
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

OUTPOST
CAMPERS
Outdoor Living Skills
For Living Out In Creation
Each of our programs facilitates, to varying degrees, creative dislocation
– a form of experiential education that places people into settings,
relationships and dynamics intentionally different from the norm, in
order to enhance the potential for transformation. It’s a key concept
for camp and retreat ministry and it’s taken to our most extreme with
Outpost.
All of our campers are away from what’s normal to them – their house,
family, friends, activities, school, and screens. Outpost takes this a step
further by largely removing modern-day staples like electricity and
walls and replacing them with campfire-cooked meals and open-air
shelters.
2013 2014 2015
376 407 443
outdoor experiences. Outdoor skills acquisition, communication and
creative problem solving, consensus-seeking and team building,
creative worship and faith conversation all contribute to growth in our
campers, which is progressive in design.
Pioneer (elementary) is an intro to outdoor living skills and adventure
activities; Frontier (middle school) offers opportunities to hone skills
and learn new ones on overnight trips for horse trail rides, kayaking,
backpacking, and rock climbing; Expedition (high school) builds on
skills learned and takes campers off-site for a week or more to hone
outdoor skills while expanding kayaking, backpacking, and climbing
knowledge. Outpost exists to pass along the skills necessary to stay in
love with God, with God’s people and with God’s creation for life.
Leigh’s
Outpost Story
After years of enjoying week-long camp experiences – once even
coming to camp twice in the same summer – Leigh jumped at the
opportunity to go on our new 10-day Cumberland Island Adventure.
“I had great counselors this summer. I always have. My first Outpost
group for rock climbing was so great. It was like a second family! On
the Cumberland trip, I was able to do things I have never done before.
Even things I might not love like kayaking. Being there was peaceful.
The beach was empty and it felt like we owned it. We got to see a lot of
beautiful things God created.”
Leigh’s mom, Renee, reflected on her daughter’s “amazing” experience
saying, “The trip was once in a lifetime. I think it would be hard to top
this experience. The night she got home she had me go out with her
and just lie on our backs and truly look at the sky and appreciate the
stars we often just ignore in our busy lives.”
When asked about the impact Outpost has had on Leigh and her family,
Renee shared that “Outpost has given Leigh a place to go to have major
life experiences. Neither of her parents are major outdoor types and
she craves some experiences that we cannot provide her with due to
lack of experience or skills. The timeout from electronics gives her time
to look inward and she comes back more grounded and filled with love
for God each time. She also becomes more and more self-assured and
confident because of all she experiences on these trips.”
GLISSON OUTPOST
“I have always been shown love and
acceptance at Glisson and always
felt like I was meant to be there.”
“I was a little worried for her first year but with the wonderful counselors
Leigh quickly found a new home to experience the love of God. I have
always been so amazed at the young people who are the leaders at
Glisson. They always are so excited, caring and enthused to share God.
Leigh had to do an introductory questionnaire at high school and was
asked, besides a family member, who does she most respect and want
to be like – and it was her Cumberland trip leader, ‘Fish’. I thought that
was pretty great.
“Thank you for this experience for my daughter. She comes back a
stronger person every time she comes to you. For that I am always in
Glisson’s debt. She has one more year of camper eligibility so we will
see you next summer!”
God’s creation is a bountiful source of understanding the Creator.
Outpost offers campers an experience of Christian community in
creation during which they learn skills needed to negotiate their own
Glisson Outpost 2016 Schedule
PIONEER
(elementary)
FRONTIER
(mid-high)
EXPEDITION
(senior high)
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9
May 29-
June 3
June 5-10 June 12-17 June 19-24 June 26-July 1 July 3-8 July 10-15 July 17-22 July 24-29
mini camp •W-F • Su-T
pioneer • • • • • • • • •
pioneer horse • • • • • • •
backpacking • •
climbing • • • •
horse • • • • •
kayaking • • • • • • • • •
frontier 10-day
• starts Wed
backpacking • •
climbing • •
kayaking • • • •
whitewater kayaking • • •
pack + paddle
cumberland island
• starts Wed
• ends Tue
Renee couldn’t say enough about the impact Leigh’s counselors have
had over the years.
Expanding to Make Room for more Explorers
Outpost has grown a ton since 2010 thanks to significant site
improvements and increased adventure trips. The Pioneer site received
new bathhouses in 2011 and has added capacity for multiple living
groups over the years. The Frontier site was built in 2012 specifically
for middle school campers complete with six sleeping shelters, three
cooking shelters, and a pond for kayak practice. We also developed
a climbing tree, low elements course, and archery range for Pioneer
and Frontier campers in 2013. Over the past few years, we’ve added
horseback riding, whitewater kayaking, a 10-day Pack & Paddle
trip, and the 10-day Cumberland Island Adventure to the existing
Expedition adventure trip options. Finally, in 2015 we added a week of
Sparrowwood @ Outpost and the option for youth groups to go on
adventure trips during the summer and retreat season. Looking ahead
to 2016 and beyond, we’re aiming to add space for another Pioneer
living group each week, to improve and expand the Frontier site, to
purchase another bus and gear for adventure trips, and to build a multipurpose
shelter with meeting and sleeping space and storage. All in all,
there’s more room for more explorers than ever before – and more on
the way.
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 9 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 10
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

GROW PARTICIPANTS
Camp Ministry Experiences
for with and at Your Church
Since 1925, we’ve offered small-group, Christian camping programs
in Dahlonega, GA. In 2008, Glisson launched a traveling day camp
pilot program to bring camp ministry to more people in more places
throughout the North Georgia Conference. Launched as a stand-alone
sibling ministry in 2013, Grow Day Camps takes camp ministry just
about anywhere.
Archery, nature study, belayed tree climbing (when available) and time
in worship and study outside are all core to the experience. Activities
contribute to learning new skills, appreciating God’s creation, building
Christian community and experiencing worship in new ways – all to
support local congregations in nurturing Christian discipleship.
In 2015, Grow Day Camps partnered with 37 churches to host 32 day
camp sites serving 928 campers with at least one site in each of the
North Georgia Conference’s 12 regional districts. Each Grow site is
customized for that specific church and surrounding community. After
decades of being limited to invitations – “Y’all come up to camp!” –
Grow takes camp ministry on the road, making it available to more
people in more places in our Conference than ever before. And it just
keeps growing!
2013 2014 2015
364 604 928
Demetrius’
Grow
Story
How does day camp make you
feel about faith and church?
“It makes me want to get into
it more.”
For the past three summers, 10-year-old Demetrius Meadows has
participated in Grow Day Camp at St. Luke UMC in Augusta, GA.
“I love the activities like kickball, parachute, and the crafts too,” he said.
St. Luke has served the Harrisburg neighborhood of downtown
Augusta for over a century. A lot can happen in 100 years. Much of
Harrisburg has fallen on hard times. St. Luke has not been immune to
that. When Rev. Luther Felder arrived, a handful of long-time members
were discussing closing the church. It was children like Demetrius who
kept the doors open.
“St. Luke has seen as its mission for this church to serve the children of
Harrisburg. In order to do that, we had to be here,” Felder shared with
the Augusta Chronicle. “The members said we want to stay here until
our last gasp to try to help address the needs of the children in the
community.”
Grow Day Camps was designed to take camp ministry just about
anywhere. In 2013, we found out what anywhere looked like: archery in
an alleyway. The team arrived with its patented “camp-in-a-box” trailer
full of program equipment, surveyed the site to plan what all would
happen where, and then fell in love with the children of Harrisburg just
like the members of St. Luke.
That came as no surprise to Marsha Jones, St. Luke’s director of
outreach. She had seen it all before and particularly with the members
of nearby Trinity-on-the-Hill UMC.
GROW DAYCAMPS
“Trinity has come alongside St. Luke as a sister church. The St. Luke
community in Harrisburg sits right next door to the Trinity community
in Summerville, so we are neighbors. We, the poor community, are
neighbors to Trinity, the affluent community. We both feel that we are
called by God to serve each other and that we have a lot to learn from
each other.”
In 2013 and 2014, Trinity provided lodging for Grow’s staff as well as
church volunteers to help make lunches every day. In 2015, Trinity
became even more involved by fully funding the St. Luke day camp site
as a local missions opportunity. It’s become a beautiful multi-ministry
partnership, helping further the transformation of a church that nearly
closed its doors to become a transformative presence for the children
and families of Harrisburg.
“Grow is one more tool for us to use as an outreach to families in
our neighborhood,” Marsha said. “Since there are no parks or free
community centers located in our community, Grow helps us provide a
safe, nurturing and fun environment.”
Demetrius’ father, Chris, concurred: “I liked that Demetrius was around
positive people and I liked that he had a place to go. He liked being
around the kids and counselors and he liked learning about something
new.”
“I think that Demetrius likes going to day camp because he knows that
the counselors are there to spend time with him and they care enough
to have a plan,” Marsha said. “When I asked him what his favorite thing
about camp was he said his counselor, Gabby.”
When asked how he feels about day camp, Demetrius said, “It makes
me feel better about my friends and good about myself.”
His father summarized the impact day camp has had on Demetrius
these past three summers: “Day camp has helped him learn to be with
other kids and makes him wiser about all kinds of things. He definitely
has learned about God and the Bible.”
Grow Day Camps 2016 Schedule
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8
June 6-10 June 13-17 June 20-24 June 27-July 1 July 4-8 July 11-15 July 18-22 July 25-29
Young Harris UMC
(Annual Conference)
Smyrna First UMC
Midway UMC Auburn
Powder Springs
Area UMCs
Flat Shoals UMC
Ellijay UMC + Blue
Ridge UMC
St. Andrew UMC
Carrollton
College Park
Area UMCs
Marrieta First UMC Monticello FUMC Rock Spring UMC Kennesaw UMC St. Luke UMC Lawrenceville Area Johns Creek UMC St. Timothy UMC
TBD Cokes Chapel UMC Varnell UMC
Trinity on the
Hill UMC
Marvin UMC Comer UMC Cumming First UMC Dahlonega UMC
TBD Mt. Zion UMC TBD TBD TBD Mt. Vernon UMC Trinity UMC Rome Peachtree City UMC
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 11 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 12
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

2014 Annual Fund Giving
Ministry By The Numbers
A N N U A L F U N D
North
Georgia
While 2014 represented the final year of our Serving Generations capital
campaign, these donors continued to support the Glisson Annual Fund
in 2014 – helping continue to meet Glisson’s annual funding needs
during the year in which we completed our capital campaign.
Gifts to the Glisson Annual Fund support all aspects of the Glisson
ministry. Because these gifts are unrestricted, they provide the Glisson
staff with the most significant flexibility in directing the funds to the areas
of greatest need at any given time – including camperships, program
enhancements, facility renovation and overall camp operations.
Change over
‘13-’15 = +100%
Change over
‘13-’15 = +155%
Change over
‘13-’15 = +102%
Change over
‘13-’15 = +89%
Change over
‘13-’15 = +12%
Change over
‘13-’15 = +31%
Jeff Agnew · American Center for Law & Justice · John and Erna
Anderson · Lori Anderson · Steven and Sandy Augsburger · Shell and
Letitia Baldwin · Scott Barber · Pam Barnes · A.B. and Judith Barrett ·
Chuck and Kim Bell · Brooke Bernhardt · Bethany UMC Smyrna · Laura
and Birney Blind · Winston and Christine Blumberg · Joe
and Melanie Brasher · Breakthru House Board ·
Skip and Heather Moody Breeden · Russ
Brown · Armede Bynum · Charlton and
Shannon Calhoun · CB&T LaGrange
· Ralph and Shirley Chastain ·
Jim and Gail Churchill · Ron
Clyne · Mark and Phyllis
Conard · Craig and Julie
Cooper · Larry and Beth
Corbitt · John Corley ·
Elizabeth Cornelius ·
Gil and Naomi Crouse
· Donald and Kathy
Crowe · Judith
Crozier · A.E. and
Margie Daniel ·
Edward and Doris
Davis · Decatur First
UMC · Mark and
Jill Deen · Shawn
and Julia Dekold ·
John and Deborah
DeLauder · Jacqueline
Dillard · Phil and Tracy
Dodson · Dry Pond UMC ·
Embry Hills UMC · Stephen
and Lisa Evans · Mike and
Sandra Fancher · Larry and
Lucia Fletcher · Susan and Gary
Fosse · Jeff and Angela Freeman ·
Thurston and Lynn Garrard · Bert and
Susie Geiger · Leigh Ann Gibson · Pam
Giesler · Christopher and Louise Gioe · Larry and
Fran Green · Reese Griffin SS Class · Griffin Drug Store
· Tommy and Nicole Hallmark · Bob and Carolyn Hamrick · Jamie and
Karen Harper · Jerre and Beverly Harvard · Jerre and Gudrun Harvard ·
Seth Hathcock · Debra Hayes · Kurt and Connie Heckert · Coy and Linda
Hinton · Margaret and Robert Hodges · Christopher and Melissa Holt
· Mike and Kim Hoover · Tim and Jill Horne · Samuel and Jacqueline
Hornsby · Nick and Hannah Hussain · M. Jan Jackson · Stan Jackson
· Troyce and Debbie Jackson · Cameron Johnson · Sadie Johnson ·
2014 Annual Fund Donors
The Circle of 100
Membership
in the Circle of 100 is based on
Annual Fund support totaling
$1,200 or more in a given year
Mountain Climbers - $10,000 and above
A Generous Glisson Friend
Creek Hikers - $5,000 to $9,999
A.L. Williams Family Foundation
Mike and Lynn Smith
The 1925 Society - $1,925 to $4,999
Brian and Debbie Benfield · Steve and Angie Collins
Hal and Caroline Silcox · Bill and Thelma Childers
Malone and Charlotte Dodson
Doug and Susan White · Randy Meyer
Friends of Glisson - $1,200 to $1,924
Blaine Elliott · Rich and Karen Oliver
Jim and Nancy Combs · Timothy Class
Peachtree Road UMC · Laura Lamb
Jason and Pam Sutton
David and Katherine Moore
Sidney and Enid Tate
John and Kris Norris
Russ and Nancy Wise
Lynn Johnston · Cameron and Brittany Jones · Elizabeth Jones · Joey
and Debbie Jones · Allen and Margie Keeble · Derek and Beth Keeney
· Ron and Linda Kemp · Kenneth Kilpatrick · Berford and Ruth Kirk
· Emily Langston · Doris Ledbetter · Logan Leonard · Bryan Leslie ·
Jeff Loggins · Phyllis and Rick Lovvorn · Allison Macedo
· Bonnie Martin · Sandy McAfee · Ashley McCoy
· Sanford McDonald · Bradley and Emily
McEntyre · Kathleen Miers · Rick and
Mika Mills · James and Peggy Mitchell
· Joseph and Linda Morris · Mt.
Pleasant UMW · Michael and
Mary O’Rourke · Owl Rock
UMC · Robert and Lynn
Pahl · Ben and Lucy Parks
· Walton and Jacqueline
Peabody · Elizabeth
Pharr · Richard and
Sheri Phillips · Dawn
Pierce · James
Pierce · Bill and
Susan Posey · Bill
and Shelley Prevost
· Ann Quandee ·
Ann and Billy Reed
· Richard and Joan
Reed · Carl and Betty
Reese · Rev. and Mrs.
Nelson · Wayne and
Jennie Richardson ·
Shirra and Hoyt Rogers
· David and Shawn Roman
· Sarah Ruckstaetter · Steve
and Ann Rushing · Nancy
Sauls · Barbara Schaeffer · Phil
and Elizabeth Schroeder · Elaine
Sharp · Jordan and Susan Shenefield
· Patsy Simmons · John and Kay Simpson
· Mark Smith · Lovedia Snow · Chris and Natalie
Spradling · St. James UMC · W.C. Strickland · David and
Mary Lee Stubblefield · Al and Mary Alice Swope · Rebecca Thomason
· Sue Thrasher · Darrell and Anne Vaughan · Merry Jean Waite · Nancy
Waldrep · Charles and Mary Wheeler · Bradley and Heather White ·
William and Sharon Wildman · Robert and Kristin Williams · Richard
Willingham · Joel and Kitty Wise · Richard and Sandra Withers · John
and Janet Woods · Travis and Juanita Woodward · James and Laura Zoll
Grow Day Camps
Participation
Experiential Leadership
Institute (ELI) Participation
Team
C. Russell Davis · Executive Director
Phil Dodson · Director of Development
Pam Swofford · Administrative Assistant
GROW DAY CAMPS, LLC
Stephanie Gaines · Director
EMERGING MINISTRIES, LLC
Cameron Jones · Director
GLISSON CAMP & RETREAT CENTER, LLC
Kim Bell · Program Director Residential Camps
Adam Buchanan · Facilities Assistant
Shirley Chastain · Guest Services Manager
Blake Corbin · Facilities Assistant
Bradley McEntyre · Director/Manager
Lacey Rich · Business Manager & Camper Coordinator
David Stubblefield · Director of Facility Services
Stephen Ward · Program Director Adventure Camps
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries, Inc.
Board OF Directors
2016
Matt Murphy
Sue Raymond
Rebecca Falco
Susan Pinson
Andy Woodworth
Chuck Savage III
2017
Tonya Lawrence
Ron Davis, Vice Chairperson
Lee Highsmith, Chairperson
Mary Boothe
Nancy Morris
John Lawrence
N. GA Camp & Retreat
Ministries Participation
2018
David Moore
Heather Breeden, Secretary
Chris Branscomb
Pellum Peters, Treasurer
Don Harp
Elaine Sharp
Ex-Officio
C. Russell Davis
Micheal Selleck
Richard Chewning
Bishop Michael Watson
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 13 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 14
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries
2015
2014
2013
32
24
16
CHURCHES
928
604
364
CAMPERS
5,750+
3,600+
2,750+
VOLUNTEER HRS
Financials for NGCRM, Inc. (2014 Audited)
Conference Apportionment Support $272,067
Giving $136,240
Total Donations $408,307
Generated Income $1,803,795
Other $79,882
Total Income $2,291,984
Operational
Expense
Camperships
Disbursed
51
34
27
PARTICIPANTS
$2,119,524
$35,600
2,768
2,471
2,466
CAMPERS
Glisson Camp & Retreat
Center Participation
GLISSON RETREAT
GUESTS
‘13-’15 % +6%
2015 6,047
2014 5,719
2013 5,707
3,747
3,109
2,857
CAMPERS
GLISSON MEALS
SERVED
‘13-’15 % +5.3%
2015 56,311
2014 49,060
2013 53,479

Entering Our
10 th Decade
of Ministry
Cane Creek Falls
Since well before Glisson was founded in 1925
Prayer Chapel
Since the new Dining Hall was finished in 2015
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 15
IMPACT REPORT · 2015