Marking three straight summers of growth after losing the summer of 2020 to COVID-19, Cedar Crest continues its upward trend with a celebratory 2024 summer! Campers from 65 different United Methodist Churches across the Tennessee-Western Kentucky conference joined in on the summer fun and discipleship.
Offering camps for first graders to high school students, Cedar Crest offers a traditional summer camp experience where campers take part in archery, arts and crafts, canoeing, hiking, high ropes, and zipline amid over 500 acres of field and forest in middle Tennessee. In addition, adventure camps that included whitewater rafting, canoeing, rock climbing, backpacking, and mountain biking gave children and youth a chance to combine experiences at Cedar Crest with off-site opportunities.
Russell Casteel, Director of Cedar Crest and TWK Camp and Retreat Ministry, reflecting on summer 2024, shared, “It was an incredible summer. Our summer team did an amazing job giving our campers a safe and fun time while sharing the love of Christ. I’m so proud of the culture that our core staff have created.”
“Our Program Director, Audrey Jordan, has done an excellent job recruiting and training while offering support during the summer. This summer, we had ten summer staff members who grew up here and wanted to give back and share the love of Christ they experienced!”
Casteel continued, “Many of these staff have been part of United Methodist Churches that are now disaffiliated; that they want to remain United Methodist and continue to serve our church is a testament to the value of camping ministry. It’s a powerful story to share that after losing 18 percent of last year’s campership to disaffiliation, we still were able to grow in 2024.”
This summer also marked another important milestone for Cedar Crest: an accreditation visit from the American Camp Association. While submitting documentation annually for evaluation in best practices in the camping industry, accredited camps also receive an on-site visit every three to four years to assess the safety and effectiveness of their programs. Cedar Crest will receive its official scores in the fall, but is expecting great feedback after a successful visit in late July. Nearing a decade of ACA accreditation, Cedar Crest remains one of only three overnight camps in Middle Tennessee to currently hold that status.
Cedar Crest continues to be a valuable resource to our conference churches and the ministry they offer. Tracy Evers, Director of Children and Youth Ministries at Lawrenceburg UMC and member of the TWK Children’s Ministry Team, reflected on the nearly three dozen campers that attended Cedar Crest, saying:
“Cedar Crest is important because it provides a unique environment where faith can be nurtured, friendships can be formed, and lives can be transformed in a positive way. Away from the distractions of everyday life, campers can experience God in a powerful way, grow spiritually, and build lasting memories that encourage a lifelong commitment to their faith Journey. Cedar Crest goes above and beyond faith, inspiring kids to take ownership and independence in their faith and life. We love Cedar Crest!”
Summer 2025 Schedule will be released on September 15! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @cedarcrestcamp or find out more at www.cedarcrestcamp.org.