News

Online Registration Opens for 2012 Summer Camps

Registration is open now for this year's summer camps at Monte Toyon, Lodestar, and the Urban Camp in San Francisco. Click on the Registrations tab on the Home Page of the Conference website at www.cnumc.org and select "Youth Event Registrations," or visit the Camping section of the website (www.cnumc.org/camping) to register and to access: Online child and youth camp registration Online volunteer registration Camp formsBrochures Maps Everything else you...

Shasta Camp Hires Sacramento Couple as New Hosts-Caretakers

The United Methodist-owned Shasta Camp, in Northern California, welcomes the Rev. David and Cedar Moss as the new camp hosts/caretakers.  Before joining Shasta Camp in August, the Mosses lived in Sacramento, where they worked with the homeless. Before Sacramento, Moss, a retired United Methodist pastor, served in ministry in Northern California at Trinity UMC in Chico, Pioneer UMC in Auburn, and Chester UMC.   David and Cedar have two sons: Gabriel, who lives and works in...

2012 Bishop's Confirmation Retreat Registration Opens

Registration has opened for the 2012 Bishop's Confirmation Retreats – scheduled March 9-10 at Monte Toyon and May 18-19 at Camp Lodestar. Each retreat is an opportunity for confirmation candidates to engage in a high-energy, hands-on event through worship, workshops, and fellowship with Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr. (resident bishop of the California-Nevada Annual Conference), workshop leaders, and other United Methodist youth. This can be a faith-deepening experience before, during, or...

Lodestar Mission Experience, Sept. 12-16

By Cynthia DeLand Lynnewood UMC "We are small, but we are mighty," as our leader, Steve Elliott, said. Six of us from three Tri-Valley United Methodist churches spent five days working on the two top maintenance items at Camp Lodestar, one of two retreat centers for The United Methodist Church's California-Nevada Annual Conference. Our team consisted of Donna Lundquist from San Ramon Valley UMC, Cynthia DeLand from Lynnewood UMC, and Dick Crawford, Steve Elliott, Roger Everett, and...

Shasta Camp Host and Caretaker to Retire

By Carol Kern Publicity Chairperson, Shasta Camp Committee Paul Armantrout, Shasta Camp Host and Caretaker for many years, has decided to retire. Paul has been in residence year-round at the camp, sometimes enduring many feet of snow in the wintertime. On those occasions he has had to snowshoe out of the camp – a distance of a quarter of a mile – in order to get to his car, to head down a perilous icy road into town to get supplies!   His job as Camp Host brought Paul...

High Schoolers: 'Meet Jesus in the Streets' This Summer

By Kelly Newell Director, Young People's Ministries and Camping  "See to the welfare of the city where I have sent you…" (Jeremiah 29:7)   Urban Camp is brand new this year! It's based on this simple idea: Most of what Jesus did – whether in the big city of Jerusalem or the surrounding rural areas – happened in the streets, in the houses, in the public places, on the highways and byways of his world. We want to meet Jesus in the streets,...

Just ONE Camper

By Kelly Newell Director, Young People's Ministries and Camping With camp season just around the corner, and camp registration in full swing, I was thinking ... what if every church sent us just ONE camper? That alone would be approximately 365 children and youth in our camp programs and at our camp sites.   We offer a wide variety of programs, from Urban Camp (brand new this year! Read related story) to Children's and Jr. High  Camp, to a variety of programs for senior...

Confirmation Events 2011

By Kelly Newell Director, Young People's Ministries and Camping The spirit was alive and well at our Bishop's Confirmation events this spring. More than 175 young people participated in this important event which highlights, celebrates, and commissions our young people who have made the confirmation decision in their faith journey. We had some new churches join us and a few familiar faces, and a great time was had by all.   We had three different events: overnight retreats at...

Shasta Family Camp 2011: 'Where God Happens'

Where does God happen? Find out through Scripture, discussion, reflection, and a variety of other activities as you explore how God happens in your family, school, work, social life, and in the lives of others – at this year's Shasta Family Camp, Saturday, July 23-Friday, July 29. Campers will experience fellowship over tasty meals, worship, and Bible study/discussion each morning; have free time to swim, hike, explore, socialize, or rest during the afternoon; and enjoy dinner and...

Everything You Need to Register for Summer Camp Is Now on Line!

Registration is now open for this year's summer camps at Monte Toyon, Lodestar, and the Urban Camp in San Francisco. Click on the Registrations tab on the Home Page of the Conference website at www.cnumc.org, or visit the Camping section of the website (click on "Camping" under "Areas of Interest" on the right side of the Home Page) and click on "2011 Summer Camps" to register and to access: Online camp registration Online volunteer registration ...

Shasta New Vision Pavilion Is Winterized; Project Still in Need of Funds

By Carol Kern Thanks to contractor Chris Maroni, his able crew, and his promise to the camp committee, the New Vision Pavilion at Shasta Camp was closed in, mid-December. It now has a roof, sides, and windows added to the foundation and lower story storage area. This coming summer the interior will be worked on and (we hope!) finished. This new structure will provide meeting and dining space for about 100 participants and will contain two handicap-accessible bathrooms (with showers) and a...

New Vision Pavilion Construction at Shasta Camp Is on Schedule

Construction of the New Vision Pavilion at Shasta Camp is on schedule, thanks to favorable weather. The two-story building will provide an indoor venue for programs, dining, fellowship, and worship for about 100 participants, with storage on the ground floor. It will include two handicap-accessible bathrooms (with showers) and a fully equipped kitchen.   Contractors are looking to have the building weather tight by the time severe winter weather hits.     The...

Conference Camp: Not Just a Time-Killer for Kids

By the Rev. Kristen Marshall* Camp is not just a cutesy time-killer for those two long months of your kids' summer vacation. Camp is a life-changing, disciple-making, faith-building, relationship-strengthening, spirit-empowering, and fun experience that can be one part – and a vital part – of your youth or child's walk with Christ. And if you don’t believe me, just listen to what some of our high school youth have said about the summer camps our Conference has offered in...

Bishop's Confirmation Retreat Dates Are Set

The 2010 Bishop's Confirmation Retreat has been scheduled for March 5-6 at Monte Toyon, and April 9-10 at Lodestar. The theme is "B1: One Being, Being One." It is an opportunity for confirmation candidates to engage in a high energy, hands-on event through worship, workshops, and fellowship with Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr. (resident bishop of the California-Nevada Annual Conference), workshop leaders, and other United Methodist youth. This can be a faith-deepening experience before,...

Health Care Provider Needed for Monte Toyon Summer Camp Program

Are you a nurse or mom with CPR/First Aid training? Would you welcome an opportunity to serve the youth of the California-Nevada Annual Conference?    Conference Youth and Camping Ministries is looking for a health care provider for the Conference Summer Camp program at Monte Toyon, July 11-17.    Duties include: attending to campers' health needs, dispensing daily and over-the-counter medicine as needed, assessing injuries and illnesses for treatment, communicating...

Staff Needed for Summer Camps

The 2009 California-Nevada summer camp season is right around the corner - and your help is needed to make this year a great camp year! Conference Youth and Camping Ministries is looking for staff to help at two camps this summer: Super Camp, the Junior High camp, needs male and female staff, ages 19 and older. The dates for this camp are July 19-25. Senior High Lodestar Leadership camp is looking for one female staff member, age 23 or older. The dates for this camp are July...

Adult Camp, Scheduled for July, Cancelled

Desert Mystic Camp - an Adult Camp, scheduled for July 21-24 - has been cancelled. The decision was made by the camp director for personal reasons.   Contact Shari Sandoval in the California-Nevada Annual Conference Youth and Camping Office, sharis@calnevumc.org, 916.374.1528, if you have questions....

Shasta Camp Fire Presents Opportunity to Help

As you read in Instant Connection, in "Fire at Shasta Camp Destroys Cabin, Injures Caretaker" (written February 25, 2009), Paul Armantrout, Shasta Camp host and caretaker, lost all his earthly belongings in the February destruction, by fire, of his cabin.   While Armantrout's frostbitten feet are healing well, and he is anxious to get back to the camp and his job, an immediate priority is to replace his personal possessions. Local housing is needed, also, until his cabin is rebuilt this...

Fire at Shasta Camp Destroys Cabin, Injures Caretaker

The caretaker at United Methodist-owned Shasta Camp, in Northern California, narrowly escaped an early-morning explosion and fire on Thursday, February 19 which destroyed his cabin and a woodshed.   Paul Armantrout was awakened at around 6:30 a.m. by a large explosion which shook the cabin and caused part of the loft to fall crashing onto his bed. He jumped up and discovered the bathroom area on fire, and attempted to put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher.   When he was...

Opportunities for Youth Service

Have you ever thought, "I might like to work with young people sometime"? Well, there are opportunities right here, within the Cal-Nevada Conference of The United Methodist Church!   Conference Youth and Camping Ministries wants you to know about some upcoming events which need adult volunteers:   ¨       Summer Camps – "Super Camp Jr. High" is looking for counselors, July 18-25. Over 21 is preferable, but volunteers must be over 18. "Sr. High...