PCCCA/Campfire Collective
Annual Conference
Registration for this conference is now closed.
Welcome
We are excited to offer a special conference that seeks to address the needs of outdoor ministry leaders from across the United States and Canada. We look forward to seeing everyone at the “Building Bridges - Connecting Communities” Conference at Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center (in Little Rock, Arkansas) on November 13-17, 2023. Please check out the details below related to this event.
Sponsoring Organizations
Endorsing Organization
Day Sponsors
OUR CONFERENCE IS HOSTED BY FERNCLIFF CAMP AND CONFERENCE CENTER
Ferncliff is more than a camp and conference center. It is a center of mission and ministry focused on making a positive difference in the world. As an expression of God's love, Ferncliff welcomes people into a life of caring for Creation, others and themselves. Ferncliff is situated on 1200 acres in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, just west of Little Rock, Arkansas, less than 30 minutes from LIT airport and downtown Little Rock.
Learn more about our host site
OUR THEME
Building Bridges - Connecting Communities
Christ invites us to build bridges for people of faith from various backgrounds and walks of life to gather together to draw living water from the well at our sites. Our keynote speaker presentations, worship services, and some of our workshops will focus on the ecumenical future of the Campfire Collective and our camps, conferences, and centers. The body of Christ is more beautiful when we gather together and stronger when we work together with various communities of faith. Come and see how you can build bridges with your neighbors, siblings in Christ from other denominations, other guests and your current and potential partners in ministry.
Our Keynote Presenter
The Rev. Dr. Victor Aloyo, Jr. is the 11th president of Columbia Theological Seminary. President Aloyo was first involved with camp ministries at Holmes Camp and Retreat Center (Holmes, NY). He attended a week-long camp for youth and young adults from 26 Hispanic congregations in the New York City region since the age of 12. This program, which served 150-200 campers per year from the inner-city, was started with the help of the Director of Holmes, the late Don Hostetter. Victor began directing this week-long retreat when he turned 16 and continued in that role for the next 40 years. He also served on the board at Holmes. Later President Aloyo served on the board of El Guacio Camp in Puerto Rico. Victor deeply loves outdoor ministry and believes it was formative in his faith journey and that of the congregations he served.
Some of Our Featured Workshop Leaders
Over half of our workshop sessions will be led by outside experts. Here is just a sampling of the guest speakers we have secured so far.
John Campbell
John is the Founder and CEO of FundEd Strategies which helps schools and education nonprofits grow and sustain their fundraising programs. John previously served as the Director of Advancement for Eagle Academy PCS in Washington, D.C. He grew up going to Massanetta Springs as a camper and a sponsor, and has fond memories of his time there. John's session is sponsored by GSB Fundraising as a part of their Fund Development track on the Tuesday of the conference.
Jessica Gamaché
As the Executive Director of United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries, Jessica guides the association and its members in resource development and member engagement. Before taking this position, she served camps and retreat centers with United Methodist and Lutheran connections.
Darrell E. Hall
Darrell is campus pastor of Elizabeth Baptist Church in Conyers, GA. He is the author of the book, "Speaking Across Generations: Messages That Satisfy Boomers, Xers, Millennials, Gen Z, and Beyond." He has a D.Min. from Beeson Divinity School, where his doctoral research focused on generational intelligence and effective intergenerational communication. Hall's session is sponsored by the Presbyterian Mission Agency's Office of Christian Formation as a part of their track on the Tuesday of the conference.
Chad Johnson
Chad Johnson is a Cybersecurity Advisor for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Before joining CISA, Chad spent twelve years as an analyst embedded on a cyber squad at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Little Rock field office working both national security and criminal cyber investigations. Chad's session is sponsored by the Insurance Board as a part of their Risk Management track on the Tuesday of the conference.
Chad Johnston
Chad is the Protective Security Advisor (PSA) of the North Texas District within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Region 6. The PSAs serve as a liaison between the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies, state and local governments. Chad joined DHS through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region 6, in 2002 following an internship at the same office. Chad's session is sponsored by the Insurance Board as a part of their Risk Management track on the Tuesday of the conference.
John “Jorgi” Jorgenson
Jorgi has recently retired after 45 years as the Director of Camp Tawingo in Ontario, Canada. He is active in camp associations in Canada and the United States, as well as the International Camping Fellowship (ICF). Jorgi is the immediate past-President of the ICF and continues to serve on their board
Bryan Rupar
Bryan serves as the Land Conservation Coordinator for Central Arkansas Water, managing nearly 24,000 acres of utility owned natural resources to maintain forest health and an abundance of clean water. He has two decades of work experience for federal, state, and private land managers. Bryan's session is sponsored by the Insurance Board as a part of their Risk Management track on the Tuesday of the conference.
Mitzie Schafer
Mitzie Schafer is a Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a Partner with GSB Fundraising, and holds Certified Fundraising Executive certification. She has more than 15 years of experience in non-profit executive leadership and fund-raising for non-profit organizations including Epworth Children’s Home in Columbia, SC, the ELCA Foundation, and NovusWay. Mitzie's session is sponsored by GSB Fundraising as a part of their Fund Development track on the Tuesday of the conference.
Rob Watson
Rob currently serves as the Executive Director of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas' camping program, which includes Camp Capers, Mustang Island Conference Center, and Duncan Park Camp. He has been an Episcopal Church Camp and Conference Association Consultant for the last decade.
Conference Schedule
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00-6:00pm | Conference Check-In | Dining Hall |
| 2:00 | Afternoon Snack Reception (sponsored by the PMA Office of Christian Formation) | Dining Hall |
| 3:00 | Check-in Time for Rooms | |
| 6:00 | Dinner | Dining Hall |
| 7:00 | Conference Orientation | Brown Center |
| 7:00 | Social Time | Dining Hall |
| 8:00 | Welcome and Opening Worship | CAB |
| 9:00 | Evening Snack Reception (sponsored by CORD an Entegra Company) | Dining Hall |
Lodging
We have a variety of lodging options for your four-night stay during the conference. All of the accommodations are located within an easy walk to meals, workshops, and plenary sessions. For families that will be attending the event, we suggest the Retreat House or the Belden Pond Cabins.
Brown Center Lodging Rooms
The Brown Center has 36 hotel-style rooms, most with two double beds. Six of the rooms are handicap-accessible. Each room in the Brown Center has a private bathroom with shower, a desk with a lake view, and wifi.
Double Occupancy (private bath, two double beds, linens/towels, wifi) $335 per person
Williams Lodge
This building has eight motel-style rooms that overlook Ferncliff Lake. Each room has three twin-beds with Tempurpedic mattresses, a private bathroom with shower, and wifi.
Triple Occupancy (private bath, three twin beds, linens/towels, wifi): $231 per person
Belden Pond Cabins
These cabins are youth-oriented, yet adult-friendly. The rooms contain five sets of bunk beds, but we will only be putting up to three people in each cabin (and each of those three beds have Tempurpedic mattresses). Each room has a private bathroom and shower area.
Triple Occupancy (cabin-style accommodations with private bath for each room) $199 per person
Belden Pond Yurts - THIS LODGING OPTION IS NOW FULL.
These cabins are youth-oriented, yet adult-friendly. The rooms contain five sets of bunk beds, but we will only be putting up to three people in each cabin. The bathroom and shower area is adjacent to the yurt.
Triple Occupancy (cabin-style accommodations with an adjacent bathroom/shower area) $199 per person
Retreat House
The building has five bedrooms, three full baths, one half bath, a full-service kitchen, a large dining room, washer and dryer, two living areas, and wifi. The bottom bunks in this building have Tempurpedic mattresses.
Family - Cabin-style accommodations with a private bath (7-10 people per room) $525 per family
The Vines Center
The limited number of hotel-style rooms at Ferncliff do not allow us to offer single-occupancy lodging on site. A 4H Center is located just a half a mile up the road (or trail) from Ferncliff. We have reserved a block of hotel-style rooms at the Vines Center. You will book your room using the conference registration form and we will make arrangements with the 4H Center on your behalf.
Single Occupancy (private bath, linens/towels. wifi) $511 per person
MEALS
The conference meals are Monday Dinner through Friday Breakfast. Ferncliff guests are treated to hearty main dishes, attractive salads, and yummy desserts. All meals are served buffet style in the Dining Hall. Each dish incorporates nutritious options for guests including those with most special dietary needs.
Adult $171.40
Children (Age 4-12) $119.95
Children (Age 3 and under) Free
TrANSPORTATION
We will be offering transportation for $40.00 from and to the Little Rock airport just 30 minutes away. Shuttles will be available on the first and last day of the conference.
Arrivals: Please schedule your arrival before 4:30pm on November 13th. Late arrivals will need to make their own arrangements.
Departures: Shuttles will run each half hour starting at 5:30am on Friday, November 17th.
Trains: Travelers arriving by Amtrak arrive in the early hours of the morning and can be picked up by one of the airport shuttles that start about mid-morning.
Cars: Plan to arrive between 3pm and 5pm on Monday, November 13th. Check in will be at the Dining Center. The address for your GPS is 1720 Ferncliff Road, Little Rock, AR 72223.
Travel Issues: If there are delay issues, you can call Ferncliff at 501-821-3063.
Fee for Round-Trip Shuttle: $40.00 per person
Registration INFO
REGISTRATION FOR THE CONFERENCE WILL BEGIN IN AUGUST
We encourage everyone with a role related to outdoor ministry or youth ministry to attend this amazing event. All staff (executive, program, office, facilities, hospitality, kitchen), board members, and volunteers will benefit from outstanding workshops, worship, and professional connections.
The registration fees for the conference can be found below.
| Participant | Non-Participating Spouse | Children & Youth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee | $199 | $115 | $199 |
Children and Youth Program
The conference is an intergenerational event – offering an extended program for children and youth (ages 5-14) during keynote and workshop times. The children and youth will engage in fun activities and learning opportunities. Outdoor play will happen as much as possible! The program begins after breakfast each day. Your child/youth will be returned to you before lunch. You can return them to the program after that meal and then it runs until dinner. The registration deadline for the Children and Youth Program is September 15, so we will need to hear from you soon.
Cancellation Policy
Prior to October 13, 2023 all but $100.00 will be refunded to you. After this date, the entire fee is nonrefundable.
Scholarships
If you need financial assistance in order to attend the conference, please contact
Joel Winchip for PCCCA/Campfire Collective
Joe Richards for OMI-UCC
Bill Bourdon for OMA-UCC
FAQ
