If I have ever visited your church on a Sunday morning, or you have heard me speak at an Annual Meeting, I am sure you have heard me say, “Silver Lake changes lives.” I believe in the deepest core of my being that Outdoor Ministry has the capacity ...
By Jennifer Kronholm Clark The entrance hill is awash in wildflowers, pink and yellow and white. Orange traffic cones bar the driveway, and signs direct visitors to call ahead. At this time of year, the camp is usually bustling with pre-summer ...
By Rev. Karl Duetzmann Alumni Chaplain/Historian/Archivist Throughout the history of Silver Lake, there have been times that reflected the history of our Silver Lake Archive A 1970s work project underway. Several conscientious objectors of the ...
While we can’t gather together at camp this summer, we can all participate in Silver Lake At Home. The staff of Silver Lake is committed to providing an opportunity to encounter God’s love in creation, a chance to be seen and loved for exactly who ...
By Brian Lapis The Silver Lake community has spoken! Valerie Tutson is the 2020 Silver Lake Award honoree. The Silver Lake Award recognizes someone whose life has been visibly shaped by the core values of Silver Lake Conference Center and who, in ...
As we move into the summer of 2020, I am full of prayer and gratitude. In my conversations about canceling Silver Lake’s on-site program with Executive Director the Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer, I felt sad for the young people who NEED the Silver Lake ...
Dear Friends, At Silver Lake, we teach our conferees to live the “4 Loves”: Love God, Love Your Neighbor, Love Yourself, and Love Creation. At certain times in our lives, we need to focus on one kind of love above others. For example, we recently ...
Close to fifty deans, chaplains, and staff gathered at Silver Lake Conference Center on March 6-7 to prepare for the 2020 Silver Lake Summer Camp season.
Silver Lake Conference Center has announced an opening for a year-round Administrator. Tom Thatcher, who served in the position in 2019, has left Silver Lake to pursue an exciting opportunity in the camping world with his wife, Lisa. “We are very ...
Silver Lake Conference Center, a United Church of Christ summer camp and retreat center, has earned accreditation from the American Camp Association (ACA).
Youth gathered at Silver Lake on October 11-13 for the annual Shine 4 Justice retreat. This retreat is a component of the 'Thinking About Working For God' program that nurtures young leaders. Dr. Donique McIntosh and Rev. Alison Buttrick Patton led the racial justice training programming. They encouraged youth to "Step up,Step up." reminding them to lean in to honest conversation and to listen with compassion.
This reflection comes from Elise Kennedy, an 8th grader at First Congregational Church of Middletown, CT.
The Joseph D. Clemmons Job Training Program (JCT) has taken a new direction, transforming from a 2-week training program to an leadership development initiative for youth and young adults of color.
The Silver Lake Award Celebration will honor two long-time deans on October 5 at Brewport in Bridgeport.
Silver Lake Conference Center hosted a group of 31 college students from China during week 5 of the summer season. The experience of two convening cultures had an impact on both the Chinese students and the American campers and staff.
Re-Center students enjoying campfire at SLCC Video Capture Image courtesy Re-Center Silver Lake Conference Center has a new partner in its efforts to create a more just and welcome community. After more than a year of conversation and organization,...
By Jennifer Kronholm Clark SHARON –Tom Thatcher may be new to Silver Lake – he started as Administrator on March 5 – but he has been working in summer camps since 1999 and living in the Northwest Corner for just over three years. Tom Thatcher ...
Our outdoor ministry site at Silver Lake is more than a summer camp and Friday, March 1, was the beginning of a typical ‘off season’ weekend. Youth and adults came from CT, MA, and RI to deepen their faith, create beloved community, learn leadership skills, and encounter God in nature.
Registration for the 2019 Summer Camp Session at Silver Lake Conference Center opens Jan. 15, and those registering by Jan. 31st can receive a $50 discount on their registration.
It's a new year, and time for you to help select a new Silver Lake Award honoree!
The Silver Lake community spent the afternoon of October 14th celebrating The Rev. Davida Crabtree, and supporting UCC outdoor ministry at Silver Lake Conference Center.
The Silver Lake Community will honor The Rev. Davida Crabtree for her steadfast support on Sunday, Oct. 14, with the second annual Silver Lake Award.
With the support of the Connecticut Conference staff and the guidance of Kaleidoscope consultants, The Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer oversaw an outreach initiative that resulted in an increase of 110 campers in 2017. Silver Lake kept the momentum going in 2018, adding another 20 campers to the summer program enrollment.
The Silver Lake Conference Center Summer Camp Season is fully underway.
The Silver Lake Conference Center Board of Directors is excited to announce that the Rev. Davida Foy Crabtree has been
The Rev. Davida Foy Crabtree, 2nd Annual Silver Lake Award winner.
Guy Gnerre When you call into Silver Lake, you will be greeted by a new voice. Guy Gnerre started work as Administrator on March 22 and has begun learning the ropes. “Everyone I’ve met has been so friendly and welcoming,” Gnerre said. His first ...
Silver Lake Conference Center has announced a new campaign to raise money for a new High Ropes Course at the camp.
By Brian Lapis The Silver Lake Conference Center Board of Directors is excited to announce that nominations for the 2nd Annual Silver Lake Award are open! This award recognizes a “Silver Laker” who lives their life and faith in a way that reflects...
Registration for the 2018 Summer Camp Season at Silver Lake Conference Center is now open. After a successful 2017 season, the Silver Lake staff is already busy preparing for the summer ahead.
Southern New England's outdoor ministry glitterati were at their most sparkly on the evening of Nov 18 at Fancy Camp, a gala to benefit Silver Lake Conference Center.
Silver Lake Conference Center is looking to hire an Administrator, The Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer, Executive Director, announced Friday, Nov. 3. "This person will be key to Silver Lake's committment to radical hospitality," Gackenheimer said. "They will...
Jennifer Kronholm Clark has been named the new Program Director at Silver Lake Conference Center, an expanded position from the Summer Staff Director position previously held by Alan Munshower.
The Silver Lake Board of Directors is pleased to announce Ruth Tyrol as the recipient of the inaugural Silver Lake Award. Her ministry will be celebrated at Fancy Camp, a Gala to Benefit Silver Lake Conference Center, on Nov. 18.
More than 300 people attended the 60th Anniversary Celebration at Silver Lake Conference Center on Saturday, August 26. Six generations of campers, staff, volunteers, and donors gathered together to honor the conference centers 60 years of outdoor history.
The Connecticut Conference released a new Vantage Point video today. In this edition of Vantage Point, guest host the Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer, Executive Director of Silver Lake Conference Center, speaks with Heather Dineen, the new Development Associate at SLCC about her work at the conference center.
The Silver Lake Conference Center Board of Directors is excited to announce that nominations for the inaugural Silver Lake Award are open!
Silver Lake Conference Center's Summer Conference Season is up and running. The first two summer conferences of the 2017 season — Pioneer and JCT — ran during Pre-Camp Week, June 18 through June 24. The camp staff spent much of the week in training, preparing for the full 7-week camp season which started Sunday, June 25.
A new and engaged community was formed at the 4th Annual Environmental Justice For All! Retreat, which took place at Silver Lake Conference Center this past weekend.
A look back at Silver Lake in its first year as a site of the CT Conference Summer Youth Programs.
By Jennifer Kronholm Clark With all the rain this week, camp is greening up. Trees are budding, dafodills are blooming, and the grass is growing. It's time to get ready for summer! Twice a year, Silver Lake hosts Action work weekends. As many as 80...
SHARON – Summer begins in March at Silver Lake with the annual Deans Retreat weekend. The volunteer program leaders gathered March 3-4 at camp, along with chaplains, guest speakers, and Silver Lake staff, to begin to create the community that will ...
The January Bulletin Insert The Silver Lake Conference Center has launched an ambitious plan to add 100 new campers to the summer program in 2017, and has developed new promotional materials - including bulletin inserts for church use - to help ...
SHARON -- "I love this time of year!" said Jennifer Kronholm Clark, Administrator at Silver Lake Conference Center. "For me, this is the beginning of the summer. Registration opens on Sunday!" Though it might seem early to plan for summer camp, ...
SHARON - Seven clergy have been meeting a couple of times a year at Silver Lake for fellowship, professional support, and peace and quiet for the past 23 years.
From left, Andrea Olson, alumna and former dean, Allyson Gillette, alumna and former dean, Kim Eaton, friend of Silver Lake, Anne Hughes, former Co-Director, the Rev. Nicole Yonkman, Silver Lake parent, and Lynne Gillette (in front), Silver Lake ...
"Nothing can dim the light that shines from within."– Maya Angelou, poet.
"SHINE" was the theme for the annual Thinking About Working For God (TAWFG) retreat at Silver Lake.
More than 70 alumni, clergy, youth, and donors gathered at Silver Lake Conference Center on Sunday to dedicate the newly renovated building known as "The Lodge." The dedication marks the end of a year-long project to rebuild the site's oldest building using some of the most modern and environmentally sustainable building techniques available.
Silver Lake Conference Center is now seeking a developer to help improve fundraising and cultivate donor relationships with the CT Conference's Outdoor Ministries site. The role of this part-time position will be guiding fundraising, developing the center's donor pool, and managing data collection of donors.
Silver Lake is seeking donations to help furnish the newly renovated Lodge. Through a new Razoo online campaign, the Conference Outdoor Ministry site is looking to raise $20,000 to help outfit the Lodge with furniture, beds, lamps, and tables.
Margery P. Weed, known affectionately as "Ma Weed" by a generation of Silver Lake Conference Center alumni, died peacefully on Tuesday, July 12. She was 95.
The 2016 Silver Lake Conference Center Summer Camp began on Sunday, June 26 with the arrival of the first 5 conferences of the summer. One hundred and fourteen campers, counselors, deans, and a chaplain arrived at the camp this weekend to kick off the 2016 summer season.
Silver Lake Camp & Retreat Center is a ministry of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Click here to read our Mission Statement.
223 Low Road | Sharon, CT 06069 | 860.364.5526 | Fax: 860.364.1000 | slcrc@silverlakect.org