Sacred Playgrounds Podcast

Every now and then, I get a little bit restlessAnd I dream of something wild- Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart"Eclipse week! Epic, singular experiences are our specialty at camp, and yet, how we prepare campers and families for integration of faith in the totality of life is the real heart of our ministry.On this episode, we'll hear the story of Jake and his

It's launch week for Holy Ground 2024!It's no secret, so says the research, that summer staff are the heart of camping ministry. We know they need support, agency, and faithful community to thrive. That's why we constructed the Holy Ground summer staff guidebook for the third year.On this episode, we'll quickly share the what, how, and why of Holy Ground. Then,

Check!We're gearing up, camp family! For many, it's time to begin forming our plans for staff training, even as we continue to recruit and hire staff. We're bringing you 8(+1) items on a summer staff training checklist to help you frame up a successful, impactful staff training experience that gets your summer staff well-equipped and wisely-prepared.Have an idea to a

We're constantly learning. Every season, we take care of each individual and/or group of camps we work with - creating reports, digging in with consults about the findings, and creating ways to help those insights tell stories. And, we take that data and compile it, looking at it from a higher level with richer numbers of responses. We do this to learn and identify trends acro

We're making a new friend in this episode as we talk with author Maria Warner who wrote a book all about her family's transformational experiences at family camp, a specialized kind of camp that can, as Maria passionately shares, help families thrive. Listen as we hear stories from the book and capture some of the secrets that make family camp work so well, and wonder wha

We're hitting rewind on an episode from last season where we broke down some of what we know about emerging adults today. Knowing who they are, what they care about, and what motivates them makes a big difference in how we connect and communicate with them, especially during the recruiting process.Rev. Anna Sorenson and I will bring some fresh context to this episode, answer a

Camp staff outcomes align remarkably well with the top skills employers identify as most important for the 21st-century workforce, including teamwork, communication skills, leadership, and problem-solving. Being a member of a Christian summer camp staff builds vital skills needed for impactful careers and faithful lives.On this episode, we're breaking down 4 things camp builds

Happy New Year! We're back with our third annual New Year's Resolutions episode! We're sharing 5 fresh resolutions for sacred playgrounds like yours for 2024. Here's what you'll find:Build resumesComplete the circleLook to the starsTransition wellKeep learningWe'll also share a bit about what you can expect from our sacred playground in the year ahead,

Merry Christmas from Sacred Playgrounds!Green beans and great songs and cookies and memories, these are a few of our favorite things! (Sing it or it doesn't count)On this episode, we share some favorite fun in an extended, Christmas-themed #QuickQampQuestion. AND, we'd like to hear yours. Here's the list:Favorite Christmas songFavorite Christmas foodFavorite Christma

Our heart is restless until it rests in you. - ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO"Spirituality." How do we actually define that word? What's the difference between spirituality and religion? Can one be a non-spiritual person? What does it mean to be "spiritual, but not religious" as many have described themselves? And, as we should always be asking, why does it matter