Annual Fund

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

This past summer, almost 300 campers, summer staff, and families alike, wondered together what it means to build an Earth where God’s will, God’s Kingdom, flourishes. We talked about what it means to build a Christian community where everyone belongs and where our differences make us stronger. We explored Jesus’ framework for conflict and restoration, Isaiah’s prophecy of a banquet enough for all the world to be fed, and the calling of the early church to live together in such a way that resources were shared in common. And then we practiced- in big and little ways.

We cooked together- sharing until there was enough to account for hotdogs lost in the campfire and macaroni and cheese platters accidentally overturned. We offered stories of ourselves and our families, our hopes and our hurts. We laughed collectively while hunting for silverware stolen in a camp-wide heist, trick-or-treating in July, and singing and dancing at Rock Out Sesh. And, from time to time, we made mistakes and stumbled our way into finding our words to apologize and to offer forgiveness, working to come back together after moments of broken relationship- one interaction at a time.

Here at The Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center, we continue to strive to be a place of connection, belonging, and transformation. This year, alongside our own programming, we’ve served more than 130 groups- nonprofits, educational institutions, churches, dioceses, youth organizations, community based recreation departments, recovery-based organizations, crafting communities, writers workshops, and so many more. Our mission is deeply connected to the mission of the many communities and organizations we serve.

And we don’t do it alone. We can’t do it alone. We rely on the generous contributions of our wider BCH community in order to continue our mission of hospitality, connection, and transformation. This has been a challenging year with an increasing sense of instability that impacts us and the organizations and institutions we serve. Despite this, our community has remained steadfast in their support. It is only with that support that we have been able to not only grow in our impact, but also in our plans for the future, as this year we are launching a capital campaign to support the renewal, restoration, and mission of The Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center.

While more information will be available in the coming months about our campaign, we continue to need your support in sustaining our Annual Fund. Whether you are considering a first-time donation, or you are a long-standing supporter of the ministry of BCH, thank you. We truly couldn’t do it without you. And so as you consider your year-end giving, please consider becoming or continuing to be a sustaining partner in ministry with your financial contribution.

In Peace & Gratitude,

The Rev. Spencer Hatcher-Tarplin
Executive Director
The Barbara C Harris Camp & Conference Center