Annual Fund

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16, NRSV

This summer, our 20th summer of camp ministry, we saw campers from all over New England- From Andover, to Boston, to Brockton, to Lowell, to Medford, to Newton and Taunton; to Portland, Maine and Concord, New Hampshire, from right down the street in Greenfield and Hancock, NH; and from around the globe, from Ukraine and Peru. We taught swim lessons to first-time lake swimmers, foraged for wild blueberries, baked communion bread, built dubious rafts, sang our hearts out at the Rock, toasted (and burned) many marshmallows, and wondered, together, what it means to be "Salt & Light" in this world; what the call of Christian community could mean for us and for the world around us. Since beginning our operations 20 years ago, in the summer of 2003, our diocesan partnerships have grown to include the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire and the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts. And this year, alone, outside of our summer camp program, we will welcome almost 100 different groups to the campus from the New England region and from all over the United States, some of whom have been coming since the very beginning and others who will be here for the first time. While our operations are in full swing, these last few years have been a challenge for us, as I know they have been a challenge for the whole church community and the reality is that some things have changed, likely forever. We will not be the same. As we rebuild and re-engage, questions of sustainability, mission, and imagination are at the forefront. How can we be better neighbors? How can we tend the property we have and creatively vision for future possibilities? How can we best care for the land and the lake? How might our resources of people, energy, land, and faith intersect with the needs and hopes of our surrounding communities? What new thing might we build together in the coming 20 years? We continue to engage creatively with granting organizations, additional income stream possibilities, and rates that both meet our operational needs and take into account the budget realities of the communities and organizations we serve, but we still rely on the generosity of our wider BCH community. As we enter our 20th year of operations, I ask for your support to ensure the ministry of BCH into the next 20 years by helping us to meet our Annual Fund goal of $60,000. Your gift to The Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center Annual Fund will help ensure that generations to come have an opportunity to enter into the New England woods and waters in order to rejuvenate their spirit, return to who they are, and discover new ways to love and serve; to be light and salt in the world. Thank you for your support. Whether it’s a first-time donation or you have an ongoing giving relationship with BCH, we’re so grateful.

Peace and blessings,

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