By now, many have heard the news of the Diocesan Convention in Pittsburgh on October 4, 2008, where a majority of lay deputies and clergy voted to leave the Episcopal Church.  You may be wondering what this decision will mean for Sheldon Calvary Camp.  The directors and the Camp Board want to let you know that the leadership of Calvary Camp is watching closely as these events unfold, and that we are committed to preserving our mission and identity.

Calvary Camp’s mission statement includes the following:

We seek to build a Christian community, which nurtures friendship, models the acceptance of individual differences and values all of God’s creation.

Calvary Camp has lived this mission for over seventy years, believing from the beginning that Christian faith is best experienced and learned in living together and modeling Christ’s love for one another.  Our theology and philosophy have been profoundly shaped by The Episcopal Church.  We are at home in the community of this church, actively participating, for instance, in the national organization of Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers.

For the majority of its history, the camp has been a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.  We are confident in the future of the continuing Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh in The Episcopal Church (www.episcopalpgh.org), and we intend to be a ministry of that diocese.  While we do not know whether any actions will be taken to challenge our intentions or frustrate our efforts, be assured that we will continue to be careful and faithful stewards of the resources entrusted to us by those in previous generations who established and supported Calvary Camp.

Our camper population currently includes children and young people from many parishes in Pittsburgh, as well as many campers who belong to other denominations or traditions or live in other cities, states, or countries.  We remain committed to extending hospitality to every person who comes to us and to offering to all an experience of God’s love in the community of Sheldon Calvary Camp.