Church camps closing amid declining economy

Today, though, the 1,700-acre retreat is in danger of shutting down.

Nestled in the Appalachian foothills, it's among hundreds of church camps nationwide that are on the critical list. Years of declining use and the recession have forced administrators to consider closing or cutting services.

The president of the Christian Camp and Conference Association, Bob Kobielush, said dozens of camps nationwide closed in the past three years, and this could be the last summer for many more.

“I think this fall through Christmas we will see as many as 10 to 15 percent of camps decide they no longer can continue operating,” said Kobielush, whose organization has about 950 member camps. He estimates there are about 3,000 church-affiliated camps nationwide.

Leaders say Camp Sumatanga, operated by the United Methodist Church in north Alabama, could close at the end of the summer without $300,000 to make up a budget deficit. The possibility worries longtime visitors including Carol Glover of Trussville, Ala.

Glover, 47, fondly recalls summers at the camp as a youth, and her 7-year-old son, Kent, now enjoys hiking there. Glover's ties to Sumatanga run still deeper: Her 70-year-old mother, Anita Alldredege, helped raise money to build Sumatanga when she was young.

“The feeling of godliness is everywhere at Camp Sumatanga. It's so peaceful, quiet and beautiful,” Glover said. “You can really feel God's presence.”

Not enough people are sharing in the experience to make the camp economically viable, however.

“What we offer here is quiet, a place to be quiet,” said the Rev. Bob Murray, a former banker who has worked as director at Sumatanga for 18 months. “Not everyone values that as much as they once did.”