You are currently viewing UCCI Leadership Transition

UCCI Leadership Transition

  • Post author:
  • Post category:UCCI

March 8, 2022

Dear friends of United Church Camps Inc.,

With sadness, we share that after 20 years with UCCI, Glenn Svetnicka has resigned from his position as executive director, effective April 29. UCCI is deeply grateful for the love, energy, and time that he devoted to Outdoor Ministry. Please take a moment to read Glenn’s message to our community below. The joint statement from the UCCI Board of Directors, the Wisconsin Conference UCC, and the Camp AweSum Board of Directors may be read here. Please join us in wishing Glenn well in all future endeavors.

Under Glenn’s visionary leadership, our programs and ministry grew in faith and scope. As managing director of Moon Beach Camp, he oversaw a revitalization of the facilities, engaged in robust programming, and effectively stewarded our resources. During his tenure as executive director, Glenn facilitated the addition of a third retreat site, Cedar Valley, was instrumental in the founding of Camp AweSum for youth and families, inspired the renaming of Daycholah Center, initiated significant fund development efforts, and successfully guided UCCI through the challenges brought on by the pandemic.

The UCCI board of directors will launch a nationwide search for a new executive director. In the meantime, Rev. James Schleif will serve as interim executive director starting April 30. We have complete confidence in our team’s ability to make this a smooth transition. Questions may be directed to UCCI Board Chair, Tom Bayer at ucciboardpresident@ucci.org

Thank you for your past and continued support of UCCI. Please keep us in your prayers through this leadership transition.

Blessings and Peace.

Dear Friends,

Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of the Lenten season and our journey to Easter. Along the way, we will reflect, pray, and celebrate the love of God. This Lenten season also marks a journey to the end of my vocational call with United Church Camps, Inc. (UCCI). Effective April 30, 2022, I resign from my position of Executive Director.

I am proud of what this “labor of love” accomplished through support from the UCCI Board, a team of outdoor ministry professionals, and countless guests and volunteers spanning locations, faith traditions, and definitions. Together, we have grown to three retreat centers focused on a mission of providing sanctuary, practicing hospitality, and performing ministry. We have positioned Cedar Valley, Daycholah Center, and Moon Beach as places where the still small voice of God can be heard loudly and clearly saying “You are loved!”

It has been a privilege and honor to serve our guests both internal and external in this relational ministry, and I look forward to the next vocational call that God sends my way. Until then, I serve UCCI faithfully and reflect, pray, and celebrate our last 20 years together!

When I first arrived at Moon Beach in April of 2002, the lodge was quiet, cold, and empty in stark contrast to the vitality of the family summer camp that I had spent a lifetime attending. As I examined, reflected on, and questioned what I had just committed to, I found this quote from George Bernard Shaw on the lodge bulletin board and it has been a touchstone for me ever since.

“This is the true joy of life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”

Amen.

Peace,

Glenn

executivedirector@ucci.org