You can find a day camp for just about anything. What about one focused on forming faith and friendships?
Grow brings the powerful experience of camp ministry to local churches. Packed with activities that contribute to learning new skills and building Christian community, the focus throughout is for each camper to grow deeper roots in their faith (grow spiritually), in their ability to work as a team (grow socially), and in self-confidence as a loved child of God (grow individually).
We know how to have fun – our passion is forming faith in the process. We put 99 years of experience into creating an environment where every moment – whether in morning chapel or 20 feet up a tree – is about practicing faith in Christian community.
2025 LOCATIONS
Summer 2024 was packed with faith-forming fun – and we can’t wait to do it again! Plans are already underway for Grow 2025 with a goal of at least one site in each district of the North Georgia Conference UMC, and with the majority projecting to be returning sites from 2024. Registration is currently targeted to begin in late Fall 2024 as details are finalized for each site.
Our Mission
SPIRITUAL GROWTH – develop deeper roots in your faith
SOCIAL GROWTH – learn to work as a team
INDIVIDUAL GROWTH – gain self-confidence as a loved child of God
Summer Theme
Grow is designed as experiential faith formation. Counselors plan each day’s activities with the theme of the day and week in mind – from chapel and Bible story time to archery and field games and everything in between. Each summer’s theme is based on professionally developed camp ministry curriculum that is age appropriate, based on scripture, and respectful of creation.
Staff & Counselors
Each site is led by college-age site directors and high-school-age counselors. This on-site team is supported by Grow’s roving program interns and co-directors. Extensive staff training includes Grow programming and the UMC’s Safe Sanctuaries child safety policies. Site directors also receive training from professional vendors on ropes course facilitation and First Aid+CPR.
Grow counselors hail from its sibling ministry, ELI, a leadership development program for rising 11th-12th graders. Participants apply, interview, and are accepted into the two-part program that begins with intense leadership training and culminates in serving as counselors at Grow sites.
MORE ABOUT ELI
“Elementary kids need help in strengthening their faith, developing their self image, and learning that you can worship and learn about God and have fun at the same time. Grow is THE best program I have ever seen that accomplishes those goals.” – Grow Host Church
Two counselors and 4-12 campers (grouped by age) build relationships while experiencing camp together. All of camp is together for certain events such as chapel and lunch, then campers experience activities as a living group the rest of the day.
While most activities are open to all ages, only rising 5th-6th grade campers will participate in belayed tree climbing (pending tree availability). Certain activities are also subject to weather conditions in order to ensure safety.
Each of our Grow sites is customized to its particular church site and surrounding community. Dates, times, rates, contact info, available activities and “Water Day” experiences vary from site to site.
For answers to common questions about registration and camp policies, view our FAQs page.
“My children loved this camp. The counselors were amazing.
We are so grateful! It was truly the highlight of their summer!”
– Grow Parent
CONTACT
For questions about a particular Grow site, contact the site coordinator listed by location above. For questions about registration, email Autumn (below) or call the North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries office at (706) 864-6181.
Stephen Ward
Director
Stephen’s first experience with the NGCRM family of ministries was serving multiple years on summer staff at Grow’s sibling ministry, Glisson. After graduating from Kennesaw State with a Bachelor’s in History 2012, he began a year-long internship with Glisson, then joined the year-round team as our first-ever Program Director focused on our expanding Outpost program. Stephen’s role with NGCRM now includes coordinating all aspects of Glisson Retreats, Grow Day Camps, and ELI. Stephen, his wife, Ellen, and their sons, Micah and Owen, live in Dahlonega.
Autumn Kuykendoll
Administrator
Autumn began her camp ministry journey as a Glisson camper in 2005. She went on to participate in ELI and Crew. In 2016, Autumn served on Summer Staff as a Village counselor and a Site Director for Grow+ELI+Shoreline from 2017-2019. Autumn graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Leadership and Psychology. She returned to North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries in 2020 as a Program Intern focused on Grow+ELI, then joined our year-round team as Retreats Coordinator and Grow & ELI Administrator in September 2021.
Cameron Jones
Communications & Program Advancement, NGCRM
After multiple summers as a camper and then counselor at Grow’s sibling ministry, Glisson, Cameron came back to camp in 2008 and never really left. What began as an internship has since morphed into various roles and an amusing amount of job titles. His latest is “Director of Communications & Program Advancement” for NGCRM’s family of ministries. It’s a bit long-winded, but so is Cameron. He’s hoping this title might last longer than the others since it captures what he’s been up to all along: sharing camp’s story and dreaming up ways to help make camp even more impactful and possible for more people in more places. Prior to his full-time role at camp, Cameron served in youth ministry and worship leadership roles at United Methodist Churches while studying at UGA (Psychology & Religion), and then later Georgia State (MPA). He and his wife, Britt, live in Decatur with their two kiddos, Eli and Callie. When not working or parenting, he’s probably making music somewhere.