Jennifer Lamont

Review of Florida United Methodist Camps

I have been going to this camp since 4th grade, an...

I have been going to this camp since 4th grade, and have been 8 times so far. Every time, I have made wonderful friends and reconnected with my religion. The camp is beautifully kept, and offers a bunch of activities for kids. Most campers come with a church, so it's isolating if you don't. The camp also centers a lot on going to church, baptism, and youth community service. It's very localized, but people come from Georgia and the Keys to visit, so it also is very well known in the Methodist community.
It promotes modest clothing, healthy food, good physical activity, and discussion in scripture. It also has a live band that performs for 30 minutes during 'praise time' daily. There's a bible discussion group for all campers called small group, where a group of 15 or so people talk privately about their relationship with God and how He helps them. Campers have 4 free activity spaces to fill, which can be canoeing, high ropes, ziplining, arts & crafts, swimming, frisbee golf, archery, boating, tubing, roller skating, and much more. Some activities are limited by age, so only older campers can access them. Campers sleep in large cabins with 30-40 or so other campers in the same block. It's a very good layout, and rather welcoming for those with trouble socializing.
A note of warning: it's absurdly homophobic. I went last year, and the entire week, the conversation of interest was sexuality and the church's opinion on it. As a Methodist with Catholic upbringing, I'm very aware of the church's stance. And as a gay girl, I'm aware that I'm not welcome in many churches, such as my previous one. At camp, I was threatened by other campers for being homosexual, and I was forced into an hour long sermon about how gay people are sinners, and I was honestly close to tears. The counselors weren't sympathetic, and I felt harassed for being open and upfront about my sexuality. Another camper, who was at the time closeted, also voiced concern over how I was being treated, and too felt unsafe.
I'm going again this year, but I feel like the camp has diminished in warmth and respect for ALL campers, and is working to show a more traditional Methodist camp. It's a nice camp, but seems to be working towards the wrong direction in terms of showing campers the word of God.