Outdoor Ministries
The Outdoor Ministry Team looks forward to providing and pointing toward a variety of opportunities, events, and programs for our members. Being in the woods, fishing in a pond, hiking, sleeping under the sky, climbing a ropes course, catching fireflies, cooking over an open fire, sitting around in a lodge, or singing around a campfire are special heartwarming memories of connecting with others and with God. Without question, outdoor ministry is an integral part of many people’s faith formation and church experience.
Currently the Keystone Conference has a number of outdoor ministry connections:
Living Waters Camp and Conference Center is located off Route 30 just west of Schellsburg in Bedford County. The camp is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and open to all Christian denominations. Located on 147 acres, in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, the camp offers several weeks of summer youth camps. In addition, we host retreats, reunions, weddings, and family celebrations. Click here to learn more about the camp or visit their website: livingwaterscamp.org.
HC Spirit Week is a single week offering a variety of camps at the Hartman Center Campground and Retreat Center in Milroy, PA. They host camps for every age during that week. Rev Alice Rauch ([email protected]) and Rev. Betsy Bruaw ( [email protected]) are the directors for this weeklong program.
Historically the Penn Central Conference has shared youth summer camping opportunities through the Lutheran Camping Corporation. They have sites at Camp Nawakwa (near Gettysburg), Camp Kirchenwald (near Mount Gretna), and The Wittel Farm (in Elizabethtown). All three sites offer summer camp, retreats, events, and volunteer opportunities for all ages throughout the year.
(https://www.lutherancamping.org/)
Attention Youth Campers and Families,
Please read the following information carefully, as the Conference policy for supplementing youth summer camping has changed.
For the 2026 summer season, the Keystone Conference will campership or reimburse 30% of the cost for one youth to attend one summer camping experience. If a youth attends more than one camp during the summer, only one camp will be eligible for the 30% reimbursement. Please use the application below for additional camps if this creates a hardship.
Camps Using a Coupon Code
For the following camps, please enter the coupon code at the time of registration and your 30% will be credited immediately:
• Camp Kirchenwald: KEYSTONEUCC26
• Camp Nawakwa: KEYSTONEUCC26
• Hartman Center – Spirit Camp: KEYSTONEUCC26
All Other Camps
If a youth from a United Church of Christ congregation within the Keystone Conference is attending any other church camp during the summer of 2026, please follow this process:
1. Register for the camp and pay the full registration fee. Be sure to obtain a receipt.
2. Complete the Conference reimbursement application below, and mail it, along with a copy of your camp receipt, to:
Keystone Conference
Attn: Sue Creswell
P.O. Box 6625
Harrisburg, PA 17112
3. Upon receipt of the completed application and camp registration receipt, the Conference will issue a check reimbursing 30% of the camp tuition.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Sue Creswell at [email protected] .
