Weekend Programs

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic all of our programs are being evaluated and possibly reimagined to incorporate safety procedures, such as smaller group sizes and physical distancing.

Silver Lake Conference Center provides several opportunities for individuals and groups to participate in specialized programs of Christian Education and Spiritual Renewal each year. We invite young people from throughout New England to meet others and to learn from these programs as they develop their faith and build relationships. Each special weekend program is designed around a specific theme and age group.

Action Weekends

Held in April or May (Spring Action), and October or November (Fall Action), these work retreats are designed to provide an opportunity for young people in 9th grade and beyond to work together as Silver Lake is readied for the summer and winter months respectively. Many hands make light work! Action weekends also provide a great opportunity to meet new friends, re-unite with old friends, and work hard. They are recommended for all young people who are contemplating being on the summer staff. Actions are also a great time for former staff and alumni conferees to come back to Silver Lake and help out.

Registration for high schoolers is available through our online registration; cost is $45; a complete health record is required. Adults are asked to RSVP to slcc@silverlakect.org. There is no cost to adult volunteers, though donations are accepted.

Maple Sugaring Weekend

For 2021: We are hosting 2, 1-day intergenerational events Saturday, March 20 and 27.

Come learn about tapping maple trees, boiling sap to make maple syrup, and to discover new ways to appreciate our environment and to care for all of God's Creation, in nature's resurrection: Spring!

Masks and physical distancing required.

Actual Cost: $50 per person
Discounted Cost: $40 per person

View all our upcoming weekend programs to register.

Held during the maple sugaring season (early March) each year, this weekend is designed to provide 6th, 7th, and 8th graders with the opportunity to learn about tapping maple trees, boiling sap to make maple syrup, and to discover new ways to appreciate our environment and to care for all of God's Creation, in nature's resurrection: Spring! Registration is available online; the cost is $115 per person; a complete health record is required.

Christmas at the Lake

In the beginning of December, we will offer Christmas at the Lake as a weekend conference. The weekend provides a program for 5th & 6th graders and a program for 7th & 8th grades, each with their own deans and counselors. The retreat weekend offers a wonderful opportunity for young people to re-unite with friends made during the summer conference program or to experience the magic of Silver Lake for the first time. Registration is available online; the cost is $115 per person; a complete health record is required.

We also have an intergenerational Christmas at the Lake Family Day the first Saturday of December. Bring your family to camp for a day of fellowship by the fireside, games, crafts, hot cocoa, chili, and some Adventure games. Spend time outdoors with other families as we enter the season of Advent and prepare for Christmas.

View all our upcoming events.

Confirmation Retreats

Unity in the Body of Christ

"There is one body and one spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you." Ephesians 4:4.

The Connecticut Conference of the UCC provides five to six Confirmation Retreats at Silver Lake annually. If your church's Confirmation Class is too small on its own of if your class could benefit from a retreat experience with other classes, these retreats were designed for you. The purpose of these retreats is not to teach confirmation all in one weekend but to help build community and to help begin the process of asking the questions that are key to the Confirmation process. The curriculum resources used are appropriate for young people in 7th - 9th grade.

The Conference provides the resources and the leadership for each retreat and each group is required to bring adult advisors to facilitate the program: One male adult for every eight male youth participants and one female adult for every eight female youth participants.

Each retreat begins on Friday at 7:00 pm and ends at noon on Sunday. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided on Saturday, and Brunch is served on Sunday. While specific retreat dates are announced annually, they are generally held in the following months: January, February, March, April, November, and December. Pre-registration information is available by contacting the Conference office at 860.233.5564.

Upcoming Events

Title	Cost	Age Range	Dates
2021 Maple Sugaring - March 20	$50/$40		3/20/2021 - 3/20/2021	Register
Intergenerational family day at the Lake. Come learn about tapping maple trees, boiling sap to make maple syrup, and to discover new ways to appreciate our environment and to care for all of God's Creation, in nature's resurrection: Spring! Masks and physical distancing required. Actual Cost: $50 per person Discounted Cost: $40 per person
2021 Maple Sugaring - March 27	$50/$40		3/27/2021 - 3/27/2021	Register
Intergenerational family day at the Lake. Come learn about tapping maple trees, boiling sap to make maple syrup, and to discover new ways to appreciate our environment and to care for all of God's Creation, in nature's resurrection: Spring! Masks and physical distancing required. Actual Cost: $50 per person Discounted Cost: $40 per person
2021 Spring Action			4/30/2021 - 5/2/2021
Work weekend to prepare YOUR conference center for the coming season. From chopping wood to repairing buildings, moving picnic tables to raking leaves, there’s a project for everyone. Additional details coming soon. If you are interested in attending, please email Site Manager, Matt Taylor, at mattt@silverlakect.org
2021 Open House			5/16/2021 - 5/16/2021
See the cabins and other buildings, find out where the Freds (bathrooms) are, and check out the ropes courses and the waterfront. A visit to Silver Lake before camp is the best way for a first time camper (conferee) to know what to expect — you might even run into a new friend who will be in the same conference this summer! We’ll provide the cookies, you bring your questions. See you there! Additional details and registration information coming soon! “We are so excited to kick off the summer by welcoming families to Open House,” said Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer, Executive Director. “This event is the best way to get a feel for what it’s like to be a camper at Silver Lake for a week this summer.” Silver Lake Conference Center holds summer camp June through August for youth entering grades 4 through 12, plus 2021 high school graduates. Registration is now open for the summer program online at www.silverlakect.org. The conference center hosts retreat groups September through May, overnight or day groups, offering food services and challenge course programming. Silver Lake Conference Center, 223 Low Road, Sharon, CT, is the outdoor ministry program of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ. For more information, email slcc@silverlakect.org, call 860-364-5526, or visit www.silverlakect.org.
Exploring God's Creation	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	7 - 9	6/27/2021 - 7/9/2021	Register
We will get outside and get active! From the bottom of the lake to the tops of the trees, we will explore our world and our place in it.
Speak for the Trees	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	5 - 6	6/27/2021 - 7/9/2021	Register
Can you speak for the trees? Spend time outside learning and exploring while you make new friends and try out all the camp activities, from swimming to arts & crafts to climbing the ropes course.
My Roots Go Down	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	10 - 2021 High School Graduate	6/27/2021 - 7/9/2021	Register
Explore environmental issues of the past and present while strengthening your faith roots and growing in your advocacy. Along the way we’ll spend lots of time enjoying the outdoors and building community.
Earth Avengers	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	7 - 9	6/27/2021 - 7/9/2021	Register
Learn how you can be an Earth Avenger: Advocate for our home, the Earth! We’ll learn what we can do to make the world a better place while we play, pray, and connect with new friends.
River of Dreams	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	10 - 2021 High School Graduate	7/11/2021 - 7/23/2021	Register
What are your dreams for the future and the world? We’ll learn from water protectors and hear how courage can have a ripple effect. This conference is for young leaders who want to let “justice roll down like waters.”
Wet & Wild	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	5 - 6	7/11/2021 - 7/23/2021	Register
Ducks, fish, and frogs: Look out! We’re about to dive into your world! We’ll spend the week swimming in the lake, learning to paddle a canoe, and exploring Silver Lake’s ecosystem.
Bon Voyage	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	7 - 9	7/11/2021 - 7/23/2021	Register
Paddle like an explorer! Sailboats, canoes, and kayaks are waiting for you! Find God on the water and explore your faith through teamwork.
We Come From the Water	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	7 - 9	7/11/2021 - 7/23/2021	Register
Learn about the important role water has played for humans from biblical times to the present. We’ll explore this important natural resource while we have fun and make new friends.
Stepping Stones	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	7 - 9	7/25/2021 - 8/6/2021	Register
God’s people come in many colors, but the world doesn’t treat all of them equally. Together we can take steps to make our world more fair and just, while creating art, playing outside, and making new connections with new friends.
Power Up	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	7 - 9	7/25/2021 - 8/6/2021	Register
Silver Lake is a great place to power up! Recharge yourself with fun and new friends. Power your life from your TRUE self. Power your spirit with connections to God.
Causing A Commotion	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	5 - 6	7/25/2021 - 8/6/2021	Register
Run, jump, spin, swim, play, laugh, learn, raise your voice – cause a commotion! Join new friends for a high energy week of sports, games, community, and belonging.
Live Your Mission	$1,900/$1,750/$1,600	10 - 2021 High School Graduate	7/25/2021 - 8/6/2021	Register
Feeling the pressure to figure out what you want to do with your life? Join us to build the leadership skills we look for in summer staff, hear from others leading mission-driven lives, and give back.
15th Annual Golf Tournament			9/21/2021 - 9/21/2021	Register
Tuesday, September 21, 2021 The Country Club of Waterbury $200 per golfer Includes Greens Fees, Breakfast, Lunch and Soft Beverages Registration information coming soon. Additional details at https://www.silverlakect.org/golf

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