Upcoming Courses in 2026
Below is the schedule for the two upcoming courses and the directed study in Site Administration.
March 16-19
Biblical and Theological Foundations
September 28 – October 1
Articulating Our Mission, Role, and Value
Directed Study
Site Administration
March 16-19
Biblical and Theological Foundations
About the Online Course
What makes our church camps so uniquely wonderful and sets us apart from other camping organizations is our firm foundation in our beliefs as Christians. This course will enable participants to deepen their knowledge and strengthen their understanding of our biblical and theological roots as the core value for all that we do in our outdoor ministry settings.
At the end of this course, participants will:
• Articulate Biblical themes that form the foundations of outdoor ministry
• Have tools for training staff to lead effective Bible Studies
• Learn how theology should shape the practice of ministry in each outdoor ministry site
• Engage in guided theological discussions
• Understand how campers/participants may encounter Christ through the mundane and extraordinary events of living in community
This course will be held online (daily schedule to be determined) and will be taught by Dr. Martha Moore-Keish of Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA), and Caitlin Joy Hubler of Emory University (Atlanta, GA).
About the Instructors
Dr. Martha Moore-Keish
Martha Moore-Keish grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. She attended Harvard College and Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (now Union Presbyterian Seminary), where she met and married her husband Chris. She earned the Ph.D. in theology from Emory University, and then worked for three years in the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (USA). During 2003-04 she taught liturgical studies at Yale Divinity School, before moving to Atlanta in summer 2004 to take the position as Assistant Professor of Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary. She has published two books: Do This in Remembrance of Me: A Ritual Approach to Reformed Eucharistic Theology (2008) and Christian Prayer for Today (2009). Martha and Chris have two daughters, Miriam and Fiona, three cats, and a flock of chickens.
Dr. Caitlin Joy Hubler
Caitlin Joy Hubler just received her PhD in Hebrew Bible from Emory University. Her work engages conceptions of divinity within the Hebrew Bible and ancient Near East. Hubler’s dissertation, “Deutero-Isaiah’s Aniconic Logic: Divine Ontology in the Templeless Age,” investigates assumptions about divine ontology and representation in Deutero-Isaiah. Her writing has appeared in the Catholic Biblical Quarterly, the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, and the Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (forthcoming). Prior to her doctoral studies, Caitlin taught high-school introductory Greek and worked as Editorial Assistant at the Society of Biblical Literature. Hubler received a B.S. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia and an M. Div. from Columbia Theological Seminary.
Schedule for the Online Course
The core of the class is face-to-face Zoom sessions from 1:00 to 3:00pm Eastern on March 16-19. Another 12 hours of content will be on your own schedule. This will be accomplished through class projects, small group time, watching videos, and one-on-one time with the instructors. There will be required reading (titles will be available at least two months in advance) and a limited amount of pre-class work (available online as of March 1) before the Zoom sessions begin. The final project for the course will be due on Friday, April 3.
Tuition
REGISTER NOW
Questions?
If you should have any questions about this course or the certificate program in general, please contact Joel Winchip at joel@pccca.net or 803.322.0232.
September 28 – October 1
Articulating Our Mission, Role, and Value
About the Course
Do you know where your ministry is going? Can you clearly articulate for others who you are and why you exist? Identification and implementation of mission, core values, and philosophy are central to all aspects of successful outdoor ministry: program, site management, hospitality, marketing, finances, and more. Participants will delve into their organization’s mission and core values. This course involves organizational introspection and will engage with a wide variety of concepts, ideas, and activities. Coursework will challenge a new or clearer perspective concerning mission, philosophy, vision and core values in your outdoor ministry.
By the end of the course, participants will:
- Be challenged to clearly understand mission, philosophy, vision, and core values in their outdoor ministry.
- Articulate their organization’s purpose.
- Develop an elevator speech in order to share that purpose with the constituency.
This course will be held at Pilgrim Firs Camp & Retreat Center in Port Orchard, WA, and will be taught by Todd Bartlett and Margie Fiedler.
About the Instructors
Todd Bartlett has served as the Executive Director for Camp and Retreat Ministry of the Oregon-Idaho United Methodist Church since 2016. He is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church having served churches for 18+ years, followed by 8+ years as the director of the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center near Sandy, OR. He has a BA in International Relations from the University of MN and an MDiv from Boston University School of Theology. He enjoys photography, good food, and being on the water. His great joy in camp and retreat ministry is helping others learn and experience gracious hospitality.
Margie Fiedler served as the Executive Director of Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp (FLBC) in Montana since 2011, retiring on June 1, 2025. She is now ½ with the FLBC, coordinating the 3.5M Capital Campaign. She also serves as a consultant for GSB Fundraising, working with camps and non-profits in Executive Coaching, Board Development, Crisis Management, Fund Development, and Strategic Planning. She previously served as the Associate Vice President of Marketing for the ELCA’s Mission Investment Fund, Legacy gift planner for the ELCA Foundation, and Associate to the Bishop for the Inland NW synod of the ELCA. From 1977-1997, Margie served as Executive Director for Lutherhaven Ministries, ID, and Lutheran Outdoor Ministries, Ohio. (Hopewood). Stewardship, youth, camping, hospitality, and global mission are among her passions. Margie enjoys hiking, skiing, canoeing, reading, traveling, baking, and being with her family.
About the Tuition, Lodging, and Meals
Transportation
Please arrive at Pilgrim Firs by 5:00pm on Monday. This course ends with breakfast on Thursday. For those participants flying into the Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in SeaTac, WA, the Compass Points Council is looking into the Kitsap Charter Service and scheduling one bus to pick up all Compass Points participants who need shuttle transportation. As part of the registration process, you will be asked about your travel plan intentions (if you plan to fly or drive, if you will need a shuttle from the airport, or if you’re planning to rent a car, etc.). The Compass Points Council will review the travel information and coordinate shuttle needs accordingly.
Questions?
Please contact Joel Winchip at joel@pccca.net or 803.322.0232 if you should have any questions about this class or the entire program.
REGISTRATION IS COMING SOON
Directed Study
Site Administration
About the Course
Requesting the Curriculum
Before you request the curriculum, participants must complete at least one of the Compass Points face-to-face courses. The cost for the Site Administration directed study is $150.00. When you submit payment, you will receive a digital copy of the curriculum by email. Register to receive the digital curriculum. Please email with any questions.