Cedar Crest Camp

09/06/2026

Introducing Caleb Purdue, our Program Director!

In many ways, it's a full-circle, dream-come-true for Caleb, who grew up as a longtime camper at Cedar Crest. In 2022, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Kentucky with a major in Theatre, an Honors college certificate, a Musical Theatre certificate, and minors in Appalachian Studies, Political Science, and Music Performance (Trumpet and Vocal). A year later, he joined the year-round staff at camp after a couple years on Summer Staff, and he has been part of the team since. In his free time, Caleb loves singing, playing his guitar/piano/trumpet, dancing, hiking, reading, or playing video games.

Stay tuned as we re-introduce more of our team!

09/04/2026

Senior High Leadership Retreat schedule just dropped 😎

Join us for Senior High Leadership Retreat in a few weeks! Students will participate in leadership sessions, where they'll learn about leadership both in a class setting and hands-on. They'll also get to travel off-site and take part in a mission activity and get ice cream! Of course, this retreat also features our Cedar Crest Escape Room.

Registration closes next week! Register at CedarCrestCamp.org, or email Registrar Madison Causey at [email protected] with any questions.

09/03/2026

Introducing our 2026 Wesley in the Woods Keynote Speaker and Worship Leaders!

Our Keynote Speaker is Rev. Mary Kate Myers. Mary Kate is an ordained elder serving in the Tennessee Western Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church. She is appointed as the Executive Director of the Wesley Foundation at Austin Peay State University as well as the Pastor of Children, Youth, and Young Adults at Hilldale UMC in Clarksville, Tennessee. Mary Kate is married to Bo and they are the proud parents of Foster and Maggie. Mary Kate enjoys spending time with friends, writing, singing, and playing in bodies of water whenever possible. She believes children have so much to teach adults about God and loves being in spaces where she gets to learn from young folks even as she teaches them!

Our Worship Leader is the band Phillip & the Phae. Phillip & the Phae are so excited to be playing for Wesley in the Woods! They are a three-piece project made of Lizzy (banjo & vocals), Thomas (melodica, guitar, vocals), & TayLavor (guitar & vocals) based in Chattanooga, TN. Pulling from their Christian upbringing & Mississippi/California/Southwest Virginia roots, they put a cosmic contemporary twang on your favorite hymns & meld religious music with country sounds one might relate on a journey of faith. Music is a spiritual practice & preferred method of prayer for P&TP. Their music invites participation & welcomes companionship in the pursuit of all things for & of Love & The Divine. P&TP humbly invites you to come meet them where they can be found playing & praying at their favorite local Middle & East Tennessee spots.

Wesley in the Woods is November 13-15. The Early Bird deadline is September 15, so register before then for our discounted price! Reach out to Registrar Madison Causey at [email protected] with any questions.

08/31/2026

Last week, we hosted the Disaster Response and Recovery Team retreat and the Faith and Innovation Team meeting. We appreciate our partnership with our TWK teams, and we're always happy when we can share Cedar Crest with them!

Interested in booking a meeting at Cedar Crest? Reach out to our registrar, Madison Causey, at [email protected].

08/28/2026

Registration is OPEN for the new Clergy Pilgrimage Backpacking Trip!

We'll spend 3 days and 2 nights camping and hiking in Savage Gulf State Park, TN. TWK Clergy will be able to rejuvenate while spending moments in reflection and fellowshipping with their colleagues. Backpacking equipment will be available to borrow, but clergy are welcome to bring any equipment they already have!

Register at CedarCrestCamp.org by September 25!

08/21/2026

We definitely think these Cedar Crest activities are worth spending money on!

You can see more information about our fall events and register at CedarCrestCamp.org, and stay tuned for our Summer 2027 Calendar... 👀

08/17/2026

We're excited to introduce our new Discernment Intern, Emma Anne Stephens!

Emma Anne was a long-time camper at Cedar Crest and has been on the summer staff for the past four summers. She was an Adventure camp counselor for three summers and the Ropes and Assistant Adventure Camp Director this past summer. Emma Anne graduated from Agnes Scott College in May with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Biology. Emma Anne is very excited to work at camp for a full year and continue to create connections with the people who spend time at Cedar Crest! Emma Anne loves to spend time with friends reading, kayaking, swimming, hiking, and rock climbing.

With the recent staffing transitions, we'll be reintroducing our staff in the upcoming weeks. Keep an eye on our socials to learn more about our team, and welcome Emma Anne in the comments!

08/12/2026

Save the date for our new Clergy Pilgrimage backpacking trip!

Spend 3 days and 2 nights hiking and camping as you recharge and connect with other TWK Clergy. Stay tuned for more information!

08/11/2026

SUMMER STAFF APPRECIATION POST! ☀️

"Grow in God." That was our summer devotional theme this year at Cedar Crest. In an environment immersed in God's creation, we had the privilege of being able to show our campers that, like trees that grew to tower above us on our trails, we can grow in our faith, too!

But that growth didn't just happen for our campers. It happened for our summer team, too! For camp to be the fun-filled, transformative experience it should be, our team has to grow in faith, community, knowledge, and ability through the season. By the end of the summer, the ways our team grew in those respects were so evident that their fruits were easy to see.

New staff injected excitement and joy from the moment they stepped on grounds and left camp having provided relationship-fostering, fun-filled, and highly professional care to countless campers. Returners brought with them tremendous wisdom and experience and left camp having used that knowledge to grow personally and offer meaningful mentorship to their peers.

It took a passionate team willing to learn, grow, and adapt to make the unique magic of summer camp happen here. From our counselors, to our program team, to our kitchen and grounds crews, to our year-round staff, the summer would not have had quite the same flavor without any single one of us. It was all of us together who made this summer the special experience that it was, so I am profoundly grateful to every single person who was part of making camp happen. We are so grateful, too, to our campers and camper families for coming on the journey with us! You are as much a part of the magic as anyone, and we already look forward to seeing your bright, shining faces again!

- Caleb Purdue

07/24/2026