news article
From the Desk of Bishop Héctor: Casowasco Reopening Plan
November 18, 2025 / By UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
"For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
Dear Partners in Ministry,
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.
Camp and Retreat Ministries (CRM) have long been sacred spaces where disciples of Jesus Christ are formed. Over generations, these ministries have sparked faith journeys, deepened spiritual walks, and awakened calls to serve both church and world. The five sites within the United Methodists of Upper New York have faithfully carried this mission forward—and stand ready to continue it with renewed purpose.
Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center entered a Sabbath season in January 2025. During this time, teams have not only tended to the property but also engaged in deep discernment about Casowasco’s future. In partnership with the renowned consulting firm Ministry Incubators, the discernment team conducted a comprehensive evaluation of Casowasco’s programming, facilities, and long-term viability, and began shaping a renewed vision for ministry.
This past Saturday, Interim Director the Rev. Colin Kerr-Carpenter presented a comprehensive reopening plan to the Conference Leadership Team (CLT) on behalf of the Casowasco Discernment Team. The proposal introduces a strategic realignment of both ministry and business operations, featuring a shift in ministry model, reconfigured staffing structure, detailed financial framework, and a set of clear, time-bound benchmarks. These benchmarks are grounded in best practices and informed by Casowasco’s recent patterns of engagement and preliminary marketing and sales efforts.
Benchmarks for Reopening Casowasco:
- By March 1, 2026: At least 1,080 guest days reserved for the remainder of the year (one guest day = one overnight stay and three meals per person).
- By April 1, 2026: At least 1,200 guest days reserved for the remainder of the year.
- Completion of a comprehensive Watershed Mitigation Study, with findings confirming that mitigation efforts are both financially responsible and sufficient to ensure long-term safe operation.
- Friends of Casowasco have raised over $100,000 toward reopening and will increase support for annual operating expenses in 2026 and beyond.
- If the April benchmarks are met and the Watershed Mitigation Study is favorable, Casowasco leadership—in consultation with the CRM Team and the CLT—will establish additional viability markers to be met by Fall 2026 to determine whether ministry can continue beyond that year.
After robust and prayerful conversation, the CLT affirmed the plan to reopen Casowasco in April 2026. Both the CLT and CRM teams will monitor progress closely. If benchmarks are not met, the Conference will likely need to move toward permanent closure of the site.
We invite you to join us in prayer for Casowasco’s ministry. This bold step forward offers a chance to stabilize the ministry operations so that transformation may begin to take root. The stakes are high, and the risks are real. Failure remains a possibility. Yet together, we can hold space for this missional experiment and remain open to what God may bring forth.
Together in Christ’s mission,
Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez
Susquehanna and Upper New York Area
The United Methodist Church