Please see the below letters regarding the hiring of Logan Bennett at La Foret. The first letter is from Larry McCulloch and Rev. Sue Artt; the second is from Logan.
Dear Friends of La Foret and the Rocky Mountain Conference,
We are thrilled to announce that Logan Bennett has joined the La Foret staff as Director of Transformational Programs!
Logan’s call to this newly-created position embodies a joint collaboration between La Foret and the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) of the United Church of Christ to upbuild La Foret as a magnet center for progressive thought, learning, and action throughout the Rocky Mountain region and beyond.
Logan will oversee all RMC camp programming, previously led by Rev. Chris Gilmore. In addition, as the Director of Transformational Programs, Logan will expand La Foret’s own programming with an eye toward bringing top progressive scholars and theologians to engage with people of the Conference and in our wider region. For both La Foret and the RMC, this expanded discourse will empower each of our missions in the coming years.
Logan brings a wealth of experience in Christian teaching across all ages and many settings. She has seen firsthand the transformational power of outdoor ministry in her extensive experience planning and counseling La Foret camps.
Logan also has deep roots in Colorado: She was born and raised in Back Forest; gained a BA in Sociology at Colorado College in Colorado Springs; completed a Masters of Divinity at Iliff School of Theology in Denver; and now lives south of Denver in Lone Tree. She brings an expansive vision and a freshness of spirit to this new and dynamic position.
Stay tuned for upcoming announcements of Logan’s ordination and installation early in the new year!
In the meantime, Chris Gilmore will work with Logan to ensure a seamless transfer for RMC camps and events. We offer a heartfelt thanks to Chris for his wonderful work for the Conference over the past two years. A more formal acknowledgment of his work will follow, but for now, we invite you to join us in thanking Chris for standing in the gap for our outdoor ministries in the past two years of transition.
Peace,
Larry McCulloch
Executive Director—La Foret Conference & Retreat Center
Rev. Sue Artt
Conference Minister—Rocky Mountain Conference, UCC
Dear Friends,
For many years I have marveled at the sanctuary of La Foret Conference and Retreat Center. Though I grew up just down the street from it, and though I’ve participated in many events at La Foret, I never dreamed that I would one day work there. Sometimes God has greater dreams for us than we have for ourselves.
La Foret and the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ took a risk by dreaming big. Their dream was to create a new position to strengthen an already vibrant outdoor ministry program, and to extend the capacity of La Foret to foster progressive thought, learning, and action throughout the region. I am humbled and beyond excited that they chose me as their partner in this dream.
As the first Director of Transformational Programs at La Foret, I will be building on the successes of our past, and collaboratively creating the successes of the future. I will be taking over the wonderful work of Rev. Chris Gilmore, who has been in charge of all RMC camps for the last two years. In addition, I am very excited about the new, creative, and forward-looking portion of this position: Expanding the reach of La Foret in our mission to “provide sanctuary for persons to consider the transcendent issues of life.” With that mission as a guide, I will be reaching out to more and more communities who will benefit from the use of this sanctuary.
As a member of the United Church of Christ, I strongly believe our church is poised to be a bold public witness for progressive Christian thought, learning, and action that can transform public discourse and improve lives. I envision a rich and manifold future for La Foret in which Black Forest’s sanctuary facility will serve an important regional role in that global effort of the UCC.
As we embark on a new path for the future of La Foret, I am dedicated to collaborative leadership. I am eager to talk with anyone who wants to share in dreaming this future into being. A truly expansive vision cannot come from only one person. To grow the reach of La Foret, I will need to know more about the hopes and visions of those who will use it in the future.
Finally, I would like to personally hear about your experiences of transformation at La Foret. This sanctuary has meant so much to so many of us. To honor and expand that, I want to collect and share personal stories of how La Foret has impacted your life.
I am blessed to journey with you, friends of La Foret. May God bless the work ahead.
“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.” — Psalm 90:17
Logan Bennett—Director of Transformational Programs
logan@laforet.org /// 719.822.7243