Welcoming Rev. Mary Runyon to Sugar Creek
Let's offer a BIG Sugar Creek welcome to our new Program Director, Rev. Mary Runyon!
Mary brings wonderful energy, creativity, pastoral presence, and deep love for people. She proudly calls Wisconsin home and was originally from Tennessee. She especially enjoys the rivers, fresh air, and beauty of the Driftless region. She is excited to officially begin on December 15.
"I feel called to walk alongside people as they navigate the beautiful and messy journey of life," Mary says. "At Sugar Creek, my hope is that every person who comes across the bridge into the valley feels seen, valued, and invited to discover the ways God is already moving in their story." Mary is a proud mom to 3 incredible kids and a pack of very loved dogs. She enjoys memes, laughter, campfires, river time, and anything that brings her outdoors.
Her journey in ministry began in childhood, shaped by a church community, where her mom served faithfully as a church secretary. From those early days, she learned that faith is most meaningful when it shows up through hospitality, compassion, and everyday acts of love.
Sugar Creek provides 20+ unique summer camp programs, adult retreats, family camps, leadership development, and custom programming all year. As Program Director, Mary draws from a wide range of her professional experiences, including:
Pastor
Campus and Student Minister
Camp & Conference Center staff
Clergy Coach and Consultant
Community Organizer and Ministry Leader
Her degrees include a B.S. in Human Ecology and Recreation & Tourism Management, a Master of Divinity (M.Div.), and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Mary says her heart is deeply invested in building communities where all people feel welcomed, supported, and encouraged to grow. At Sugar Creek, Mary is especially excited to nurture a sacred space where campers, staff, and families can encounter God through creation, storytelling, service and shared adventures.
Thanks be to God for calling and equipping Rev. Mary Runyon to join us in leading fun and meaningful programs that you, as supporters, provide so generously through Sugar Creek Bible Camp. ️
Article by Jesse Klosterboer, Executive Director of Sugar Creek Bible Camp
