Photo from left to right: John Diggs, Cynthia Diggs and CCMA President Jim Lane.

This December we are wishing one of our dear employees, Cynthia Diggs, farewell. After 32 years, working at six different camp and retreat centers managed by United Camps, Conferences & Retreats we want to share some words written by Cynthia herself. Please read along and see how Cynthia has captured what it means to live and love your vocation.

In Cynthia’s Words.
One morning while I was the site director at Camp Cazadero, I was working in my office as a group staying with us was getting ready for their morning inspirational talk. I was busy focusing on my emails but my interest was piqued at what I was hearing.

The group staying with us was a Methodist Super Camp and person speaking was named Patrick. Patrick was from a southern states, and his accent was absolutely charming. The group was singing and I could hear Patrick sharing inspirational words so I left my office door open so I could listen too.

Patrick began by asking the group if they knew the difference between a job and a vocation. After a few responses, he explained the difference to him. He said, “a job is something you go to, do your work and then get paid, no surprises there.” He paused before beginning, “a vocation is a job that you go to, do your work, and at the end of the month, you receive a check.”  I could feel the smile in his voice when he summarized with, “when they give you your check, you think, “I get to do this job and get paid!”

That day I learned that I had a vocation and not a job and it made all the difference.

John and I have worked at six different camp and retreat centers, all managed by the same organization, United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR). It has always pulled on my heart strings when we left one site to go to the next, but we knew we would still be working under the umbrella of UCCR. We knew we would still have the support, the love, the help and the friendships that come within our organization.

After a total of 32 years, my husband John and I are leaving what will be our last site, Craigville Retreat Center in Cape Cod. This time we are leaving our positions within UCCR.

Yet, we aren’t leaving empty handed, we have a wealth of memories and experiences, we have formed relationships with some of the most giving and loving people you could hope to meet, and we have been surrounded by God’s glorious beauty everywhere we have been.

We have had an exciting career with UCCR and worked together as a family.  It is clear to us, though we love our “vocation” with UCCR, that it is time to retire. Exciting things are happening in UCCR and it will be fun for us to watch as all the new ventures develop.

As we watch our UCCR family continue to grow and will watch closely, exciting things are going to happen in our lives too!  I have wanted to be a housewife for 47 years and I am going to get to do that now. We will move close to our children and grandchildren, and allow our lives to unfold and flow in a new direction.

– Cynthia Diggs