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Facts & Figures
Founded: 1943
Location: Mt. Pleasant, near Rt. 31 & 982 in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands
Function: Retreat, camp & conference center
Lodging Accommodations: private hotel-style rooms, group cottages & cabins, camping
Total Occupancy: 375
Affiliations: Mennonite Camping Association, Mennonite Church USA, Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau
Staff: 11-25 full-time & part-time staff, not including seasonal summer staff
Organizational Structure: non-profit organization managed by executive director; he/she is accountable to a board of directors as well as to the LMCC Association, a constituency network of households and individuals with ties to the organization.
Mission: In response to God's gracious generosity, Laurelville plants, cultivates and nurtures:
- Christ-like hospitality with welcome and safety for all
- Personal spiritual growth and renewal
- Healthy community where faith flourishes
- Care and respect for all of God’s creation
History
In 1943, a group of Mennonites from nearby Scottdale, Pa., purchased an existing Methodist camp located outside Mt. Pleasant, Pa. They named it Laurelville Mennonite Camp (later it would become Laurelville Mennonite Church Center) and began hosting Young People's Institutes and other programs aimed at faith development within the Mennonite church.
In the years since, Laurelville has grown to 600 acres. Its programs focus on faith development, worship and the arts, sustainability and leadership training. The camp and conference center also serves a diverse clientele, with roughly 80% of its guest groups coming from faith traditions outside of the Mennonite church.
Learn more about Laurelville's history.
Executive Leadership
John Denlinger, executive director
John Denlinger was appointed to the position of executive director at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in spring 2009. He is an ordained minister who previously served as pastor at two Mennonite churches in Lancaster County, Pa. He is also a former educator, athletic director and coach.
John is currently president of the Mt. Pleasant Rotary Club and is an active member in the Mt. Pleasant Ministerium, an ecumenical consortium of area churches. He also preaches occasionally at local congregations.
He and his wife, Debbie, have three adult children and two grandchildren.
Kim Miller, board chair
Kim Miller began his term as chair of the Laurelville board of directors in fall 2011. He is an independent farmer who raises grass-fed cattle in Latrobe, Pa. Having grown up in nearby Scottdale, he has many fond childhood memories of coming to Laurelville.
Kim is actively involved in a number of community-based organizations, including Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. He is also a member of the planning committee for Laurelville's biennial Sustainable Food & Farming conference.
He lives with his wife, Dianne, in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Learn more about members of the Laurelville board of directors.