For Everything There Is a Season – Staff Changes in 2023

20221215_091622

For Everything There Is a Season

Longevity and experience are valuable, but only to a point.

In 1995, Buddy Landing came to Pecometh as the Director of Facilities after a revolving door of several people who didn’t make it in the position. In 2000, I joined Pecometh as its Director after the seven-year tenure of Tom Carter, who saved Pecometh from near extinction.

Neither Buddy nor I came to Pecometh with significant camp and retreat experience. We had both been volunteers, as well as camper parents. What we did bring was passion for Pecometh’s mission. We had experienced its impact and wanted to help as many children, youth and adults as possible experience it, as well.

Over the last 23 years, Buddy and I, along with Richelle Darrell, who started with Pecometh a month before me, have seen Pecometh grow and improve in so many ways. 

Summer camp reclaimed the Chester River as its primary resource and camp activities such as splashdown and paddleboarding have joined canoeing and crabbing as Pecometh favorites. Six cabins were replaced, eight new ones were added, a living shoreline was installed, and all the tar and chip roadways were replaced with asphalt. Two new retreat facilities, the Talley House and Riverview Retreat Center (RRC) were built. 

The RRC has true adult retreat facilities that our guests have come to love. More importantly, it has enabled us to develop spiritual formation and leadership development programming that strengthen church leadership. God has been working through the entire Pecometh staff, who are not only passionate about our mission, they are fun to work with and are constantly seeking ways to improve.

These are just a few of the many changes that we have been privileged to be a part of over the last two plus decades. But everything has its season.

Experience and longevity are great. But at some point, every organization needs new leadership if it’s going to continue to grow and improve. That time for Pecometh has come. As of January 1, 2023, Pecometh will see two major changes:

  • Augie Lankford will become Executive Director. I will remain on staff as the Director of Finance and Development, as well as the Director of the Center for Vital Leadership until at least July 2024. 
  • Phil Weston will become Director of Facilities. Buddy will remain on staff to support Phil in the transition until mid-April 2023, when Buddy will retire.

Augie and Phil both bring extensive experience on Pecometh staff (more on that in a future blog post), as well as their own passion and vision for Pecometh’s future. We are excited about what they bring and how they and our committed staff will continue our 76 years of God-inspired, life-changing experiences for people of all ages.

For everything there is a season. Buddy and I are grateful to have been part of a long and fruitful one at Pecometh. This next one looks to be even better. Thanks be to God!

Scroll to Top