Belonging for all regardless of background, age, ability, or identity.

We center all people—especially those seeking safety and welcome, and those who have been excluded or harmed by church including but not limited to LGBTQIA+ people, people of color, under-resourced communities, immigrant communities, and those “unchurched” or unsure.

We practice immediate, visible welcome—from pronouns and inclusive language to gender-inclusive facilities, scholarships, and program design that asks, “Who is missing and how do we make room?”

Service as a living expression of welcome in how we host, care for, and accompany one another.

We meet people where they are—with good good, thoughtful preparation, attentive hosting, and a posture of service rather than transaction.

We understand Waycross as an extension of the Church’s mission; serving guests, congregations, and partners with humility, generosity, and joy.

We protect rhythms of rest, and play, trusting that unhurried time together is itself a form of care.

Deep connection across ages, backgrounds, and seasons of life.

We design programs where youth, young adults, and adults can build lasting friendships and learn to live and work together.

We protect the “small community feeling” through shared meals, camp traditions, time for conversation, and attention to the quiet, relational moments that make Waycross a spiritual home.

We nurture a lifelong community of campers, retreatants, staff, and alumni who carry the Waycross Way into their churches, neighborhoods, and workplaces.

Cultivating thin-place experiences—moments where the sacred become present in nature, relationships, and practice.

Rooted in the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis and open to all who seek connection, we offer camp and retreat experiences that invite prayer, reflection, worship, and honest questions.

We create brave and gentle spaces where people can wrestle with faith, know they are loved, and leave with a clearer sense of purpose and call.

Faithful stewardship of the land, trails, water, and natural spaces as God’s creation.

We invite people into deeper relationships with creation through time in the woods, outdoor worship, environmental education, and programs that get hands in the soil.

We commit to ecologically responsible practices and future plans from trails and forest health to food systems, gardens, and longterm land stewardship.

Honoring what has made us who we are while courageously embracing what must change and grow

We hold on to the “magic” of Waycross (songs, rituals, spaces) while allowing programs and structures to evolve thoughtfully in response to new generations and realities.

We let go of rigid hierarchies and a scarcity mindset, choosing experimentation, learning, and responsive leadership while continually practicing and welcoming hard conversations, reconciliation, and self reflection.

Transparency in all we do with one another, with the communities we serve, and with the resources entrusted to us.

We seek financial integrity and stability, planning beyond survival mode so that Waycross can serve future generations with well-maintained, accessible buildings and healthy staff culture.

We care for staff, volunteers, board, and all those in our wider community with the same attention we offer guests.

We communicate clearly and kindly, repair harm where needed, and make decisions that reflect both our values and the realities of what it takes to sustain this ministry.