Silver Lake Conference Center, Sharon CT

Silver Lake was founded in 1957, the same year the United Church of Christ was formed. The Connecticut Conference of the UCC, then known as the Missionary Society of Connecticut, purchased the property in Sharon, which had been Camp Easton for boys, to be the summer camp site for the Connecticut churches.

Silver Lake welcomed our first conferees (campers) to the first series of summer conferences (camp programs) in the years that followed. In the 1960s and 1970s, four winterized retreat buildings were built, allowing Silver Lake to host church retreats in the fall, winter, and spring, and to expand our summer conference offerings.

Today, Silver Lake hosts close to 1,000 young people each summer and more than 3,000 retreat participants in the off-season. In addition to groups from Connecticut UCC churches, we regularly offer retreat space to other Christian denominations, Jewish groups, school groups, and hobbyists. Our summer program is open to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identification, or sexual orientation.

No matter where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

Mission Statement

Silver Lake Conference Center, a year round outdoor ministry of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ, is called to covenant with God and with the churches and people of the conference in the work of forming life-sustaining leaders for the church and the world, by offering: 

• Experiences of inclusive and nurturing Christian community
• Opportunities to grow and participate as Christ’s disciples
• A model of sustainable environmental stewardship of God’s world.

We worship, learn, play, serve, and work together, respecting the right of private judgement. We seek to provide a safe environment of acceptance regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, reflecting our unity in Christ and respecting the faith journeys of all of God’s children.