About Us
Quinipet Camp & Retreat Center has offered retreat opportunities, summer camp and environmental education for over 70 years. We are located on the northwest shore of Shelter Island, New York on a property that encompasses approximately 25 acres. The camp is owned and operated by the New York Conference of The United Methodist Church. All are welcome, come join us!
Quinipet - a brief history
The text below is taken from CELEBRATING OUR 40th ANNIVERSARY brochure (1987):
Quinipet is a religious center located on twenty seven acres in the northwest corner of Shelter Island. It derives its name from the Greek-Latin words meaning FIVE ROCKS. The words carved into each: COURAGE, HONESTY, HUMILITY, FAITH and LOVE, are taken from the dedication speech of the Rev. Theodore Bobilin. The site was purchased by the United Methodist Church in 1946 and is operated by the New York Conference, 252 Bryant Avenue, White Plains, N.Y.
Quinipet is used not only by the United Methodist of the New York Conference, but also by people of other denominations and faiths. We are a people place. All kinds of people. We reaffirm the worth and participation of all persons, including but not limited to: young, old, rural, urban, those with special needs and those who are in transitional life stages. We speak different languages, have different ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of us have more than enough, some of us are poor. Our Annual Conference wants its retreat centers to bring all these kinds of people together so we can exchange information, the chance to experience other cultures and to come away with more respect for each other.
The Conference Board of Education's Newsletter of April 1947, states that the new Training Center of Shelter Island will not only serve as site for summer institutes; it will also prove to be ideal for spiritual retreats and training conferences; it will serve as an inspiring location for district and sub-district meetings. In years to come, it will help to build a Conference consciousness binding the churches and districts together in a real fellowship. As a body of tradition and treasured memories grows up about this Center, the influence exerted on the spiritual development of our people will be beyond measuring. Undoubtedly this place will have much to do with producing the leaders of tomorrow for our Church.
In 1800 it was the landing for the Island ferry, in 1820 the home of the Jennings farm, in 1850 the estate of the Stearns family, in 1915 Camp Quinipet, a salt water summer camp for boys; 1947 was the first summer program as the Methodist Training Center and today we serve over 5800 people. Surely the people of the First Church of Brooklyn, who asked that the funds from the sale of their Church be used to purchase this property, although dead in outward form, might be reborn to live again in this great work. This they have done that here we may dream and meditate, here learn to toil and dedicate all that we have and are unto His Kingdom's goal.