Sorrento Centre

By Sally Scales

St. Francis Chapel, Sorrento Centre

 

 

It is the only Anglican conference centre in Canada that offers the programming that is available at Sorrento Centre. Rev. Barbara Andrews, the executive director for seven years, says for over 45 years, Sorrento Centre has been providing a place to meet, discuss, learn, play, explore and create together. Close to 5,000 people use the centre each year, most come from B.C. and Alberta. This year’s spring courses begin March 13-15 with a silent retreat led by Bishop John Privett. Summer courses are weeklong and begin June 28 with one called "The Spirituality of Food" led by David Crawley and Peter Zimmer. It includes visiting local farms and cooking.


In the following weeks three or four courses are given during each week. They may include music, art, icon painting, poetry, drama, hiking, journaling, and so forth, all with a biblical/theological theme. Some course titles are: God's love made visible. Can we really believe in life after death? Personal faith in a postmodern world. Liturgy today: blending tradition with innovation. The Anglican imagination. Encountering the gospels again.

A typical day at Sorrento is a theme program in the morning, free time all afternoon, and a theme program or activities in the evening. The day opens and closes with worship. Wednesday evenings in the summer are for a public lecture. People from the surrounding area are invited to join the registrants for a lecture by one of that week's presenters.

Barbara is proud of the youth program, which includes leadership, experience and adventure. Many participants return the following year as summer employees. Sorrento Centre attracts many families with children. In a planned expansion, the road will be changed to go around the site, which will make it safer for youngsters.

Non-church groups also come to Sorrento, such as BC Foods Security Network, Shuswap School of Woodworking, swing and bluegrass workshops, quilting and other crafts. The centre is ecumenical and most bookings come from the faith community: The Quakers, Unitarians, Pentecostal Pastors of BC and many Anglican clergy conferences. For three days this September, the Council of the North will be guests of Sorrento Centre. The 30 people from the Council of the North will come as part of the centre’s outreach work through the Amazing Grace project.

The centre can hold a maximum of 230 people. That's when all motel-like units and cabanas are filled and so is every spot in the campground. This happens in July and August, and Barbara says September and October are regularly sold out now.

The centre operates at breakeven or better. It has cleared all its debts except for a small mortgage. Over $600,000 has been spent in capital improvements in the past six years. In 1963 the Sorrento Centre was registered as a society. Its members are 650 associates worldwide who support the centre prayerfully, financially and physically.

The board changed the centre six years ago so that it is open year-round and as a result the centre has been able to stabilize its work force to avoid laying off all staff in the off-season. The core staff of eight is now on salary with vacations, a pension plan and benefits. The kitchen staff caters to all groups that use the centre and serves wonderful meals. Dietary needs are accommodated. Barbara’s role is mainly as administrator and programmer. "The big-picture stuff." She invites everyone to be part of the Sorrento Experience in 2009. The entire program is on the website: www.sorrento-centre.bc.ca.