The ELCA Youth Ministry Network and the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Network have formed a new partnership that links them together for mutual support and to grow in mission.
The Network has had “gold” and “silver” partnerships for a number of years, allowing for organizations, resource providers, colleges, seminaries, and other groups who share Network values to enter into intentional, supportive relationships. And while this has created wonderful new opportunities to work together, the sheer economics sometimes made it a challenge for outdoor ministries to participate.
And outdoor ministries are critical to the work of the church. Faith is formed through the ministry of our camps in ways that are deep and dynamic. For young people, the presence of Christ can become tangible at camps in ways that are hard to experience in other settings. And when congregations and outdoor ministries work together to bring that experience “home,” it becomes a powerful faith experience.
So Lutheran Outdoor Ministries and the Network decided to work more closely together.
A third “Outdoor Ministry” level of partnership has been created for camps and retreat centers that are affiliated with Lutheran Outdoor Ministries. Many of the same partnership benefits are available in this new form of partnership, and the cost ($800) is significantly lower than the other forms of partnership.
In addition, the Network and LOM will provide opportunities for the two organizations to interact in meaningful ways at the Extravaganza and Lutheran Outdoor Ministry conference.
Thanks to Lutheran Outdoor Ministries, and Don Johnson for their leadership, as well as the Network’s Board of Directors for the good conversations that took us to this place.
I invite our ELCA camps to become partners at this new level. Hopefully it makes the resources of the Network affordable and accessible for you. For more information, you can visit the Outdoor Ministry Partnership page on our web site, or email me at Todd@elcaymnet.org.
God’s blessings!
Todd
(Photo credit: Good Earth Village, Spring Valley, Mn; goodearthvillage.org)
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