CAMPFIRE SPARKS LUTHERANS OUTDOORS APPEAL UPDATE
KEEPING THE CAMPIRES BURNING
The challenge to the congregation was: Gloria Dei be the spark! Mary DeVany, member and longtime family camper at Outlaw Ranch championed the appeal at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Mary, along with an Appeal Team, shared the “
Keep the Campfires Burning”
appeal with the congregational members through temple
talks, bulletin inserts, videos, personal conversations, and a mailing to all the members of Gloria Dei in the month of July and a weekend in September.
The appeal not only sparked a good financial response of over $48,500 and counting, but we had many more families sign up for family camp for summer 2022. The excitement of experiencing the camping ministry for youth was ignited as well.
Gloria Dei is
so thankful
for the ministry of Lutherans Outdoors and how it is an extension of
the congregation’s ministry. Gloria Dei is
so blessed
by everyone who attends camp each
year and how they, in turn, enrich the ministry at Gloria Dei.
“Let’s Keep the Campfires Burning!” Gloria Dei is honored to be a
spark
for this appeal.
YOUR CONGREGATION CAN STILL PARTICIPATE!
Call Paul Hanson, LO Executive Director (605) 274-5326 to discuss a plan that will work for your congregation.
Congregational champion, Mary DeVany, pictured here with LO Executive Director, Paul Hanson and Pastor Dwight Stensgaard. Thank you for your great support!
Keep the Campfires Burning Appeal Update Lutherans Outdoors has received in gifts and pledges an amount of nearly $900,000 towards the goal of $ 1.2 million! These gifts have come from hundreds of individual donors as well as congregational gifts, synod gifts, campership gifts, special events and memorials.
Gifts will be critical during the final three months of our fiscal year to meet the goal. Thank you to all who have said yes already and we look forward to the many gifts yet to be received. The
Keep the Campfires Burning Appeal was
created to aid in the financial challenges resulting
from the Covid-19 pandemic. Reaching our goal of $1.2 million in gifts during 2021 will result in moving forward in 2022 without any debt remaining from the closure of our camps for the extended period of time in 2020-21. It will also enable LO to continue offering quality, life-giving programs and to maintain and improve our facilities. Please contact Paul Hanson at Lutherans Outdoors (paul@losd.org) to find out how you can participate.
Lutherans Outdoors in SD 2001 S Summit Ave Sioux Falls, SD 57197 losd.org/campfires
blessed to be a blessing BY MARA STILLSON
A perk of my job, as Marketing Director, is when rostered leaders, friends, and family send pictures of their camp experiences. They know the importance of having pictures to convey this experience to others. Last summer, a friend sent a photo from their family camp week. I jokingly responded, “Have I mentioned before how much I love using images of kids giving adults blessings???” This picture included 6 year old, Gabriel, marking the sign of the cross with water on the grown up Artist-inresidence of the week, John Kerns. The other photos I received included how inspired his kids were by staff wearing socks with chacos, horse rides, and rainbows.
drawn to is of the blessing moment.
The photo I continue to be
As I enter my office daily, I see photos laid out, waiting to be added to a display board for camp promotions. I see the blessing photo, along with those of counselors and campers standing and praying together in the waters of Enemy Swim, and I wonder what makes these photos so captivating. I have realized something after seeing these photos daily.
Camp provides a chance for these intimate moments, in a way that we don’t experience in our daily lives. We don’t walk up to one another in the grocery store, at work/school, or on the street and remind one another about God’s love. This is a special and holy moment that happens
These sacred places provide the space and opportunity for us to gather as broken people, united in Christ. in community at Outlaw Ranch, NeSoDak, and Klein Ranch.
May we all encounter the love of Christ, in a holy moment during summer camp.