Celebrating Pastor Conrad B. Youse’s Lifetime Ministry Award are Mike Youse, his son and current Executive Director of LCC; Sister Marianne Brock, former director of Camp Nawakwa; Chad Hershberger, Executive Director of Camp Mount Luther; Rev. Conrad B. Youse; Rev. Cliff Eshbach, who nominated Youse and is a former Nawakwa director; Winnie Youse, wife of Conrad; and grandchildren Jon Youse and Kirsten Youse Hyatt.
On Wednesday April 26, at a reception which closed the annual Spring Convocation at the Gettysburg Campus of United Lutheran Seminary, the seminary Alumni Association honored The Rev. Conrad B. Youse, retired Administrator of the Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pennsylvania, with the association award for Celebrated Lifetime Ministry.
Pastor Youse was honored for his career as a leader and innovator in outdoor ministry, for the campers, staff and volunteers he influenced and for his example of service in the office of Minister of Word and Sacrament.
In making the award, the alumni association noted that his many nomination references cited, “his passion for teaching younger generations about the beauty and the wonder of God’s great outdoors. While he certainly had visions for the outdoor ministry, he also encouraged others to develop and share their own visions for this important ministry of God’s church.”
Pastor Youse served as Administrator of the Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pennsylvania from 1977 to his retirement in 2000. In his “retirement” from 2000 through January 2023 he served as the site and facilities maintenance manager for Camp Kirchenwald. He served as camp director at Camp Kirchenwald from 1969-1976 while also serving as pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lebanon, PA and at Trinity Lutheran Church, Manheim, from 1963-1977. 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of his ordination. Conrad’s wife, Winnie, worked alongside him from 1969-2022 as Kirchenwald’s Craft Director and Summer Office Manager.
-Rev. Cliff Eshbach, former Nawakwa director