Dear Friends and Partners in Ministry,
As we enter this season of gratitude, we give thanks to God for the many ways Christ’s love is experienced and faith is renewed through the ministry of the Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pennsylvania (LCC). Today, we also write with deep appreciation and important news regarding a time of transition in our shared ministry.
The Board of Directors shares that Executive Director Michael Youse will complete his service with the Lutheran Camping Corporation on December 31, 2025. We give thanks for Mike’s 25 years of leadership, during which his vision and commitment have significantly shaped the mission of outdoor ministry and faith formation within our synod. Mike’s passion for outdoor ministry and his care for the people and properties of the LCC have left a lasting impact. We give heartfelt thanks for his faithful service and pray for God’s continued blessings on Mike in the next chapter of his life and ministry.
The Board remains committed to the mission we share: to create a place and time apart where Christ’s love is experienced and faith is renewed. With prayerful consideration, we have been intentionally putting in place the next steps to navigate this time of transition. We are providing pastoral care and support for our remaining full-time staff, working closely with them as they prepare for the 2026 summer camping season. At the same time, we remain focused on growing off-season retreat participation and developing new programming opportunities that continue to serve individuals, congregations, and groups throughout the year.
To ensure continuity, the Board has appointed a Transition Task Force. This team has been working in consultation with the Director of Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (LOM) to identify an Intentional Interim Executive Director who will guide us through this transitional season. The Task Force is also exploring and proposing staffing configurations that align with our strategic goals: to expand seasonal and off-season participation, strengthen development efforts, and move forward with our plan for facility improvements based on the recent study and surveys conducted across our sites.
As we take these steps, we give thanks for the strong mission and ministry of the Lutheran Camping Corporation in the past, and we also give thanks for our dedicated staff, volunteers, donors, and congregational partners who will help us grow that strong mission and ministry into the future. We invite your prayers for all who lead, serve, and participate in the ongoing ministry of the LCC. We also ask for your continued partnership and support as we move faithfully forward into this next season of ministry.
Together, we give thanks for all that God has done and will yet do through the sacred spaces of camp and retreat ministry, which continue to renew faith, inspire discipleship, and build beloved community.
In gratitude and hope,
Rev. Drahomir Oslik
President, LCC Board of Directors