Impact Stories: God at work through the ministry of Fortune Lake

Generations of Grace

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Melissa and her daughter Caroline in front of Emanuel Lodge with the tree they planted in Vicki’s memory.

Melissa Salminen has experienced Fortune Lake as a place of grace, meeting her spirit needs, across the span of her entire life. A former camper, camp counselor, teacher, and now seminary student and mom,  she reflects on her relationship with Fortune Lake with gratitude.                

Melissa remembers, “ I always seemed to get injured in some way during my camp week!”   Attending camp every year since third grade, she thinks these little injuries may have enabled her to take risks she had not been brave enough to take before.   She is grateful for that.

It was her mother, Vicki Baldini, who encouraged Melissa and her brother to attend camp as kids, as Vicki was a camper herself back in the 60s. When Melissa became a counselor during college, her parents began to support the camp even more fervently– her dad helping with upgrades on facilities and her mom quilting with Sisters of the Cloth.   After being away from camp for nearly a decade, Melissa became involved again through that unique community of women who support FLLC by making quilts for the annual quilt auction.

When Vicki passed away, Melissa continued to help with the quilt auction for one more year, wanting to make sure that the tradition of support continued. She had brought her own daughter, Caroline, to Women and Kids week in 2019 and the two were heartbroken in 2020 when camp was shut down. In 2021, Melissa and Caroline returned for an Intergenerational week, and Melissa found what she had always experienced — grace, made especially meaningful in her mom’s absence, to be able to continue this tradition of camp and faith with her own daughter.

Melissa has experienced God’s presence again and again at Fortune Lake, as the Spirit met her where she was:  a curious and exploring camper, a staff person sharing a summer of work, a daughter in grief, or a mother passing on faith.

Just as no one hears a single sermon the same way, no two people experience camp the same way. “And yet, God is there,” Melissa reflects. Melissa is proud that her mom was one of the first Tenacious 200 givers to this ministry, a tradition she and her husband carry on today.                      

“When life gets uncertain and seems to swirl around,”  she says, “there is camp. A community of peace, of grace, a place to just be–a glimpse of the Kingdom to come, here on earth.”

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God’s Faithfulness to All Generations

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Arlo, Christina, and Violet Maki at Intergenerational Camp, Summer 2021

Fortune Lake is a Place of Grace where God’s goodness and faithfulness are felt and passed from generation to generation. Christina (Kenney) Maki has recently returned to have this truth affirmed for her and her family.

Christina first experienced Fortune Lake as a young camper and then went on to work on the summer staff as a high school student. Like many young adults, Christina then drifted away from church and camp. As a mother of young children, she found herself longing for something that was missing, so she started worshiping at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Iron Mountain, MI where her children attended preschool. Later she began working in their church office. As the administrator, she often saw the Fortune Lake flyers and brochures come across her desk. She remembered “the connection that you never lose” to the people at Fortune Lake, and she longed for that experience again, both for herself and her growing children. She wondered if an intergenerational camp might be perfect for them; Arlo was too young to attend on his own, and Violet was nervous about coming to camp for the first time.

For Christina, her family’s time at Fortune Lake turned out to be “the one true vacation I get as a mom.” She is grateful that she doesn’t have to prep or clean up from meals, prepare a packing list (it’s provided!), or think of structured activities for her family to do. She especially appreciates the adult Bible study time, as she finds the material to be accessible, regardless of a person’s experience, and it fills a deeply felt need in her life. Her children love the time they get to spend with the camp staff, playing games, being silly, and experiencing God’s word at their own levels.

Christina knows that the time her family spends with the staff is more than just fun and games. She remembers how much she looked up to the staff when she was a child–people like Ruth Almen, the Rundman family, and Ruth Warmanen–and how their examples guided her own decision making later in life. She trusts that the staff her children are meeting now will continue to be their Christian role models into the future. She especially values the passing on of the teachings of Jesus and the inclusivity of all God’s people, which are manifest daily at Fortune Lake. Christina hopes that one day her children’s aspirations of working at camp will be realized so they might perpetuate the cycle of passing on faith through trusted relationships.

As the Maki family joined their voices in chanting our summer theme verse–“Spell it out loud: L-O-R-D! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100, verse 5!”– it was glorious to see the truth of these words reflected on their sun-kissed, happy faces.

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There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!

A Place of Grace… and so Much More

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Pr. Ron during his Supported Rental, Summer 2021

Written by Pr. Ron McCallum

They call it a place of grace, this camp on the shores of Fortune Lake near Crystal Falls, Michigan. It is that, for sure: a place where everyone is welcome, a place where everyone can be themselves, a place where the Word is spoken in the actions of staff, in the songs that are sung, and in the things that kids and adults learn here. 

The first thing I noticed when I arrived here was the pristine beauty of this place. The lake is as clear as ice used for sculpture. The grass is beautiful and if you are here on a day when they mow, the smell reminds one of days gone by when people in the neighborhood all mowed at the same time. The surrounding forests are amazing and in them, on one of many trails, I saw deer, a small snake, chipmunks, many butterflies, and trees of many species. Just the pine smell alone as I walked was intoxicating.

I came to Fortune Lake telling people I wanted the time to write some things I had been planning to write. But, as I moved from day to day, something else happened. Call it renewal or rejuvenation or cleansing or catharsis or whatever. Those descriptions just don’t seem to be complete enough, strong enough, just right. What I felt was spiritual in the best sense of that word. It was a reconnection with self, a reclamation of my own waning faith, a new direction with God, and a personal calm that I have not felt in a long time.

2020 was a difficult year for me. At times I felt lost and alone. Other times I was beat down and felt great grief and loss. Where was God leading me? Was God leading me? Where was God’s sustaining love? Why didn’t I feel it?

At this place of grace, I discovered that what I was missing, what I was lacking in 2020 was the cleansing breath of the Spirit as only God can give. It was here waiting for me all along. From the cool morning breezes to the bright red sunsets, from the deer jumping out on the trail to the beautiful monarch butterflies flying almost everywhere at the camp, from the friendly waves of staff and visitors to the deeper conversations, God’s spirit reached in and lifted my spirit.

I thank this place of grace for working its magic. I will return and will continue to tell others that there is indeed grace here and so much more.

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One Connection at a Time

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Fortune Lake provides opportunities for God to make an impact through others. One camper, Paavo Rundman, saw that first hand during his time at camp this summer. Coming out of a year of lockdowns and restrictions, Paavo missed both the physical space at Fortune Lake as well as being a part of the community. With that in mind, he decided to take the leap and become a Leader in Training, or an LIT. The LIT Program combines the traditional youth camp experience with both ministry education and leadership training and is open to youth who have completed grades 10-12.

During the first week of youth camp, Paavo had been placed in a Villager cabin, home to 3rd and 4th grade boys. The week was filled with games, waterfront time, arts and crafts, and learning about the Word of God. On Friday, the last day of the week, Paavo had just finished up his Bible Study with his campers when one came forward with a special request. The camper was fascinated by the stories that the group had studied throughout the week and wanted to learn more about God, but he didn’t have a Bible. Paavo knew that there would be a Bible somewhere that he could give to the camper, and so he found him one. Once the Bible was in the child’s hands, he asked what parts he could read. The child determined that he would begin with Genesis, the home of many of our lessons from this summer and to plenty more fantastic stories of God at work in the world. The excitement spread, and Paavo ended up procuring a Bible for another camper in his cabin.

Paavo knew that this exchange was God working through him. It became evident to him as time passed that it was important that he not only make connections with his campers, but that he did the best he could to love every person that came to camp. Through his time at Fortune Lake this summer, he grew in the knowledge that he was playing a pivotal role in the lives of the campers he interacted with, no matter how brief their time together. This growth brought up two truths for Paavo: (1) you are always impacting others, whether you realize it or not, and (2) you will not always have the opportunity to see the effects of your impacts, you can only hope that they pay it forward one connection at a time.

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There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!

An Invitation to Community

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Josh (far right) with a group of campers in 2019

Fortune Lake changes the lives of people like Josh Stachnik.  When Josh first came to camp it was High School Week 2015, and he did not want to be here.  His pastor had arranged for him to come, but Josh had his heart set on attending a different camp.  Camp was overflowing with young people who all seemed to be having fun, but Josh wasn’t convinced.

It was Wednesday, midway through the week.  The high schoolers were participating in an all-camp activity. As was the pattern, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves; everyone except Josh, who was letting his personal issues get him down.  Two campers, Charlotte and Lillian, approached Josh and invited him to join in with the group.  Josh recalls thinking, “Well, I might as well try to have at least one good memory from camp,” so he began to let his guard down.  In that moment, things shifted for Josh.  He saw how openly the Fortune Lake community embraced him exactly as he was, personal issues and all.  He felt loved and accepted and was able to experience the true joy that he had witnessed in the other campers.

Today, Josh acknowledges that the invitation from his fellow high school campers changed his life.  God worked through that moment to allow him to begin to let his walls down.  Thanks to that interaction and many that followed, Josh is striving to mature into the person God wants him to be.  This summer, Josh will be serving on our staff for the second time as a Cabin Leader.  He is committed to inviting all of his campers to be open to the experiences of Fortune Lake so that they too may grow in faith.

Support from generous donors allows us to invite people to experience true joy in this place of grace.  This summer, due to Covid mitigation efforts and half-capacity lodging, it is more costly to run camp than it has ever been.  However, we know that we all need camp more than ever before.  We need to be together.  We need to be affirmed in who we are as children of God.  We need to experience the authentic Christian community.

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There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!

Surrounded by the Spirit

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Written by Charlotte Strom, Camp Intern

Fortune Lake inspires faith for people like Nora Kirkpatrick. When Nora was a young teenager, she felt the urge to go to Fortune Lake because her friends had been going and she had heard about how fun it could be. When she finally made the decision to come for the week, it ended up impacting her faith journey in an inspiring way.

That particular summer, the last night of camp included a Prayer Walk complete with stations for all types of prayer. At one of the stops, the music station, Nora and her cabin mates sat down and listened intently to what the staff member had to say. As he continued to talk about the Word, Nora and her friends could sense the power of God through him and were brought to tears. They cried together in awe of a moment so filled with the presence of the Spirit. Unbeknownst to her, the sky had slowly transformed into one of the most beautiful sunsets Nora had ever seen. She was experiencing God not only through the staff member, but also through the creation around her.

After discussing later with her friends, Nora realized how important it is for young adults to have formative faith experiences like this one. She and her friends were in confirmation classes, and they agreed that that moment had affirmed their decision to get confirmed. This is a moment that she goes back to often in her faith journey and a time when she truly felt the presence of God.

Nora (4th from the right in a yellow tie dye shirt) at FLLC

Since this moment at camp, Nora has decided to come back as one of our Leaders in Training for Summer 2021 in order to help provide these experiences for other campers. Fortune Lake is a place of grace that fosters faith connections for all those who come here. There are endless opportunities amidst the beautiful surroundings and welcoming community to experience God in a unique and impactful way. Like Nora, we have the opportunity to meet God here at Fortune Lake.

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There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!

Life-Saving Community

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Today, Pastor Judy Kincaid serves two rural churches near Menomonie, Wisconsin. She was pastor to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Escanaba, Michigan for seven years prior. Her first experience with Lutheran outdoor ministry was as a high schooler, when she “vacuumed acres of red carpet at church” to help earn her way from Omaha, NE to Rainbow Trail Camp in Colorado. Later, she would attend family camp at Luther Park in Wisconsin, but wasn’t sure about the experience initially. She recalls telling her family, “I’m probably not going to like [this week at camp], and if I hate it, we’re leaving.”

They didn’t leave, and the Christian community Judy found at family camp that summer would foreshadow the critical community which would make all the difference in her family’s life years later, at Fortune Lake.

In 2009, after completing her seminary studies and internship, Pr. Judy was looking for a summer job that involved ministry. When then Executive Director, Pr. Art Weiss gave her a call to be on staff, she said it was an answer to prayer. Judy and her three children would pack up, living at camp during the week, returning home on the weekends. It really was a positive experience for her children, she recalls, whose current love of playing guitar she traces back to their time at camp.

But then, as Judy was tending hurts and mending cuts as the Health Officer that summer, her marriage unexpectedly collapsed from underneath her. Suddenly going through a separation, in the midst of the summer beauty, Judy found she and her children grieving the unforeseen change that was upon them. That’s when the Chrisitan community at Fortune Lake surrounded, uplifted, and cared for them in ways that went above and beyond. Recalling that time, Pr. Judy says, “We needed the Holy Spirit and a little extra help to get through. Fortune Lake got my little family through the worst part of our lives.”

The love of Christ works through the community of Fortune Lake to change the lives of people of every age, sometimes in unexpected ways.

The impact of that summer on staff continues to bear fruit in Pastor Judy’s life and family. This summer, while she serves as Bible study leader for one of our Intergenerational weeks — both of her daughters will be serving on staff as counselors, and her two grandchildren will join her as campers. (Her son, Eli, also served on staff in 2015.)

“I’m not outdoorsy, not really skilled at any of those kind of things…but I love camp,” Pr. Judy says, “There should always be places like this for people.”

Your generosity toward Fortune Lake makes community like this possible, in ways unexpected, and sometimes, even life-saving.

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There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!

Here I Am, Lord

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Written by Amanda Rasner, Camp Director

Fortune Lake calls and equips people like George Olson for ministry. When George was a young man in seminary, he was approached by the pastor he was serving under, Pr. Granquist, about serving at Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp as a counselor. George’s first thought was, “I’m not going.” He had heard about all of the awful things that campers do to counselors–things like putting frogs or snakes in their bed, throwing them in the lake, and generally making life miserable through pranks–and George wanted nothing to do with it.

It seems as though the Holy Spirit had other plans, as George indeed ended up at Fortune Lake. He was in charge of a cabin in the woods, which housed 22 boys for the week. He recalls a profound moment when Mrs. Eskil Bostrom was teaching on the hillside overlooking the lake. She was sharing a Bible story from 1 Samuel 3:1-10. For George, the parallels between God’s call to Samuel and his own call into ministry were undeniable. In that moment, Fortune Lake became George’s “Holy Ground.” He never did get any frogs or snakes in his bed, but he felt affirmed in his call into ministry and to service of the church.

George went on to minister for decades, serving first in North Dakota before returning to his beloved northwoods where he served in Rapid River, Stonington, and Peshtigo. At the age of 95, he continues to study scripture each week with clergy in the Menominee Valley Conference.

When people of faith dedicated the land that would become Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp to the Lord’s service in 1930, no doubt they prayed for affirmations of God’s call to lives like George’s. This “Holy Ground” and the teachers who lift up God’s word are still having a profound impact. God was calling then; God is calling still. We give thanks to Pr. George Olson and the countless others who have responded!

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There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!