Mission
Our Mission:
Seeking to connect faith and life,
we provide a welcoming space for all people to
experience God, community, and nature.
Vision
Our Vision:
With equity, we foster the growth and renewal
of all creation through Christ-centered community.
Core Values
Our Core Values:
Inclusive Community
Faith Formation
Growing Leaders
Exploration
Creativity
Welcome Statement
Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp commits to live into the truth that all people are made in the Image of God, and we recognize that without the affirmed presence of all people, especially the historically marginalized, we are not fully represented as the Body of Christ. We deem it necessary and imperative to recenter and reaffirm the beloved humanity inherent in all people and to further this emphasis in our outdoor ministry setting.
As we seek to be a place of grace where all may grow in faith, Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp clearly and deliberately welcomes people of any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, racial/ethnic/national identity, age, religious affiliation, economic status, relationship status, physical and mental ability, education, and other characteristics necessary for the whole Body of Christ into the life and leadership of our ministry.
We confess that while Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp has long-identified as a “place of grace,” we have not fully extended this same grace (“grace” being the unmerited favor of God freely gifted to all of humanity out of God’s radical, inclusive love for all creation) to each of our human siblings. We pledge to continue the work of total inclusion by intentionally turning away from systems that marginalize and dehumanize. We commit to dismantling those systems which have caused us to fracture and devalue the whole people of God. In doing so, we turn instead towards the beloved community revealed to us in the Good News of Jesus Christ with specific focus on racial equity, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and equal access for those living with disabilities. In this we acknowledge that there is work to be done, and we aim not to attain perfection but to celebrate, affirm, and uplift the diverse and beautiful body of Christ.
History and Affiliations
FLLC is owned and operated by the 80 congregations of the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and several other Lutheran congregations in the U.P. It is licensed by the State of Michigan.
Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp (FLLC) is located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (view map), a four-season place of beauty that attracts thousands of visitors every year. Since 1930, Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp has been a special place where God’s abundant grace is not simply taught, but experienced. Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp (FLLC) began its outdoor ministry program when young Luther League members wanted a Bible Camp amidst the beginning of the Great Depression and because of their determination and faith, property was secured and purchased through a resolution made at their annual assembly. Within a matter of weeks, six buildings were erected, a well was dug, electricity was brought in, and the first Bible Camp at FLLC took place!
Throughout the years, FLLC has been associated with the Superior Conference of the Augustana Lutheran Church, the Suomi Synod, the Episcopal Synod, 4-H Clubs, and the U.S. Army’s Civilian Conservation Corps. The camp hired its first executive director in 1975. FLLC is now affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and primarily serves the Northern Great Lakes Synod (Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan). FLLC is the only ELCA-affiliated camping and retreat center in this area.
Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp is incorporated in the State of Michigan as a non-profit 501(c) corporation and is governed by a board of directors. FLLC is fully accredited through the State of Michigan, meeting and exceeding all regulations. It is also an active member of Lutheran Outdoor Ministries.
Since 2023, Fortune Lake has been a Reconciling in Christ organization. ReconcilingWorks advocates for the acceptance, full participation, and liberation of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions within the Lutheran Church, and Fortune Lake is honored to join in that mission.
Theology
Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp is an outdoor ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and is rooted in Lutheran tradition. FLLC attests to the saving and grace-filled power of Jesus Christ, manifest in the beauty and power of God’s creation.
FLLC encourages spiritual growth through worship, scripture, songs, sacraments, experience and care of the environment, and opportunities for recreation and fellowship.
FLLC’s ministries transform lives through God’s grace amidst God’s creation and strive to:
- Inspire faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
- Celebrate the goodness & grace of God
- Model care and respect for God’s creation
- Teach God’s Word, embracing Lutheran heritage
- Welcome all people into community through the presence of the Holy Spirit
- Empower all persons to understand how faith impacts daily living
- Extend the mission of congregations
Programs
Traditional summer programming for youth is a priority at FLLC; however, our inter-generational summer camp programs continue to gain popularity.
Year-round programming sponsored by FLLC consists of Elementary youth retreats, Junior/ Senior High youth retreats, adult retreats, family programs, leadership training, and offsite Day Camp. One group – fondly called the Sisters of the Cloth – spends about six weekends at Camp each year working on quilts for and coordinating the annual Fall Fest Quilt Auction. The Quilt Auction is Camp’s major fund-raiser, held the first Saturday of October each year. A bi-monthly Senior Day is a popular program for adults to share in fellowship, eat lunch, and hear a presentation from a guest speaker.
The camp also hosts many outside groups including school groups, artists, quilters, and crafters who hold their own retreats in Emanuel and/or Grace Lodge. Several of these retreat groups have been coming to FLLC annually for almost 20 years. Outside user group events include the Synod Women’s Organization retreat, Northern Great Lakes Synod committee meetings, retreats hosted independently by FLLC Association churches, family reunions, and other partner church events. Contact us at 906-214-2267 or hospitality@fortunelake.org if you’d like to host your event at FLLC!
As Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp looks to the future, we strive to maintain high quality summer camp programming, while being intentional about growing year-round retreats and inter-generational programs. FLLC is committed to be a place of grace for ALL. For more information on our inclusion efforts, please visit our Growing in Grace link.
