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

A Legacy of Camp
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When Rylee Crevier first came to Fortune Lake as a Vagabond camper through the support of her home congregation, Bethel Lutheran in Ishpeming, she had no idea how much light camp would bring into her life. Her parents had been youth campers, and they understood the value of camp. From the very first visit, Rylee was hooked! When she saw younger staff working in the kitchen, she immediately knew, “I want to do that!” Rylee began serving on summer staff in 2016, and God’s impact on her life continued and deepened.

Rylee saw the light of Jesus at work in many ways throughout her time as a summer staffer. She especially appreciated working with younger children – Villagers and Day Campers – where she encouraged them to help, serve, and give to others. She had always wanted to be a teacher, and the experiences she had at camp solidified that calling and prepared her for the work she now does everyday. In her Kindergarten classroom, her priorities include connecting with students as people first, helping children to develop problem solving skills, and providing opportunities for unstructured play. She helps the children find and shine their lights!

Rylee remains active at Fortune Lake through participating as a camper, volunteer, and donor. She plans for her growing family to attend Intergenerational Camp, allowing for life-giving rest and renewal in a faith-centered outdoor environment. She and her spouse, Rev. Lance Crevier, wonder if their children will continue the family’s legacy through one day serving on the summer staff. She is grateful for the Fortune Lake memories that they already share and the stories they can recount together as a family.

In addition to supporting the ministry of their home congregation, First Lutheran in Iron River, Rylee’s family also chooses to contribute to Fortune Lake. She wants to help ensure that Jesus’s light can continue to shine in this sacred place for generations to come. She is committed to helping train up the next generation for lives of service and generosity.

You are invited to join Rylee and the hundreds of generous donors who support the vital ministry of Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp. Will you join us in equipping people of all ages to shine their lights through your end of the year gift? God’s impact through camp often goes so much further than we can imagine, and you can help make it happen!

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

Becoming the Adult Leader She Needed
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After a few failed attempts at other summer camps, Massa first visited Fortune Lake as a last resort when she was a middle school youth camper. She recalls feeling welcomed and meeting friends, some with whom she still stays in contact all these years later. Fast forward to her first year of college… Massa was planning to work an office job at her university. Instead, her mom suggested she try her hand as a camp counselor, and the Holy Spirit led her back to Fortune Lake.

Massa recounts a week as Cabin Leader with a group of middle school campers. One particular camper was shy and unwilling to fully participate, feeling as if she didn’t fit in. Massa led by example. She showed the camper that she could step out of her comfort zone and try new things. Massa demonstrated that there was no one type of person who can engage in camp activities; everyone is welcome! Massa felt as if she were placed by God with that camper to inspire her, to be the very type of person Massa needed as a teenage girl. She hopes that the series of small interactions stick with the camper, helping her to grow in confidence even while she’s no longer at camp. The Cabin Leader role taught Massa to get back in touch with her childlike wonder, to have fun and be silly, to show her love for God in ways that are outgoing and fun. It was the breath of fresh air Massa needed, and it made her want to return.

Not only did Massa return as the Arts-n-Crafts (ANC) Coordinator for 2025, but she is also now serving as Fortune Lake’s first Horizon Apprentice! This special program is funded through the ELCA. Apprentices are young people of color who are placed at ministry sites to both use their gifts and to learn. In this unique role, Massa will work with the Camp Director and the Total Inclusion Committee to help ensure that Fortune Lake continues on the path of love, inclusion, welcoming, and acceptance for all campers for years to come. It is a joy for her to return to the camp of her youth to help shape it into the type of ministry she needed all those years ago, and we are honored to have her in this role!

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

A New Home for a Beloved Camp
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Dani Simandl, Executive Director of the Superior String Alliance (SSA), first reached out to Fortune Lake in the throes of winter. SSA has a long-running tradition of hosting both middle and high school summer music camps, and they were in need of a new facility. Months of preparation went into their stay, and when August rolled around, the FLLC staff were thrilled to welcome the group to camp for ten days of music, laughter, and programming. 

Like many other camps, Superior String Alliance faces a myriad of challenges when it comes to supporting their campers, but the SSAA and Fortune Lake staff were up to the challenge. The stories Dani shares from their camper community all have one thing in common: With the support of the Fortune Lake staff who took care of meals, facilities support, lifeguarding, and providing extra eyes where necessary, the Superior String Camp Staff were able to devote their full attention and care to their campers, especially those who needed the extra care. 

There were also finer details that made Fortune Lake a great site for this program. On an afternoon walk while visiting private lessons, campers told Dani that they loved how their instruments sounded in all of the buildings, particularly the Chapel. Our hope in providing rental opportunities is to allow new groups of varied backgrounds to experience Fortune Lake. This place and these spaces that have been special to so many for so long become new again when we imagine what could be together. Superior String Alliance is just one of the many groups that have found a home at Fortune Lake in the form of a rental. Are you wondering about possibilities for your own experience at Fortune Lake? There’s a place for you here. 

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

God’s Word Comes Near
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“The Word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” – Romans 10:8

A Devotion from Paavo Rundman, Summer Staff 2022-2024 (and counting!)

Romans 10:8 shaped the crafts, Bible studies, and worship experiences for thousands of campers as the theme verse for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries sites across North America. At Fortune Lake, the staff wrote a chant to help campers memorize the words, and each week we saw the verse live up to its promise as we sang; God’s Word was on our lips, and as we raised our voices together as a community, God’s Word stirred in our hearts. This verse reminds us that God is intimately present in the physical world: deep within each of us, seen in the people around us, and moving through all of creation. These lines explore God’s relationship to the world and reveal that God’s promises and commandments are for all people.

 Paul’s letter to the Romans reflects how God’s promises are extended to all people through Jesus. The “Word” that draws near in Romans refers to God’s capital-W Word: the creating force active since the beginning of time, embodied in Jesus, eternally present. The Word is not distant or exclusive, but for all of us for all of time. However, this promise is hard to believe. Campers like to talk about camp as set apart from their normal lives – a place where God’s presence feels unusually “near.” As a former camper and a third-year staff member, it’s also easy for me to view time spent at camp as more meaningful than the rest of my life. Surely this is the time I am closest to God, right? But God’s nearness is not tied to any specific place or action. The work of drawing near is already done; God has woven the Word into our being. Our experience of the Word is mysteriously tied to our physical world and physical bodies.

Camp weeks end with a time of affirmations, when cabin leaders tell each of their campers the ways that they see God at work in them. These times of affirmation have become one of the most sacred pieces of my summer. Looking at my campers’ faces, often at the edge of the lake or surrounded by the forest, I find myself in awe at the immense beauty of the life before me. My words cannot capture the pride, hope, and thanks I feel. I start my affirmations by saying, “this week, I saw God in you…” and I wish I could convey just how serious I am: I see the Word in their mouths as they sing, as they eat together, and in the moments that they choose to affirm and support each other. I see the Word at work in their hearts as they push themselves to become wiser, kinder, and more faithful people, and I trust they hear God’s Word as I tell them that they are loved for who they are. 

Gracious God, Thank you for your creative, redeeming, and renewing Word. Let your Word strengthen us that we may live as your body in the world. Teach us to recognize your face and voice in the faces and voices around us. Remind us when we forget just how near you are. 

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Join the Impact

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

An Accepting Community
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Lydia’s first two summers at camp were a little rocky, likely due to outside circumstances. As a tween, she had older kids suggesting that summer camp wasn’t worth her time, discouraging her from attending. However, Lydia’s grandparents, Cameron “James” and Mary Carol continued to pray for her, encouraging her to sign up for camp and hoping the Holy Spirit would enter in.

Despite peer influence, Lydia felt compelled to return to camp in 2024 as a Vagabond. She stayed in the treehouse village, cooked her meals over an open fire with her cabin group, forming trusted relationships with the campers and staff. The Holy Spirit showed up! Despite having to work so hard, and without electricity or running water, Lydia was thrilled with her week at camp. She made friends and felt truly accepted.

James and Mary Carol are thrilled too. They are especially appreciative of Lydia’s deepened relationship with God and the sense of community she found at Fortune Lake. After experiencing the Holy Spirit at work in their own lives, they are excited to hear of similar encounters for the granddaughter whom they love so much! Lydia will return to camp for subsequent summers, for more weeks of community, fun, and enriched faith. She invites you to join her!

Transformative experiences like Lydia’s would not be possible without the generous support of people like you. As we continue to welcome campers in Jesus’s name, you are invited to prayerfully consider a financial gift to the ministry of Fortune Lake. The impact of your donation will help provide thousands of sticky s’mores around the campfire, hundreds of heartfelt songs lifted in praise in the chapel, and countless lives changed through the love of Jesus. Thank you in advance for your prayerful support and your generosity!

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

Through Sunshine & Rain
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Since her first visit in 5th grade, Stacy has made camping and retreating at Fortune Lake a priority. Now she considers it a priority to be a positive adult in the lives of young people through her work as a youth leader at Immanuel, Negaunee, where she is a strong cheerleader for Fortune Lake. Though she has played a role in getting countless young people to camp, the greatest impact has been on her own family.

Stacy’s daughter, Katie, lives with chronic illnesses that affect her daily life. When Katie was in high school, she was learning how to live with these diagnoses. She was active in her home congregation as a music leader and loved spending time at Fortune Lake with her peers, but these activities often exacerbated her symptoms, preventing her from fully participating. As a young person dealing with intense challenges, Katie couldn’t help but feel like she was being punished in some way. For Stacy, watching her child walk through a dark time with so much out of their control was heartbreaking.

In the summer of 2019, Katie came to camp as a high school Leader in Training. She spent the week learning skills that she would use during her service weeks while also juggling the stress that the busy camp schedule put on her body. During a Bible Study, the group discussed Matthew 5:45, which reads: “So that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” Katie and her peers wrestled with what it means to have the sun rise and to send rain, which led to a change in perspective for her: The struggles she faced with her illness were not meant for her specifically, but rather a symptom of our very human lives. God was with her in her times of strife as well as her times of joy. 

When Katie returned from camp that year, Stacy noticed a shift in her. While Katie’s journey extends far beyond Fortune Lake, there was space here that allowed her to come to these new life-giving conclusions about her own path. To her mother, there seemed to be a weight lifted from her shoulders. Like so many others, for Stacy and each of her children, coming to Fortune Lake feels like home. We thank God for Stacy and her family!

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

Loaves & Fishes in Mass City
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When Logan first arrived as part of the summer staff of 2023, they were excited for their role as Day Camp Coordinator. They would be visiting congregations for a week at a time, working with volunteers and a small team to deliver a day camp experience in their communities. Logan had had mixed experiences with churches in the past, with some faith communities not being kind or accepting. As an education major, Logan was ready for their new position, but they were also nervous to see how the interactions with the congregations would go.

Logan was assigned to lead their first day camp at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, part of the Northern Lights Parish in Mass City, MI. The congregation had a long history of hosting day camp, with the young adult staff working together with their senior church members. Logan was unsure how this small congregation in a rural community would welcome them, their team, and the campers. To add to the challenge, Northern Lights was recently without a pastor. Additionally, the Fortune Lake staff would be traveling without a musician, thus requiring a week of singing a capella. Logan was asked to deliver the sermon, and the team was invited to help lead music in Sunday worship. Despite everyone’s anxieties, they brought their gifts and placed them before the Lord.

And much like the story of the young boy who brings the five loaves and two fish to Jesus to feed 5,000+ people (John 6:1-15), God used the gifts of those gathered to bless the community in miraculous ways, and there was more than enough! Sunday morning worship kicked off the day camp week with joy. The pastorless service with a first time preacher and guitarless songs set the tone for a great week. The day camp was attended by a lively group of local children, many of whom were not church members, but who were thrilled to have a rare youth ministry opportunity in their hometown. The faithful church members met the needs of the group, going the extra mile to provide healthy meals and fresh cut fruit, displaying them beautifully for the campers to enjoy. The kids loved the crafts and games, but one of their favorite activities was listening to stories from the Spark Story Bible while drawing what they heard. And the a capella songs were just perfect for this rag tag group gathered in the church basement!

It turns out that Logan’s fears about church were proven wrong, as they were fully welcomed. God used this experience to remind them that in Jesus, there is always enough. As Logan prepared for their first teaching job as the Science Teacher at Escanaba Jr./Sr. High School, they were once again unsure of what to expect. And, they were once again pleasantly surprised to be fully welcomed and supported in that new community. Logan’s experiences have shown that God multiplies our meager gifts, often beyond what seems possible, providing an abundance!

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

We Use What We Have
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It was the morning of July 12, 2024, and the Camp ACTS campers had spent the week preparing for their musical. Everything was as ready as it was going to be. After completing their final rehearsal, the actors nervously buzzed about as they were awaiting the arrival of their friends and family who would soon be in the audience. Costumes were on, choreography was practiced, and lines were memorized. There was just one problem: a camper, who was playing not one but three of the key roles, had been unexpectedly picked up early and was not able to fulfill his parts. The small cast and crew scrambled, knowing the show must go on, but with no idea how. Who could jump in, with no preparation, to perform alongside these kids who had practiced so hard? Would all of their effort go to waste?

Enter Will from stage right. Will was a cabin leader who had never seen the script. He knew how hard the campers had worked, and he refused to let them down. His first readthrough was on the chapel stage in front of the audience!  Will, a tall, gregarious, up-for-anything young adult, took on the roles of Abraham, Noah, and Moses. Ruby, a much smaller, curly-haired ten-year-old girl in angel wings became Will’s onstage guide: grabbing the microphone, positioning him where he needed to be, and guiding him through the dance steps. It was a delight! The kids brought their own gifts and personality, but the levity that Will provided as a confused adult in a cohort of child angels, lifted everyone. Nervous performers were able to laugh at Will, families witnessed the delight of their campers, and Will’s ability to jump in and improvise allowed the story to shine, despite the change.

A phrase that I often use at camp is, “We use what we have.” We entrust that the gifts God has given us will be enough for the tasks to which we are called. We have seen this to be true time and time again, and we witnessed it right before our eyes on the chapel stage that morning.

Our prayer is that you too have all that you need for the tasks to which God has called you. Through the story of Jesus’s birth, we are reminded that the greatest gifts often come from the most unexpected places, and there is always enough. The birth of the Christ child teaches us that God’s love is big enough for the entire world!  A humble stable and a rustic old chapel are precisely the right places for that love to take shape. Further, a helpless baby and a bespeckled tinsel-winged ten-year-old are precisely the right people through whom that love flows.

You can help ensure that the love of Christ continues to be shared through the ministry of Fortune Lake Camp. If you are interested in making financial gift so these extraordinary moments can continue – for Ruby, Will, and many others – please visit our Donation Page. We thank you in advance for your generosity. May God’s blessings be abundant for you!

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

Good for One, Good for All
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Adria Laplander and Mollie Trewartha, teachers at Houghton Middle School, both had relationships with Fortune Lake prior to coming with their Houghton Middle School students for school camp in 2021. Both women had been campers in their youth, Mollie worked on staff, and both have children who have attended Fortune Lake programming. Houghton Middle School, like many schools in our area, has a long history of school camp, an opportunity for students to get out of the traditional school environment and into a more rustic setting. Post-pandemic, their previous site wasn’t yet open, and they needed to find a place to provide this experience. 

Mollie knew that Fortune Lake had hosted a school camp for neighboring Calumet School District, and, given her relationship with the camp, decided to try our facility. There were nerves in this transition, as there often are. Would they be able to provide the same experience in this new setting? Would people be able to make the switch without holding on to what used to be? In the end, it took just one full day for their team to realize that Fortune Lake was the perfect site for their needs. The central arrangement of the camp made supervision easier, the surrounding nature was beautiful in the fall, and the facilities and staff made their stay comfortable and smooth. 

The teachers tell of a high schooler who was struggling as his good friend had recently moved from the school district. When asked if he was interested in coming to camp as a counselor, he was apprehensive, but he eventually agreed. Once he was at camp, he excelled in this role; he was a natural leader for both his fellow counselors and the kids in his cabin. In addition to growth in his leadership skills, being at camp bonded him with the other counselors, providing him with the community he had been struggling to find earlier in the year. In fact, the whole counselor group got close enough that many of them remained friends and returned the next year.

Adria and Mollie explained that not only was camp good for the students who attended camp, it was also a growth opportunity for their teachers in attendance. In this different setting, teachers are able to provide support and guidance in a new way, building relationships with students that are difficult to accomplish during their daily class period. They’re also bond as a team while learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses. In the end, everyone comes home from school camp having grown in one way or another. Fortune Lake is proud to be the site for such programs, and we look forward to continuing to host them as their tradition lives into the future. 

If you would like to consider renting Fortune Lake for your next group activity, visit our Facility Rental page, call 906-214-2267, or email Charlotte at hospitality@fortunelake.org

 

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

A Common Thread
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Mary Poirier, like many of the Sisters of the Cloth, has a long and storied history with both the art of quilting and Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp. Both of Mary’s children were involved with Fortune Lake, and their time here inspired a relationship with the organization long after her kids grew into adulthood. Even while still working at her quilt shop, Country Garden Quilts & More, she found ways to support Fortune Lake through her work. When Mary and her husband decided it was time to close their shop, the free time she gained allowed her to join the Sisters of the Cloth.

The Sisters of the Cloth are a group of women who come together throughout the year with a common purpose: to prepare for our annual Fall Fest. While many of them are crafters and makers of all kinds, their common thread is quilting. Their time spent at Fortune Lake, and a great deal of their time at home, is spent making beautiful creations to be auctioned off and sold at the event. Each “sister” found her way to the group in a unique way. What has formed is a welcoming and supportive community that finds joy in the work they do to support Fortune Lake, as well as the time spent in each other’s presence. The group often shares ideas, gives advice, and creates together.

This sense of community that Mary feels does not disappear when the women leave camp. The Sisters of the Cloth have formed bonds with one another that create space for life updates, thought sharing, and prayer requests. While there is great diversity in the personalities of the group, their common goal brings them together in a unique way. Each time they arrive at camp for their quilting bees, they are reminded of why they get together: They are bound together by their love for camp and the Christ-driven mission of Fortune Lake.

Each of the women in the group donate copious amounts of time, materials, and labor to the cause at camp, but Fortune Lake is just one facet of their community service. Many of them are creating quilts for multiple other organizations as well, a remarkable feat given the time intensity of the craft. According to Mary, it makes sense that she would use her talents to help other people, and it is obvious by the amount of time and work donated that the other sisters feel the same.

The 2024 auction saw 105 quilts, many of which were crafted by the Sisters of the Cloth. In total, Fall Fest raised $29,169! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED IN ANY WAY! It is through the work of the Sisters of the Cloth that this event is possible. These women are already thinking about next year. Mary extends an invitation to any quilters and crafters out there who might be interested in joining the group. It is, after all, a close knit, or quilted, corner of the wider Fortune Lake community we all hold dear.

Save the date: October 4 Fall Fest 2025

 

Join the Impact

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