Executive Director Don Johnson's "column" for our November 2015 E-News:
During these first two months of serving as your executive director, one of the most gratifying things I’ve been doing is visiting camps and retreat centers. There are so many great outdoor ministry organizations throughout this marvelous network! It has been truly a pleasure to visit you in some of the most beautiful corners of the world and to talk outdoor ministry language with some of the most creative people imaginable.
I’ve been in the practice of posting reflections on my visits on a blog that our expert webmaster, Chad Hershberger, has established for me. So if you want to see where I’ve been and how I feel about it, just check out my blog on the homepage of the LOM website.
Obviously, it’s impossible to visit every outdoor ministry all at once (although I sure wish it were possible). So I’ve also been making it a point to initiate phone calls with lots of outdoor ministry leaders from around the ELCA. That has been very insightful for me and it’s helping me to shape some ideas on how LOM might respond to issues and concerns that so many of you have been willing to call to my attention. For those of you I’ve had the good fortune of connecting with already, thank you for the sharing you’ve been willing to do in this way.
I just wish there was more time in each day. Be patient with me – I’ll track you down sooner or later!
And if you have a burning concern about anything related to outdoor ministry – at your organization or for all of us in the Lutheran outdoor ministry network – please don’t hesitate to get on the phone to give me a call or give a shout out by email.
The next couple of weeks are going to be very exciting for me and all of us who will gather in North Carolina for the Annual Conference preceded by the Leadership Training Event. It’s always so good to re-connect with friends we have been connecting with over the years, and this year I’m especially thrilled that there will be at least 27 participants in the Conference for whom it will be their first time. Here’s a great big “tip of the hat” to the following donors who have made much of this possible by contributing to this year’s “First-Timer Scholarship Fund”. Thank you very much to:
LOM is poised for some great days ahead. We are stewards of an exceptionally rich and powerful resource for forming and nurturing faith. May God continue to bless you in all you do to extend this resource to all people.
During these first two months of serving as your executive director, one of the most gratifying things I’ve been doing is visiting camps and retreat centers. There are so many great outdoor ministry organizations throughout this marvelous network! It has been truly a pleasure to visit you in some of the most beautiful corners of the world and to talk outdoor ministry language with some of the most creative people imaginable.
I’ve been in the practice of posting reflections on my visits on a blog that our expert webmaster, Chad Hershberger, has established for me. So if you want to see where I’ve been and how I feel about it, just check out my blog on the homepage of the LOM website.
Obviously, it’s impossible to visit every outdoor ministry all at once (although I sure wish it were possible). So I’ve also been making it a point to initiate phone calls with lots of outdoor ministry leaders from around the ELCA. That has been very insightful for me and it’s helping me to shape some ideas on how LOM might respond to issues and concerns that so many of you have been willing to call to my attention. For those of you I’ve had the good fortune of connecting with already, thank you for the sharing you’ve been willing to do in this way.
I just wish there was more time in each day. Be patient with me – I’ll track you down sooner or later!
And if you have a burning concern about anything related to outdoor ministry – at your organization or for all of us in the Lutheran outdoor ministry network – please don’t hesitate to get on the phone to give me a call or give a shout out by email.
The next couple of weeks are going to be very exciting for me and all of us who will gather in North Carolina for the Annual Conference preceded by the Leadership Training Event. It’s always so good to re-connect with friends we have been connecting with over the years, and this year I’m especially thrilled that there will be at least 27 participants in the Conference for whom it will be their first time. Here’s a great big “tip of the hat” to the following donors who have made much of this possible by contributing to this year’s “First-Timer Scholarship Fund”. Thank you very much to:
- The Mission Investment Fund
- Portico
- Thrivent
- Evan and Heather Moilan
LOM is poised for some great days ahead. We are stewards of an exceptionally rich and powerful resource for forming and nurturing faith. May God continue to bless you in all you do to extend this resource to all people.