Executive Director Don Johnson will occasionally post reflections as he travels to Lutheran Outdoor Ministry sites. Here is his latest entry, written on October 6, 2015:
On October 6, I had the pleasure of visiting two of the member organizations of LOM. The first visit was to Pinecrest Lutheran Leadership Ministries. I visited with the director of Pinecrest, Danielle Miller, at Oceanside Lutheran Church in Oceanside, Long Island, NY, where she serves as the pastor. Pinecrest is one of the most unique outdoor ministry programs in the ELCA. It is a ministry of the Metropolitan New York Synod. Pinecrest does not own its own site, but hosts its programs at a variety of camps and retreat centers throughout the year. The flagship program takes place for one week every summer. More than 200 high school and college students participate in this summer leadership camp.
It was great to reconnect with Danielle, and I look forward to her and other Pinecrest leadership staff members participating in LOM activities in the days ahead.
From Long Island I made my way through Queens and the Bronx, over the George Washington Bridge, and into New Jersey. Not the typical landscape for visiting Lutheran camps and retreat centers! But my destination was Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center in the beautiful countryside of northwestern New Jersey. Cross Roads is an ecumenical ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark and the New Jersey Synod of the ELCA.
I’ve been to Cross Roads many times and it’s always good to go back for many reasons, not the least of which is that improvements to the buildings and grounds are always very noticeable. And it’s always good to visit with executive director Anthony Briggs. Anthony served on the summer staff at Calumet for several years during the time I was executive director there as it is with longtime good friends, the conversation seems to easily pick up where we left off, no matter how much time has elapsed.
It was also great to meet the new full-time program director of Cross Roads, Kathryn Schaefer. I’m sure we’ll see lots of Kathryn in the days ahead as she continues to develop her career in outdoor ministry.
I hung around long enough to be able to accept Anthony’s invitation to stay for dinner. The meals are always delicious at Cross Roads, thanks to assistant director and chef Kevin O’Brien and the hospitality of Priscilla O’Brien. On this occasion, I also had the pleasure of meeting several of the dedicated Board members of Cross Roads who were going to be meeting there that evening.
I’m now looking forward, even more, for my next visit to Cross Roads, coming up soon (October 26-28), for the Region 7 & 8 Youth Summit, which will bring together youth ministry, outdoor ministry, and campus ministry leaders from throughout the Northeast.
On October 6, I had the pleasure of visiting two of the member organizations of LOM. The first visit was to Pinecrest Lutheran Leadership Ministries. I visited with the director of Pinecrest, Danielle Miller, at Oceanside Lutheran Church in Oceanside, Long Island, NY, where she serves as the pastor. Pinecrest is one of the most unique outdoor ministry programs in the ELCA. It is a ministry of the Metropolitan New York Synod. Pinecrest does not own its own site, but hosts its programs at a variety of camps and retreat centers throughout the year. The flagship program takes place for one week every summer. More than 200 high school and college students participate in this summer leadership camp.
It was great to reconnect with Danielle, and I look forward to her and other Pinecrest leadership staff members participating in LOM activities in the days ahead.
From Long Island I made my way through Queens and the Bronx, over the George Washington Bridge, and into New Jersey. Not the typical landscape for visiting Lutheran camps and retreat centers! But my destination was Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center in the beautiful countryside of northwestern New Jersey. Cross Roads is an ecumenical ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark and the New Jersey Synod of the ELCA.
I’ve been to Cross Roads many times and it’s always good to go back for many reasons, not the least of which is that improvements to the buildings and grounds are always very noticeable. And it’s always good to visit with executive director Anthony Briggs. Anthony served on the summer staff at Calumet for several years during the time I was executive director there as it is with longtime good friends, the conversation seems to easily pick up where we left off, no matter how much time has elapsed.
It was also great to meet the new full-time program director of Cross Roads, Kathryn Schaefer. I’m sure we’ll see lots of Kathryn in the days ahead as she continues to develop her career in outdoor ministry.
I hung around long enough to be able to accept Anthony’s invitation to stay for dinner. The meals are always delicious at Cross Roads, thanks to assistant director and chef Kevin O’Brien and the hospitality of Priscilla O’Brien. On this occasion, I also had the pleasure of meeting several of the dedicated Board members of Cross Roads who were going to be meeting there that evening.
I’m now looking forward, even more, for my next visit to Cross Roads, coming up soon (October 26-28), for the Region 7 & 8 Youth Summit, which will bring together youth ministry, outdoor ministry, and campus ministry leaders from throughout the Northeast.