“Luther Springs isn’t something we add on to our youth ministry,” says Anne Corti. “At Grace, it’s woven into the heart of how we do youth ministry.”
As the Director of Youth and Family Ministry at Grace Lutheran Church in Tampa, Florida, Anne is grateful for all the ways the congregation connected at Luther Springs in 2025. “We kicked off the year with the Luther Springs EQUIP High School Leadership retreat,” Anne shares. “During the summer we hosted a Luther Springs Day Camp. We also took 10 youth on the Luther Springs Disaster Response Mission trip in Fort Myers and sent seven youth to Gators Week at Luther Springs. We finished the year at the Luther Springs ADVENTure Retreat.”
Anne says there are lots of reasons her congregation participates in so many of the opportunities at Luther Springs. “We use camp retreats as a home away from home,” Anne says. “At Luther Springs we feel safe and comfortable and tucked away from all of life’s distractions. It’s a place we can create a deeper bond as a church family, make new friends from churches across Florida, and feel accepted and cared for. We also know we can trust the staff to create programs that give our youth a solid faith foundation mixed with the fun and fellowship they know happens at every retreat.”
Like many congregations, Grace takes steps to assure youth and children get to go to camp. “The people of Grace believe so strongly in the ministry of Luther Springs that they cover the cost of sending the kids to camp each summer,” Anne says. “Every child who wants to go to camp goes, regardless of their financial situation.”
Time spent at Luther Springs has a real impact on youth back home in the congregation. “Youth feel heard at camp,” Anne says, “They come back to church and expect the same thing, and it’s awesome!” Each year the youth from Grace share a Camp Sunday worship service with the whole congregation. “It’s a service full of camp songs, skits, thoughtful sermons, and prayers inspired by the summer theme,” Anne shares. “It brings an energy that ripples through our community, giving our youth the support they need throughout the year.”
Anne also appreciates what spending time at Luther Springs means to her personally. “As a youth director, it’s a place for me to take a deep breath. Many of us who serve as youth directors do much of the ministry on our own with few volunteers. When I am at Luther Springs, I have partners in ministry. I get to share with other leaders, getting new ideas and feeling less alone in ministry.”
Youth and leaders from Grace are once again making plans to be a part of the ministry at Luther Springs this year. “One of the best ways to bond as a youth group is to create shared stories,” Anne says. “For us, so many of those stories we reminisce about happen at Luther Springs.”
Thank you for your gifts to NovusWay which give congregations the opportunity to partner with camp to create faith filled programs and life changing memories.
