In September 2023, the NovusWay board contracted with GSB Fundraising to help support their annual fundraising efforts. As part of that contract, our GSB Partner, Jennie Smith, as an outsider to the ministry, analyzed the ministry’s giving data and made recommendations to the board for a better path forward. Then, on November 20th, 2023, the board updated our contract to include Intentional Interim co-CEO work.
As we pass the year mark for our funds development work and approach the one-year mark as co-CEOs, we want to share updates and what we have learned.
In a sentence, camp friends, this is harder than we thought it should be.
The challenges facing our camp ministry are as complex and difficult as those the larger church is facing. To better understand where we are and how we got here, Mike has been digging deeper into all financial aspects of the ministry. Mitzie has carefully analyzed our business operations. While we know we will continue to learn, some fundamental realities are coming to light to help us understand why this is harder than we thought.
To further inform the board, we presented detailed data at last month’s meeting to support their upcoming strategic planning efforts and search for a permanent CEO. We are pleased to share they are asking the hard questions and doing the necessary foundational work the ministry needs to help us turn the ministry toward long-term sustainability.
We know that you share our love of camp. So, we share this information with you not as a lament or to cast blame but to continue explaining the fundamental changes needed to move us toward a sustainable future. Our decisions will remain grounded in quality information from a variety of sources.
Highlights from this data are directly connected to the changing church and the impacts on our beloved camps:
- Lutheridge’s highest camper number was 2,605 in 1997. This total did not include family or grand campers. In 2021, that number was 1,582, and in 2024, it was 1,675. This is 1,000 fewer campers.
- With all camps combined, our highest camper numbers were 2,829 in 2006. This year, total campers numbered 2,264.
- This equates to an estimated loss in camper revenue of $389,400 a year.
- In comparison, the highest youth gathering numbers were 40,000 in 2000 and 16,000 this year.
- Our combined hosted ministry revenue in 2024 for all four sites is just over $1.2 million. Of this total, only 24.5% came from ELCA groups.
- While the ELCA continues to decline in numbers, our synod numbers do as well. This has a direct impact on Mission Support dollars from our synods. In 2004 (adjusted for inflation), our combined synodical support was $508,760, with the majority coming from the NC Synod. Today, combined synod support is $121,549. This is an annual difference of $387,211 in revenue that didn’t have expenses attached to it. Camper, donor, and hosted ministry revenue all have necessary expenses.
- Both Lutheridge and Lutherock are debt-free. However, Lutheranch and Luther Springs have not had any material debt paydowns due only to the generosity of the debt holders. Under the original acquisition plan, Lutheranch’s significant debt load was never supposed to be taken on.
Our total revenue loss from our reduced attendance numbers and loss of synodical mission support is an estimated $776,000 a year. This is a difficult hurdle to overcome, but we continue to believe and trust that sustainability is possible through new and expanded programs such as our grandparent weeks, SW Florida Disaster Relief program, and hosted ministry rentals. You are one of the reasons we believe it possible—because despite this reality, quality summer camp and non-summer programming continue to transform lives.
There are positives to the year also. Luther Springs and Lutheranch both have a path forward to eliminating their debt. The Lutheridge 75th Birthday Capital Campaign has exceeded $1,000,000 in pledges. Demand for hosted ministry and family programs is growing significantly across sites. Gift income from donors to our annual fund is ahead of previous years as well. We continue to locate more operational savings on a regular basis. Recently, we changed some staffing models to continue to be more efficient. We re-negotiated several contracts to improve savings, and we have once again started collecting Guest Enhancement Fees to keep up with replacing mattresses, tables, and other items that improve our guest experience and help support rentals and guests returning. The board has undertaken several initiatives to help provide more oversight and accountability while working to expand resources available both for operations and much needed improvements and enhancements to our physical facilities.
We are working diligently and adjusting monthly to help ensure that expenses this year do not exceed revenue. We just started to work on next year’s budget, and we hope to add salary increases for year-round and summer staff and return refurbishment funding to our operating budget. We are also working to rebuild our camper pipeline to ensure children know about our camps and that they have connections to attend, while also helping adults find inspiration and refreshment by coming back to camp. We believe that camp is one of the church ministries that will help shape what our church looks like on the other side of this changing time. We will get there – together.
We know you care about these places as we do, and we invite you to encourage retreat groups, find campers, support our annual fund, and volunteer to help where we have had to cut positions. Thank you for being our partner in ministry and for your continued interest in learning more about how this ministry works. As always, feel free to email us at ward@gsbfr.com or mitzie@gsbfr.com. We remain open to your ideas and thoughts.
In Christ,
Mike + Mitzie
