Every spring, the Northwest District Youth and Family Ministers gather for a conference of collaboration, education, and sabbath. During the 2025 conference, the Oregon circuit churches expressed a desire and need for our youth to come together for events and service opportunities that can encourage the next generation of leaders. From this, the idea of a retreat was born.
This October, 62 people from eight different churches — stretching from Bend, Oregon, to Vancouver, Washington — gathered for a weekend of community-building, faith enhancement, and fun at Camp Lutherwood. Students described the weekend as engaging, fun, educational, and community-focused. One youth said their favorite part of camp was “connecting between groups, connecting with friends, and connecting with leaders across groups.” This accomplished the goal of connecting our youth.
However, we had more goals than just connection. Over the past few years, the NOW District introduced a study called the Youth Leadership Initiative (available here and more resources here). In this study, three measures of success were identified. These measures are: to help every youth and person know they matter deeply to God because of Jesus, to help every youth and person know they have a valuable place and position in God’s Kingdom, and to help every youth and person grow as significant contributors to the ministry wherever they are. We approached these goals through the retreat theme of “Heart Your Hood.”
Galatians 5:13 reads, “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” As we dove into the Scripture, the students were able to walk away knowing that, because Jesus bought us back from sin, death, and the devil, we are called by Him to serve and love one another wherever we are.
One specific story from the weekend beautifully captured these goals. One of our campers was very new to the church. While her mother was baptized this past summer, her youth leader described her as having big questions: “Is there really a good, powerful, loving God?” and “Why would a loving God allow pain and suffering?” Though she still struggles with these questions, her youth leader has described her as having a “renewed energy.” The young person even described Camp Lutherwood as the best camp weekend she had ever experienced. Since then, she has continued to dive deeper into Scripture, and has even become the youth who is first to sign up for servant events. Through camp, she heard of Jesus’ love for her, and that gives her purpose to love and serve others wherever she is. Additionally, her youth leader is now optimistic that she will be baptized in the next year!
This is why all of us do what we do — and why Camp Lutherwood was developed. God has called us to these youth in love. We desire to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with all people, to help answer people’s big questions, and encourage them to do the same! Camp Lutherwood will be back in the fall of 2026, and we would love to have people from all over join us next year! Be on the lookout next summer for more information and reach out if you would like to get involved!
