NovusWay Ministries

Lutheridge and Lutherock are excited to announce two new Assistant Program Directors!

Livi Iobst brings 5 years of experience in outdoor ministry with a degree in Outdoor Studies and is currently pursuing a masters in Experiential Education at Western Carolina University. Mac Feid has been a Lutheridge camper, counselor, Area Director, and year-round staff member, bringing experience from multiple camps and education settings along the way.

Together with Pastor Drew and Pastor Sara, this program team will oversee programming at both Lutheridge and Lutherock — with Mac serving as Summer Director at Lutherock.

We're thrilled to welcome these qualified additions to our program team as we continue to grow and expand programming at both sites!

Help us wish a very Happy Birthday to Van Van Horne, Executive Director of Lutheridge and Lutherock! Van is a true staple in our camp community, and we are incredibly thankful for the leadership and gifts he brings.

Let us celebrate him today by dropping a birthday wish or sharing your favorite memory with Van in the comments below. Here is to another great year!

“Friendships at camp are different from friendships at home,” says Wyatt, a high school camper at Luther Springs. “At home, friendships are less serious, but at camp we can talk about anything and people are open to hearing you.”

Wyatt first got connected to Luther Springs when a family friend invited him. He’s come back every summer since. For the last several summers, Wyatt has attended ‘Gators’ week at Luther Springs, where campers stay up later and later every night. The quality time and late-night conversations Wyatt has shared with other campers has been one of his favorite parts of camp. “I love being with the friends I’ve met at camp,” Wyatt says. “Being here has helped me learn to be vulnerable with people and share more about myself and my character. Sometimes it’s hard to open up to others, but my friends at camp push me to be a better person.”

Wyatt says his experiences at Luther Springs have been shaped by the young adult counselors who have been mentors to him over the years. “I’ve been able to watch counselors lead by example,” Wyatt shares. “They’ve helped me learn to be patient and respect others’ opinions. Because I’ve had those mentors, I am trying to be a mentor to some of the younger campers now.”

Counselors at Luther Springs also serve as Bible study leaders, and Wyatt appre¬ciates the impact their leadership has had on his faith. “It can be hard to interpret things in the Bible,” Wyatt says. “With our counselors, it makes it easier to under¬stand and apply to our daily lives. What centers me at Luther Springs is making God the center of my life. It’s harder to do that at home. It helps when you are around people who keep you in check.”

One of the most memorable parts of a Gators week at Luther Springs is staying up on the last night and beginning the day with sunrise worship at the lake. It’s always a special moment for Wyatt. “There’s a lot of beauty in nature,” Wyatt says. “I love being at the lake and seeing sunrises and sunsets. There’s a beauty that we find in each other too, in our interactions and relationships with Christ. There’s a lot of beauty every time we are together, at camp and in church.”

Your gifts to NovusWay give campers time in nature to explore the wonder of God’s creation and form meaningful friendships. Thank you for your generous support of this ministry where lives are transformed to love and serve!

NovusWay Ministries
PO Box 830
Arden, NC 28704
www.novusway.org

August 14, 2026

The NovusWay Board gathered August 6 through 8 at Lutherock for one of our three in-person meetings each year. We welcomed three new members to the Board: Pat Cornwell, Scott Pinkerton, and Rev. Sara Cutter. It was an uplifting few days, full of stories from a strong summer and dreaming together about what lies ahead for our camping ministries.

The Board is thankful to have Lauri SoJourner at the helm as CEO. We continue to be grateful for her leadership, in big ways and small. She, along with the entire staff, worked hard to pull off yet another successful summer season. While attendance numbers weren’t quite where we hoped they would be, we're adjusting and working on our budgeting, both financially and around participation numbers. We're trending toward ending the year with a deficit, which we're working to address. One way we can close that gap is by leaning on the generosity of supporters like you.

On a brighter note, we are looking forward to a busy Fall full of many hosted ministry opportunities. A few other quick things of note:

-Van Van Horne, Executive Director at Ridge and Rock, joined us on Friday, sharing his vision for our camps and imparting his deep Lutherock knowledge. Alongside Nathan Boykin, he helped lead a tour for the Board. We thank them both for their passion and love of camp.
-Our new Chief Marketing Officer will be starting in September who will better help us communicate the opportunities our camps and programs provide.
-Lutheridge's 75th Birthday Campaign is going strong, and we're closing in on our $3.6 million goal. Now that the campaign has kicked off in the South Carolina Synod, we're hopeful we'll surpass that target by a good bit.
-While recovery from the hurricane continues in many ways, our properties are being maintained better than ever, with some facilities being refreshed for the first time.
-NovusWay received a clean financial audit and all statements are materially correct, the highest rating possible. Maybe this isn’t the most exciting headline, but it’s a good sign that we are doing our best to be good stewards of all the gifts you’ve entrusted to us.
-We are exploring ways to bring additional land at Lutherock into conservancy. While much of the camp is already protected, we have acquired more acreage since that was last done. This effort can protect the land and camp in perpetuity.

There was also plenty of conversation about NovusWay’s strategic plan, which will guide us in the coming years. It's a living document, and the Board and CEO Lauri SoJourner spent time reviewing what makes sense for the here and now. With the staff’s input, some timelines and goals shifted a bit, but the pillars remain the same: grow summer camp, grow year-round and hosted ministry, strengthen our facilities, care for our staff, and build financial viability. We're laying the foundation now, and with Lauri as our knowledgeable CEO, a talented NovusWay staff, and wonderful program staff behind her, we look forward to growing this ministry for youth and adults alike. The strategic plan can be viewed inside the 8/14/2026 Message from the Board Update located on the NovusWay website.

One conversation we spent real time on, along with Bishop Kevin Strickland of the Southeastern Synod, was where things stand with Lutheranch. While the difficult but necessary decision to sell Ranch hasn’t changed, an update is indeed needed. We previously sold half of Lutheranch, and the remaining half, which includes the McKanna-Sandrock Retreat Center, remains on the market. There has been interest from various non-profit groups, but no one has yet come forward with a serious offer. Several of those interested want to maintain it as a camping and retreat center, which would hold true to the initial vision of that property.

We are committed to sharing more information along the way, and you can look for a fuller update about Lutheranch in video form in the coming weeks.

My first meeting as Board Chair was filled with heartfelt conversations among many talented members who all have a passion for outdoor ministry and our camps of Lutheridge, Lutherock, and Luther Springs. There’s so much to be excited about in the coming years at our camps, and with your participation, support, and generosity, NovusWay will continue to be places apart for meaningful experiences, authentic friendships, high adventure, leadership development, and fun in God's creation.

God’s peace be with you all, and thank you for your support of the camps we all love.

Rev. Jason M. Lee
NovusWay Board President

Dear friends,

By the time you read this, summer camp 2026 will be in the rearview mirror. My first summer as CEO of NovusWay Ministries has given me an incredible snapshot of the impact our camps have on God’s kingdom.

At Luther Springs, during Gators Week, I witnessed something I won’t forget. Campers stay up two hours later each night until the schedule flips entirely, and on the last night, everyone stays awake through sunrise worship. What struck me most wasn’t the schedule. It was the counselors. Before they pray out loud with a group of kids, they say, “Do what you do when you pray.” Then they do it. I know grown adults who have never learned to pray out loud. These college students are building that confidence and faith in real time, and teaching the kids beside them how to do it too.

At Lutheridge, I sat with families during July 4th week and heard about the long history many of them have here. July 4th at Lutheridge isn’t just a program. It’s a family tradition, passed down.

At Lutherock, I spent time with pastors who bring kids to Confirmation Camp and to Disaster Response Camp. It’s meaningful time watching young people in their churches grow in faith, and meaningful time for these pastors to spend together.

Three sites. Three different programs. They each look different. One thing holds them together: kids and adults meeting God in ways that stick.

None of it happens without you! Thank you for giving gifts that support facilities, programs, and camper scholarships. Every year, families ask if their child can come, and the honest answer is always yes, because someone gave so a scholarship could cover the gap. I believe every kid who wants to be at camp should get to go. Your gift makes that true.

Fall is almost here, and the program and hosted ministry schedule is full of new opportunities for people to meet God at camp. I hope we’ll see you!

With gratitude,
Lauri SoJourner
CEO, NovusWay Ministries

The NovusWay Board and committees met last week at Lutherock. In addition to a full business agenda, they enjoyed a camp tour led by Nathan Boykin and time for worship and fellowship. We give thanks for these volunteers who give their time, talent, and treasure to ensure the future of the ministry of Lutheridge, Lutherock, and Luther Springs. Be on the lookout for a report from the Board in the coming week.

Meet the NovusWay Board

The NovusWay Board is comprised of 15 board members and 4 Bishops. These individuals all serve on the board and bring unique perspectives and gifts. What unites them all is a love for the vision of NovusWay and camping ministry. Throughout 2026, we will feature one or two members each month and share how they support the ministry of NovusWay in their board service.

This month we introduce Ginger Litman-Koon.

Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

My husband Kris and I are the pastors at All Saints Lutheran Church in Mt. Pleasant, SC. We live in Mt. Pleasant with our 9-year-old twins, Stella and Virginia. In addition to my part-time pastoral work, I also work in architecture as a residential designer.

What is your history with NovusWay?

I began as a Lutheridge camper in 1993, and have returned nearly every summer as a camper, counselor, pastor or parent. I have served on Senior Staff, as a Kairos leader, and as a Faith Alive retreat leader.

Kris and I met while working on summer staff at Lutheridge, so we have made sure to bring our twins to camp both for summer camp and retreat-season events. Stella and Virginia now consider Lutheridge their home-away-from home.

What is your goal for your board service?

As chair of the Property Committee, my board service has given me a unique opportunity to combine ministry with my architectural work. I hope that my board contribution allows me to give back just a fraction of what this organization had given me.

If you had any superpower, what would it be?

If I had a superpower, I would want super speed. It would make it so much easier to visit to our three amazing camps!

The NovusWay Board member terms begin July 1 and last for three years. A board member may serve two consecutive terms.

On July 1, 2026, we welcome three gifted and committed individuals to the board. Pat Cornwall is our lay representative for the Southeastern Synod. Sara Cutter and Scott Pinkerton are both filling at large positions on the board. During the next year of “Meet the Board”, we will be introducing them in more detail.

We thank Charles Bridgers, Ranate Patrick and Bill Trexler, whose terms ended June 30, 2026. Each of them began their first term as we had to close our camps due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As a group, they are very grateful that NovusWay and our camps have excellent leaders and staff, and look forward to continuing to support this organization.

“Church camp brings us together. We still talk about the stories!”- Luther Springs camper

When campers come together with others from their church, relationships grow stronger. During a recent week at Luther Springs, a group of campers from a congregation in Florida shared their insights about the power of camp. Here are some highlights of what they said.

“At home our schedules never line up to all hang out at the same time, but at camp we are all here and get to spend time together.”

“Camp is a great place to meet people. You become closer with those you know and make new friends too.”

“When we go home to our church we tell everyone about our experiences. And we keep singing camp songs and playing camp games. We even use the worship leadership skills we learned in camp.”

“The younger youth at our church hear about camp and are inspired to go to camp too.”

“It’s really meaningful to grow in your faith with friends. It’s nice to have people your age alongside you as you grow in your relationship with God.”

Your gifts to NovusWay help campers to form authentic friendships, the kind of friendships that let young people walk together in faith and grow as children of God. Thank you for all the ways you support ministry at Luther Springs, Lutherock, and Lutheridge.

NovusWay Ministries
PO Box 830
Arden, NC 28704
www.novusway.org

Happy July 4th from camp!