OUR IMPACT
Living Water Ministries believes that the work we do changes lives and the world by providing communities where faith can grow, leadership can be cultivated, and service can be practiced. While the work we do resembles a classic approach to summer camp, we also programs that serve adults with developmental disabilities, LGBTQIA+ youth seeking a safe community to explore their faith and high school students aspiring to be anti-racist leaders.
Learn about the impact of the work of Living Water Ministries directly from our campers, our staff, and our volunteers by watching the seven minute video below.
WELCOME TO ALL PRICING
At Living Water Ministries, we believe every child deserves the chance to experience the love of Christ through camp – free from barriers that stand in the way. Since 2015, we’ve led the way in removing financial obstacles through our Welcome to All pricing model, which allows families to choose the level of support that fits their situation: support-price, full-price, half-price, or no-price. This model reflects our deep commitment to living out the Gospel – creating sacred spaces where all of God’s children are seen, welcomed and celebrated!
NATIONAL REACH
Living Water Ministries is an organization that has historically served youth from Michigan, but we’ve been increasing in our impact on a national level. Through our award-winning Bridge Builders program (faith formation, leadership development, and anti-racism training), and our hotel-based events we have drawn youth to our programs from 16 states. Our Welcome to All pricing structure and travel support practices help us remove obstacles for many of these youth by assisting with travel expenses and registration fees.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Camp has always been a place that has cultivated leaders for the church and the world. Campers sometimes return as summer staff who then sometimes continue on to become leaders like pastors, youth workers, teachers, social workers, paramedics, nurses, and beyond. The programs we offer focus on drawing out the gifts of our participants so they might discover their own leadership potential.
Over the years this leadership continuum has primarily been available to youth who are white. As we racially diversify our camper base we are creating access to this continuum for youth of color and we are seeing the results. The scholarship fund helps us create that access for campers that have historically been excluded from participation in this continuum and serves as an engine for diverse leadership cultivation.
DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
The bold outreach approach of Living Water Ministries is yielding some real results when it comes to our population of campers and our staff. Through the scholarship approach we’ve adopted, and through intentional partnerships with outside organizations we have formed, we are curating diverse communities of campers. At Living Water Ministries we believe these diverse communities better reflect the reign of God.
It has always been true that camp kills stereotypes. At the end of each camp week there is a harmony among campers. A shared love for one another that is a reflection of Christ’s love for us. There are no more jocks or nerds. There are only siblings in Christ. Campers learn that they are valued for who they are and relax into being their true selves.
The immersive experience of camp also kills stereotypes we have about people who look or behave different than ourselves. After living with a person for a week, campers are able to destroy stereotypes they may have had and truly see each of their fellow campers as children of God. This has always been a powerful truth of the camp experience but has a very profound layer when it comes to dismantling preconceived notions and stereotypes across racial and socioeconomic lines.
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS
While the bulk of our campers come for more traditional programs, our Bridge Builders program (leadership development and anti-racism training) continues to blaze new trails in outdoor ministry in ways that are extremely innovative. In particular, Bridge Builders has received a great deal of recognition from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In 2015 and then again in 2022, Living Water Ministries received sizable grants to expand the program. In 2016 we received the Innovative Program Award for Bridge Builders from the Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Network. In 2017 we were invited to Washington D.C. to present to the national church about Bridge Builders as part of their national celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In 2025 Living Water Minsitries received a significant grant from Lutheran Outdoor Ministries to support our newest camp program – In God’s Image.
CAMP PROGRAMS
Explore summer programs that inspire growth, friendship, and faith in action.
