camp without walls

Whether on the road, in local congregations, or gathered for retreat, ministry with Water’s Edge Ministries extends far beyond the physical boundaries of camp. When leaders, youth, families, and congregations partner together, spaces are created where faith is lived, leadership is discovered, and belonging is experienced across generations. From day camps embedded in congregational life to retreats that reshape how people learn, rest, and connect, God shows up wherever people gather with open hearts. In classrooms and fellowship halls, around tables and campfires, the work remains the same: nurturing faith, strengthening community, and helping people more fully understand who God is calling them to be—together

This was evident in the Day Camp partnership with Cross of Calvary Lutheran Church in Olivia, MN, where Water’s Edge Ministries summer staff worked closely with congregational leaders to create a vibrant and meaningful experience for youth. Sister Sarah Husken reflected on the intentional collaboration, noting that beyond sharing the love of Jesus, the church staff hoped to raise up leaders within the congregation. Junior high students were not simply helpers—they were given titles, clear responsibilities, and meaningful leadership roles. “I witnessed them stand up straighter and live into their roles as leaders,” Sister Sarah shared. At the end of the week, one sixth grader eagerly said yes when invited to help with after-school ministry during the school year.

These are the kinds of partnerships Water’s Edge Ministries continues to nurture—bringing together senior adults, young adult leaders, and youth in intergenerational ministry and shared learning.

Programmed Retreats further extend this work by creating shared space where faith is formed not only by the setting, but by the people gathered. The First Communion Retreat is a powerful example. For over seven years now, congregations partner to move beyond isolated, classroom-style instruction into a shared experience where children from many churches learn, play, ask questions, and bake communion bread together. Camp becomes a third space—a bridge between congregational life and lived faith—where children connect God’s promises to their own lives within a broader community.

As Pastor Dane Skilbred, from Vinje Lutheran Church, in Willmar, MN notes, “It’s a lot better for kids to come to camp because it’s way more fun than a lecture!” The result is a room full of engaged, curious children eager to participate in the life of the church. Said Pastor Dane, “we were amazed at how many questions kids have about first communion and how it works. It feels really good to be about faithful lifelong conversations with kids like these who want to be involved with the whole life of the congregation.”

These retreats don’t replace congregational ministry; they strengthen it—sending children back with deeper understanding, greater confidence, and a sense that they belong to something bigger.
​
Whenever people gather through Water’s Edge Ministries—at camp, in congregations, or in shared spaces between—God abides.