Life is busy. Whether you are managing your own calendar or a family calendar, it can be hard to get into a routine - meetings, sick days, flat tires - life events require a change of plans. Sometimes we yearn for a routine, an ordinary rhythm to our day or week.

We invite you to experience Ordinary Time, a faith-centered rhythm at Camp House this summer! Each day you’ll encounter opportunities for learning, creating, playing, and being. The routine of devotions and worship will be woven with times of conversation, education and artistic classes, reading on the beach, canoeing around Lake George, or exploring sights along the North Shore.

Camp House will be on Ordinary Time for a whole month this summer. Pastors, musicians, artists, and educators will inspire our spiritual and creative sides, guiding all those present into an intentional Christian community. Camp House staff will offer opportunities to take part in the uniqueness of this beautiful site - daily saunas, games on the ball field, pizza in the brick oven, and evening fellowship in the lodge.
Ordinary Time is about a community of people being together to reconnect with the Creator, creation, and perhaps even our creative sides. This program is for YOU! It’s also for your book club, men’s group, youth group, family, extended family, family of choice, friends, etc.

who

​You! Anyone! Whoever yearns for a routine and an ordinary rhythm is welcome! Come on your own or with your family, friends, or youth group.

when

You pick when to come and how long you stay - a few days, a full week, or perhaps for the whole month! Camp House will be
on Ordinary Time from
June 15-July 12, 2024!

where

Camp House is a former railroad camp set in Minnesota's Northwoods. This rustic camp sits on beautiful Lake George, about 1 hour north of Duluth.

reconnect with rhythms of faith

In between the extraordinary moments in Jesus’ life - feeding, healing, giving life, excising demons - Jesus made time for the ordinary - sleeping, eating, praying. Ordinary, everyday, natural, normal, familiar, routine, habitual activities. Our faith should be the same - familiar, natural, everyday. The normal walk with God, the routine of prayer, devotions, worship, the everyday moments where you reflect Christ to someone else. We can't live on the mountain. We need the ordinary to make room for us to feed and nurture our faith.
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camp house is on ordinary time june 15 - july 12, 2024

You pick when to come and how long you stay - a few days, a full week, or perhaps for the whole month! Though each week (Saturday to Friday) will have a team of program leaders, participants in Ordinary Time are welcome to select the days and dates that best fit your schedule.​

SCHEDULE

Each day will include opportunities for learning, worship, music, conversation, traditional camp activities, and fellowship around the meal table. Enjoy a morning sauna or yoga and a devotional time before breakfast, moments of rest throughout the day, evening community games, and perhaps an evening paddle on Lake George. Our staff will also happily provide suggestions for places to see and explore along Minnesota’s north shore for those seeking a day of off-site adventure. Check in each day is at 3:00 p.m. followed by a welcome orientation at 4:00. Check out is at 11:00 a.m. Participants are welcome to stay into the afternoon if they choose, however they will be asked to move out of their housing so we can prepare it for the next guest.

2024 LEADErS

  • June 15-21
  • June 22-28
  • June 29 - July 5
  • July 6-12
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Rev. Christian Muellerleile
Christian is a Lutheran pastor who serves as Food+Faith+Farm Manager at Good Courage Farm—an Agrarian Ministry affiliated with the Episcopal Church near Hutchinson Minnesota. He loves experiencing God in creation while farming, mountain biking, canoeing, fishing, practicing archery, and hanging out with his family. Christian lives in Litchfield, Minnesota with his spouse Kateri and his teenage kids, Augustin and Antonia.
Julia & Nathan Bloom
Cabin of Love is Julia and Nathan Bloom, a married folk/pop duo from Saint Paul, Minnesota, who’ve been writing songs and making music together for over 25 years. The Blooms help lead music at Humble Walk Lutheran Church in Saint Paul, and also enjoy performing at local venues. 
Meg Erke
Meg is a 2D mixed-media artist living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is the author and illustrator of Minnealphabet: An Outdoorsy Homage to Minneapolis and the illustrator of “Outdoorsy: A Coloring Book Celebrating Our Connection to the Natural World”.  She is the Co-creator of the award-winning River to River Greenway Mural in West St. Paul and the recipient of a 2023 individual artist Residency at the Tofte Lake Center.  Meg’s work is inspired by the natural world (most often the woods, water, and trees of the Midwest). She looks for and finds ways to connect with students and collectors through art and nature. She believes that art connects us. It is a powerful tool that helps us articulate our stories when words can’t convey the magic and beauty of a moment or a scene. Meg is working to document that magic and help others do the same.
Rev. Laura Aase
Laura Aase is an ELCA pastor and serves as the Assistant Director for the Continuous Growth Pathway - a program that resources ELCA pastors and deacons in southern MN. She loves figuring out how to connect the reality of life with the mystery of faith. Physical comedy makes her laugh nearly every time. She loves to kayak, xc ski, garden, walk and jog with husband, John and Daisy dog. Typically not a morning person, she's adapting as her body makes decisions without consulting her. And she's discovered coffee can be a liturgical act. She loves her friends and family and finds ways to be together with them as often as she can.
Dave Eliason
​Dave is a life long musician who loves playing instruments and leading others in song. Whether in a choir, a congregation or around a campfire, Dave enjoys the experience and the joy of community singing. The requisite guitar will undoubtedly be used, but the banjo, piano and possibly the accordion might make an appearance! When Dave moved into his career at Green Lake Bible Camp, music and working with youth were the common denominators that made that change attractive. 

Formerly, Dave taught high school vocal music, has directed church choir, still accompanies Sunday morning worship and, oh yeah, served in numerous roles at Green Lake Lutheran Ministries including program director, executive director and Camp House director. Dave invites you to make a joyful noise with us at Camp House this summer! Alleluia, Amen!
Jan Ringer
Jan is a Brimson resident located approximately 3 miles from Camp House, has immersed herself in the art of basket weaving and instructional classes for over 25 years. Alongside her husband and their loyal dog, Daisy, she tends to a small farm abundant with blueberries, beef cows, chickens, and a diverse array of vegetables.  Jan's expertise shines through in her creation of the project she’ll share with participants this summer. Crafted with a sturdy wooden base, locally sourced birch bark, and elegantly designed pottery handles, the “Camp House Carry-All” reflects Jan's passion for artisanal craftsmanship and dedication to her craft.
Rev. Dr. Jules Erickson
Pastor Jules serves All Saints Lutheran in Cottage Grove. Her ministry is focused on helping people live healthy, happy, non-anxious, and well-balanced lives. Pastor Jules is a Trained Facilitator in The Daring Way™ and Rising Strong™ Curricula developed by Brené Brown, LICSW, Ph.D. She enjoys laughing, preaching, teaching, Crossfit, good food, and people of every age. Pastor Jules and her beloved, Beth, live in Hastings with two bouncing Goldendoodle dogs.
Ben Geer
Hailing from North Mankato, MN, Ben works as the Director of Spiritual Growth at Grace Lutheran Church in Mankato, where he oversees youth and adult education programs and leads their outreach ministries. Ben's passion for music started during his college days at Good Earth Village, where he spent his summers as a camp counselor and taught himself how to play the guitar. Since then, he has been leading worship at various churches and even helps lead a contemporary worship service at Grace Lutheran Church once a month. 
When Ben is not busy with his work, you can find him exploring the BWCA, cheering on the Twins at baseball games, or simply enjoying some quality family time on his back porch.
Steve Thomason
Steve Thomason an associate professor of Spiritual Formation and Discipleship at Luther Seminary, a post-Evangelical, missional, neo-Lutheran theologian, rostered in the ELCA, and an artist. Steve’s passion and calling is a fusion of art and theology. He is the author of A Cartoonist’s Guide to the Bible, which is an online resource for visual learners to explore, teach, and preach the scripture using creative visual illustration and animation. Explore the resource at cartoonistbible.com. You can find all his work at artpastor.com.

The fusion of art and theology is evident in Steve's history. He began his career as an Art major and a caricature artist for a large art business in Las Vegas, NV. His call to ministry began at an Evangelical Mega Church in Las Vegas where he was ordained and became the Director of Adult Ministries while earning his M.Div. from Bethel Seminary. In 2002 he stepped out of the mega and into the micro by experimenting with house church ministry for 5 years. He and his family moved to Minnesota in 2007, and in 2010 God led him into the ELCA where he transferred his ordination and enrolled in the PhD program in Congregational Mission and Leadership at Luther Seminary. He served as an associate pastor at two suburban ELCA congregations in the Twin Cities prior to joining the faculty at Luther. His art has infused his preaching, teaching, and spirituality at every step of the way.
Rev. Heather Roth Johnson
Rev. Heather Roth Johnson (she/her) is the Family Pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church - Twin Cities in south Minneapolis, MN. She loves creative worship, collecting stories, hanging out in the woods, and chasing dogs. She is married to Scott for 25 years, and has two adult guys, Noah and Jacob. Come and join her for a magical week in the Northwoods as together we seek out God's love for this world. 
Pastor Tim Hansen 
Pastor Tim Hansen serves Our Savior Lutheran Church in Sun Prairie WI as Senior Pastor. Tim comes with lots of experience (another word for being old), and enjoys the opportunities and blessings of ministry. Tim is a musician, having recorded 7 albums with his band, The Tim Hansen Project, and is often playing on Sunday mornings at Church. He loves to play golf, basketball, camp, hike, and read books. Tim and Lisa have three children, Kai, Karin and Anders.
Molly Kidd
​Molly is a dedicated and passionate K-12 art teacher with an impressive 15 years of experience. She devotes her time and expertise to a small rural school in northern Minnesota, forging strong connections with her students and their families through the power of artistic expression. Molly's creative interests span various mediums, including ceramics, painting, sewing, and quilting, showcasing her versatility as an artist. Molly's love for the camp life has been ingrained since her early years. Having transitioned from a camper to a counselor, she spent numerous summers at Good Earth Village in Spring Valley, MN, and as the Arts and Crafts coordinator at Lutherhaven in Coeur d'Alene, ID for a summer, further solidifying her dedication to art education in outdoor settings.
Nate Crary is a church musician in the Twin Cities, currently serving as Director of Worship with Christ the King Lutheran (New Brighton, MN) and as a musician with Lutheran Campus Ministry - Twin Cities. Nate is a lifelong musician, beginning violin at the age of four, and has always found a way to use his gifts of music and art in the church. Nate will be at Camp House for the entire span of Ordinary Time this summer!

Since graduating Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) in 2007 with degrees in music and art, Nate has led worship in a variety of settings from Juarez, Mexico to Denver, Colorado to Spicer, Minnesota to Bethlehem, Palestine. Along the way, he has helped people find their voice when singing their prayers to God.

housing

Though our cabins are rustic, they do all have electricity. Our beds are comfortable, with handmade quilts on each one. In addition to shared bath house facilities, we also have an outhouse for those who would love to join “team latrine”. We also have limited camper pads and plenty of space for tenting.

You are welcome to tell us who you would like to room with, especially if you are coming with friends or family. Families will be housed as a unit unless you indicate differently. Individuals joining us as for a personal experience will be assigned housing with one other individual. All housing is multiple occupancy; there is no single occupancy housing.

Meals

Lingering around a meal table or over a cup of coffee provides space for deeper conversation and connection. Our schedule invites this rhythm, and we hope you will experience it. Camp House meals are simple yet filling, and made with great care and love. Fresh ingredients and a homemade touch are core to your meal experience. Those exploring the area will be able to request a pack out lunch, and twice a week we’ll fire up our brick oven for a wood-fired pizza experience. Meals are included in the program cost.

We also take our coffee seriously, just like the Finnish who settled in this area. Bring your favorite travel mug to enjoy “Khavi” times throughout the day.​

cost

Adults $95/night | Youth (age 4-12) $65/night | Children 3 & under - free
​Deposit amount $125 for group reservation (2+ people), $50 for individual reservation. No discounts apply to Ordinary Time.