Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center

What Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center does

Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (LOMC) is a non-profit outdoor ministry founded in 1974 that operates over 601 acres of year-round retreat and camping facilities in the Rock River Valley of Northwestern Illinois, headquartered at 1834 S IL Route 2, Oregon, IL. It functions as a ministry of three ELCA synods — Northern Illinois, Central/Southern Illinois, and Metropolitan Chicago — and serves as the Church in outdoor settings, providing faith-based experiential programming. LOMC's core products include age-tiered summer camps (Adventurers through Foresters, plus Family Camp), themed retreats (LGBTQ+ Young Adult Retreat, Lent Youth Retreat, Clergy Renewal Retreat, Church Worker Retreats), community events (Autumn Fest, Spring and Fall Work Days), and facility rentals (Freedom Tree Village suites, Meadows Cabins, Ragnar Moline Dining Hall, tent/RV campground).

LOMC has no proprietary technology stack; registration is processed through the third-party UltraCamp platform and the website runs on WordPress. Inclusive programming (an LGBTQ+ Young Adult Retreat for ages 21-35) and a tiered pricing model with camperships ensure no participant is denied due to financial constraints. The business model is a hybrid of (a) fee-for-service program revenue (camp fees $550-$675 full week, retreat fees $80-$400), (b) tax-deductible donations and grants from individuals, congregations, and partners such as Thrivent, and (c) in-kind contributions of volunteer labor from supporting ELCA congregations. The organization employs 11-50 staff, is governed by a board, and maintains ACA standards compliance.

Name

Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center

Legal name

Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center

Website

https://lomc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (LOMC) is a 501(c)-style non-profit outdoor ministry operating 601+ acres in Northwestern Illinois, founded in 1974 as a ministry of three ELCA synods. It delivers year-round summer camps, themed retreats, and facility rentals to Lutheran youth, families, clergy, and church workers across Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Religious Camp & Retreat Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI), Wilderness & Backcountry Lodges (Remote/Off-Grid) (THAGAIAB), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Outdoor ministry retreats
• Faith-based camping
• Youth camp programs
• Church retreat hosting
• Religious camp services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oregon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, congregations, and organizations support the ministry. Received PPP grants during COVID. Also receives designated funds through Thrivent Choice Dollars program.
2. Summer Camp Fees: Full-week and half-week summer camp programs with tiered pricing ($550-$675), including Adventurers (Grades 1-2), Explorers (Grades 3-5), Voyagers (Grades 6-8), Confirmation Camp (Grades 6-10), Foresters (Grades 9-12), and Family Camp.
3. Retreat and Rental Fees: Various retreat programs including LGBTQ+ Young Adult Retreat ($150-$350), Lent Youth Retreat ($80/person), Clergy Renewal Retreat ($100-$400), and Church Worker Retreats ($95/night). Facility day use and overnight rentals available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (LOMC) is a non-profit outdoor ministry operating 601+ acres in Northwestern Illinois that delivers year-round faith-based retreat, camping, and spiritual formation experiences. Its core offerings include age-tiered summer overnight camps (Grades 1-12), themed retreats (LGBTQ+ Young Adult, Lent Youth, Clergy Renewal, Church Worker), community events, and facility rentals including lodge suites, cabins, dining hall, and campground sites. The ministry is governed jointly by three ELCA synods and subsidizes participation through a campership/scholarship fund.

Product overview

Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center is a year-round retreat and camping ministry spanning 600+ acres in Northwestern Illinois. The organization operates a multi-faceted service portfolio combining overnight camping programs (Summer Camp with age-differentiated tracks from Adventurers through Foresters, plus Family Camp), themed retreat experiences (LGBTQ+ Young Adult Retreat, Lent Youth Retreat, Clergy Renewal Retreat, Church Worker Retreats), community events (Autumn Fest, Work Days), and facility rentals. Accommodations include Freedom Tree Village lodge suites, Meadows Cabins, and a campground for tents and trailers. The center serves as a ministry of the ELCA, with a stated commitment to accessibility and scholarships to ensure no one is denied experience due to financial constraints.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camp Programs Age-tiered overnight and day summer camping programs for youth and families, including Adventurers (Grades 1-2), Explorers (Grades 3-5), Voyagers (Grades 6-8), Confirmation Camp (Grades 6-10), Foresters (Grades 9-12), and Family Camp. Tiered pricing from $550-$675 full-week with half-week options at $220/person and campership scholarships available.
• LGBTQ+ Young Adult Retreat Weekend retreat designed for LGBTQ+ Christians aged 21-35, featuring worship, hiking, spiritual practices, and community connection. Tiered pricing at $350 (Full Cost), $250 (Standard), and $150 (Additional Scholarship).
• Lent Youth Retreat Overnight retreat for middle and high school students during the Lenten season, featuring all-camp games, Bible study, hiking, and spiritual practices. Priced at $80 per person including meals and activities.
• Clergy Renewal Retreat Multi-day retreat for ELCA clergy providing intentional rest, spiritual practices, and community renewal. Three-tiered pricing at $100 (reduced), $250 (covers cost), and $400 (above and beyond).
• Church Worker Retreats Year-round personal retreat program for paid and volunteer church workers including pastors, deacons, youth leaders, and music directors, priced at $95/night per person with a dedicated scholarship fund for church workers in need.
• Autumn Fest Annual community event at LOMC featuring pumpkin carving, cider pressing, crafts, wagon rides, hikes, and Taste of Camp activities.
• Facility Rentals Day-use and overnight facility rentals for groups, including Freedom Tree Village lodge suites, Meadows Cabins, Ragnar Moline Dining Hall, and the campground with tent sites ($50/night) and RV/camper hookups ($75/night with water and electricity). Accommodates retreats, church gatherings, and family camp stays.

Quantifiable outcome

• No child denied camp experience due to financial constraints through campership program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and significant.

• Oregon Fire Protection DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2021Conducted prescribed burn in northern grassland area at LOMC to promote native prairie grasslands and honor Indigenous land stewardship practices.
• Northern Illinois Synod (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent synod of the ELCA that helps govern and support LOMC ministry. One of three synods that comprise the ministry of LOMC. Provides organizational oversight and connections to member congregations.
• Central/Southern Illinois Synod (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent synod of the ELCA that helps govern and support LOMC ministry. One of three synods that comprise the ministry of LOMC. Provides organizational oversight and connections to member congregations in central and southern Illinois.
• Metropolitan Chicago Synod (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent synod of the ELCA that helps govern and support LOMC ministry. One of three synods that comprise the ministry of LOMC. Provides organizational oversight and connections to member congregations in the Chicago metropolitan area.
• Nachusa GrasslandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated prairie seed for planting at Moline Dining Hall area. Native prairie plants will create educational space about God's creation.
• Geneva Lutheran (Geneva, IL)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time supporter providing volunteer work, donations, and funding for projects including water heater replacement at LOMC. Multiple projects supported over years of relationship.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Camp Ondessonk: An ELCA-affiliated outdoor ministry in Southern Illinois offering summer camps, retreats, and environmental education on a large acreage. Operates under multi-synod ELCA support similar to LOMC's three-synod structure.
• Camp Luther (ELCA outdoor ministry in Wisconsin): ELCA-affiliated camp offering summer youth programs, family camps, and retreat rentals, with a similar faith-based outdoor ministry model to LOMC.
• Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp: Lutheran Bible Camp running summer youth camps, family camps, and retreat programs with multi-synod denominational support — comparable structure and programming to LOMC.
• Camp Wartburg (Wartburg Theological Seminary-related): Faith-based camp and retreat center providing summer youth programs, family camps, and church group retreats — directly comparable to LOMC's programming mix and denominational backing.
• Lutherlyn (Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Western PA): Lutheran outdoor ministry running year-round summer camps, retreat programs, and environmental education on a multi-hundred-acre site, comparable to LOMC's faith-based camp and retreat model.

Regional players

• Strengthening Church Members (SCM) Outdoor Ministries network: ELCA's broader Outdoor Ministry network of regional camps — a collection of LOMC-comparable ministries across the U.S. that compete for the same denominational youth and retreat market but in different geographies.

Broad incumbents

• InterVarsity Christian Fellowship camps and conferences: National interdenominational Christian organization running retreats and conferences at multiple locations; broader than LOMC but competes for the same faith-based youth retreat market.
• Camp DeWolfe: Episcopal (non-ELCA) camp and retreat center on Long Island offering summer camps, youth retreats, and year-round facility rentals. Comparable in retreat and camp operations but larger and broader in its faith-community reach.

Others

• Thrivent: Lutheran-affiliated financial services organization that channels member giving and volunteer hours to ministries like LOMC via the Thrivent Choice Dollars and Action Teams programs. Comparable as an ecosystem/funder rather than a competitor.

Emerging players

• YMCA Camp (Midwest regional camps): Secular/non-faith-specific summer camps and family retreat programs operated by local YMCAs across Illinois. Compete with LOMC for summer camp enrollment but lack the explicit faith formation component.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_Q7tadeZWGeFypB1DXOeng
• Xx.com/lomcrocks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center