lutheran camping corp. of central Pa

What lutheran camping corp. of central Pa does

The Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pennsylvania (LCC) is a 501c3 non-profit outdoor ministry organization operating three distinct sites across central Pennsylvania: Kirchenwald (340 acres in Lebanon County, adventure-focused since 1969), Nawakwa (Adams County, traditional Lutheran camp since 1929), and The Wittel Farm (Lancaster County, working-farm spiritual retreat established 1992). Together these sites span 760 acres and form the foundation for youth summer camps, family camps, elder camp, leadership development programs such as Diaconos, Summer Dinner Church worship gatherings, and year-round retreat facility rentals.

The organization generates revenue through four primary streams: camp registration fees (tiered pricing, including programs such as Elder Camp at $505 per week and family programs), facility rentals ($44–$71 per person per night across lodges, cabins, and campsites), donations and fundraising (Annual Fund, Campership Fund, Endowment Fund, Planned Giving, Thrivent Choice, employer matching, and the Shared Faith/Shared Future campaign), and endowment income supplemented by annual events such as the Quilt Auction. Pricing is tiered to ensure access regardless of financial capacity via the Campership Fund. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the LCC website, phone reservations, and an ELCA/Lower Susquehanna Synod church referral network.

The LCC operates under the umbrella of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lower Susquehanna Synod, holds American Camp Association accreditation, and is designated a Reconciling In Christ organization (policy adopted 2017, updated 2025) with explicit LGBTQIA+ inclusion. It is governed by a Board of Directors with a small year-round staff of 1–10 employees, supported by seasonal summer staff and volunteers. There is no venture capital, private equity, or parent company ownership; revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

lutheran camping corp. of central Pa

Legal name

The Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pennsylvania

Website

https://lutherancamping.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pennsylvania is a 501c3 non-profit that operates three Lutheran outdoor ministry sites (Kirchenwald, Nawakwa, and The Wittel Farm) across 760 acres in central Pennsylvania, serving children, youth, families, elders, congregations, and retreat groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious / Outdoor Camp and Retreat Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA), Wilderness & Backcountry Lodges (Remote/Off-Grid) (THAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Summer youth camps
• Outdoor ministry retreats
• Faith-based camping
• Confirmation programs
• Retreat facility rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Arendtsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Camp Registration Fees: Fees charged for summer camp programs (youth, family, elder camp) and year-round retreats
2. Facility Rentals: Retreat facility rentals for groups, including lodging, dining, and program services at Kirchenwald, Nawakwa, and The Wittel Farm
3. Donations and Fundraising: Annual Fund, Campership Fund, Endowment Fund, Planned Giving, Thrivent Choice, employer matching gifts, and special campaigns like Shared Faith/Shared Future
4. Endowment Income: Annual Quilt Auction benefiting the Endowment Fund, with proceeds added to principal investments

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Operates outdoor Christian ministry programs through three year-round camp and retreat facilities in central Pennsylvania. Delivers summer youth camps, confirmation programming, adult and family retreats, environmental education, and team-building experiences rooted in the Lutheran tradition, while also renting facilities to church and community groups for their own retreats.

Product overview

The Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pennsylvania operates as a unified outdoor ministry organization offering three distinct camp sites: Kirchenwald (adventure-focused camp in Lebanon County), Nawakwa (traditional camp in Adams County operating since 1929), and The Wittel Farm (spiritual retreat site in Lancaster County established in 1992). The organization provides a coordinated portfolio of programs including youth summer camps, family camps, elder camps, Diaconos leadership development, and Summer Dinner Church services. Year-round retreat facility rentals across all three sites complement seasonal programming, with facilities ranging from rustic wilderness campsites to comfortable lodge accommodations with full amenities. The ministry operates on a 501c3 non-profit basis with tiered pricing to ensure accessibility regardless of financial capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kirchenwald: 340-acre camp on undeveloped timberland adjacent to 4000 acres of State Game Lands in Colebrook, PA. Focuses on adventure trip camps and growth through challenge. Averages over 400 campers a summer.
• Nawakwa
• The Wittel Farm

Products and services

• Summer Youth Camp Programs (Kirchenwald and Nawakwa) Week-long residential summer camp sessions for school-age youth, featuring faith formation, outdoor recreation, and community living, delivered across the Kirchenwald and Nawakwa camp sites under Lutheran outdoor ministry programming.
• Confirmation Camp Programs Residential camp experiences specifically designed for youth preparing for confirmation, integrating Lutheran catechesis, worship, and small-group instruction with the camp environment.
• Group Retreat Rentals Hosted retreat experiences (typically weekends or multi-day bookings) at Kirchenwald, Nawakwa, and/or Wittel Farm for church councils, youth groups, women's/men's ministries, and other community organizations, with lodging, meeting space, meals, and optional programming bundled.
• Environmental and Outdoor Education Programs Day and overnight programs at camp properties (including the Wittel Farm site) that teach environmental stewardship, outdoor skills, and team-building, serving school groups, youth organizations, and visiting families.
• Family and Adult Retreats Multi-generational and adult-focused retreat weekends offering faith programming, fellowship, and recreation, leveraging the same lodging and meal infrastructure used for youth camps.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ELCA FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for planned giving and estate planning services. Gift Planner Sister Marianne Brock serves Central Pennsylvania to help donors include LCC in estate plans. Services include Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Remainder Trusts, and planned giving consultation.
• ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtension of ministry for Lower Susquehanna Synod congregations. Gift planning services through ELCA Foundation. Diaconos program for church leadership training.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• WinShape Foundation: Faith-based nonprofit operating multiple summer camp properties and retreat experiences in Georgia and beyond. Comparable camp-and-retreat operating model at meaningfully larger scale and broader faith-based audience.
• Forest Home Christian Camps and Conference Center: Large multi-site, interdenominational Christian camp and conference center in California offering summer camps, family camps, and year-round retreat rentals. Comparable faith-based camp-and-retreat operating model at larger scale and broader denominational reach.
• Kanakuk Ministries: Large multi-location evangelical Christian summer camp network headquartered in Branson, MO. Comparable youth-and-family camp programming but at significantly larger scale and broader evangelical (non-Lutheran) audience than LCC.
• Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center: Long-established interdenominational Christian camp and conference center in Santa Cruz, CA providing summer camps, family camps, and year-round retreat rentals. Comparable faith-based camp/retreat operating model with broader denomination appeal than LCC.

Direct peers

• Lake Beauty Bible Camp: Long-running Lutheran (ELCA-related) Bible camp and retreat center in Minnesota with summer youth programs, family camps, and group retreats. Directly comparable faith-based camp-and-retreat operating model to LCC.
• Lutherlyn: ELCA outdoor ministry in southwestern Pennsylvania operating summer youth camps, family camp, retreat facilities, and leadership development programs. Closely comparable to LCC in mission, programming mix, and congregational-referral distribution model.
• Camp Mount Luther: ELCA-affiliated outdoor ministry located in central Pennsylvania, offering year-round summer camp, retreat rentals, and faith formation programs. Operates in the same regional Lutheran market as LCC with directly comparable camp-and-retreat programming.
• Camp Lebanon: ELCA outdoor ministry in Minnesota providing summer camp, family camp, elder camp, and retreat facilities. Closely matches LCC's multi-segment programming and Lutheran congregational partnership model.
• Camp Calumet: Lutheran (ELCA-affiliated) year-round camp and conference center in Wisconsin offering summer youth/family programs, retreat rentals, and outdoor ministry. Comparable to LCC in scale and the combination of summer camp plus year-round retreat rental revenue streams.
• Camp Cross: ELCA outdoor ministry in Minnesota offering summer youth camp, family camp, and retreat rentals. Comparable ELCA-affiliated camp operator with similar programming breadth and congregational referral channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lutherancamping
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lutherancamping

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 →

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