2024 Annual Report > Untethered from Technology, Campers Build Community, Deepen Faith

UNTETHERED FROM TECHNOLOGY,
campers build community, deepen faith

LAKE WAPOGASSET LUTHERAN BIBLE CAMP | AMERY, WISCONSIN

Published on June 2, 2025

Leaving cellphones behind, more than 4,000 campers and families take part in summer camp every year at Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp, a multisite camp and retreat center near Amery, Wisconsin. Integral to the faith-formation experience is “untangling,” the word the camp uses to describe uncoupling from electronic devices and social media. Tracing its beginnings to 1948, the outdoor ministry site is celebrating more than 77 years of operation, and in the past 25 years has welcomed more than 365,000 summer camp and year-round retreat participants.

And while cellphones at camp are scarce, other amenities are available to both campers in the summer and the numerous retreat guests during other seasons. For instance, consider Cross Fire Center, the camp’s high-comfort facility completed in 2007, and in such high demand that the camp schedules it two to three years in advance. Sleeping 128 people on two floors, it is the largest indoor meeting space at the camp. Lake Wapogasset recently refinanced the Cross Fire Center with the Mission Investment Fund (MIF)—saving money and continuing a long-standing, beneficial relationship with MIF.

EXPLORING FAITH

Lake Wapogasset works hard to create a unique camp experience for all participants.

“We firmly believe that the work we are doing is building leaders for the church, families, communities and the world,” shares Heather Eggert, who has worked for the camp in various leadership positions for more than 30 years and has been executive director for the past eight years. “The different daily rhythm at camp, both formal and informal, helps people learn to talk about faith and reflect the gospel back in beautiful ways,” she adds.

Eggert herself has been deeply shaped by the camp experience. “The first summer working at camp was life-changing for me. I understood more clearly what it meant to be a child of God,” she says. Eager to share the experience with others, Eggert and the staff do everything they can to give space for youth and adults to experience faith in a personal and meaningful way amid the trees, lakes and rivers.

“We firmly believe that the work we are doing is building leaders for the church, families, communities, and the world.”

— Heather Eggert, Executive Director of Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp

UNTANGLING

“There is something sacred about an outdoor ministry site,” she explains. “Participants engage in a faith-filled community, with intentional time away, untangling from technology.

“While counselors have cellphones as part of their job, they remain tucked out of sight. We are seeing kids lifting this up—about how good the week feels without their phones—that it’s a breath of fresh air.”

She adds that parents are often pleasantly surprised to see that their children, in a safe camp environment, come up with good initiatives and develop resiliency during the week. “One of the many rewards of camp ministry is that it is more than just faith formation; it is walking alongside children during faith formation. People at times will have a mountaintop experience,” Eggert shares, “and the impact lasts and sticks with them so that they are able to share their faith with families, friends and the world.”

OFFERING YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES

Among campers, there’s a shared sense that there’s something special and different about camp. They’re exposed to broad life experiences in a welcoming, “come as you are” atmosphere. It’s no wonder the camp is so sought after. To meet this opportunity, Lake Wapogasset expands its welcome beyond summer camp, with events throughout the year. “We have a long history of broadening the outreach to help both youth and adults feel a deeper relationship with Jesus,” says Eggert.

Refinancing the camp’s handicap-accessible Cross Fire Center with MIF has helped with creating a more inclusive and welcoming experience for all. And the campsite aims to enhance its impact by hosting more programmed retreats, offering both the space and enriching activities for participants, instead of limiting its role to renting out the venue to other organizations.

“Our relationship with MIF goes back to 1998 with loans and investment opportunities,” Eggert shares. “The interest rates on the loan for refinancing are lower than anything we could have received locally. MIF is well regarded, and we have felt listened to and have been given great advice,” she adds. Money saved has been used in multiple ways to help the ministry, including additional programmatic efforts.

LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES

One camper, stating his life was changed at camp by experiencing Jesus, contributes to the camp so that other generations can experience Jesus there too.

“Camp is a place where people come away changed—where the Holy Spirit is active. People leave our places equipped to share the gospel in new and different ways,” notes Eggert. “Ultimately, the goal of camp is to have people leave knowing they are loved by God and loved by us as a reflection of God’s love.”