All are welcome here. You are welcome here. When we say "All are welcome here. You are welcome here.", we really mean it. Below is our newly developed Community Statement, with guidance from our year-round and summer staff, insight from our Power the Future participants, and input and approval from our Board of Directors.
As stated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), “outdoor ministries strive to strengthen, support and lift up the body of Christ through building relationships with others and with God while enjoying creation.”
We aim to live out this ministry by following the greatest commandment that Christ taught us - to love our neighbors as ourselves. We understand this teaching as being inclusive of everyone, with no exceptions. We believe that God declared all plants, animals, life, and creation as “good” and has blessed us all. We celebrate, affirm, and value the diversity present in our communities: diversity of ethnicity, culture, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, faith, belief, ability, age, identity, and any other classification. Sincerely, we say, “all are welcome.” YOU are welcome here.
The above statement has been the expected culture here since camping and retreats began by Lutheran families in Fort Valley starting in 1949. We stand with our local ecumenical partners, community organizations, and the ELCA to reclaim our history, recognize our past (good and bad), and strive to always be a welcoming host.
We do not profile our guests and do not track ethnicity, faith, or belief of guests and program participants. Registration does track gender and age of summer campers to plan for lodging and activities and to comply with child protection laws. View the Community Statement on the homepage of our website!