It is with great sadness that we announce the resignation of Rob Gieraltowski as the executive director of Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (LOMC) effective March 8, 2024.

Rob has served faithfully and with passion since 2019. Shortly after his tenure started, the COVID epidemic upended everything and Rob skillfully guided the board and the camp through the lockdowns, the cancelling of summer camp (and more) and the mandates for safety. We are grateful for the sensitive and creative contribution to LOMC that Rob has shared with us. We wish Rob all the best in his new future and offer our prayer as he continues to fulfill his calling. A date for celebration of Rob’s ministry with us will be forthcoming.

The next step forward is to engage an interim director. This will provide time for the board to identify and interview candidates for the position of executive director. We will be supported in this effort by Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (LOM), an association of outdoor ministry organizations, professionals, board members businesses, and students connected to Lutheran camping, conferences and retreats as a ministry of the church wide expression of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The board will be prayerfully and actively engaged in the pathway forward.

Pr. Michel D. Clark, Board Chair

I have experienced many joys in my four-plus years from working with an amazingly dedicated and hardworking staff, the incredibly beautiful place full of diversity and wonder and the wonderful people I have had the privilege to serve and experience faith alongside. The joys are numerous: serving with the board in making many important decisions, meeting guest groups that love to retreat together and seeing summer campers build friendships and through the week, experience God in ways words cannot express well. Seasons change and similarly, LOMC’s highs and lows are all a tapestry of faithful expressions of life.

I thank LOMC for giving me this opportunity to do what I could to weather financial issues, build systems for improving engagement and navigating the pandemic as best as we all could. I have learned a lot and have been thankful to help LOMC these past four years to continue to move in a direction that takes seriously the connection of nature, faith and stewarding the space to invite people to experience Christian community in a truly powerful way. As for my future, I will be serving literally next door to LOMC as the Marketing and Development Manager of Serenity Hospice & Home.

My continued prayer is that LOMC grows in bountiful ministry as we work together to help people grow in their faith through God’s creation as a catalyst and mentor. My hope also is to continue to be a source of help to LOMC in whatever ways are appropriate and needed.

Blessings,

Rob (Mr. Rob) Gieraltowski