Pastor BJ "Zephyr" Fouts, Executive Director
BJ met his wife, Jessica, at Camp CILCA in central Illinois - and camp has been in their blood ever since. Besides going on to become an ordained pastor and lead a large Nebraska congregation, Jessica and he had dreams of running an LCMS Christian camp some day. As a pastor, BJ served as an advisor, staff trainer and retreat leader at Camp Luther in Nebraska for several years. His bachelors in Theological Languages came from Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois and Masters of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Besides being an excellent pastor and story teller, BJ has experience as an official for football, basketball, and many more sports, so he has an interesting perspective on most sports. Jessica and BJ have 4 children. Favorite Bible verse: TBA |
Ayla "Clover" Schmidt, Program Director
Born and raised in the Indianapolis area, I grew up with a heart for the outdoors. Beginning in third grade, I went to summer camp in southern Indiana (Camp Lakeview). It was my favorite week of the year and a place I considered home. It was there where my love for and knowledge of Jesus was truly established. I continued to return to that camp multiple times each year, soaking up every minute I could get. Which brings us to today - I attended Purdue University, graduating with a BS in Psychology in December of 2022 and the summer of 2023 marks my fourth and final summer serving at Lakeview Ministries. I look forward to joining a new community and enjoying all of the many lakes and landscapes God provides near Camp Concordia. My favorite Bible passage is Matthew 10:29-31 which tells us that God has care for even the sparrows, worth half a cent. If that’s true, imagine how much more our Father in Heaven cares for us, His children! This is a comfort to me that I carry with me everywhere I go. |
Sam "Uno" Schmidt, Operations Director
I attended Hanover College, majoring in Mathematics, and minoring in Computer Science and Theology. Outside of my classes, I loved spending my time in college being involved with a campus ministry, hiking the many trails in my area, and playing disc golf, piano, and ultimate frisbee. I was blessed to be able to spend my summers at Lakeview Ministries, a Lutheran summer camp in southern Indiana. Although working at a summer camp is not the first job that people associate with a math degree, I recognized that I was passionate about teaching others about Jesus through Lakeview Ministries, and I decided I wanted to use my skills to continue helping others grow in their faith in a camp setting. I am very excited to be able to serve full time at Camp Concordia, and I look forward to seeing how God will continue to work through this camp. My favorite Bible verse is Luke 23:34 which reads, “Jesus said, ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.” Even though I have heard from a very young age that Jesus loves us and forgives our sins, Jesus’ words in this verse always amaze me. Even as Jesus is painfully put to death and mocked, he prays for our forgiveness. It is the first example I think of when I think of Jesus’ unending love and mercy. |