- Worship Service: Sunday 9:00am
- 416 E. Dover Road, Princeton, IL
- Phone: (815)879-6491
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Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center is a ministry of the Central/Southern Illinois, Metropolitan Chicago and Northern Illinois Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
LOMC is a year-round retreat facility and summer camp. With its camp and retreat facilities, and 640 acres of forest and prairie, pond and hills, more than 10,000 annual visitors find LOMC a beautiful place to learn and grow in their faith. There is a Camp, Retreat, or Activity for Everyone. LOMC Isn’t Just For Summer, and it’s not just for kids!
Experience the pond, prairie, and forest that that is home to deer, wild turkey, hawks, owls, and other small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
Their friendly, dedicated & trained staff is committed to providing quality facilities, service, and programming. They employ good role models that have a strong faith and are enthusiastic about God’s ministry at LOMC.
Group Mission Trips is the Leading Provider of Christian Youth Mission Trips. Group Mission Trips leverage over 35 years of expertise to guarantee well-planned, stress-free mission trips for you. Our mission trips are designed to give you an opportunity to spend your time in ministry-not organizing the details!
Their experience in mission trips helps them refine the process and eliminate the hassles of trip planning.
Their experience in mission trips helps them refine the process and eliminate the hassles of trip planning. Group Mission Trips takes care of the details so you can focus on what matters most: the spiritual growth of your students before, during, and after the trip.
Group Mission Trips strongly believes in providing opportunities for teenagers to grow closer to Jesus through serving others either in their own backyard or halfway across the globe.
Our Covered Bridge Workcamp provided this free home repairs through Group Cares (formerly Group Workcamp Foundation), and was hosted and co-sponsored by St. Matthews and other local churches, service organizations, and local entities. From the 101 applications received, 34 residents of Princeton and Bureau County benefited from the work. This included exterior and interior painting, drywall work, wheel chair ramps and porches.
The work was done by 241 teenage and adult volunteers who each paid $448 for the privilege to be part of Workcamp.
These volunteers from around the USA came from as far away as Florida and Oklahoma and from as close as our own “backyard” of Princeton and Bureau County.
St. Matthews campers had the shortest journey with nine youth and three adults, along with three youth from First Lutheran-Ohio and Immanuel-Dixon who were part of our local group. Each team of five workers were often composed of youth from other areas of the country. So, each St. Matthews youth got to know and work with four other volunteers from around the country.
Group Cares also sent 20 Workcamp Staffers to run and oversee the camp. Three adults were paid staff, but 17 adults came from around the country as volunteers paying their own way from places as far away as Oregon and Maine, and as close as the Quad Cities and around Illinois.
Our 2016 Covered Bridge Workcamp had a $203,533.16 economic impact on Bureau County. We bought paint and lumber supplies locally, and the volunteers also spent their own money in our community. This does not include the almost 1000 pounds of food and supplies donated to the Bureau County Food Pantry by the 241 campers. Much of these donations were purchased locally.
Yet, one of the largest impacts of this week was the spiritual growth of campers, volunteers and residents. In the background were 65 people from various Bureau County congregations and beyond who were part of a 24 hour/week long Prayer Vigil. For the volunteers, each day began in Pannebaker Gymnasium for worship followed by instructions and safety tips. Each work team had noon time devotions at their job sites, and they would also invite their resident(s) to join them.
Each evening in the gym, the whole group gathered for worship, and the campers were invited to share “God Sightings” where they saw God at work earlier that day. Each evening closed with participants having a Bible Study and devotions with their own “hometown” group before retiring for the night.
The spiritual impact was huge, not only for many of the residents, but also for the volunteers. In fact, one Lutheran congregation from Iowa with 31 volunteers had invited some “seekers” to the Christian faith to be part of their mission trip, and at the end of the week that Lutheran group (as part of their evening Bible study and devotions) rejoiced as their pastor baptized a mother and daughter in the courtyard of Logan! Praise be to God and the power of the Spirit!
Another Child Foundation’s mission is to reach, teach, and transform the lives of orphaned and at-risk children in Romania. The educating and transformation of children and their families is the top priority in Romania. The impact ACF will have in US communities is the life-changing experiences of those who travel with ACF. The mission trip experience can be a catalyst for people to return home and be a spark that will transform their community
Living Works’ mission is to embrace affirmation of life in the community by creating awareness and prevention of suicide through enlightenment, education and information.
Affirming God’s love for all people, Lutheran World Relief works with Lutherans and partners around the world to end poverty, injustice and human suffering.
“Our Table” is a community-outreach meal served by the First United Methodist Church of Princeton for people who may be facing tough financial times or who may simply be lonely and wanting to eat a meal with others.
Since 1983, Freedom House has provided a safe and free haven for victims of domestic and sexual violence and their children. It serves the residents of Bureau, Henry, Marshall, Putnam, and Stark Counties in Illinois and is supported by public, corporate and private funds.
Mobile Meals Volunteers in Conjunction with OSF HealthCare Saint Clare Medical Center provides a vital service to those in our community who otherwise might not have access to a nutritious meal.
Buddy Bags is a not-for-profit ecumenical organization working to address childhood hunger. They work to provide area children with snack packs on days when school is not in session.
The mission of the Food Pantry is to provide emergency food assistance to people who are experiencing emergency circumstances and do not have enough money to meet their basic food needs.
As a not-for-profit membership organization of Christians, Thrivent Action Teams believe that positive change begins by taking action! It starts with an idea, powered by passion and they ask the question…”Think about an unmet need in your community and how you could help.” The Thrivent Action Team program lets you seize the opportunity to make a positive change by taking action.
Explorer’s Bible Study is a non-denominational, non-profit organization whose purpose is to invite all to a closer walk with God through in depth study of God’s Word.
The Closet’s mission is to create an atmosphere of live and kindness to all who enter. Support those in need of material goods at a cost that is fair to each individual.
Give back to our community to further support those programs that are helping other areas of need.
Support this mission statement with a spirit that is pleasing to our Lord and scvior Jesus Christ and glorifies him in all things.
Our offerings support the ministry of our congregation (St Matthews), of our Synod (Northern Illinois Synod) and church wide (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).
Coming Soon!
We’re looking forward to sharing photos and descriptions of St. Matthews active committees.
