Youth and Young Adult Ministries

The May program is one week long, for anyone 18 and over who is involved in youth ministry in any capacity.  The focus will be theological grounding for youth ministry, skills development, retreat and reflection and living in community in our beloved Brough House on the campus of Huron University College.  Tuition for the week is $350.00 and you are responsible for your own transportation. (limited travel subsidies are available).  If you are looking for theological formation and skills specifically for youth ministry, please consider the program, and look for details on our (all new) website www.askandimagine.org (including on-line registration).

Many past participants have been ordained clergy who want to hone their skills and theological grounding in youth ministry.  Tell other youth ministry volunteers and staff whom you know and point them to the website.  People have already started registering for this program, so don’t wait too long.

Greta Conrads at an Eastern Synod Congregational AGM

This July 3-7 twenty young adults will form a youth delegation at the first ever Anglican-Lutheran Joint Assembly in Ottawa.  Four of those youth will be delegates from the Eastern Synod.  There was a conversation on the floor of our last Eastern Synod Assembly where we talked about the importance of the youth voice on the floor of convention.  In a previous post I commented:

We heard these same sentiments from our youth at Assembly this past summer.  Our youth are tired of the tokenism we offer them in the life of the church.  They are tired of the entertainment slots we give them at our gatherings.  They want to be integrated into the life and purpose of the church the same way everyone else is.  They don’t want to be ‘youth delegates’.  They want to be delegates.

Consider the motion on the floor of the Eastern Synod Assembly this past summer that spoke to increasing the numbers of youth at Assembly.  I spoke against that motion.  We do need a larger young adult contingent at our Assemblies.  But changing a number in a constitution will do little to make that happen.  I applaud the energy and excitement people have for youth, just as I applaud the motives of the mover of that motion on the floor of Assembly this past summer.  We need that energy, excitement and positive motivation to move youth and young adults more fully into the life of the churches we are a part of.  That takes work.  But imagine what our communities would look like if our youth and young adults were leading worship regularly, leading committee work, serving on council, elected as delegates to Convention and Assembly.

Many congregations are getting ready for their Annual General Meetings.  This is the time that we vote for delegates going to Assembly this summer.  This is your moment as a congregation.  Will you vote in the same old warm body?  Or will you actively seek out that young adult in your midst who represents that change so many of you called for on the floor of our Eastern Synod Assembly last summer?  This is a choice.  It will take work.  But it is God-pleasing work that needs to be done if we want to fairly represent the demographic that exists in this Evangelical Lutheran Church of ours.  Be the change that wants to happen.  Like Greta, there are many of our young adult Lutherans watching and waiting for this kind of opportunity.

There’s a great story about the seven-year-old boy who called 911 after his Grandpa passed out while driving him to soccer. The little boy, Evan, figured out how to make the call on his cellphone and spoke calmly with the 911 operator for 13 minutes until a police car could arrive. It struck me Read more »

I went to the 2012 Annual Church Leaders’ Form—World Changers Event hosted by World Vision at the Metropolitan Bible Church here in Ottawa.  I was excited to join other youth leaders who are engaging and empowering youth to respond to the needs of their world.

Metropolitan Bible Church in Ottawa

For the last five years we have been hearing about this church ‘The Met’ and I was also looking forward to seeing it.  I was not disappointed.  As I approached the front door I passed the keystone that read: “To the Glory of God.  Not Just a Building”.  Wow.  This place had it together. Read more »

At this annual forum held in major cities across Canada, hear respected authorities and dialogue with other Christian leaders about how to respond to issues the Canadian Church faces.  For $35.00 you can help develop your youth leadership training skills.  What an opportunity to hear from some the keenest minds about Youth and Young Adult Ministry.  And what a great way to connect with other youth leaders in your local context. Read more »