Home
Events
News
LYO
Service
Training
Links
Resources

Youth Worker Retreat

This fall we will be holding our first youth worker retreat! It will be November 21-22, 2008 at Fellowship Farm in Pottstown, PA. This retreat is NOT about becoming a better youth worker.  It’s not a training.  It is time for you. It’s for personal growth!  It’s about how to strengthen and keep growing in your personal relationship with God.

There will be two focuses for the retreat – theology and spiritual renewal.  Come for conversation and learning regarding our personal and denominational theology and the Bible.  Come for personal spiritual renewal through worship, prayer and other experiences.  And of course, there will be time for old fashioned networking and fellowship.

This retreat is sponsored in part by the Youth Ministry Committee and so the cost per person is only $50! 

YW retreat registration form.pdf

To download the PDF to your desktop, you have to right-click, select "Save Target As...", pick a place to save it, and click "Save". If you simply click on a link, it will just download and appear in the browser like a webpage. If you are still having problems it may be that you don't have a PDF reader or new enough one to view the file. To up-to-date your reader click on the link below:

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

Click "Download Now!" from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. Unlike Adobe Reader (20MB), this is only a 1.21MB download, which should take only about 5 minutes to download over slow dial-up.

 

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  

Extravaganza

The ELCA Youth Ministry Network’s next Continuing Education Extravaganza is January 28 – February 1, 2009 in New Orleans. This is a great opportunity for continuing education, networking, fellowship and to check out the city the National ELCA Youth Gathering will be in next summer.  Speakers include Rev. Kelly Fryer, Rev. Patrick Keen and Rev. Bill Bixby.  The band Lost & Found will be there to provide music during mass gatherings.  There are also dozens of workshop options on almost any topic you could imagine! 

Our synod will be hosting its annual Youth Worker Party in New Orleans this year on Friday, January 30th so join your peers at the Extravaganza!

Registration is now open at www.elcaymnet.org. Scholarships are available through the Network and through the synod.  Please apply for Network scholarships first and then synodical scholarships.  Contact Molly for more information, mbeck@sepa.org.

 

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  

Connecting Through Confirmation

Confirmation, the time when a young person affirms his or her faith, can not only happen in a classroom in your congregation.  In order to fully understand their calling as Christians, confirmands must get out into this world to be the hands, feet, ears and hearts of Christ to others. Our synod’s youth ministry and Liberty Lutheran Services, an umbrella Social Ministry Organization on our territory, believe this so strongly that we have partnered to create hands on learning opportunities for confirmation classes to engage in social ministry. This partnership is currently coordinated by Sarah Kesack, a ninth grader and member of Advent Lutheran in Harleysville.
 

What to Expect

Each of our sites and opportunities will obviously differ in content, but all events will include the following - An engaging leader from the ministry to host the group for the day, share the mission and ministry of the organization and introduce confirmands to the population that ministry serves; An educational or servant activity that helps confirmands understand the ministry, most often with the clients of that ministry; devotional time; opportunities for participants to hear the stories of those served by the organization; a meal.

The Details

- One adult must register for every seven youth participants

- Cost for these events is $7 per person. Scholarships are available through the synod –

information at www.sepayouth.org on the resources page.

- Congregations must register by two weeks prior to the event they desire to attend.

Download the informational materials now!

connecting through confirmation brochure.pdf

connecting through confirmation brochure insert.pdf

To download the PDF to your desktop, you have to right-click, select "Save Target As...", pick a place to save it, and click "Save". If you simply click on a link, it will just download and appear in the browser like a webpage. If you are still having problems it may be that you don't have a PDF reader or new enough one to view the file. To up-to-date your reader click on the link below:

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

Click "Download Now!" from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. Unlike Adobe Reader (20MB), this is only a 1.21MB download, which should take only about 5 minutes to download over slow dial-up.

 

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod’s 2009 Senior High Gathering will be February 20 - 22 at the Dolce Valley Forge Hotel in King of Prussia. This year’s gathering theme is Connected in Chaos”.   We will explore what it means to walk together with Jesus Christ in a world that is often times chaotic. This year we are excited to be able to travel off site on Saturday to find out what God is up to in a “chaotic” world.

Because of a generous partnership with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans we have been able to greatly reduce the cost this year! Save money and register early!  Registration opens December 1, 2008.  To facilitate our need to give firm numbers to the hotel in a timely manner, we are offering an Early Bird discount.  The cost of the gathering is $95 if you register on or before January 14, 2009After January 14, the price will be $130. Scholarships are available.  The gathering is open to youth in grades 9-12 and their adult leaders.

 Sr High Gathering registration letter.pdf

Senior High Gathering theme letter

Sr high gathering poster.pdf

Sr high registration form 09.pdf

sr high reg submission 09.pdf

To download the PDF to your desktop, you have to right-click, select "Save Target As...", pick a place to save it, and click "Save". If you simply click on a link, it will just download and appear in the browser like a webpage. If you are still having problems it may be that you don't have a PDF reader or new enough one to view the file. To up-to-date your reader click on the link below:

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

Click "Download Now!" from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. Unlike Adobe Reader (20MB), this is only a 1.21MB download, which should take only about 5 minutes to download over slow dial-up.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  

Wonderfully Made Camp

There is an exciting upcoming opportunity for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning) teens and allies to attend a Lutheran camp in the area. The camp is being sponsored by the SEPA Synod Lutheran Bryson/Gay & Lesbian Task Force. This is an opportunity for young people who identify as LGBTQ to come together and safely share worship, examine their faith and enjoy fellowship.

Camp dates are April 17-19 starting Friday night and finishing Sunday afternoon at Bear Creek Camp. Youth in grades 9-12 are invited to register. Registration is limited to the first 24 applicants.

The theme of the camp, “Wonderfully Made” is taken from Psalm 139. Cost for the camp is $50 before March 1st and $75 after that date. Scholarship assistance is available before March 1st.

If you have a young person that might be interested in this camp, please share this opportunity with them.

Download the camp brochure now!

Wonderfully Made Camp Brochure 2009.pdf

To download the PDF to your desktop, you have to right-click, select "Save Target As...", pick a place to save it, and click "Save". If you simply click on a link, it will just download and appear in the browser like a webpage. If you are still having problems it may be that you don't have a PDF reader or new enough one to view the file. To up-to-date your reader click on the link below:

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

Click "Download Now!" from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. Unlike Adobe Reader (20MB), this is only a 1.21MB download, which should take only about 5 minutes to download over slow dial-up.

 


copyright 2002, southeastern pennsylvania synod, elca
updated 11/13/2008

youth ministry specialist: molly beck dean, 610.278.7345, mbeck@sepa.org