ELCA Youth

06/15/2026

Volunteer Applications open in 3 days! 🎉

Would you like to volunteer at the Gathering and help our young people grow in faith and encounter Christ? Serving the youth of this church is a vocational calling that requires careful discernment, and there are several opportunities to volunteer.

Learn more about volunteering for the Gathering 👉 https://www.elca.org/gathering-2027/attend-volunteers

06/10/2026

To every smaller church leader faithfully serving week after week: we see you. The impact of your ministry cannot be measured by the size of your church, your staff, or your budget.

But too often, the voices and experiences of smaller church leaders get overlooked. The Smaller Church Listening Project from Youth Ministry Consultants was created to change that, and ELCA Youth Ministry is excited to be part of this important work.

If you serve in a small(er) church ministry setting (250 or less worshipping members), we’d love to hear from you.

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SmallerChurch

06/09/2026

06/01/2026

05/20/2026

Faith Lens is pausing its weekly article rhythm for the summer. However, be on the lookout for three new resources we hope will be useful as youth and young adult ministries continue at a different pace during these warmer months. Thank you for reading along and engaging in Bible Study with us this past year!

https://blogs.elca.org/faithlens/summer-sabbatical-2026/

05/19/2026

Perfect way to get started on your journey to Minneapolis for the 2027 Gathering!

Dive into Course One of the updated Handbook Series on the Academy. This course will cover the structure of the Gathering, shifts in programming, how to start creating your congregation’s timeline, and more. Over the next few months, we’ll continue to add new courses to the Handbook Series on the Academy. Let’s get started! 🎉

https://theacademy.elca.org/courses/gathering101

05/13/2026

What does “eternal life” actually mean?

This week’s Faith Lens explores Jesus’ prayer in John 17 and invites us to see eternal life not just as something after death, but as a way of living now; a life shaped by knowing God, following Jesus, and joining in what God is doing in the world.

In John 17, Jesus defines eternal for his disciples and for his followers today. Eternal life is for us here and now.

05/12/2026

05/12/2026

Interested in MYLE & the tAble? 👀

Be sure to register for Thursday's webinar to talk through why we have pre-events, what happens during them, and how to invite your young people to these live-changing ministries. 🎉

https://elcafoundation.zoom.us/webinar/register/2417685181310/WN_Jvog_25dRNyv0oRyEvynzg #/registration

05/06/2026

How do you experience God’s presence in the things you do, and in the ways you show acts of service for family, friends, and strangers?

This week’s Faith Lens explores this question through Jesus’ command in his “farewell discourse” with the disciples: https://blogs.elca.org/faithlens/may-10-2026-ordinary-household-acts-of-love/