Youth & Family Ministry

SCSW Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Network

The South-Central Synod of Wisconsin-ELCA Youth & Family Ministry Network maintains a strong online community via our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/scswyouth/). Lay leaders, volunteers, pastors, and church staff engage with one another via posts and in-person conference networking. There is idea sharing, problem-solving and general conversation. The network provides support to one another in cooperation with the national ELCA Youth Ministry Network and the Region V Network facilitator allowing our synod to connect to other youth and family ministry leaders from across the country.

For more information about Youth & Family Ministry in the synod or to get connected please contact Marie Leafblad in the synod office OR one of the current network conveners:

Heather Greenley
Central Lutheran – Edgerton
(608) 884-9418
youth_clc@yahoo.com

Jay Kiel
St. Luke’s Lutheran – Middleton
(608) 831-6084
jkiel@stlukes-elca.org

Monthly CYFMN Zoom Gatherings

When: Monthly on the 4th Thursday, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Where: Zoom Webinar
Who: All in our synod who work in children, youth, family, cross+gen, and camp ministries.
Why: This is a time to share ideas, as well as our ups and downs of ministry with people who have similar experiences. We also spend time to pray with and for one another Be sure to follow our Facebook group for full details: https://www.facebook.com/groups/scswyouth/.

“Alive” Synod Youth Night

We are excited to offer a new youth ministry program—“Alive” Youth Night, a series of youth-focused events for middle and high school students and youth leaders from synod congregations.  All congregations are invited to join us for an evening of dinner, games, icebreakers, fun, worship and music. The cost of the event is just a suggested donation of $5.00 to cover the cost of food (paid via cash/check onsite). Watch synod communications for our next scheduled “Alive” night.

Want to know more? You can read about our first youth night held in October in the October 15, 2022 Synod E-Newsletter.

If you have any questions please contact Marie Leafblad via her contact information on the synod staff page.

LOPPW Youth in Advocacy Retreat

ELCA Youth Gathering

A hallmark of youth ministry in the ELCA and the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin is the ELCA Youth Gathering. Every three years (note that the 2021 Youth Gathering postponed to 2022; and now has been cancelled. The next Gatherings will follow the regular cycle and take place in 2024 and then 2027), 30,000+ high school youth and their adult leaders from across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America gather for a week of faith formation known as the ELCA Youth Gathering. Through days spent in interactive learning, worship, Bible study, service and fellowship, young people grow in faith and are challenged and inspired to live their faith in their daily lives.

An important part of the Gathering’s ministry are the two pre-events, the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE), a faith formation and leadership development event primarily for youth of color, and the tAble, a gathering that gathers, blesses and empowers youth with disabilities.

The 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering will take place July 16-20, 2024. Visit the ELCA Youth Gathering page to learn more at https://elca.org/gathering. Planning for the 2024 Youth Gathering officially kicks-off in Spring 2023 with registration opening in Fall 2023.

Resources