Welcome to the NC Synod

Youth and Family Ministry E-news.

February 2016

Events and news...

* NEW - Martin's List - The ELCA Youth Ministry Network has another great resource for members. Martin's List is the latest place to find resources for children, youth and family ministry. Maybe you've created something you'd be willing to share. Log in and check it out. Resources are appearing daily! Join the network and share your resources.

* NEW - Your 2015-2016 LYO Board is excited to announce that this year's LYO Assembly is our largest ever. 6-12th graders will gather February 26-28th in Greensboro around the theme - Amazing Grace. We ask that you keep the planning team and all those who will participate in your prayers.

* NEW - Bishop's School. Deadline extended until March 15th. Please take a moment to consider who should be invited to attend from your congregation. This is a wonderful event filled with space to ask big questions about our faith. This year's event will be held at Luther Springs in Florida. More information...

* NEW - Mark your calendars. Pre-Assembly Event

Thursday, June 2 from 9am - 4pm

AM Session for all participants 9am - noon
Rev. David Hansen
Digital Tools for Creating Community

Participants will consider how new and old tools can work together to help us build community in our churches and beyond. We will look at the changing media landscape of our culture, get hands-on experience with some of the most popular tools, and walk away with concrete tips and strategies to make the most of the opportunities they present to us.

PM Session - Breakout sessions (choose 1) 1:30-4pm
Digital Tools Part II - Rev. David Hansen
A Walk through the New Testament - Rev. Dr. Mary Shore
Renewing Congregations - Renewal Team
Stewardship for today - Stewardship Team

* NEW - Are you looking for a strong VBS Curriculum? As a supporter of our Outdoor Ministries in North Carolina, you know about the power of the camp experience, but you may not know that (Agapé + Kure Beach Ministries & Novus Way Ministries) are a part of a larger organization called Lutheran Outdoor Ministries, or LOM. LOM is an organization that exists to empower and equip outdoor ministry organizations, and one of the ways that they do that is by producing an outdoor curriculum each year.
Now, the same easy to use and theologically strong curriculum is available for congregations to use for Vacation Bible School. LOM's 2016 theme, The Jesus Way, challenges participants of all ages to live not in the way that the world expects, but to live for others. In The Jesus Way we will explore Gospel stories from Matthew, Luke and John through interactive Bible studies, engaging activities and imagination inspiring arts and crafts.
LOM's VBS package includes all you need to run your own Vacation Bible School program: 5 full days of Bible Study designed for Preschool, K - 2nd and 3rd - 5th grade, Crafts, Games and the The Jesus Way graphics. Priced at only $150, your congregation gets the tools that you need to help the children in your community engage with the Bible and their faith as they learn about Jesus feeding, forgiving, loving, serving and praying for others. This theme, as well as others, are available on the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries website at

www.lomnetwork.org.

* Lenten Resources are available on our NC Synod Pinterest Board. Let us know if you have ones to share.

* The Linda Kaelke Scholarship forms are due April 1st. These scholarships are designated for service trips. Don't let this deadline slip by. Read more here...

* 2016 Synod mission trip on sabbatical. We are using a one summer sabbatical to evaluate our service ministry. We are fully committed to 2017 as a Stay at Home Mission trip and hope to invite congregations from around the ELCA to join us as we host sites. If you are interested in serving as a site for 2017, please be in touch with Tammy.

* The Spring Youth & Family Ministry Network meetings are on the calendar. Anyone who works with those in the first third of life are invited. We gather at 10am and go to lunch together. Each time we gather around a specific topic but we also have time to share concerns, joys and challenges. There's great wisdom in the room. We're also going to be trying out our new conference call system so you can join via Go To Meeting.

February 23 - Confirmation

March 8 - Retreats

2016 Calendar of Events

February 23 - Youth & Family Network Meeting - Salisbury

February 26-28 - LYO Assembly Embassy Suites, Greensboro
February 26-28 - YARP Training- Embassy Suites, Greensboro
March 6-8 - Emerging Leader Retreat - Salisbury
March 8 - Youth & Family Network Meeting - Salisbury
April 1 - Kaelke Scholarship Applications due
April 4-6 - Youth & Family Staff Retreat - Embassy Suites, Greensboro
April 7-9 - Faith Formation Summit - Chicago
April 11-13 - Region Nine Youth Ministry Staff Retreat
June 2 - Pre-Assembly Event - Social Media
June 3-4 - Synod Assembly - Charlotte Renaissance
June 20-23 - LYO Board Retreat - Lake Lure, NC
June 21-25 - Bishop's School - Luther Springs, Florida

App of the Month - Daily Grace

Daily Grace is an on-the-go companion for your journey, offering a faith reflection every day. In these brief writings you'll encounter God's extravagant, boundless and often surprising grace.

Resource of the Month

Enjoy this clip from Jim LaDoux from Vibrant Faith about engaging children and youth.

Video of the Month-

We are church

This clip was the 2015 Synod Assembly ELCA Video. We are church is our 2016 theme in the North Carolina Synod. Enjoy!

ELCA Youth Ministry Network - why join?

Here's why you should be a member...

* Network members get deep discounts to attend the Extravaganza.

* Members receive the Connect Journal, published 3 or 4 times per year.

* Members get access to the video archives of Extravaganza keynote talks going back to 2006.

* Members receive access to the newly re-vamped MartinsList.org, the resource sharing web site.

* Members are invited to participate in live, monthly "3rd Tuesday Conversations" (3TC) webinars with experts in the field.

* Members receive access to the full archive of 3TC webinars

* Members receive discounts from network partner organizations including: The Center for Youth Ministries at Wartburg Seminary; Hertz Rental; Impression Media Group; Lutheran Life Coaching; Trinity Lutheran College Center for Children, Youth and Family Ministry; Unify Church App Development; TxtSignal; Youth Leadership and Youth Specialties

* Access to the online membership directory

* The list of congregations willing to host visiting youth groups

* The results of the annual salary survey.

And they keep adding to the list all of the time!

Check out the network website.

Making a Difference on our behalf...

ELCA World Hunger - Your gifts to ELCA World Hunger are making a difference. As a partner of churches, social ministry organizations and development and advocacy organizations, ELCA World Hunger helps reach communities most in need throughout the world. Our relationships in the U.S. and around the world create an infrastructure that allows us to be very cost efficient and effective - less than 10 cents of every dollar is used for program administration and fundraising. Check out the

ELCA World Hunger Toolkit. In 2014, your support of ELCA World Hunger totaled $19.3 million.

Outdoor Ministry in the NC Synod.

Below you will find wonderful offerings from our outdoor ministry sites. If you have specific questions, please check out their websites.

Agape-Kure Beach Ministries

Novus Way (Lutheridge, Lutherock, Luther Springs & Luther Ranch)

Seeking Staff

Agapé + Kure Beach Ministries is seeking young adults who want to make a difference!! Is that you? We are seeking Christian leaders to serve on our 2016 summer staff May 29 to August 9.

Why work at Camp?
1. "Best resume builder" says the New York Times
2. Laugh, grow in faith, make great friends, experience community.
3. Be a positive Christian role model.
4. Play with kids, and get paid - what could be better??
5. Make a difference - plant seeds of faith and build self-value in others!

Team Leaders - must be 21 years of age, lead and guide others.
Counselors must be 19 years old or having finished their first year of post high school experience.
Support staff - 17 and up - includes kitchen staff, lifeguards,
Technology/Photographer, Archery, Camp Store, Crafts and more

Contact: Randy: exec@agapekurebeach.org or go to our web site and click on summer tab to find an application and more info. Call: (919) 552-9421

Summer Camp brochures are available in print and online! If you would like a printed brochure, please contact Penny at gocamp@agapekurebeach.org or 919.552.9421. Register today - www.agapekurebeach.org !

Get Involved! Participate in NovusWay's "Camp Sunday" and receive the bulletin inserts shown here!

For more information on how to promote "Camp Sunday" in YOUR congregation, click here!

NC Synod, ELCA| 828.308.1362 | E-mail | Website