Youth Ministry

Thanks to all who attended this year’s Roanoke College Lutheran Visit Day on Sept. 27, 2025. This annual event – from 10am to noon on a Saturday in the early fall – is an opportunity for high schoolers and their families to explore our Lutheran College on the territory of the Virginia Synod as they consider the possibility of a vocational call to higher education. There will be another opportunity for this in fall of 2026, but interested students can contact the Admissions Office at Roanoke College at any time for information and a tour of the campus. If you find a chance to do that, please also let Synod Youth Director Pastor Dave Delaney know (delaney@vasynod.org / cell: 540-529-6893) when you’ll be here so that he can greet you on the day you visit as well. Information about the fall 2026 event will be available here in spring of 2026.

 Lost and Found is our weekend faith-sharing retreat for 7th and 8th graders and their adult leaders. We gather at Eagle Eyrie Conference Center in Lynchburg from Friday evening to Sunday noon for large group and small group experiences as well as free time and bonding time with your congregational group. This year’s event will be Nov. 21-23, 2025. Complete event information and instructions and forms for registration are available by clicking here.

Winter Celebration is our weekend faith-sharing and fellowship event for 9th through 12th graders and their adult advisors, an opportunity to spend intentional time in community with God and each other. In 2026, Winter Celebration will be Jan. 23-25 (Friday evening to Sunday noon, as always) at Eagle Eyrie Conference Center in Lynchburg.  For complete event information and registration forms and instructions, click here.

Seventh Day is our overnight faith sharing retreat for 5th and 6th graders and the adults who attend with them.  In 2026, Seventh Day will be held March 7-8 (Saturday noon to Sunday early afternoon), at Eagle Eyrie Conference Center in Lynchburg as always.Complete information and registration instructions will be available here starting in fall 2025.

Thanks to all who participated in the 2025 Virginia Synod Youth Assembly, with the theme “The Shapes of Hope.” We welcomed 30 youth and adults from 14 different congregations in grades 7-12.  There will be no Youth Assembly in 2026, but we will have an event called Virginia Synod Youth Ministry Summit on April 25-25, 2026 at Epiphany Lutheran in Richmond that will allow input and leadership from the Synod’s youth in shaping our ministry together. Complete information on that event will be available starting January 2026.

Kairos is our week-long faith sharing event for youth who will be in 9th-12th grades in the fall. In 2026, the event will be June 21-26 (Sunday evening to Friday noon) at Roanoke College. Complete information and registration instructions will be available in January 2026.

 LAUNCH (on-site at Roanoke College)

Launch is an event for just-graduated high school seniors where we take stock of where we have come in life and faith to this point and think ahead to the life, faith, and vocational choices facing us in the next few years!

Exact details for LAUNCH 2026 are TBA but the event will be held in mid-July.