Youth Ministry

The Rev. Dave Delaney

Director for Youth & Young Adult Ministry
delaney@vasynod.org
(c) 540-529-6893
P.O. Box 70
Salem, VA 24153

In the Virginia Synod, ministry with youth and young adults has been a high priority for generations. We seek to build Christian community among youth of the Synod, provide opportunities for faith-sharing and faith-nurturing relationships between adults and youth, strengthen congregations in their faith formation ministries with young people, call our youth to be leaders and strong disciples in God’s work of bringing salvation and reconciliation to the world, and encourage all young people to discern their calling in God’s glorious realm. This is our mission.

If you have any questions or need more information about any of the events or ministries listed on this page, please contact Pastor Dave Delaney.

2024-2025 Synodical Youth Events Schedule:

Click here to download a PDF of the 2024-2025 VA Synod Youth Events Poster

Click here to download a PDF of the 2024-2025 Youth Ministry Zine

Five Petal Friday (a.k.a. 5PF) is the biweekly newsletter from the Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministries in the Virginia Synod. This newsletter serves as a way for our office to distribute materials, information, and announcements as well as keep in touch with youth, young adults, and leaders across the Synod throughout the year. If you’d like to learn more about 5PF, click here.

Subscribe to 5PF!

The Virginia Synod Youth Assembly is the annual meeting of the Virginia Synod Lutheran Youth Organization, to which all Lutheran Youth in grades 7-12 in the Virginia Synod automatically belong. The Youth Assembly generally meets at the same time as the Synod Assembly.

The 2025 Virginia Synod Youth Assembly will take place June 13-15 (noon Friday to noon Sunday) on the campus of Roanoke College.

Click here for more information and registration instructions.

Kairos is our week-long faith sharing event for youth who will be in 9th-12th grades in the fall. This year’s event will be June 22-27, 2025 (Sunday evening to Friday noon) at Roanoke College. Click here for complete information and registration instructions

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!

Details for LAUNCH 2025 are TBA.

At the Water’s Edge is a week-long servant event for Youth who have just completed the 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and their adult advisors. We spend the week together experiencing the Christian life through worship, fellowship, fun and service. And of course, being near the beach, we also spend some time at the water’s edge. In 2025, this event will be held July 27-Aug. 2 at First Lutheran Church in Norfolk. Click here for complete event information and registration instructions!

Thanks be to God and to everyone who helped make Lost and Found – our weekend faith-sharing retreat for 7th and 8th graders and their adult leaders – a blessing this past November. We welcomed 100+ youth and adult participants from 25 congregations at Eagle Eyrie conference center and our theme was “The God I Know,” featuring the Parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10. The next Lost and Found event will be Nov. 21-23, 2025 and event registration information will be available starting in June.

Thanks to everyone who made Winter Celebration 2025 a wonderfully blessed weekend! In 2026, Winter Celebration will be Jan. 23-25 (Friday evening to Sunday noon, as always) at Eagle Eyrie Conference Center in Lynchburg. This event is for 9th through 12th graders and their adult advisors to spend intentional time in community with God and each other. Complete event information and registration instructions will be available here starting in August 2025.

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.

Roanoke College Lutheran Visit Day 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. The event begins at 10:00am in the Colket Center at Roanoke College and concludes at noon with brunch in the Commons at noon. Additional questions about this year’s event can be directed to Pastor Dave Delaney (delaney@vasynod.org). Pre-registration is not required, but it will help us prepare if we know you are planning to attend – to pre-register, follow this link

Join Pastor Dave in Lynchburg, Virginia as he takes you on a tour of Eagle Eyrie Conference Center, the location of several Virginia Synod Youth Events.

Event Payment for Congregational Groups

Youth Event Leaders Information and Background Check