Hundreds of kids screaming songs together at large group, spontaneous games of ninja, and small group conversations about faith. When you think Virginia Synod youth events the aforementioned images may come to mind.
However, there is one youth event that may not fit into the typical box: Youth Assembly, happening June 5-7 at Roanoke College.
There are still great conversations and some beloved youth songs led by Pastor Dave Delaney, the Synod’s director for youth and young adult ministry, but Pastor Delaney says that this event that coincides with Synod Assembly is unique.
So what makes Youth Assembly so different from the other gatherings?
“The purpose for this event is for the youth to experience and learn about thelife of the church beyond their congregation,” said Delaney.
Youth Assembly is intended to cast a vision for the participants to not just focus on themselves, but to see what we can do together as the body of Christ.
“Youth Assembly allows the youth to see a different side of the church,” said Maren Corliss, president of the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) Board.
“While other youth events focus on our spiritual growth within our own community, Youth Assembly gives youth the chance to see the church as a working organization, both Synod-wide, nationwide and even worldwide.
The numbers for this event are intentionally kept fairly small. Similarly to the adult Synod Assembly, each congregation is only allowed to send 2 or 3 representatives which can be either high school or middle school students.
“When they get to the event, it’s not like Winter Celebration where you can just hang out with people from your congregation,” Delaney said. “Here at Youth Assembly they get to know people from other congregations right away.”
The smaller group size is a major advantage when it comes to forming lasting friendships in a short amount of time.
“It’s much more of an intimate event so you get to know everyone really well,” said Issac Wilson, the 9th grade representative on the LYO Board.
“Not only that, you get to see all the high school representatives again at Kairos in June. This really is one of my favorite Synod events to go to.”
Students who come to this event don’t just get to see their friends and adults from across the Synod, they also encounter some great leaders of the world. Past bishops of the ELCA, presidents of seminaries, and theologians have all been speakers at Youth Assembly in the past.
Along with hearing from a speaker, there are small group discussions called “Your Turn” which are breakout sessions that are proposed by and led by the youth participants.
“This is the event where we have the best opportunity for youth to raise issues about which they are passionate and around which they can have extended conversations,” said Delaney.
Topics over the years have consisted of the crisis in Darfur, life after high school, movies concerning religion, should we kill Sunday school?, and sipping versus dipping at communion. The subjects for this year’s small group sessions won’t be decided upon until the beginning of the event on June 5th.
Just because the “Your Turn” topics are decided when the students get there, doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty of other preparations that happen beforehand.
The Lutheran Youth Organization Board and Dave Delaney put in hours of work organizing the event and planning a theme that will engage everyone.
The Youth Assembly theme this year will be “The Social Neighborhood.”
“Over all, Youth Assembly 2015 is going to be absolutely fantastic and I cannot wait to see everyone there,” Issac said.
If your congregation still doesn’t have delegates signed up to attend Youth Assembly, go online to www.vasynod.org/ministries/youth-ministry/ or email delaney@vasynod.org.
