As we cross the threshold into actual Autumn, 5PF remains your reliable source for all matters pertaining to Virginia Synod Youth and Young Adult ministries! Be sure to check your email on October 11th for VOLUME TWO ISSUE SIX. UN-subscribing is, of course, not recommended, but if you have to, please send a request to our circulation department at delaney@vasynod.org.

Due to popular complaint that our random debates were not random enough, we presented the noodle dilemma last week and the results are in! 34% of our voters chose spaghetti, 25.5% chose elbow, but the winner of the pastas is BOWTIE! Winning with 40.4% of votes for favorite noodle shape!

Now as we welcome in the new season of Fall, we invite you to ponder what your favorite part of Fall may be!

THIS WEEK'S RANDOM DEBATE:

What is your favorite part of Fall?

The Pumpkin Everything!

The leaves changing of course!

Finally some cooler weather!

The 5 Petals for Vol. 2 Issue 5 of 5PF:

Here are the 2024-2025 required forms for adults who lead groups at our Youth Events!

At the heart of Virginia Synod youth ministry is the practice of trusted adults building faith-sharing relationships with the teens in our congregations and at our various events. Every year we require any adults who will be in one of those leadership roles (small group leaders, planning group advisors, etc.) to complete a fresh set of forms to make sure our that contact information is correct, that background checks are up to date, and that leaders have had the chance to read and sign on to our expectations. Below are links to the cover letter that provides an overview of the year, a list of the leader opportunities, and the two forms that must be completed by every adult prior to leading at an event.

>Cover letter for adults who will be leading at 2024-2025 Synod Youth events

>2024-2025 Opportunities for adults to serve as Small Group leaders at youth events

>Small Group Leader Information Sheet (2024-2025)

>Permission to Conduct a Background Check Form

>What it Means to be an Adult at Youth Events

Reminders & Announcements

>>> THE VIRGINIA SYNOD OFFICE FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY IS UPDATING OUR LIST OF CONGREGATIONAL CONTACTS! Who is the best person in your Virginia Synod congregation to receive information about synod youth events and other youth ministry updates and resources? The code to the right leads to a simple survey that allows you to enter the name and contact information for your congregational youth leader. (If you have more than one, you can do the survey more than once!) If you would like go directly to the site, click here.

>>> WHAT IS LOST AND FOUND?

Lost and Found is our annual weekend faith-sharing event for 7th and 8th graders and their adult advisors. More than 150 of us gather for lots of singing and fun and friend-making, small group conversations, games, and free time! There's also an Open-Mic-Talent-Show and time late in the evening to relax and talk with the other youth and adults from your congregation! The early registration discount ends Oct. 28!

Click Here for more information and registration forms!

>>>Winter Celebration Registration is Open!

Winter Celebration is a gathering of several hundred of our Virginia Synod 9th through 12th graders and their adult advisors for Large Group and Small Group experiences with lots of worship, singing, and faith sharing. There is also a big chunk of free time on Saturday when we have our “Open Mic / Talent Show” and time late in the evening to relax and talk with the other youth and adults from your congregation. The early registration discount deadline of Dec. 16 will be here quicker than you think!

Click Here for complete information and links to registration!

The Search Institute publishes a regular newsletter that should be of interest to anyone who has a role in the well-being of young people and their adult mentors. This month's issue in particular has an item that addresses the new phenomenon of chronic absenteeism among teens. Faith communities, including our churches, can always adapt these observations to help support our families in their lives.

Click here to read the entire newsletter.

Podcasts We're Listening To

Okay, kids! History lesson! There used to be these things call "I-Pods." The Apple computer company made them as a way of carrying your music around with you (the way your phone does now!). And then that expanded beyond music to miniature spoken programs, so they had to invent a term to describe those. That's where the "pod" in "podcast" comes from. We're not sure why you necessarily needed to know that, but when we used the term "I-pod" with the 5PF staff, they looked at us like we were talking about typewriters.

Here are several interesting episodes of several interesting podcasts that have to do with youth ministry, mainly in this case for adult leaders. If you like these, you might consider subscribing to the podcast.

• "Five Minutes with Marko" episode 109, "Innovation without Disconnection." Mark Oestreicher, awesomely-bearded and distinctively-bespectacled head of the Youth Cartel Network, delivers the most value per minute of any youth ministry podcast. Here he talks about the forces that corrode innovation and how youth workers need to stay in the orbit of things that really matter.

• "Pivot: Leading Through Change" episode 77, "The Displacement of Enchantment." Luther Seminary professor Terri Elton hosts this conversation with fellow faculty members Dwight Zschiele and Andrew Root on why many people are still spiritually curious, passionate, and committed today even while many others are leaving traditional churches.

• "Rooted Youth Ministry" episode 56, "What Youth Workers Need to Know About Mental Health." Long-serving youth pastor Danny Kwon and his wife Monica, a licensed psychologist, talk about various aspects of youth ministry and the issue of mental health in the lives of teenagers

Repeat from the previous 5PF, because it's that important: How to discuss politics with young people?

Discussing social and political topics can be challenging, especially in light of widespread disillusionment and polarization.

The Springtide Institute asked young people what adults can do to make young people feel like they can talk about these topics with the adults in their lives.

Click Here to read more!

Keep up with all things VA Synod Youth and Young Adult Ministry by following us on Instagram and liking our Facebook page! Snapshots of each edition of 5PF will be posted there on publication day!

If you liked what you read here, don't forget to subscribe to receive 5PF issues bi-weekly! You don't want to miss out on a single issue! Share with your friends and on social media!

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To provide feedback ... ask questions ... obtain more info on any of this ... contact Dave Delaney, Virginia Synod Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministries: delaney@vasynod.org