Youth E-Chat 
Northeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA

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In This Issue
Fall Resource Packet
25 for 1 Project
Youth Ministry Positions
Synod Journey Resources
Augsburg College Survey
ELCA
Outdoor Ministries
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NE MN Synod
Quick Links
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Get Networked!

Youth ministry is hard work. We are strengthened personally and professionally when we get together regularly to share our stories, swap ideas, learn from each other and lean on each other.  Make time this month to join in on one of these network opportunities, or have coffee with a youth worker near you!

Duluth Area Network Meetings:
Second Thursday of Every Month, 10:00am
Beaner's in West Duluth
Contact Deb Westerberg for more info.

Brainerd Area Network Meetings:
Second Thursday of Every Month, 10:00am
Caribou Coffee on Hwy 371
Contact Sarah Marshall for more info.
Cert Schools

Vibrant Faith Training School 
This unique training experience changes lives, equips leaders, and transforms congregations in effective and creative faith formation, culminating in creating a ministry plan that will guide your efforts with children, youth, and families. Learn more.

Sponsored by

Youth Leadership 
This program is a unique, holistic leadership development program that covers the key areas of ministry. We come alongside you as you grow as a leader in your particular context, sharpen your vision and encourage your calling. Learn more. 
NE MN Synod Facebook Group - Join Today!
 
The NE MN Synod is on Facebook! Join today for synod updates and to share your questions and ministries! Search for "Northeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA" or click here to join.
August 6, 2018

 
When I was a young and inexperienced college student serving as a summer site director at a small Lutheran camp, we had a week of camp in which our numbers were very small...but our sister camp several hours away had huge numbers. The Executive Director called and asked if some of our staff could go to the sister camp for the week to help out. I resisted. After all, our campers needed the care of our full staff to lifeguard, do activities, lead campfires and worship - we couldn't possibly spend energy elsewhere. And quite frankly, the other camp didn't do things the way we did. Looking back, I can see now it was a ridiculous notion that we needed 15 staff...to lifeguard for 9 campers. :)  The Executive Director won (he was in charge, after all) and I sent about four of our staff off for the week. They returned the next weekend - inspired and reinvigorated for ministry from the experience - with new games, skits, devotions, worship liturgies and many other ideas we hadn't thought of as the insulated staff we had become. What I learned was...
 
We are better together.
 
I was thinking of this story on the Synod Journey to the ELCA Youth Gathering as I watched 450 youth from our synod worship in one voice from the gym bleachers at Texas A&M...and stood in the vast NRG Stadium surrounded by 30,000 youth and adults from across the ELCA. When I was a young and inexperienced youth director we chose to do our own programming. We offered great faith formation opportunities, and we may have even had good reasons to not do synod or ELCA events. But as I look back with the faith formation lens I wear now, our youth missed out on the bigger picture. We failed to give them a sense of the larger church and its work in the world, we neglected to give them encounters with ways of being church different than ourselves. We lost the opportunity to teach them...
 
We are better together.
 
As I look across the landscape of adolescence and the challenges our church is facing in this changing culture...we need each other more than ever...


Together in Christ,   
Catherine Anderson 
Coordinator of Youth Ministry 
NE MN Synod Youth Ministry
2018 Fall Resource Packet!
The Fall Resource Packet was mailed to congregations and should be arriving in your mailbox early this week! All documents are also posted online on on the Youth Resource Page.

The packet includes:

Registration for Middle School Gathering and Cardia Deo will take place completely online! You have the option to pay with a credit card (plus processing fee) or still pay by check (no fee). The registration link will open October 1 for Middle School Gathering, but registration worksheets and information on how the new process works is on the website now!
25 for 1 Project
From your friends at the ELCA YM Network
Give us 25 minutes. We'll give you a year!
 
The 25 for 1 Project is free adult leader training that took place at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston. The training is designed to harness the energy of the Youth Gathering and use it as a catalyst to grow ministry into the next year. It is not ELCA Youth Gathering specific - just great training for all volunteer and paid adult leaders!
 
There are three, 25 minute trainings available:
 
Other Resources available on the site:

More info at:  http://elcaymnet.org/25For1
Youth Ministry Positions Available    
 
Director of Children, Youth and Family (Full-Time)
Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Cloquet, MN

The Director of Children, Youth and Family has the central role of recruiting, equipping and mobilizing families, youth, congregation members and others to pass on the faith to the next generation. This ministry is holistic and intergenerational in approach; it is not simply about Sunday School or Youth Ministry but about involving Our Savior's full community of Christ in faith formation. Children, Youth and Family Ministry is done by the entire congregation in team with the entire staff.

Please send your resume to: 
Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 615 12th Street, Cloquet, MN 55720
Call or email: 218-879-1535 or [email protected] with questions or for full job description.


Director of Youth Christian Education (Full-Time)
Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Virginia

Our Savior's Lutheran Church is seeking a full time Director of Youth Christian Education. This position is entry-level and would be a wonderful opportunity for a recent college graduate whose studies included an emphasis in Youth Ministry and/or who has worked with youth in camp ministry.  A full job description is available on the Home page of our website  www.oslcmn.com . You may contact the church at [email protected] or by phone at 218-741-6207.  Please send your resume with 2 references to:
Our Savior's Lutheran Church,
1111 8th street South,
Virginia, MN 55792.

Application deadline for this position is August 15th, 2018.

Synod Journey Resources  
Thank you for the prayers and support you have offered our young people and their adult leaders this year! We had a deep, meaningful, fun and transformational Journey. 

Below are links to pictures, videos and resources available to you from the Synod Journey and ELCA Youth Gathering!
 
A brief overview of our experience.

Click on links to view different albums from our Journey. Thank you to our Synod Journey leaders for sharing these photos!
 
Scroll through for pictures and videos that were posted with descriptions. Please note, this is different than the Northeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA Facebook Group.
 
More pictures and descriptions. If pictures have a white box in the corner, it means there are multiple pictures in the post!
 
All of the Worship Liturgies, the Journal, Bus Devotions and Getting Ready Resources from our year are posted on this page! Also on this page are the Synod Day Resources from the ELCA Youth Gathering.
 
Please take time to ask youth about their experience in Galveston and Houston! This is a list of questions that might get you started.
 
All the videos from the ELCA Youth Gathering are posted on their YouTube Channel! Listen to the speakers, music and see recaps of each day!
Augsburg College Survey  
 
Augsburg College is exploring innovative new ways to train young people for leadership in faith communities in less time and for less money. They are looking for church leaders in children, youth and family ministry to take 10-15 minutes to answer some questions as they discern what they might be able to offer. The information you provide would be incredibly helpful and greatly appreciated.

You are welcome to copy and use any of the information or writings above for use in your newsletters and other communications.

If you have any questions regarding any of these events, please contact me at the number and addresses listed below.

Catherine Anderson
Coordinator of Youth Ministry

 

Phone: 218.724.4424, ext. 124
Fax: 218.724.4393