At the heart of the ministry we practice with senior high youth in this synod is the development of young leaders for service in the Kingdom. Our events, our organizations, and our mission reflect this dedication to “equipping our young saints.”

2009 ELCA Youth Gathering

Approximately 36,000 Lutheran youth and their advisors will gather in New Orleans, LA, July 22-26, 2009, for the ELCA Youth Gathering. The theme “Jesus, Justice, Jazz,” reflects our desire to understand how God calls us to adopt a servant lifestyle and advocate for those in need in our lives and our society. With opportunities for daily service in the New Orleans metro area coupled with time for reflection about our Baptismal call to serve, and time for processing our encounters with the people we meet during our service opportunities, we hope this will be a impacting experience for all.

Youth can count on some of their favorite Gathering traditions like a daily dome event with music, speakers and plenty of interactive multi-media, evening community life with dances, karaoke and fun clubs, plus lots of chances to make new friends from around the country and the globe. The Office for Youth Ministry along with a number of key congregational leaders are negotiating with airlines and bus lines for group rates for our trip. All congregations planning to attend will be welcome to opt into these travel plans or make their own.

The Gathering planning leaders are aware that safety in the city of New Orleans (NOLA) is a key concern for families and are making extra provisions for security, but it is also important to educate our congregations and families about the realities of this issue. The truth is often much less threatening than “the word on the street.” So, you are invited and encouraged to attend a number of pre-registration planning meetings to learn more about the event and to address all questions so you can plan appropriately. These sessions are scheduled for:

Monday, June 9, 7:00 PM at Grace Lutheran Church in Camp Hill, PA
Thursday, June 12, 7:00 PM at Messiah College in Grantham, PA
     (This session is part of the annul Synod Assembly)

Whether you are able to attend these planning meetings or not, you can always visit the ELCA Youth Gathering website at http://www.elca.org/gathering, to stay current on Gathering planning. You are also encouraged to contact synod Director for Youth Ministry and Youth Gathering Synod Coordinator, Charlie Roberts, at croberts@lss-elca.org, with questions or concerns as you discern your call to attend this important event in the life of our church.

Youth and adults interested in volunteering for a number of roles associated with the Gathering, like main stage emcee, Volunteer Corp, Community Life, and Servant Companions, should apply online at the Gathering web address, listed above.

Servant Learning
& Travel

Three growing partnerships have emerged over the past four years that include opportunities for senior high youth to do servant travel to venues in Mexico, Haiti and the United States gulf coast region. Youth, young adults and adults have been traveling each summer and often even during the school year to Lantern Hill outside Ensenada, Mexico, Institution Univers in Ouenaminthe, Haiti and sites in Mississippi and Louisiana, including New Orleans, to provide a variety of services to brothers and sisters in Christ in those areas. To learn more, keep looking for our Servant Learning & Travel page soon to be added to this site.

Winterfest: Our Weekend Retreat for Senior High Youth

Where can senior high youth of this synod go to meet hundreds of their peers, grow in faith, and have some fun doing it? Winterfest! This annual weekend retreat draws over 850 participants and features live music, inspirational speakers and leaders, small group discussions, worship, dancing and more.

The 2008 event, titled “love,” dealt with the issues surrounding the primary relationships in our lives. Relationships with parents and family, friends, dating relationships and our relationship with God, were all addressed openly and honestly. Jesus command to love God with all of our being and to love one another as we love ourselves posed some challenges and stirred up some emotion, but many came away feeling like this was one Winterfest that spoke to all of us in very real and intimate ways.

Our 2009 event planning has begun and a number of themes are being considered, but know that whatever the team decides, you can count on a mix of faith formation, fellowship and fun. Registration packets were mailed in March 2008 to all congregations and forms are also posted on this site. Mark your calendars now.

Next Winterfest event: January 2-4, 2009 at the Lancaster Host Resort, Lancaster, PA

Leadership Training Camp

Thanks to a generous annual grant provided by Gordon & Sandy Lamb, our synod offers the Leadership Training Camp free of charge to young leaders in this synod. Interested youth in grades nine through age 21 must be recommended by a pastor or youth leader to gain admission into this annual week-long experience. Registration for LT Camp 2008 is currently open with a deadline of July 1, 2008. Applications are available on this site.

Next Leadership Training Camp: July 20 - 26, 2008
      at Camp Nawakwa
Leadership Training Camp 2009: July 5-11, 2009
      at Camp Nawakwa

The Lower Susquehanna Synod
Lutheran Youth Organization (LSSLYO)

LYO President-elect, Ashley Acken

The LSSLYO Board consists of a president, vice-president, and secretary, plus at least two representatives from each of our 14 synod conferences. The board is searching for youth representatives from each of the 14 conferences in the synod. Youth in grades eight and higher are eligible to serve as LSSLYO Board reps. The meetings are held monthly during the school year at a variety of locations around the synod.

Members of the LYO Board plan and serve on youth ministry event committees, help inform adult leaders of the synod about youth related issues, and live out their lives of faith through service in action. Recently, members of the board served lunches at the St. Francis Soup Kitchen in Harrisburg. Other members of the board traveled to Mississippi to help in hurricane clean-up efforts. The LYO Board officers for the 2007-2008 school year are Maggie Pearson, president, Brandt Zimmerman, vice-president, and Paige Shaver, secretary.

	LYO Board

Ministries of the LSSLYO include the Change for Change Stewardship Initiative, and the Servants for Life, Service Ministry Initiative. LYO youth serve as pages for the annual Synod Assembly in June, and LYO Board representatives are also invited to serve on planning teams for all of the synod-sponsored youth events. Finally, the LSSLYO Board representatives are responsible for helping to communicate with their conference congregations and for helping to formulate and live out the mission for youth in this synod.

Change for Change allows youth to give out of their own pockets to ministries that are supported by the LSSLYO and the ELCA. Some of those ministries have included, the Lutheran Camping Corporation, the Konde Diocese Pastor’s Fund, World Hunger, the Lower Susquehanna Synod Youth Ministry Scholarship Fund and many others. However, Change for Change is not ONLY about giving generously from a financial perspective, but also about giving your time. So, youth from the LYO Board serve annually at the Harrisburg Boys & Girls Clubs, Camp Nawakwa, and Institution Univers, in Haiti. To find out more about Change for Change, click on this link.

“Servants for Life,” is the newest initiative sponsored by the LYO. This initiative encourages youth to take seriously Jesus’ command to serve others. Service ministry can occur anywhere, both locally, nationally and globally. So the Servants for Life Packet contains Fact Sheets on service ministry opportunities in Harrisburg, PA, Biloxi, MS, Mexico and Haiti, just to name a few locations. Each Fact Sheet gives the congregational youth leader an overview of the service opportunity, contact numbers and information and a detailed sheet of frequently asked questions, when available. All the research is done for you, you simply need to take action! To request a Servants for Life Packet, contact the Office for Youth Ministry

Interested youth should contact the Director for Youth Ministry, Charlie Roberts for more information or to volunteer to serve.


Other links include:

The Lower Susquehanna Synod Office for Youth Ministry Youth Calendar
Lutheran Camping Corporation at www.lutherancamping.org
Harrisburg Area Confirmation Camp at www.confirmationcamp.org
ELCA Youth Gathering at www.elca.org/gathering