New This Year! Expanded Opportunities for Youth and Young Adult Participation
Each congregation may bring an additional voting member, age 30 and younger
As our synod met in assembly last May, we passed a resolution which allowed every congregation in the synod to bring to Synod Assembly a youth or young adult (age twenty-five and under) as an additional voting member from their congregation. This is a great opportunity for our congregations to nurture the leadership, ministry skills, and involvement of the young people in their congregations.
We are one of fifteen synods to have taken this action, and by doing so we are helping to fulfill and exceed the goal of a minimum of 10% participation by youth and young adults in the assemblies and committees of the synod. This minimum goal of at least 10% participation by youth and young adults was passed as a constitutional amendment for all synods at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August 2009.
Frequently asked questions:
Who should we send? Look for youth and young adults who have demonstrated some sort of initiative, dedication, commitment, interest, or leadership in their individual discipleship and relationship with the church. Young people who: serve as acolytes, assisting ministers, communion assistants, choir members, or musicians; are active in youth group, outdoor ministry, campus ministry, young adult ministry, service projects, mission trips, or Christian education; serve on congregation councils, church committees, or in the synod Lutheran Youth Organization. Look for young people who would benefit from this opportunity to expand their involvement in the church. And if there is more than one young person who would be good, consider using some of your other voting member slots for them.
Where will our youth stay? Synod youth ministry policy for those under eighteen is that 1) a youth should never be in a private one-on-one situation with an adult who is not a relative and 2) that a youth and adult not from the same family should not share a bed. Safe rooming arrangements for a delegation would include: parents and their teenage child, two men and a male youth, two women and a female youth, a grandmother and her teenage grandchild, etc. There will be a block of youth-only housing for under-eighteen youth voting members who are not able to room with their congregation, or who would prefer to room with youth from other congregations. This block of housing will be overseen by experienced synod youth ministry adult leaders. Make sure to indicate during online registration if a youth will be staying in the block of youth-only housing.
How will young adults and youth be supported? The greatest mentors for these young people will be the lay and rostered leaders from their congregation at the assembly. There will be a specific welcome and orientation session for all young adult and youth voting members at the beginning of the assembly, and some opportunities for fellowship and discussion with each other during the course of the assembly.
What about the financial aspect of bringing another delegate? Many congregations in other synods have made it a priority to bring along a young person, have lifted up this opportunity to the members of the church, and collected extra funds to make their participation possible. This can be a good way to get congregations excited about their young people and about Synod Assembly. Every dollar spent nurturing the leadership gifts of our young people is an investment in the future of the Church.
For more information and for questions of all kinds, please contact Pastor Ed Kay, Coordinator of Youth and Family Ministry, at (410-485-7654 x104) and ekay@demdsynod.org.
