Delaware-Maryland Synod Youth & Family Ministry

LYO stands for the Lutheran Youth Organization, and is high school youth leadership program for the Delaware-Maryland Synod.

Youth are organized into one of four teams to live out their God-given gifts and sharpen their skills for service in the Synod, their own congregation, and the surrounding community.  Each team is mentored by two trained and gifted adults and led by one primary young person.

Teams of the LYO:

• Worship & Music Team - engages in learning about different worship experiences and practices, and then translates this learning into leading young people and advisors in worship and praise during the Synod Youth Events.  The team also provides leadership for the prayerful and spiritual life of young people in the Synod.

• Service & Outreach Team - engages in learning and participates in different service and outreach opportunities, and then brings some of these same opportunities to the Synod Youth Events for practice and engagement.

• Fellowship & Hospitality Team - engages in learning and practicing methods of fellowship and hospitality in the Church and community, and then brings these practices to the young people of the Synod through music, games, food, and conversation.

• Small Group Team - engages in training to effectively lead small groups of their peers in Biblical and topical discussions during the Synod Youth Events.  Young people on this team are also engaged in the curriculum-development process for the programming of events and retreat

To apply for the 2010-2011 LYO, you'll need to fill out and return both of the following parts of the application:

 2010-2011 LYO Youth Application

LYO Adult Reference Form

Applications are due by July 1, 2010, and young people will be notified within 2 weeks of the deadline.

As part of the application process, the LYO adult leaders will be in touch with the applicant, a parent/guardian, adult reference, youth leader and/or pastor.  We do our best to be sure we get a well-rounded picture of the young person to make sure the LYO is a good fit for them!

All young people applying for or continuing in the LYO must agree to attend the LYO Organizing Retreat on August 20-22, 2010 at the YMCA Camp Letts in Edgewater, MD.

Current LYO Team members and families, click here to log in.