Welcome!

Welcome to the 2023 Middle School Event: CREATE! We are excited to gather at Potomac Park Retreat & Conference Center (11 Tabernacle Way, Falling Waters, WV 25419). Back in a significant leadership role throughout the weekend is the presence of high school young people in the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) who will be serving as small group leaders, worship leaders, service project leaders, and who will be providing a welcoming presence throughout the weekend. It’s going to be a great event – thank you for being a part of it!

To ensure you and your group are fully prepared for the weekend, please read the following information carefully (all the way to the bottom of the page!).

If you have any questions after reading, please contact Deacon Julie Stecker.

Check-in details

Check-in is from 7-8 p.m. on Friday, November 17. Please do not come to check-in early. We know that Potomac Park could be a long drive for many of you. Please be assured if traffic or some other unforeseen circumstance causes you to arrive after 8 p.m., your group will still be able to check in and participate in the weekend event! You can find more information about Potomac Park Retreat & Conference Center, including regional directions, online. 

Members of the LYO are invited to arrive as early as 4 p.m.

The procedure for check-in is as follows:

• Upon arrival, park your cars in the parking lot along the driveway; you will be directed where to park for the weekend after unloading your group’s belongings.

• The primary adult leader will come to the Auditorium to receive the group’s t-shirts, emergency contact information, and other materials needed for the weekend. Please bring completed Individual Registration Forms for each person in your group, including adult leaders. These forms will be collected and will not be returned to you, so please make sure to make copies in advance if you need to retain them for your records.

• Upon completion of the check-in process, feel free to explore the retreat center and settle into your rooms. Our first large group session will take place in the Auditorium at 8 p.m.

 Remember that dinner is not provided on Friday night, so please eat before you arrive.

Weekend schedule

The most up-to-date weekend schedule can be found here. We will also have printed copies available at the event, and the overview of the schedule will be found on the back of your nametag.

Packing tips

Don’t forget the following specific items (in addition to the things you already planned to bring):

• Bible (everyone please, including adults)

• Sleeping bag or sheets

• Pillow

• Blanket (if you tend to get cold!)

• Reusable water bottle

• Toiletry items

• Towel and washcloth

• Closed-toed shoes & socks

• Clothes and shoes that can get dirty

• Any necessary weather-related items (check the forecast before you leave to see if you might need a raincoat, umbrella, jacket, etc.)

• Any prescribed medication

• Flashlight 

• $$ for offering 

In addition, each church is asked to bring items which we will use to assemble Lutheran World Relief (LWR) School Kits during our service projects on Saturday afternoon. All of the items should be new.

We ask that every congregation bring at least four notebooks per participant and one other item by name of your congregation:

• Church names beginning with A-G - crayons (boxes of 24 or 16)

• Church names beginning with H-R - rulers

• Church names beginning with S (including Sts!) - drawstring bags

• Church names beginning with T-Z - scissors (blunt tip)

When you arrive at the event on Friday night, you will be able to drop off your collected supplies in the same place you check in. Thank you so much for supporting our commitment to service at youth events!

We do not recommend bringing expensive electronics with you to the event. Participants will be encouraged to use their phones or devices, if they have them, to share about their experience on social media throughout the weekend, but no one needs a phone, tablet, computer, or digital music player in order to participate. We will discuss the appropriate times and places to use such items, and if they are found to be in use at inappropriate times, they will be confiscated until the end of the weekend. 

The following items ARE PROHIBITED:

• Tobacco in any form

• Alcoholic beverages

• Illegal drugs (as well as prescription drugs in the possession of those for whom they are not prescribed)

Participant & congregation details

You should have received an email with all of your group's registered participants, to ensure we have the correct information. Please review the email carefully and let Deacon Julie know immediately if there are any changes or corrections.

Payment information

If your confirmation email did not contain any payment information, it means you are all set! If your email contained a balance that you believe is incorrect, please let Deacon Julie know immediately. Please mail checks, made out to the Delaware-Maryland Synod, to 

Delaware-Maryland Synod
ATTN: Treasurer
5699 Meridale Road
Catonsville, MD 21228

Please do not bring any checks with you to the event. If you are having trouble paying the event balance, do not hesitate to reach out to Deacon Julie to discuss ways we might be able to help.