Lutheran Youth Organization
Youth Leadership Development Program
The Lutheran Youth Organization, or LYO, is the high school youth leadership program for the Delaware-Maryland and Metro D.C. Synods.
Youth are organized into one of five teams to live into their God-given gifts and sharpen their skills for service in our synods, their congregations, and the surrounding community. Each team is mentored by two to three gifted adults, and led by Leaders Among Leaders, who are selected by each team at the beginning of each year.
The calendar linked below is for the current year and will be updated as soon as we are able. Please use this calendar to understand what the year will look like.
About the LYO
The Lutheran Youth Organization is a leadership development program for youth in grades 9-12 who are members of congregations in the Delaware-Maryland and Metro D.C. Synods. Following an application process, youth who are accepted into the LYO are organized into one of five teams to live into their God-given gifts and sharpen their skills for service in our synod, their own congregation, and the surrounding community. Each team is mentored by two to three gifted adults.
The LYO year begins with the Organizing Retreat, held at Mar-Lu-Ridge in mid-August. During this long weekend, members of the LYO receive training on a variety of topics that will serve them throughout the year, including active listening, peer ministry, leading devotions, and topics related to our annual theme. They also engage in service projects, play games, and worship together. The weekend provides them their first opportunity to gather with their whole team and imagine ways they might use their gifts to serve the young people of our synods. Before the end of the retreat, each team selects a Leader Among Leaders or two - peers who will help keep the team organized and working toward their goals, as well as serve as the liaison to the Youth Events Team, which has responsibility for general oversight of our events.
About every other month, the LYO gathers for an All-Team Meeting on a Saturday, often meeting at centrally-located churches. These meetings provide an opportunity for training on a particular leadership topic (frequently, those suggested by the Leaders Among Leaders), a chance for teams to meet together in person, and fellowship time to continue strengthening relationships within the LYO. Usually, teams will meet together in person or by Zoom in the months when an All-Team Meeting is not taking place.
One of the primary ways our LYO members put their leadership development into action is through assisting in the planning and execution of several large Youth+Family Ministry events throughout the year.
Each LYO member also selects a Congregational Mentor who serves in an area that relates to the youth’s team. This adult leader helps the LYO member reflect on what they are learning in LYO and how they can use those skills to lead in the congregation. The Congregational Mentor serves as an advocate for their student, and finds ways to lift up their work within the life of the congregation.
There is no membership fee to be a part of the LYO. The only costs are for events, which our Youth + Family Ministry budget partially subsidizes for LYO members. In the 2023-2024 year, these registration fees for LYO members totaled just under $500. One additional cost to consider is transportation to and from meetings and events, though students are often able to carpool with those who live nearby. Money should never be a reason you cannot participate in LYO. We have event scholarships available specifically for LYO members, and we will provide whatever support we can if finances become an issue.
Teams of the LYO
The Music & Worship Team engages in learning about different worship experiences and practices, and then translates this learning into leading young people and adults in worship and praise, while also engaging in preparing for and leading the assembly in song through a variety of musical styles and methods at the synod youth events. The team also provides leadership for developing a prayerful and spiritual life of young people in the LYO and synod. Young people suited for this team might be interested/gifted in visual arts, graphic design, drama, public speaking, singing, playing instruments, composing music, and sound engineering/mixing, among other areas.
The Service & Outreach Team engages in learning and participating in different service and outreach opportunities, and then brings some of these same opportunities to the synod youth events for practice and engagement. Young people suited for this team might be interested/gifted in paying attention to the immediate needs and root causes of suffering and injustice in the world, among other areas.
The 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. Young people suited for this team might be interested/gifted in building relationships and community, helping others feel welcome, and looking out for those on the fringes of the group, among other areas.
The 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 also engage in the curriculum-development process for the programming of events and retreats. Young people suited for this team might be interested/gifted in helping facilitate discussion with their peers, teaching, and writing, among other areas.
The Elementary Team engages in learning about ministry with elementary age students (specifically grades 3-5) and preparing for and leading one-day events throughout the year and an overnight retreat in the spring for elementary aged students. Young people on this team also work with the other LYO teams to provide leadership to children in the congregations of our synod. Young people suited for this team might be interested/gifted in working with elementary-aged students and interested in working with others to share their faith in creative ways.
Lutheran Youth Organization Schedule
The 2024-2025 LYO Calendar may be found below.
Friday-Sunday, August 16-18, 2024 - LYO Organizing Retreat
Held at Mar-Lu-Ridge for all LYOers with the purpose of group-building, learning, and planning our work for the 2021-2022 year; retreat begins with dinner on Friday night and ends on Sunday at noon - all LYOers are expected to attend for a minimum of one overnight plus programming on either side of that overnight.
Cost - $120
Saturday, September 14, 2024 (9 am-3 pm) - LYO All-Team Meeting
Held at the Community of Grace campus (5699 Meridale Rd., Baltimore MD 21228) for all LYOers with the purpose of training and planning for our Middle and High School Youth Event.
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 (9 am-12 pm) - Middle and High School Youth Event Small Group Leader Training
Held at the Community of Grace campus (5699 Meridale Rd., Baltimore MD 21228) for the Small Group Team and all Small Group Leaders at our Middle and High School Youth Event.
Friday-Sunday, November 15-17, 2024 - Middle and High School Youth Event
Held at Potomac Park Retreat and Conference Center (11 Tabernacle Way, Falling Waters, WV 25419) for all LYOers with the purpose of practicing team skills in leadership roles throughout the event. Debriefing will be held following the end of the event; pickup time at Potomac Park is 2:30 pm. If your congregation is attending, please have your adult leader include you in their registration. If you are attending without a congregation, please register as event staff.
Cost - $120
Saturday, January 4, 2025 (9 am-3 pm) – LYO All-Team Meeting
Held at the Community of Grace campus (5699 Meridale Rd., Baltimore MD 21228) for all LYOers with the purpose of continuing debrief following the Middle and High School Event along with training and planning Seekers and Unlikely Leaders. We’ll also have our LYO Epiphany Party! Bring your lunch and treats to share, if you’d like, and a small, wrapped gift ($10 or less) if you want to participate in a gift exchange.
February 2025 – Regional LYO Youth Group Nights!
Held at various host congregations throughout the DE-MD and Metro D.C. Synods for LYOers who live near those congregations for the purpose of practicing team skills in leadership roles at the event. Stay tuned for more information!
Saturday, March 1, 2025 (9 am-3 pm) – LYO All-Team Meeting
Held at the Community of Grace campus (5699 Meridale Rd., Baltimore MD 21228) for all LYOers with the purpose of training and planning for Seekers and Unlikely Leaders.
Saturday, March 15-Sunday, March 16, 2025 - Seekers Retreat
Held at the Ridge Inn (4341 Mountville Road, Jefferson, MD 21755) for the E-Team and other LYOers selected for leadership with the purpose of practicing skills in leadership roles for the event. Debriefing will be held following the end of the event; pickup time at Mar-Lu-Ridge is 2:30 pm.
Cost - $120
Friday, April 4-Sunday, April 6, 2025 - Unlikely Leaders Retreat
Held at Mar-Lu-Ridge Retreat Center (3200 Mar Lu Ridge Road, Jefferson, MD 21755) for all LYOers with the purpose of practicing team skills in leadership roles throughout the event. Debriefing will be held following the end of the event; pickup time at Mar-Lu-Ridge is 2:30 pm. If your congregation is attending, please have your adult leader include you in their registration. If you are attending without a congregation, please register as event staff.
Cost - $120
Saturday, May 3, 2025 (9 am-3 pm) - LYO Annual Debriefing & Celebration
Held at the Community of Grace campus (5699 Meridale Rd., Baltimore MD 21228) for all LYOers with the purpose of training and reflecting on and celebrating the year.
Along with these meetings and gatherings, each team will determine times to meet individually throughout the year as necessary. When these dates are made available (after Organizing Retreat), they will be added to this site.