Quick Links
Saturday, March 21st Play+Pray – Fun Land at Fairfax https://www.visitfunland.com/fairfax-home (MS/HS event) Registration coming soon!
Saturday, May 9th Play+Pray – Adventure Park at Sandy Spring https://sandyspringadventurepark.org/ (MS/HS event) Registration coming soon!
Middle School/High School events with fun, fellowship, and faith. Each event takes place at an outside venue, includes snacks, and a devotional time. Cost will vary, but each event will be subsidized by the Synod.
SCHOLARSHIPS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE! Do not let cost keep you from being part of these events. Contact Katharyn Wheeler at kwheeler@metrodcelca.org
All congregation youth and family adult and youth leaders are invited to come meet and discuss practical ways to engage with youth in this time of unrest and uncertainty. Valerie Mayer will be bringing back resources from The Extravaganza to share and we hope others within the network will bring ideas as well.
Zoom http://tinyurl.com/MetroDCZoom
Password: 4005
Saturday, April 18th, all Metro D.C. Synod families are invited to join in a Day of Service at Caroline Furnace Camp & Retreat Center https://www.carolinefurnace.org/.
Save the date for this inter-generational day of service.
More information coming soon!
The Metro D.C. Synod Youth + Family Committee is pairing with the New and Renewing Mission Table to offer Partnership Grants to any congregation that would like to pair with at least one other congregation to hold a youth event. Applications can be found here:
We have purchased large group access to the Gathering Remix. We also would like to come meet with the youth in your congregation to share our current opportunities for engagement. If you would like to receive access and/or request a visit please complete this form.
What are Joint Synod Events?
The Delaware-Maryland/Metro D.C. Synods hold events for Middle School and High School, 3rd-5th grades, and potential Middle School leaders. These are open to any youth within the two synods who is interested in joining an event filled with fun, fellowship, and faith.
What is LYO?
LYO stands for Lutheran Youth Organization. This is a group of high school youth who apply and are chosen to be leaders for all Joint Delaware-Maryland/Metro D.C. Synod events. The develop as leaders and create content for the three joint synod events. LYO created events are open to all youth in all congregations in the two synods.
Who can attend a Conference Play+Pray?
Anyone and everyone in the age demographic. You do not have to attend a congregation in that conference to sign-up. You are not limited to signing up for just one. You can also bring a friend or two along.
What is the cost for all this?
Costs vary for joint events and are posted on the event page but are kept as low as possible. Both synods believe that cost should NEVER be a factor, so we also have scholarships available.
What else?
We also provide grants to any congregation that wants to team with another congregation. Check out our grant information to get $100 for the initial conversation with any other congregation and up to $1000 for whatever ideas come out of that initial conversation.
The Committee is currently comprised of youth- Breeze, Robin, Sarah, and Talia, lay leaders Valerie Mayer, Carrie Pritts, and Katharyn Wheeler and pastors Grace Casola, Tony Prinsen, and Eric Randolph. This group represents 5 conferences. We do not yet have representation from the Potomac conference.
During the 2023 Synod Assembly, Resolution Number: 2023 - 003 was approved to establish a Metro D.C. Synod Youth + Family Ministry Committee. This committee will consist of at least three rostered ministers, three lay youth workers, and three youth/young adults, one each from Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. We will also be attentive to other representational principles, including diversity aspirations as outlined in the Synod Constitution (Section 6.04). Members will be appointed by the Synod Council. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact Katharyn Wheeler at kwheeler@metrodcelca.org.
You can view the overview of responsibilities of the committee in the document below.