Extravaganza 2024 Workshops

people in conversation with each otherWe have 6 Workshop Sessions & 2 Early Bird Workshop times in which to score some great ideas to take back home with you.

Our Learning Team works diligently planning and preparing a great slate of workshops. At Extravaganza 2024, there are six 75-minute workshop sessions offered during the main event either onsite or online, not hybrid. For our early arriving participants in New Orleans, the 60-minute Early Bird workshops are available to provide extra opportunities for learning.

How are workshops selected?

Through a proposal process, each of the workshops are selected based on the theme and the current needs of The Network. The Extravaganza Workshops happen because of the great leaders like you serving and leading in your contexts who are willing to teach others.

Looking for a more in-depth learning on a subject? Check out the Intensive Care Course (ICC) add-on. There are three pre-event learning opportunities to choose from for an additional fee.

Are workshops available later or on demand?
Can't decide which workshop to attend at which time? No worries, all online workshops will be available to ELCA Youth Ministry Network Plus members following the Extravaganza event for later viewing.

Schedule  //  Hotel & Travel  //  Speakers  //  Workshops  //  ICC //  Musicians  //  Pricing  //  Register

Extravaganza 2024 Workshop Schedule

Workshop Session 1
Workshop Session 2
Workshop Session 3
Workshop Session 4
Workshop Session 5
Workshop Session 6

Friday, January 19; 8:30-9:45am - Workshop Session #1

  • Beyond Policy:  Empowering the Faith Community to Prevent, Recognize and Respond to Child Abuse and Sexual Assault - Rev. Kari Vadis 
    The church is the perfect environment for a child sex offender to show up: a wolf in sheep's clothing. This workshop is designed to help congregations prevent child sexual abuse and react responsibly. In this workshop we will learn about ministry to sex offenders, responding to disclosures of abuse, setting boundaries to protect children, creating a policy that protects children and providing spiritual care. My dream is to end child sexual abuse and together we will step into that dream until it is a reality.
  • Icebreakers - NO SUPPLIES NEEDED!Kelsey Tomlinson
    Ever found yourself in a space where you need to do an icebreaker with your youth to get them more comfortable with each other but you weren't planning on doing an icebreaker so you have no supplies? No fear, this workshop is just for you! You will leave with an icebreaker booklet where no supplies are needed! And, you'll learn how to connect the icebreakers to your lessons for the day! Your youth will have a unifying experience to relate to the lesson and to each other.
    Come, enjoy some game time, and learn how to use these tools for your ministry!
  • Making the Shift: A Practical Approach to Innovating MinistriesLisa Sampson
    Come to this workshop with one ministry/program that you are dreaming of adapting or rebuilding in the near future (think Fall 2024). Or you could also bring a new idea, a new ministry you are hoping to launch in your congregation. Whichever you choose to bring, we will explore practical techniques to discover tools already in your congregations, how to apply adaptive change, cultivate support for this change, and next steps to making your dream a reality. The ministry/program you choose to explore can be any size, from Sunday School or Confirmation to a weekend retreat or lock-in. We will also address the challenges of not getting it right the first time, and how to try again. Whatever it is, we will imagine or reimagine what could be.
  • Listening for Transformation: Crafting Relevant Youth Ministry Frameworks - Catherine Anderson and the Formation Co-Op Design Team
    Learn and experience the dynamic listening process developed by the Formation Co-Op so you can develop new frameworks for youth ministry that are not just relevant, but genuinely helpful for your context.
    You will draw from your stories of youth ministry to discover your purpose, name your realities and assets, and consider potential partnerships. Learn and create with the Co-Op community as we cultivate a culture that roots young people in a lifelong and transformative faith in Jesus Christ! 
  • A Safer Tomorrow – Not Just a DreamCarolyn Marston with Safe Gatherings
    More than 600,000 children are abused in the US each year. It is a sad, and startling reality. How can you be proactive to ensure children are protected and feel safe? Where do you start? Well, you won’t want to miss this workshop! This session will outline and discuss seven fundamental steps your church or organization can take to ensure you are doing everything possible to promote a safe environment. Topics covered will include policies, background checks, training, tracking, resources and more! 
  • 2024 ELCA Youth GatheringTammy Jones West, Director of the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering
    You've got questions? We "may" have answers. :) Learn from one another, ask your questions, and share in the excitement of our time in New Orleans.
  • Dreaming of Radically Relevant Faith Formation - Linda Chambers

    How can we become radically relevant in the lives of the families we connect with in our communities? Are you ready to think outside the box and DREAM up new ways to engage others looking for meaning in belonging, and love? Does your church have an early education center or other weekday ministry involving children? When church and school work together in mission, families are elevated and welcomed. Let's explore options for your setting and welcome kids into the infinite love of Jesus. 

  • SYMBOL: Dreaming Together New Possibilities in Synodical Youth Ministry - SYMBOL Steering Team
    Join the SYMBOL (Synodical Youth Ministry Band of Leaders) Steering Team and learn more about what SYMBOL is and what SYMBOL does. But more importantly, join us to dream about faith formation with young people. We want to hear what ministry with children, youth, and families looks like in your synod and, we are even more excited to dream about what it can look like. We want to share existing models and explore new ones. We want to imagine how synods can support congregations and congregational youth ministry leaders in ways that are effective, whether tried and true or completely out of the box and experimental. We want to talk about how congregations in your synod can network and support one another and how they can partner with outdoor ministries, campus ministries, and others to dream new possibilities. We know that God is doing a new thing, so please join us as we discern, discover, perceive, and celebrate all that God has in store for us. We want to dream together! 

Friday, January 19; 3:30-4:45pm - Workshop Session #2

  • Dreaming of Bringing the Mountaintop HomeTaryn Hauglie, Assistant Director of Christikon
    Ever peak a mountain? If you have, you feel like you’re on top of the world. The euphoria, the adrenaline, and the views for miles can be hard to beat. Avid climbers can in time start to experience “peak fever” – always chasing that rush they feel when they reach the summit. In a similar way, youth can feel that same mountaintop feeling, whether they attend the Gathering, go to camp, or participate in a service-learning trip. These experiences bring youth up the mountain and closer to God, so how can we bring that mountaintop feeling back home with us after the trip? How can we sustain the community that is built during these monumental experiences in an inclusive way? Where can we find little mountaintops in our own front yard? 
  • Dream Beyond: Graduation to CampusRev. Cassandra Lamb, University Lutheran Center Campus Pastor
    Explore how to best send high school students from congregations to campus ministries. Helping students dream beyond their current faith community and to connect with a LuMin (aka: Lutheran Campus Ministry) site has the potential to set them up for success in the next chapter of their lives. We will also consider how congregations can best stay connected during this transition and launch young people into their "second third" of life. In order to make this dream a reality we need the partnership of congregations and youth ministry professionals to help high school students dream beyond their “right now” to their next step, which just might be a campus.
  • ABCs of LGBTQ+Rev. Amanda Nesvold
    Have you been wondering what all the letters in the LGBTQ+ alphabet stand for? Do you feel like every day there’s a new orientation, gender identity, or topic that you need to learn about? This whirlwind tour will cover many orientation, identity, and related terms, for a 20,000ft vocabulary overview. We won’t be debating the details or planning for inclusive ministry and congregational conversations. But you will come away with a better understanding of the language involved and how to participate in the very real conversations already happening in our families, communities, and congregations.
  • Food & Faith: What Could We Cultivate?Rev. Jen Collins
    In this workshop we will explore the possibilities of creating space utilizing the power of food. Food grown, cooked, baked, experienced and eaten! Food has always been intertwined in our biblical story and narrative of being God's people. There are so many ways we can utilize food to connect, learn and grow with our kids, youth and communities. Just dream and wonder: who might we meet, where might we go and how might lives be transformed through gathering around the food tables in our lives?
  • Queer Confirmation
    Kathryn Thompson
    Fabulous youth finding livable faith is crucial and compromised given laws, discrimination, and cultural pressures that add precarity to the lives of Queer youth. In this workshop hear about a 1-year, synchronous, zoom-based Confirmation program that is being developed, learn some queer pedagogies that you can employ right away in your contexts, and imagine how this program could benefit youth in your area!
  • Jumping into the Deep End of the Children Sermon Swimming Pool! - Rev. John Stevens from Dollar Store Children's Sermons
    Describing my process from beginning to end, and then putting together a children's sermon together. You will leave with two usable ideas for two Sundays in the Church Year (RCL and Narrative).
  • Recruiting Diverse Layers of Volunteer Leadership - Kate McKinnie
    If you could dream up your perfect volunteer team to help you lead your church’s youth, it would include a true diverse picture of the body of Christ, right? However, current statistics suggest that only 27% of nonprofits – which include churches - have a diversity and inclusion plan for volunteers. Any youth project you are leading will be significantly more meaningful if your volunteer team represents as different a demographic of today’s population as possible. And, this is 100% attainable with the right recruitment strategy. By attending this interactive workshop, you will learn the importance of a volunteer recruitment plan that includes a specific diversity initiative. You will also come away with some specific and creative volunteer recruitment strategies of how to attract, train, appreciate and retain volunteers from a variety of layers – including different cultures, skills, knowledge bases, and spiritual gifts.
  • Can These Dry Bones Live?: Dreaming of a More Inclusive Church - ELCA Disability Ministries Advisory Team
    Where do we find dry bones? In congregations that struggle with change, inclusion, lack of diversity, or who lack the resources to make their buildings and programming accessible. When we find communities of inclusion, our circle not only gets bigger, it gets better. In our workshop we will take a look at Ezekiel 37 and the Sermon on the Mount as we dream about how that vision can apply to us today. We’re going to dream big about what an inclusive church looks like, everything from programming to architecture. We hope that you will leave with dreams of your own for breathing new life into the dry bones of exclusion into your community as God calls us to be communities of inclusion.

Saturday, January 20; 8:30-9:45am - Workshop Session #3

  • Moving from Surviving to ThrivingSister Sara Galyon
    We know that, in all industries, we have an 18% pay gap between men and women in this country. In the church, it is not much different, and often women in youth ministry struggle to advocate for themselves within the hiring, and negotiation processes for paid youth ministry positions. In this workshop we'll examine the problem, as well as brainstorm some possible solutions to move us from simply surviving to thriving. While this workshop is geared towards women, it is open to anyone who could benefit and learn from a female centered space.
  • Beyond Ball Fields and Bathrooms: Dreams for Transgender and Gender-Expansive Youth in the ChurchJamie Bruesehoff and Rev. Christopher Bruesehoff
    Jamie and Chris’s seventeen-year-old daughter, Rebekah Bruesehoff, says she dreams of a world where transgender people don’t have to be brave or inspiring, where they can just be themselves. We aren’t there yet.
    In this workshop, let’s dare to dream of a church and a world transformed by the bold celebration of transgender and gender-diverse young people. We’ll talk about what we need to do to get from where we are now to where we want to go. In a world that is more divided than ever, Jamie and Chris will address misinformation, provide resources for on-the-ground ministry, and strategize how to move forward even when some people in our communities remain conflicted.
    Filled with practical takeaways, participants will leave empowered and inspired to continue the work of inclusion and advocacy for these young people both in and outside of the church. They need us, and the church needs them.
  • Jumping into the Deep End of the Children Sermon Swimming Pool!Rev. John Stevens from Dollar Store Children's Sermons
    Describing my process from beginning to end, and then putting together a children's sermon together. You will leave with two usable ideas for two Sundays in the Church Year (RCL and Narrative).
  • Integrating AI for Effective Youth Ministry - Rev. Michael Jannett, Assistant to the Bishop for Formation and Communication in the Southeastern Synod
    This workshop is designed to equip youth ministers with practical knowledge on leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their mission of making disciples for Jesus. In just one hour, participants will explore the potential applications of AI in youth ministry and discuss ethical considerations for its responsible use. They will discover how AI can personalize discipleship, provide data-driven insights, optimize resources, and enhance outreach and engagement. Through interactive discussions and real-life case studies, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how AI can support their ministry efforts. The workshop will also provide hands-on guidance, enabling participants to identify AI opportunities, select appropriate tools, and develop an action plan for implementation. By the end of the session, youth ministers will be empowered to integrate AI effectively and take their youth ministry to new heights of impact and relevance.
  • 2024 ELCA Youth GatheringTammy Jones West, Director of the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering
    You've got questions? We "may" have answers. :) Learn from one another, ask your questions, and share in the excitement of our time in New Orleans.
  • Build an Inspiring World - Deacon Dan Jacob
    Imagine building a LEGO-style Noah’s ark while you read about Noah building the ark in a storybook illustrated with the same bricks and minifigures that you’re building that ark with! That’s what we do in a nutshell and what we want to share with you. Our hope is that you’ll learn how to take the seed of an idea and grow it into a forest of innovation. Not creative? Borrow some of our creativity, and grab a Nativity or David and Goliath building kit. Or maybe you’ll be inspired to use building bricks in a children’s message or sermon. Maybe you’ll dream up a building brick curriculum or VBS. Maybe you’ll learn to set up a brick village in your narthex where anyone can play and explore together. Maybe you’ll experience a heroic story like Harriet Tubman’s, in brick form, and realize that you can build an inspiring world too! 
  • How to Become an Anti-Racist Youth Group: Tools and Practices for Living into God’s Dream of Beloved Community - Joe Davis and David Scherer with JUSTmove
    With the difficulty of the past three years and being in "survival mode", it can be hard for youth groups to pivot toward becoming anti-racist. And yet, this is exactly the right time to have this important conversation. Join Interculturalists JUSTmove (Joe Davis and David Scherer) as they utilize music, poetry, and conversation to help us deepen our anti-racism work for the sake of the Gospel.
  • Making the Shift: A Practical Approach to Innovating Ministries - Lisa Sampson
    Come to this workshop with one ministry/program that you are dreaming of adapting or rebuilding in the near future (think Fall 2024). Or you could also bring a new idea, a new ministry you are hoping to launch in your congregation. Whichever you choose to bring, we will explore practical techniques to discover tools already in your congregations, how to apply adaptive change, cultivate support for this change, and next steps to making your dream a reality. The ministry/program you choose to explore can be any size, from Sunday School or Confirmation to a weekend retreat or lock-in. We will also address the challenges of not getting it right the first time, and how to try again. Whatever it is, we will imagine or reimagine what could be.

Saturday, January 20; 2:00-3:15pm - Workshop Session #4: 

  • Dreaming Together with the Womanist Lord’s Prayer - Dri Rivera
    This workshop explores what could be if we were to reimagine the invitations of the Lord’s Prayer through a womanist lens. Womanism considers the experiences and perspectives of Black women, a critical intersection that is often overlooked. A womanist approach is liberative for all. The Womanist Lord’s Prayer has the same message as the original, with more expansive language and an invitation to dream together in the midst of a broken and hurting world. Participants will hear a brief background on the significance of the Lord’s Prayer in Lutheran liturgy and life, a history of womanism and the origins of the Womanist Lord’s Prayer, as well as take time to share stories and pray together.
  • Dream of Creative Collaboration - Amanda Gebhart, Tina Goeman, Emily Thoms
    How to play to your strengths, save time and energy by working as a team with other leaders to bring the work and kids together. 
  • How to Prepare for the Craziest Week of the Year: Packing Your Trip Backpack - Danielle Dadashi
    When you're taking a group of youth on a trip (like the youth gathering) what do you need to pack in your backpack (physically and metaphorically). We'll go over important things to carry with you in case of emergencies, how to put together a trip binder, handle food allergies, stay in contact with parents, serving food in hotel rooms, dealing with emergency doctor visits and more. Let's talk together as we prepare for the craziest week in youth ministry! Whether you're a professional youth worker or a volunteer, preparation is the key to a successful trip.
  • Dream Worship - Prayer & Liturgy - Bishop Becca Middeke-Conlin, Bishop of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod

    Is your worship everything you dream it to be, or does it seem a little stale. During this workshop we will look at various parts of the liturgy and especially the prayers of intercession and how to make them more interactive, lively and improvisational while still keeping them true to our Lutheran identity.
    Learners will take away ideas about how to engage people of all ages in the Thanksgiving for Baptism, Confession, Prayers, Meal and Sending.

  • Practicing Ministry with the Wisdom of ResearchCatherine Anderson and the Formation Co-Op Design Team
    Research is another form of listening. Researchers bring a posture of curiosity to the struggles we experience and help us find possibilities to move forward. As adrienne maree brown writes, “What you pay attention to grows.” What do you need to pay attention to as you dream about new frameworks for ministry? The Formation Co-Op will help you explore key research themes and discover practical ways to apply them to your unique context. This workshop is a helpful follow-up to the “Listening for Transformation: Crafting Relevant Youth Ministry Frameworks” workshop, but can also be experienced on its own.
  • The Now and the Not Yet-The Soul of Your Leadership: A Liminal Journey Space - Tending to Self and the Institution - Dr. Kris Bjorke

    You. Leader. Person of Faith. Standing between so many things. Older and younger people. The world as God intends and the world as it is. Connecting. How do you do continue to do this work in this day and age? What does it look like? How do you continue to grow? What do you do with your doubts? —So many demands of today's children, youth and family ministers is about managing the multiple demands internally and externally in your life. This workshop is about learning about how live in liminal space. Liminal comes from the Latin word “limen” meaning threshold. You are neither here nor there, but in a state of inbetween. Let’s explore this place together as this is often where we are most teachable and most open to what God has for us.
    Utilizing the wisdom learned from over many other thought leaders including Susan Beaumont, Ruth Haley Barton, Dwight Zscheile, Andy Root and many years of ministry—we will but scratch the surface but hopefully start a conversation that will leave curious for more. 

  • Nurturing Faith Communities - Janelle Hooper, ELEA & Cory Newman, Barna
    The ELCA and ELEA (Evangelical Lutheran Education Association) have partnered with Barna to deepen and reach young children and families through faith formation. They have studied the faith formation needs of their congregations, schools, early learning centers, and communities. The partnership has resulted in extensive research that sheds light on how to best leverage assets to meet the faith needs of the neighborhood. If you're interested in learning more about the research, you won't want to miss out on this valuable workshop!

Saturday, January 20; 3:30-4:45pm - Workshop Session #5

  • A Handful of Practices to Cultivate Friendworks (like networks but a billion times better)Jen Gruendler and Arlene Flancher with Luther Seminary

    Ministry is challenging, no matter the season, and friends are the key to surviving. Don’t go it alone! Join Jen and Arlene to practice four things that nurture life-sustaining friendships: Showing Up, Deep Listening, Laughing and Playing, Dreaming and Being Curious. God is at work in the world, and shows up in our friends. Bring yourselves, some measure of vulnerability, and a playful spirit.

  • Recruiting Diverse Layers of Volunteer LeadershipKate McKinnie
    If you could dream up your perfect volunteer team to help you lead your church’s youth, it would include a true diverse picture of the body of Christ, right? However, current statistics suggest that only 27% of nonprofits – which include churches - have a diversity and inclusion plan for volunteers. Any youth project you are leading will be significantly more meaningful if your volunteer team represents as different a demographic of today’s population as possible. And, this is 100% attainable with the right recruitment strategy. By attending this interactive workshop, you will learn the importance of a volunteer recruitment plan that includes a specific diversity initiative. You will also come away with some specific and creative volunteer recruitment strategies of how to attract, train, appreciate and retain volunteers from a variety of layers – including different cultures, skills, knowledge bases, and spiritual gifts.
  • 5 Approaches to Developmentally-Appropriate Children’s MessagesDawn Rundman, Ph.D. with 1517 Media

    Children’s messages may last only a few minutes, but they deserve careful thought, theological grounding, and creativity. Dawn will present five approaches for writing and delivering children’s messages that can connect with all kids. Using storytelling, visuals, movement, and more, participants will practice ways to deliver children’s messages that stick with kids (and adults too).

  • Dreaming of an Inclusive Library - Rev. Janelle Hooper, Program Manager for Ministry with Children for the ELCA

    Books are being banned at an alarming rate. The majority of books are by BIPOC authors. Clearly books are powerful and are used to discriminate. I dream of a library of picture-books that engage children to see themselves as powerful and capable of learning how to live into MLK's dream. I'll present several essential books recommended for growing children of faith and justice.

  • Planning Your Own Summer Ministry TripChris Swanson, Kate Verlautz, and Mandy Stockwell

    This workshop will give you the tools and confidence to plan your own summer trip. We’ve all had trip experiences go sideways or simply miss the mark. You’ll consider your group’s strengths, passions, gifts and abilities, and growth edges to craft a one-of-a-kind ministry experience. It’s more work but more rewarding. By accounting for the needs of your group, the mission of your congregation, and how the Holy Spirit is nudging you forward you can plan a trip best-suited for your young people and adult leaders.
    This process is also an exciting way to network with other youth workers, learn how communities other than your own are already meeting needs, explore new places, and create lasting memories steeped in faith formation.
    You can do it! We can help.

  • Can These Dry Bones Live?: Dreaming of a More Inclusive ChurchELCA Disability Ministries Advisory Team
    Where do we find dry bones? In congregations that struggle with change, inclusion, lack of diversity, or who lack the resources to make their buildings and programming accessible. When we find communities of inclusion, our circle not only gets bigger, it gets better. In our workshop we will take a look at Ezekiel 37 and the Sermon on the Mount as we dream about how that vision can apply to us today. We’re going to dream big about what an inclusive church looks like, everything from programming to architecture. We hope that you will leave with dreams of your own for breathing new life into the dry bones of exclusion into your community as God calls us to be communities of inclusion.
  • Queer Confirmation - Kathryn Thompson
    Fabulous youth finding livable faith is crucial and compromised given laws, discrimination, and cultural pressures that add precarity to the lives of Queer youth. In this workshop hear about a 1-year, synchronous, zoom-based Confirmation program that is being developed, learn some queer pedagogies that you can employ right away in your contexts, and imagine how this program could benefit youth in your area!

Sunday, January 21; 8:30-9:45am - Workshop Session #6 

  • The Youth Ministry Applications of Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeons & Dragons in Youth MinistryDeacon Dustin Hamren
    This workshop is designed to explain what Dungeons and Dragons is, how it is played, and what applications it has in youth ministry. D&D is an exercise in critical thinking, math skills, dice rolls, and above all, collaborative storytelling. Though it's not for everyone or every ministry, D&D can be a fun and effective way to build relationships and gives otherwise quiet or reserved youth a chance to shine.
  • How to Become an Anti-Racist Youth Group: Tools and Practices for Living into God’s Dream of Beloved CommunityJoe Davis and David Scherer with JUSTmove
    With the difficulty of the past three years and being in "survival mode", it can be hard for youth groups to pivot toward becoming anti-racist. And yet, this is exactly the right time to have this important conversation. Join Interculturalists JUSTmove (Joe Davis and David Scherer) as they utilize music, poetry, and conversation to help us deepen our anti-racism work for the sake of the Gospel. 
  • LGBTQ-Inclusive Youth Ministry - Deacon Ross Murray with The Naming Project

    We are going to talk about all aspects of youth ministry with LGBTQ youth in mind. We'll talk language and terminology, the reality of LGBTQ youth today, theological and biblical foundations, ways to audit, best practices, and resources to support LGBTQ youth through their growth and spiritual development.

  • SYMBOL: Dreaming Together New Possibilities in Synodical Youth Ministry - SYMBOL Steering Team

    Join the SYMBOL (Synodical Youth Ministry Band of Leaders) Steering Team and learn more about what SYMBOL is and what SYMBOL does. But more importantly, join us to dream about faith formation with young people. We want to hear what ministry with children, youth, and families looks like in your synod and, we are even more excited to dream about what it can look like. We want to share existing models and explore new ones. We want to imagine how synods can support congregations and congregational youth ministry leaders in ways that are effective, whether tried and true or completely out of the box and experimental. We want to talk about how congregations in your synod can network and support one another and how they can partner with outdoor ministries, campus ministries, and others to dream new possibilities. We know that God is doing a new thing, so please join us as we discern, discover, perceive, and celebrate all that God has in store for us. We want to dream together!

  • How to Theologically Connect with Hip-Hop Music - Jordan Collins-Brown

    As strong as we may be in our faith, we still live in a secular world. Our phones, televisions, computers are all wired to have us fixated on all things. Yet, I believe the power of music is a tool that be used to cultivate a bridge to help the youth be more engaged and enlivened with their faith.
    Hip-Hop, a musical art form that has now been in existence for 50 years. It’s an art that has cultivated a billion dollar industry and has stamped itself into all things, from sports to global events. Now while hip-hop is a product of the secular world, the artist that rhyme have expressed deep gratitude for their faith. And it’s in this foundation that the secular is conformed to the religious realm.
    We will look at how artists conform to God and use their God given talents to give praises to Him, just like in the book of Psalms. While hip-hop still is an art driven by misogyny, ignorance, and harmful lyrics, there are some hidden gems out there that can used to further connect with their youth. While in no way suggesting that ministers subject themselves to listening to a genre of music that they may not normally listen to, this will be a way of showing that God is out here working in different mediums and that when acknowledgment goes to HIM, all things will continue to be possible. Through the study of scripture and lyrics, there be a chart of the continually growth through acknowledgment of the Lord and His blessing that overflow and examples of the artists who have continued to prosper in continuous evolution. The hope for this track is to leave ministers with a sense of confidence that God is still working in this world. That the music the youth listen may possibly come with a message that helps keep them on the right path. By merely mentioning the name of certain artist that the youth have already deemed you don’t know, a wall will become broken down and the youth will be able to feel more connected and engaged (not to mention your “coo” will jump to about a hundred points).

  • Integrating AI for Effective Youth Ministry - Rev. Michael Jannett, Assistant to the Bishop for Formation and Communication in the Southeastern Synod
    This workshop is designed to equip youth ministers with practical knowledge on leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their mission of making disciples for Jesus. In just one hour, participants will explore the potential applications of AI in youth ministry and discuss ethical considerations for its responsible use. They will discover how AI can personalize discipleship, provide data-driven insights, optimize resources, and enhance outreach and engagement. Through interactive discussions and real-life case studies, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how AI can support their ministry efforts. The workshop will also provide hands-on guidance, enabling participants to identify AI opportunities, select appropriate tools, and develop an action plan for implementation. By the end of the session, youth ministers will be empowered to integrate AI effectively and take their youth ministry to new heights of impact and relevance. 
  • Icebreakers - NO SUPPLIES NEEDED! - Kelsey Tomlinson
    Ever found yourself in a space where you need to do an icebreaker with your youth to get them more comfortable with each other but you weren't planning on doing an icebreaker so you have no supplies? No fear, this workshop is just for you! You will leave with an icebreaker booklet where no supplies are needed! And, you'll learn how to connect the icebreakers to your lessons for the day! Your youth will have a unifying experience to relate to the lesson and to each other.
    Come, enjoy some game time, and learn how to use these tools for your ministry!
  • Dreaming of Bringing the Mountaintop Home - Taryn Hauglie, Assistant Director of Christikon
    Ever peak a mountain? If you have, you feel like you’re on top of the world. The euphoria, the adrenaline, and the views for miles can be hard to beat. Avid climbers can in time start to experience “peak fever” – always chasing that rush they feel when they reach the summit. In a similar way, youth can feel that same mountaintop feeling, whether they attend the Gathering, go to camp, or participate in a service-learning trip. These experiences bring youth up the mountain and closer to God, so how can we bring that mountaintop feeling back home with us after the trip? How can we sustain the community that is built during these monumental experiences in an inclusive way? Where can we find little mountaintops in our own front yard?

Arriving Early? Check out these Early Bird Workshops

Early Bird 1: Thursday, January 18, 2:30 - 3:30pm

  • Small Church, Big Impact: Leading Change in the Small(er) ChurchRebecca Jacobson with Youth Ministry Consultants
    According to the ELCA Research and Evaluation, over 77% of ELCA Churches are 150 people or less. After the disruption of the last few years, more and more congregations are becoming smaller and finding themselves in a position of needing to make change, but not always sure how. These congregations have rich histories and deep traditions, but these beautiful elements can also pose some unique challenges for their leaders.
    In this time together, we’ll explore the reality of small church ministry - both the positive and the challenging and equip leaders to implement change in effective ways. Leaders will have an opportunity to cultivate community and share from their personal experiences. We’ll dive into what it means to lead change in smaller churches and how to be even more effective in in sharing the love of God with the next generation.
  • So You Want to Write a Book - Book Writing and Being an Author....Dawn Rundman, Ph.D. with 1517 Media
    Maybe you've got the whole manuscript already. Maybe you haven't dared to start writing. Maybe you're somewhere in between. Writing a book (whether a children's book, a non-fiction title, or a work of fiction) is a monumental project, but there's a lot more to publishing a book than having a manuscript in hand. Join editor Dawn Rundman as she shares publisher insights, concrete steps, and encouragement so you can take your next best step toward authorship.
  • Center Your DreamsRev. Marc Mohr
    A combination of self care and spiritual connectedness with Jesus, this workshop will focus on mandalas. Mandalas start on the outside and move towards the center, this workshop can be great to integrate into your ministry with youth and adults alike. What are your dreams for the youth, what you do in life and how you can move forward in the future? Come and explore the mandala and how your dreams relate to God.

Early Bird 2: Thursday, January 18, 2023, 3:45 - 4:45pm

  • B'etzlem Elohim-In the Image of GodEliana Katchkey
    B'etzlem Elohim or In the Image of God is about viewing others through our creator's eyes. Far too often, our world looks at the differences of another or is so blind to them that we do not see the unique indivuality that our loving creator has so diligently crafted us with. B'etzlem Elohim is my personal reminder when I am around someone who is different than I am, first and foremost to help me recenter myself and how I view that person, and second reminds me of the commandment that our Jewish Rabbi gave, "Love one another as you love yourself." I grew up in a Jewish home and came to faith in Christ when I was seventeen.
  • From Chaos to Peace: Unleashing Your Inner Peacemaker and Changing the WorldIan Heseltine & Deacon Amanda Randall (they/them)
    You turn on the TV and the news starts playing, and the world starts to look bleak. We too quickly can fall into despair as we see the world around us in total chaos and conflict. But what happens when we redirect our mindset? Can peace be possible? In this session, we’ll dive deep into the foundations of peacemaking and how we, as people of God, can be active in the process of achieving peace. This work is grounded in Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Our youth are craving the ways that their faith matters outside of our congregations, and we are too. Peacemaking is one way that our faith helps to break down barriers and build bridges between people.
  • Ministry Planning Using the Six Hats ProcessPete Erickson, InterServe Ministries
    In this session, participants will participate in a case study to learn how to apply the principles of "Six Hats Thinking" to engage a diversity of thinkers more effectively in the ministry planning process. In every planning meeting there are process thinkers, affective or feeling thinkers, internal processors, external processors, the optimist, and the skeptic. This creative process values ALL of those frames of reference.