August 4, 2020
Dear Multi Ethnic and Multicultural Ministry Staff and Leaders,
I bring you greetings from the ELCA Youth Core Leadership Team (YCLT) and am excited to share with you their plans for the 2020 ELCA Youth Leadership Summit. Each year, we look forward to hosting this event and watching our high school leaders gather as they are equipped with leadership skills for the church both today and tomorrow.
Over the past few months, the ELCA Churchwide Office has been closely monitoring and evaluating the situation around Covid-19 virus to ensure we are taking the necessary measures to protect the health and well-being of the 2020 ELCA Youth Leadership participants. As a result, we have explored other options. We have made the difficult decision to make the 2020 ELCA Youth Leadership Summit an online event this year.
While the Youth Core Leadership Team is disappointed that we will not be together in person, we are excited to host the ELCA Youth Leadership Summit as a virtual experience for our young leaders. Details are still being worked out. Our plan is for the Summit to begin with a meal and worship on Friday, November 6, at 6:00 pm and conclude with Worship on Saturday evening, November 7, by 8 pm. We will not be online for the entire time.
Youth can expect to participate in community building activities with the Youth Core Leadership Team including games and small groups between learning sessions. Youth will be introduced to representatives from ELCA Lutheran Colleges, ELCA Campus Ministries, ELCA Young Adults, and ELCA Military Chaplaincy as they “look toward” their next faith community and the opportunities that awaits them in the church. There will be some preparation work for the participants that will be emailed in advance of the Summit and t-shirts and other Summit swag will be sent directly to the youth’s homes.
The theme verse is Proverbs 27:19 says, As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. The 2020 ELCA Youth Leadership Virtual Summit will help youth discover and affirm themselves, as they are created perfectly in God’s image, both outwardly and inwardly. Through online webinars, the participants will meet leaders who are reflecting God through the ministries and agencies that they lead and serve. And finally, through small group discussions, the participants will share their hearts, passions, hopes and dreams of how they will reflect God through their involvement in their community, church, school, and vocation.
Each synod is invited to choose 2 youth and 1 adult leader to participate. Register online at www.elcayouthministry.com The deadline for registration is October 15, 2020, so that we can ship everything to the participants’ homes.
The Youth Leadership Summit is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and partners with the Domestic Mission Unit, the Faith Formation Team, the SYMBOL Network, the ELCA Youth Gathering, the 65 Synods across the United States, ELCA Disability Ministries, and ELCA Ethnic Specific Ministries.
The Youth Core Leadership Team and I look forward to welcoming participants from your synod and ministry to the 2020 Summit virtually! Check back often at www.elcayouthministry.com for updated information.
If you have any questions please contact Rachel Alley, at rachel.alley@elca.org
Rachel Alley
Program Director for Youth Ministries
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America