Children and Youth: Wednesday Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders

Here to Serve: Being Church in the Time of COVID-19, a weekly online gathering for ELCA Leaders, Wednesdays, 1PM Central.

Our weekly gathering on May 20 will focus on children and youth. The conversation will be facilitated by Linda Staats, founder of HomeGrown Faith and ELCA Coordinator for The Generosity Project. Across the miles, Linda cares for her 101- year-old mother and extended family members of the Millennial and Alpha generation in Kenya.

Being Church in the Time of COVID-19 - Weekly Gathering for ELCA Leaders

As we think about children and youth:

  • What is it they have been absorbing, and what is it they can teach us?

  • How do we as leaders support their care-givers and prepare for re-entry into a world that has changed around them?

  • Each of our speakers will share reflections from their perspectives and experiences. 

Cory Newman is Executive Director of the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA), the organization that advocates for 1,400 ELCA Schools and early learning centers. ELEA actively supports 18,000 staff and 150,000 children during closure of our Lutheran schools and sheltering in place orders. Cory is an experienced early childhood educator and mother to two girls, one in high school and the other an elementary age student.

Lyle Griner, Director of Peer Ministry and a grandfather, has been meeting weekly with our ELCA youth, listening to their deepest needs and hopes and providing resources for navigating these times together as youth and caring adults. Lyle is a spiritual director, author, and coach, who believes every youth is a leader.

Janelle Hooper, Program Director for the ELCA Children’s Ministry, is supporting our ELCA leaders and households by listening to the needs of our leaders and maintaining a website with up-to-date curated faith forming resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a pastor, author, Godly Play facilitator, and mother to two elementary age children.

You are invited to join this weekly gathering designed to provide encouragement and support for ELCA leaders across the church and throughout society. Participants will hear topical presentations related to how we are called to be Church in the time of COVID-19, as well as an opportunity to be in small group discussions with an ELCA group coach facilitating the conversation. All of this is designed to help us process our feelings in this strange and fearful time and to create a space where we can each name our next most faithful step forward in our unique context.

You are welcome to share this invitation with any other ELCA leader, rostered or lay. #ELCAChurchTogether #HereToServe

ResourcesBrian FlatgardLinda Staats, Evangelical Lutheran Education Association, Peer Ministry Leadership, Children's MinistryComment