Why We Should Care About What’s Going On in Pittsburgh This Week
“Hi, my name is Todd, and I’m a church nerd.” “Hi Todd.” I admit it – full disclosure – I would be paying attention to what’s going on at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly anyway. I would be. These kinds of things fascinate me. How organizations function together and how decisions are made is at least ...
Detroit 2015: Everyone Please Take a Breath
It was with some dismay and a bit of disappointment that I’ve been reading the ongoing comments and conversation in blogs and on Facebook about the City of Detroit as the site of the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering. I know that the news about the legal bankruptcy of the City of Detroit is very big ...
Nadia is Going on the Road!
At the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans last summer, something unusual happened. First, understand that the main stage program is always good. Speakers…music…video…production…it’s all done really really well. But in the years that I have been at the event, the ideas are what people walk away with. A year later, I’ll hear our young ...
Musicians & Artists & Speakers, oh my!
It’s a phone call that comes in fairly often: “We’re planning a big event for our (fill in the blank…congregation…synod…conference…etc…) and we’re looking for a speaker and a musician. We want a (fill in the blank: (soloist…band…loud…acoustic…etc…). Does the Network have a listing, or a directory, or a recommendation or anything that can help us?” ...
So What Would Google Do?
I am more and more convinced that for the church in all its expressions (congregational… synodical…denominational…) is going to grow into the next era, we are going to need to learn to think very differently. The days of working to protect the institution, and to contain decision making, leadership and power, are pretty much gone. ...
Thanking Jacqui
Years ago, when we were just getting the Network “up and running”, we realized the need for a regular, e-mail newsletter. Something that could both communicate information, and inspire adults who work with young people in their ministry. Who to put this all together? It took approximately 3/10ths of a second to grab the phone ...
Extravaganza: What’s In A Name
I get this question about once a year: “Extravaganza? Why would I go to that? We don’t have the funds for me to go to something that is extravagant!” I thought it might be helpful to explain a bit. First, the history: At our very first, stand-alone event (before that, we had met together prior ...
Want to Be A Writer?
The Connect Journal is the publication of the ELCA Youth Ministry Network. Published 3 (or sometimes 4 if the budget is in an especially good mood) times a year, the journal attempts to put fresh thinking about children, youth and family ministry into people’s hands. ely While there folks who we ask to write articles ...
A Different Way to Live
God is up to something new within our community, within our church. The church talks a good game when it comes to community. We focus on “being” together in congregations. But the world is shifting. Our very understanding of what community is changing as a relationships in a digital age are stretching our understanding of ...
What’s Up With Our App?
Some of you may have noticed that the Network’s mobile app is having some issues. (I know this because you’ve e-mailed me) It’s pretty disappointing because of the time and energy that went into developing the app, and the important role it has played in our communications strategy. So what’s the problem? The short answer ...
Network is a Verb 