The annual event of youth ministry leaders that focuses on spiritual renewal, continuing education and Networking
Category: The Extravaganza
Leadership Shifts in the Network
The Network continues to grow and evolve. Blessed by the Holy Spirit, our community has been gifted with some amazing leaders. And every year at about this time, we do some shifting around, as the needs of the Network change and as new gifts emerge. With Pastor Regina Goodrich and Becky Cole finishing up their terms on the Board, ...
“I Didn’t Know I Needed This”
I noticed something at this year’s Extravaganza. All of the themes for the different “main stage” sessions were really well received. But there was one that stood out: “Holding Grief.” The live chat during all of the sessions was very busy. But when this session started, and the speakers started doing their work to unpack ...
An Extravaganza Update: Moving to Online Only
Dear friends, I want to give you a quick update on Extravaganza 2021. We find ourselves having to “live into” our theme of “Holding Loosely” as we do our planning. We have made the difficult decision to cancel the “in person” portion of the event at the Hilton in Minneapolis and instead focus all of ...
Announcement: Extravaganza 2021 and 2022
Watch the video announcement, or read below: Hello friends, Thank you for your patience as we’ve been working to figure out how to fulfill the mission of the Network and the Extravaganza in a pandemic world. For the last several months we have been focusing on two questions: “How can we be helpful to people ...
Results from the Extravaganza 2020 Evaluations
Dear friends, Thank you so much! I am overwhelmed by the Extravaganza 2020 Evaluations you filled out. We have completed going through the responses and creating reports for them. The Extravaganza team leaders will meet next week in Minneapolis to review the responses and to dial in on the planning process for 2021. I’m excited ...
The Holy Spirit is Apparently “Boundless”
Sometimes you just can’t make this stuff up. When “coincidences” like this happen, my eyes widen a bit, and then I catch my breath and realize that the Holy Spirit is at work. Let me start at the beginning: So 3 years ago, the Extravaganza team leaders were together for their regular March meeting to ...
Extravaganza: Changing It Up!
The Extravaganza planning team is hard at work putting together the 2020 event in Anaheim, and there are some pretty amazing changes in the works for how we learn together. The first task the team leaders took on when we met together in March was to read and give careful attention to the evaluations that ...
What Does the Network Look Like?
I’m asked every year, “Who is the Extravaganza for?” My stock answer: “Well, it’s for everyone…especially for people who work in faith formation with young people and their families.” It’s not the most satisfying answer, I get that. But it’s truth. We work to create an event that connects with as many people as possible. ...
Maximizing Your Extravaganza and Network Value
We know that there is a commitment to being a part of the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, and an even bigger commitment when one comes to the Extravaganza. They both take time, and financial resources. And we know that when you talk to your supervisor, or your church council, or whoever approves spending, and you ...
All New Network App Released!
The Extravaganza evaluation results from the 2018 event confirmed what we already suspected. The Network’s mobile app, which had been pretty ‘cutting-edge’ when it was first released, wasn’t keeping up with our growing needs at the Extravaganza, or with new technologies. Parts of it could be complicated to navigate, and we couldn’t include enough of ...
Network is a Verb 