Category: The Network
Outdoor Ministry Sites Need Our Help
Hello friends, Our ELCA camps and outdoor ministry sites are in deep need right now and are asking for our help. Coming out of the pandemic, and a year where they either didn’t operate or they worked to provide online ministry opportunities for campers and their families, they are now struggling to recruit enough staff ...
Gathering Transitions: Thank You to Molly Beck Dean
Dear friends, At this year’s Extravaganza, ELCA staff members and many of the team leaders from the ELCA Youth Gathering were present to talk about the cancellation of the 2022 Gathering and the transition to the 2024 Youth Gathering. And at this event, Deacon Tammy Jones West was introduced as the new Interim Director of the ...
What the Gathering’s Cancellation Means
Hello friends, By now, you have probably seen the notification from the ELCA Youth Gathering, letting the community know that the 2022 Youth Gathering in Minneapolis will not take place. Instead, the Gathering leadership will pivot and begin working on the 2024 event. We want to let you know that the 2022 Extravaganza, scheduled for ...
New COVID Protocols for Extravaganza 2022
Dear Network friends, The Extravaganza planning team has updated our COVID protocols for our gathering next month at the Hilton in Minneapolis. We are committed to an event that fulfills our mission and our goals: Powerful spiritual renewal, quality continuing education and great networking. At the same time, we are committed to an event that keeps participants ...
Giving Thanks for the Life of Heidi Hagstrom
Dear friends, It is with deep sadness that I write to share the news of the death of Rev. Heidi Hagstrom. Heidi died last night around midnight, in the presence of her family members. Heidi had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer last year. Heidi served most recently as the pastor of Fields ...
Extravaganza 2022 Update: Vaccines or Recent COVID Test to be Required
Hello friends, The ELCA Youth Ministry Network has made the decision to require onsite Extravaganza 2022 participants to have COVID vaccinations, or a negative COVID test no more than 72 hours prior to the start of the event, in order to participate. We ask our onsite registrants to be prepared to show proof of vaccination ...
Salary Survey 2021 Results
The results of the 2021 Salary Survey are in and available for you to use. The goal of the salary survey is to serve as a starting point for congregational conversations about budget, salary and compensation. Facts are our friends, and being able to look at data as it relates to the size of your ...
Where We Are At
A couple of days ago, I came across a social media post by Rev. Beth Wartick, of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Ankeny, Iowa. I read it, and then read it again. And I realized that it is a really good description of the journey that we have been on. I could see myself within it. ...
Understanding the Network Salary Survey
Hello friends, Last month we launched the 2021 Salary Survey. Normally, we would have done it in 2020, but we figured that COVID was throwing everything out of whack and our results in 2020 might not be representative of reality. Our goal is to have as many people who work in faith formation as possible ...
Time to Take the 2021 Salary Survey
It’s time to begin putting together what for some individuals and congregations is the Network’s most helpful tool. We are asking everyone on our mailing list to please fill out the 2021 ELCA Youth Ministry Network Salary Survey. The last survey was completed in 2018. normally we would do the survey every two years. However, ...
Network is a Verb 