Children, Youth, and Family Ministry
From the Desk…
Events
News & Resources
OUR CORE VALUES
How We Believe God Would Have Us Accomplish the Mission And Vision
Leadership Development
- Form youth to be leaders.
- Plan and implement leadership training for youth.
Faith Formation
- Plan and implement events and programs intended to lead children, youth and their families closer to Christ and toward a life of discipleship.
Equip Adult Leaders
- Encourage and support youth leaders through events where leaders can share experiences, successes and resources.
Support
- Develop and maintain communication to inform youth and youth leaders about upcoming events, using email, social media, monthly newsletter.
- Provide publicity for events in a timely manner.
mission statement
What We Believe God Has Called Us To Do
We believe God has called us, in partnership with parents and adult leaders, to cultivate faith formation, leadership development, fellowship and service by, with, and for ELCA children and youth and communities.
Vision Statement
What We Hope God Will Do Through Us
Our vision is for all youth and children in SC to experience God’s love and grace.
Resolution on Child Protection
As adopted by the 2025 Synod Assembly
From the Desk of Deborah Poole

Children’s Ministry (Part 1)
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY (PART 1)
Creating an environment that fosters spiritual growth and reflects God’s love is essential. Here are some best practices to help you cultivate a successful children’s ministry, ensuring it positively impacts the next generation.
I. Building a Solid Foundation:
- 1. Establish Core Programs:
- Curriculum: Choose age-appropriate, biblically sound curricula.
- Interactive Learning: Use crafts, games, and storytelling for engagement.
- Teacher Training: Provide regular training for effective teaching.
- 2. Prioritize Safety:
- Background Checks: Mandatory for all volunteers.
- Clear Policies: Develop and enforce safety protocols.
- Open Communication: Keep parents informed about safety measures.
- Adequate Supervision: Ensure sufficient adult supervision at all times.
- 3. Recruit and Equip Volunteers:
- Personal Invitation: Prayerfully identify and personally invite volunteers. Do not only give general calls for help.
- Volunteer Recruitment Events: Host events to share your ministry’s vision.
- Mentorship Programs: Pair new volunteers with experienced leaders.
- Appreciation Events: Regularly recognize and celebrate volunteers.
- Clear Expectations: Clarify roles, responsibilities, and support.
- 4. Cast a Compelling Vision:
- Articulate the “why” and “where” of your ministry.
- Help the congregation visualize a captivating future.
- What has God placed in your heart and mind for the children?
Key Principle:
“The aim isn’t to grow children’s ministry; it’s to grow children” in their love and devotion to Jesus.
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Youth Leadership Opportunities
Our synod’s Children, Youth and Family Ministry includes many ways in which youth are involved in leadership beyond the congregation. Contact Coordinator Deborah Poole (deborah@scynod.com) for more information or to suggest names!
The CYFM Cabinet is key in managing the vision and mission of the synod’s CYFM. Click below for an application form:
Youth Ministry Task Force Application – Google Forms
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Resources
VB-Yes: Why Special Events Are Still Important
VB-Yes: Why Special Events Are Still Important – Ministry Spark
VBS Prayer Countdown
Summer Bucket List
DKM Faith and Fun Summer Bucket List
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Religious Education During the Pandemic: A Tale of Challenge and Creativity
Religious-Education-During-the-Pandemic_April-2022.pdf
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Amazing resources at LIVING COMPASS, including teen and kid resources
Kid Resources — The Wellness Compass Initiative
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How do some youth ministries consistently connect and thrive? Springtide’s “What’s Working” project uncovered a key ingredient: adaptability. Leaders share how listening, pivoting, and embracing “failures” will transform your ministry.
Effective Youth Ministry Strategies: Adaptability – Springtide Research Institute
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Is Your Congregation Ready?
The Formation Co-Op requires a commitment of time and energy. It’s not about providing ready-made answers but offering a framework for new ways of thinking and being in youth ministry. To help discern if this is the right step for your congregation, we encourage you to use our Congregation Readiness Assessment Tool.
🌱 Formation Co-Op Readiness Assessment Tool.pdf – Google Drive
Each Hub has its own structure and dates. For more details and to apply, please visit our Formation Co-Op Applications page. Formation Co-Op Applications
Note: Deacon Sandra Holland and Paige Gibbons of St. Andrews, Columbia participated in Group B and are willing answer your questions. You can listen to their podcast here (#11) Faith Listens.
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How to Plan a Master Calendar for Your Ministry’s Success
Apologies if I already shared this.
How to Plan a Master Calendar for Your Ministry’s Success – Ministry Leadership Center
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Just for June
Father’s Day
25+ Ways To Celebrate Father’s Day – Small Church Ministry
7 Father’s Day Ideas for Churches
Juneteenth
20 Inspiring Juneteenth Activities To Celebrate the Holiday
7 Joyful Ways To Celebrate Juneteenth This Year
Pride Month
30 Pride Month Activities To Promote Love and Acceptance
Churches can engage in various activities to celebrate Pride Month, such as:
- Hosting inclusive prayer services to support and celebrate LGBTQIA+ individuals and their families.
- Marching in parades behind banners of choice, showcasing their commitment to inclusivity.
- Setting up booths for community conversations and support.
- Creating welcoming spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals, offering a sense of belonging and acceptance.
- Utilizing resources like hymns and liturgy specifically written for LGBTQIA+ individuals to uplift the community.
- Providing training for participants to ensure everyone feels confident and informed about their church’s approach to Pride events. These activities not only celebrate the diversity of the human family but also help to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQIA+ individuals and their families within the church community.
Organizational structure
newsletters
Resources& Links
ELCA Faith Formation
Growing Young Assessment
Living Our Baptism
Implementing the ELCA Faith Practices in your Ministry Setting

Resources
FACEBOOK GROUPS
- CYFM Resources – SC Synod
- SC Synod Children, Youth, and Family Ministry
- ELCA Youth Ministry Network
- Stuff You Can Use – non-denominational
- Deep Discipleship Youth Group Games
- UMC Intergenerational Ministries
- Big Ideas in Youth Ministry
- ELCA Children and Family Ministries
- Cultivate Faith with PRC
- Ministry Boost
- Birthing Cross+Gen Community
- Progressive Youth Ministry
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY RESOURCES
- ELCA Children’s Ministry
- Sparkhouse
- Spirit & Truth Publishing (Revised and Narrative Lectionary Curriculum)
- VeggieTales – God Made You Special and He Loves You Very Much
- Bible Made Easy for Kids | Christian Videos | Whats in the Bible
FAMILY
- Lifelong Faith – Home
- Vibrant Faith – Discover the Whole-Person Ministry Leadership Approach
- Family Faith Formation Toolkit | Family Faith Formation Toolkit | Christian Reformed Church
- Faith Practices at Home / Home Practices
- Book / Faithful Families by Traci Smith (Study Guide – faithfulfamilies4weekstudy)
- Book / Ordinary Blessings for Parents — Meta Herrick Carlson
- Parent Cue
CHILD PROTECTION
- Safe Gatherings / $$ (Synod has partnership with them)
- Home – Darkness to Light
- Safe Gatherings – Mandated Reporting
- Article / Creating a Child Protection Policy for Your Church – Rooted Ministry
- Template for creating policy / Sample-Child-Protection-Policy.pdf
- Model / DE-MDSynodModelChildProtectionPolicy.pdf
- Model / Child-Protection-Policy-SC-reviewed-02-16-2019.pdf
- Model / Child-Safety-Policy-Redacted.pdf
- Model / Child Protection Policy (CPP) – Faith Lutheran Church
- Model / Good Shepherd Lutheran Church – Alexandria, VA | Child Protection
- Church Protection Resources | EPC
- Guidelines-for-Child-Protection-Policy-FINAL-012820.pdf
- Child-Youth-Vulnerable Adult Policy 2020 (GA 2020) (00131876).DOCX
- SafeSanctuaries-Small-Churches-0517.pdf
CONFIRMATION MINISTRY
- Study the Story of the Bible With Free Tools | BibleProject™
- Colaborate: Lutheran Confirmation | Sparkhouse
- Here We Stand Confirmation
- Mentorship / Five keys for effective mentoring
- Re:form | Sparkhouse
YOUTH MINISTRY
- Curriculum / T.B.D. | Sparkhouse
- Conference / The Confluence |
- Team building through cooking Way Cool Cooking School | Cooking School in Eden Prairie, MN
- The Bible Project / Study the Story of the Bible With Free Tools | BibleProject™
- Curriculum / Echo the Story | Sparkhouse
- Youth Ministry | LeaderTreks Youth Ministry
- Environmental learning Growing Green Hearts
- Peer Ministry / Peer Ministry Leadership – Leadership Training
- Ultimate Camp Resource – Camp Games, Camp Songs, Camp Skits, and more!
- Youth Ministry Great Games – YouTube
- Faith Lens – Faith Lens » Blog Archive – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Ministry to Youth – Youth Group Lessons – Free | Youth Bible Lessons – Free
- Youth ESource – Home – youthESource
- YM360 – YM360 | Youth Ministry 360
- Book / Sustainable Youth Ministry – Ministry Architects
- Youth Group Lessons and Games | Ministry to Youth
- YouthMinistry.com – Daily Wisdom for Youth Workers.
CAMPS, MISSION TRIPS & RETREATS
- Local – Columbia / GraceWorks
- NovusWay Ministries I Christian Camps & Retreats In Southeast U.S.
- Appalachia Service Project | Mission Trips in Appalachia
- Passport | Christian Summer Mission Camps For Youth Groups and Children
- Service Learning Camps
- HOME | Thedwelling
- Center for Student Missions / City Service Mission
- Lutheran Outdoor Ministries | Encouraging, Educating, Equipping, and Empowering Camp & Retreat Leadership
- Praying Pelicans Missions / Mission Trips – Domestic & International Group Mission Trips | PPM
- Serve Boldly – GREEN LAKE LUTHERAN MINISTRIES
- YouthWorks | Christ-Centered Youth Mission Trips
BACK TO SCHOOL BLESSINGS AND PRAYERS
- Back_to_School_Blessings_and_Prayers.pdf (buildfaith.org) and Blessing Backpacks: Prayer and Resources (buildfaith.org)
- 25 Promising Back To School Prayers For Students & Teachers – Home Faith Family
- Ministry Matters™ | Backpack Blessings
- Blessing of the Backpacks and Back-to-School Worship Liturgy (illustratedministry.com)
- Discipleship Ministries | A Blessing of the Backpacks and the School… (umcdiscipleship.org)
- Backpack Blessing! (saltproject.org)
- For devices / Blessing of the devices (resourceumc.org)
CHOOSING CURRICULUM
- Building Faith’s Top Picks for Youth Ministry Curriculum (buildfaith.org)
- Building Faith’s Top Picks for Children’s Ministry Curriculum (buildfaith.org)
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Building Faith
- Cherish All Children / For Churches | Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
- Go Weekly / Orange Resources
- ELCAYMNET (Youth Ministry Network) / Martin’s List – Need a membership Members Login
- The Ministry Lab – Supporting vibrant, innovative ministry for our changing world
- ELCAYMNET (youth ministry network) – have to join
- Advocacy for the acceptance, full participation, and liberation of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions within the Lutheran Church Home – Reconciling Works
- Fuller Youth Institute / Fuller Youth Institute
- Faith Formation / ELCA FAITH FORMATION – home
- The Innovation Lab / Innovation in Action
- Youth Ministry Consulting for Your Church – Ministry Architects / Synod has a partnership with them. Code is SCCYFM25
- Springtide Research Institute / Interesting information
CONTINUING EDUCATION
- E-Formation / Lifelong Learning | Virginia Theological Seminary
- ELCAYNET Extravaganza / Extravaganza 2026
- Faith Forward: Reimagine Children’s and Youth Ministry / Faith Forward
- Intergenerate Conference / InterGenerate
- Faith+Lead / Follow God into a Faithful Future: Faith+Lead
- Orange Conference / Orange Conference 2025 | The Family Ministry Event Of The Year | The Art Of We
- Vibrant Faith – Discover the Whole-Person Ministry Leadership Approach
- Lifelong Faith – Home
SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH
- Hope: A Guide for Faith Leaders to Help Prevent Youth Suicide | National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (theactionalliance.org)
- Teaching resources for talking with teens about suicide | PBS NewsHour Classroom
- Children Ages 12 and Younger – Suicide Prevention Resource Center (sprc.org)
- Five Ways a Church Can Observe National Suicide Prevention Month – Gordon Conwell
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
SEASON OF CREATION
- Season of Creation Formation Resources (buildfaith.org)
- Creation Justice Resources for Children & Youth | UMC Creation Justice (umcreationjustice.org)
- Season of Creation
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS
- Advent and Christmas – Online Resource Center – PRC – Practical Resources for Churches
- Christmas Pageant Ideas, Tips and Scripts / https://buildfaith.org/christmas-pageants/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGXYpVleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHVXwgmiPJh4OU05Fw2s_EGenZwqOr592yhnSQqu_
- Advent Calendars for 2024
- New and Recent Formation Resources for Advent
- Faithful Families for Advent and Christmas / Faithful Families for Advent and Christmas: 100 Ways to Make the Season Sacred: Smith, Traci: 9780827211360: Amazon.com: Books
- Flame: Creative Children’s Ministry: 25 Advent Activities
- 27 Advent and Christmas Service Ideas – Brainstorm List – Re:think Worship
- Waiting for the Light: Advent DevotionalAdvent devotional, Waiting for the Light.
VALENTINE’S DAY/LOVE
- Youth Group Games – Valentine’s Day | Ministry to Youth
Christian Valentine Party Ideas for Church - 33 Valentine’s Day Church Ideas Everyone Will Love
PRESIDENT’S DAY
- Children’s Sermon: Presidents’ Day – A Great Time to Pray – Kids Bible Lessons
- United States Presidents’ Day Holiday Ministry Resources
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
- 10 Ways to Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day with Kids
- 20 Random Acts of Kindness for Kids and Families
- 40 Random Acts of Kindness for Youth
NATIVE AMERICAN MONTH
- Discipleship Ministries | Worship Resources for Native American… (umcdiscipleship.org)
- Native/Indigenous American and Alaska Native Heritage Month Resources for 2023 (buildfaith.org)
THANKSGIVING
EASTER
- Easter Sunday School Lesson for Youth – Youth Group Ministry
- EASTER GAME: THE RESURRECTION | Ministry to Youth
- Easter Activities for Kids: Baskets of Fun Ideas Children Will Love
- 5 Family Easter Activities You Can Host At Your Church
- Easter games and activites for kids church, youth group and family events | Youth Group Games | Games, ideas, icebreakers, activities for youth groups, youth ministry and churches.
CELEBRATE DIVERSITY MONTH
AUTISM AWARENESS/ACCEPTANCE
- Autism Awareness Activities for Places of Worship – Autism Faith Network
- 35 Fun Thought-Provoking Autism Awareness Month Activities for Kids – CraftyThinking
ASH WEDNESDAY/LENT
- Ash Wednesday for Families
- Ash Wednesday is an important reminder of why Jesus died on the cross
- Lent in a Bag: An Activity for Church or Home
- Lent Activities for Kids – Ministry To Children
Celebrate Lent In Your Children’s Ministry - 40 Lent Activities for Families (That Are Simple And FUN)
- Discipleship Ministries | Ash Wednesday
YOUTH GROUP LESSONS ON LENT | Ministry to Youth
Lent ideas for your youth ministry
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
- Celebrating 50/40/10 years of women’s ordination – Women of the ELCA
- 10 Ways to Celebrate Women’s History Month | Happied
- Women’s History Month Activities for All Ages (Free Posters)
EVENTS
October 4-5, 2025
Let’s Glow for God!
Elementary Retreat (Grades 1-5)
October 4-5 @ Camp Kinard
Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Scholarships
We don’t want a lack of funds to keep you from attending retreats and conferences. The amount of scholarship funds available to each applicant varies depending upon availability of fund as we strive to be good stewards of our financial resources. All information is confidential, and we will make every effort to fulfill your request. Please contact Deacon Deborah (deborah@scsynod.com) for more information.
October 19, 2025
Marty Party
Zion, Lexington
November 1, 2025
Mental Health Summit (Synod-wide)
Mt. Hermon, West Columbia
November 20, 2025
Child Protection Policy Training
TBA
January 2026 – TBA
CYFM Cabinet
Zoom Meeting
January 23-25, 2026
Middle School Retreat
Camp Kinard
“What is a Disciple?”
February 6-7, 2026
CYF Leaders Event
Camp Kinard
Nurturing the Spirituality and Faith of our Children
March 13-15, 2026
Confirmation Retreat (Grades 6-8)
Camp Kinard
April 12, 2026
Heather Roth Johnson (CYF Leaders)
St. Andrew’s, Columbia
May 15-17, 2026
High School Retreat
Coastal Retreat
What is a disciple? (Grades 9-12)
June 11-13, 2026
Leadership Summit
In conjunction with Synod Assembly
What it Means to be a Faithful Leader In conjunction with Synod Assembly. Will include social gatherings, pool party, etc.
June/July 2026
Camp Hugg
July 2026
GraceWorks
Get In Touch
This is Christ’s Church. There is a place for you here.
We are the church that shares a living, daring confidence in God’s grace. Liberated by our faith, we embrace you as a whole person–questions, complexities and all. Join us as we do God’s work in Christ’s name for the life of the world.
Contact Information
ELCA South Carolina Synod
1003 Richland Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Telephone 803-765-0590
Fax 803-252-5558
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Related Organizations
James R. Crumley, Jr., Archives (ELCA Archives)
Lutheran Homes of South Carolina
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
NovusWay (Lutheridge+Lutherock+Luther Springs+Lutheranch)
South Carolina Lutheran Church Youth
South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission