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

One of the Greatest Opportunities we have to teach kids
FAMILY MINISTRY is one of the greatest opportunities we have to teach kids, develop leaders, and equip parents in order to pass along the faith to the next generation.
To those who work in Kids/Youth Ministry, it makes perfect sense to focus on the children. We decorate spaces just for them. We hold events they won’t want to miss. It’s awesome to see kids who want to come to church and don’t want to leave. Hearing their insights, questions, and prayers is such a blessing and encouragement.
What we do for and with children and youth matters, and we play an important role in a child’s growing relationship with Jesus. But that should not be our only focus. There’s a simple yet important thing to remember: Kids don’t arrive at church alone.
Every child comes with a family attached, and every one of those families is unique. As we go about our work week to week, we should continually remind ourselves that family plays the single most influential role in the life of a child. As ministry leaders, investing in parents is just as important, perhaps more important, than what we pour into their children. Family Ministry and Kids/Youth Ministry go hand in hand. What we offer to parents benefits their kids, and what we offer to kids benefits their families.
No matter how a church approaches ministry to families, there is a key place to begin. It’s like building a house. You can’t put siding on walls that aren’t there. You must start with the foundation. Without it, the rest of the home cannot exist. Family ministry doesn’t begin with big events or trips. It’s built through small, intentional, foundational steps.
Focusing on three things can create a strong community of parents who embrace their roles as the primary spiritual leaders in their homes through the support we offer at church.
Relationship
Jesus’ ministry was relational. He spent time with people, called them by name, listened to them, and met spiritual and practical needs. Drop off and pick up times at church can be crazy with kids coming and going, but it’s also an important time to connect face-to-face with parents, grandparents, and siblings. Greet them by name, ask how they are, and listen. It’s where all relationships begin, and it’s how friendships grow. If you don’t have a relationship with parents, you miss out on a connection with the people who matter most to those children.
Partnership
In simplest terms, our role in children’s ministry is one of partnership, not ownership. God’s intention and instruction are clear — parents are charged with the primary discipling of their children. If we categorize ourselves in the role of the only Bible teacher a child has, we’ll communicate our level of importance over the families we serve.
It’s important to remember that we have been invited to play a part in the discipleship of a child, but we are not their primary leaders. When we keep this in mind, we encourage connections based on partnerships, which is key in ministering to families.
Encouragement
Raising a child is hard–physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Parenting is a joy-filled journey with a lot of challenges along the way.
As we develop meaningful relationships with parents, we get to be cheerleaders, teammates, and coaches. Look for opportunities to support their parenting by pointing out characteristics you see they’ve instilled in their children. Listen to their concerns and struggles and check-in to see how they’re doing. Pray with them, not just for them. Offer suggestions and resources but remember that parents are the experts when it comes to knowing their children.
Taking these foundational steps with families is worthwhile and necessary, but it takes time; it takes effort; it takes planning. By giving attention to the families whose children we are privileged to serve, God’s work is multiplied beyond the hours we spend together at church.
When parents understand they have partners in the discipleship of their children, feel connected through relationships at church, and know they are supported in the hard work of parenting, faith becomes more central in the daily lives of their families.
Family Ministry Resources
Lifelong Faith – Lifelong Faith – Home
Vibrant Faith – Vibrant Faith – Discover the Whole-Person Ministry Leadership Approach
Family Faith Formation Toolkit – Family Faith Formation Toolkit | Family Faith Formation Toolkit | Christian Reformed Church
Faith Practices at Home – Home Practices
Faithful Families by Traci Smith
Bring a team and join us for a “WHOLE FAMILY MINISTRY” Workshop
March 16, 6pm
Christus Victor Lutheran in Columbia
We’ll discuss what your church can do to build a family ministry.
In-person or Zoom (Link coming soon)
MUSIC MINISTRY FOR KIDS AND YOUTH
Deacon James Johnson- Good Shepherd, Columbia
Children / Youth leading worship has been a priority for my lifetime in ministry. I wrote 8 different musicals during my many years of music camps and can share a number of songs with anyone that would like to use them. I have always believed that starting in the nursery with babies and toddlers is the way to build a music program in a church. Let me know if you would like to have more conversation about my approach to music ministry with children and youth.
The Good Shepherd service has had a child cantor singing the Greeting, a song about Baptism during communion and the benediction, all pieces I wrote during my many years of Music Camps at Camp Kinard. My Children’s Choir sings parts of the liturgy and a hymn in the service. I have several children who can serve as Cantors individually and the group as choir can do the same. I intend very soon to restart a preschool music class during Sunday School and to add children and youth participation in the prayers of the Church on a scheduled basis.
BOOK STUDY FOR YOUTH LEADERS
Youth are Either Leading or Leaving by Lyle Griner
May be purchased on BookBaby
Every Tuesday, March 5-April 8, at 10am
Please contact Deborah (deborah@scsynod.com) if you plan to attend.
Zoom Link – It will be recorded!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89178862401?pwd=l6irDbeyalnzrefuf3f4n83af0UEwc.1
RESOURCES FOR MARCH
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, Year C – Youth Lessons
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)
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
Looking for Something?
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