Faith Listens

Episode 7: Congregation Spotlight - Mediator Lutheran Church

Meet the volunteer leaders at Mediator Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, PA: Mary Sharpe-Lewis, Janis Garfield, and Crystal Goodrich. This church family is focused on engaging young people in their immediate neighborhood, creating a community of belonging. Through listening they empowered the voice of their young people to be heard, and shifted their ministry to find new ways to engage youth in living out their faith through word and action. 

Episode 6: Congregation Spotlight - Grace-Red River Lutheran Parish

Meet Pastor Megan Graves and youth ministry volunteer Heather Peterson, as they share the story of the collaborative efforts between Grace and Red River Lutheran churches in rural Hallock, MN. We explore intergenerational dynamics, different decision-making styles of the congregations, and how to foster a shared commitment to youth ministry when you’re in partnership.

Episode 5: Congregation Spotlight - St. Luke Lutheran Church

“Listening is a deep act of faith.” Meet Emily Brabham, Director of Youth and Ministry Services at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Portland, OR, and ninth grader Margo who serves on their Formation Co-Op Team. Through listening sessions with parents and high school students, they share how St. Luke discovered a deep desire for connection, inspiring new approaches like a Saturday night program to strengthen bonds among youth and families. You’ll also hear how their work has been enriched through the collaborative community and shared trainings of the Formation Co-Op, reminding them they are not alone in ministry.

Episode 4: Congregation Spotlight - Edgewater Congregations Together

Meet Adriana Rivera and Jordan Collins-Brown from Edgewater Congregations Together, a joint youth ministry of Ebenezer and Immanuel Lutheran Churches in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, IL. In this episode, you will hear their unique approach to youth ministry, the challenges they face, and how listening has equipped them to move their ministry forward in transformative ways.

Episode 3: Meet the Formation Co-Op Guides

The “secret sauce” of the Formation Co-Op is the integral role of Guides assigned to accompany each congregation through the entire process: equipping them to listen to their context, providing feedback and curious questions, and offering encouragement and support along the way. In this episode, Guides from the first cohort share their experience and insights they have gleaned from their congregations.
 
Episode Guests:
Sal Espino: Children and Youth Minister, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Marietta, GA
Janny Franken: Professional Certified Coach, Frank 'n Sense, Thousand Oaks, CA
Kelly Kehr: Youth and Family Director, Grace Lutheran Church, Mora, MN
Judy Nuehring: Retired Director of Youth and Family Ministry, Glen Ellyn, IL

Episode 2: Meet the Formation Co-Op Design Team and Program Team

The Formation Co-Op invites congregations into an intentional listening process that is grounded in emergent strategy and the Co-Op Core Commitments. In this episode, members of the Formation Co-Op’s Design Team and Program Team discuss the development of the Formation Co-Op process, and how this initiative fosters a collaborative community of co-creators and co-learners.
 
Episode Guests:
Rev. Dr. Colleen Wyndham-Hughes, Design Team: Associate Vice President for Mission and Identity, California Lutheran University
Deacon Jessica Lyles, Design Team: Director for Youth Ministry and the ELCA Youth Gathering, ELCA
Rev. Billie Jo Wicks, Program Team: Pastor, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Meriden, MN and Zion Lutheran Church, Ellendale, MN.  

Episode 1: Welcome to Faith Listens

The landscape of youth ministry has changed significantly, yet many congregations and leaders struggle to adapt their ministries in ways that are relevant to their youth and context. Through a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment “Strengthening Congregational Ministry with Youth Initiative”, the ELCA Youth Ministry Network is partnering with congregations to explore innovative youth ministry practices in order to root young people in a lifelong, transformative faith in Jesus Christ.
In this first episode, Rozella introduces you to the heart and mission of the Formation Co-Op. You’ll hear from Todd Buegler, Executive Director of the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, and Catherine Anderson, Director of the Formation Co-Op, as they share how the Formation Co-Op came to be and their hopes for the impact this initiative will have on the church and young people.