Highlights from LYO Youth Assembly
This past weekend a group of four from St. Philip joined with a group of 22 from Good Shepherd to attend the NC Synod’s annual LYO (Lutheran Youth Organization) Assembly. We had an incredibly fun experience as our group joined the larger assembly of 400 other Lutheran youth and adults.
A Weekend of Fun and Learning
LYO is planned by a group of high school students from around the state and our theme for the weekend was “Keeping Up With the Lutherans: The Church Has Left the Building.” Throughout the weekend we leaned into some fun reality-TV inspired games, skits, small group converations, and large group moments.
We learned about how the church isn’t a building. The church is each of us working together in community to help bring about God’s Kingdom (heaven) here on earth, one small act of kindness at a time. We celebrate the fact that this weekend, youth had the opportunity to lead their peers in these conversations. Our very own Emma F. was one of the small group leaders for the weekend.
Creative Challenge Success
Our group also took part in the North Carolina Synod's “TikTok Video Challenge,” recreating a Bible story in a fun and engaging format. Embracing the weekend's theme of “Keeping Up With The Lutherans,” we crafted a reality TV-style video, which ended up winning 1st place! We had so much fun working together, and it was voted on by the whole assembly.
If you haven't seen it yet, check out our award-winning video here: [Watch Our TikTok Video]
Memorable Moments
One of the most beloved traditions was the Saturday Banquet Dinner, where every congregation adopts a quirky theme. We opted for a Smurf theme and enjoyed a fancy dinner complete with multiple utensils. The kids had a blast, and thankfully, the blue body paint washed off easily!
Emma F. was honored as a graduating senior during the closing worship, where she received a heartfelt blessing. It’s always a touching moment where our assembly thanks the seniors for their God-given gifts and sends them into the rest of their senior year and beyond with a blessing.