Join Us for Winterfest!

by Pastor Jim Vitale, Associate Director, Camp Mount Luther

I never had a youth group. Growing up in my small Episcopalian church outside Albany, there simply weren’t enough kids to justify the existence of a youth group. We had a fairly robust Sunday school, but very little opportunity for youth to gather apart from Sunday mornings. So when I got to college and started hearing about my classmates’ experiences of highly programmed, high-budget youth groups, I got a little jealous. Of course I realize a high-powered youth group doesn’t necessarily equate to youth ministry, but the opportunity for youth to spend time with kids their own age in a faith-based setting is so important. It’s partly what spurred me on to concentrate in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry in seminary. Having not grown up with a youth group, I wanted to see what it was like.

For a long time I thought my experience as a youth in the church was unusual. But now I think it is becoming increasingly more common, particularly in mainline denominations like the ELCA. Especially in rural synods like the Upper Susquehanna Synod, children and youth are becoming more and more isolated in the church. And while I am strongly in favor in intergenerational ministries, I also see the value in opportunities for youth to spend time with other youth.

This is what has driven the Upper Susquehanna Synod to start a synod-wide youth group (you can learn more about it on their Instagram page). It is also what started the Lower Susquehanna Synod’s long-running Winterfest program.

Winterfest gathers high school youth and young adults for a weekend immersion in Christian community, focused around a central theme. Large group gatherings feature keynote speakers and live music that introduce the theme and help inspire youth and young adult attendees to think critically about how the theme intersects their daily lives. Small group conversations allow participants to go deeper, and to explore the ways God may be speaking to them through the theme and the surrounding Christian community. Participants have the opportunity to participate in lots of different fellowship activities and various electives.

I had the honor of serving as chaplain at last year’s Winterfest and it was one of the most exciting, meaningful, and fun experiences I’ve had as a pastor. The first time I walked into the worship space was breathtaking. There were 200 youth and adults worshipping together. Few of us in the ELCA have an opportunity to worship with 200 other people, let alone that many youth. A talented worship band led us in traditional and contemporary worship music throughout the weekend with an energy you might not ever hear on a Sunday morning (when was the last time your music leader rapped and did it well?).

Keynote speakers urged us to think more deeply about our theme “The Way,” while workshop leaders helped us find hands-on ways to follow Jesus. I had the pleasure of leading a workshop on creative writing. It was a joy talking with others who enjoy making art with words and helping them experiment with their own style.

The evenings were filled with fellowship: games, a dance party, snacks, and just hanging out. One evening we had the joy of watching Christian hip-hop artist Peabod live in concert. The already energized worship space was cranked up to 11 as Peabod unleashed his fast-paced happy vibes on 100 amped-up youth. You could sense how excited these kids were about their faith, to finally be in a place where they could have fun praising God with dozens of other youth just like them. Such experiences are priceless—and exactly the kind of thing I would have loved when I was that age.

The closing worship service was yet another opportunity to experience something new and meaningful. I composed an original slam sermon to fit the theme of “The Way” and then we invited participants to take their own mini-pilgrimage around the worship space, stopping at different stations to engaged in various spiritual practices. The contemplative mood of the room was the perfect way to round out a powerfully meaningful weekend—and of course the band was there to lead us in some good, fun praise music.

The next Winterfest is January 3-5, 2025 at the Wyndham resort in Lancaster.

The Upper Susquehanna Synod is looking to send as many youth as we can to Winterfest. You know high-school aged youth who would love to attend and we ask you to please encourage them to go. We also need adult chaperones, so please come with us, too! Once you know what youth would like to attend, reach out to us at cml@campmountluther.org and we’ll work on putting registrations together.

We hope you’ll join us!