Youth Ministry

Calling All Youth!!

Calvary Lutheran Church provides opportunities for middle school and high school youth to grow in their faith, learn to live out a life in Jesus Christ, and build a community enriched by the good news of God’s love and grace.

Learning on Sundays:

On Sundays from 11:30am - 1:00pm (subject to change) youth gather for a variety of activities and devotions at the church from Sept - May. During the summer we meet once a month to stay connected and enjoy a fun activity together. (i.e. lake day, hiking, etc.) See the "News" tab for the Youth Group Monthly Schedule of activities.

Learning through Confirmation:

This program is typically during the 7th and 8th grade years, with Affirmation of Baptism (confirmation) taking place on Reformation Sunday after all requirements are met. Each student is also required to attend one summer of confirmation camp at Lutheridge camp, as well as work with a faith mentor.. We do NOT believe that this is a graduation from church, but instead it is another Milestone in the faith journey where a young person has the opportunity to learn and explore how to better articulate their faith. This is NOT a requirement in the Lutheran church, but it is highly encouraged as an important part of learning and growing together.

This year we are doing Confirmation Classes a little differently. The classes will take place once a month following worship and will be done by 1pm.

You can CLICK HERE to view the dates along with all the youth calendar dates, but for quick reference this is when we will be meeting in Fall of 2026 and Spring of 2027:

9/20 (a brief intro meeting at outdoor worship), 10/4, 11/8, 12/13, 1/17, 2/14, 3/14, 4/18 (last one).

Please try and have your confirmation student present for all of these dates. Each session will build off the one before it. I know there are always scheduling conflicts, but if you can let me know ahead of time (like at least two weeks before) then I can prepare for any absences that may occur.

The curriculum we are using is brand spanking new from Augsburg Fortress and this is the first confirmation curriculum I have been excited about in decades. It is called LUTHERAN YES! and I have already ordered the "student quest books" for the first unit.

Here is some information about it:

Lutheran Yes! is a student-centered confirmation curriculum that invites young people, leaders, and families into God’s ongoing YES through curiosity, creativity, and connection.

Rooted in Lutheran identity and designed with Gen Alpha in mind, it gives students real choices, real agency, and real ways to discover how faith takes shape in their lives.

Lutheran Yes! helps students grow into the baptismal promises they’ll affirm: to worship with God’s people, hear and share God’s story, and work for justice and peace.

Why it is different and why I am so excited about it:

No-screen approach: Instead of watching lesson videos, students engage with leaders, peers, and tools like the Student Quest Book, Connection Deck, and hands-on materials. Each session is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and build real relationships.

Connection comes first: Every session begins and ends with structured connection time that helps students feel seen, safe, and valued. Gen Alpha wants to belong before they participate—this curriculum makes that happen.

Student Led: Each session’s Quests give students meaningful choices about how they’ll explore the topic. Choice builds ownership, confidence, and engagement—especially for middle school learners.

For any church size: Whether you have three students and one leader or many small groups, Lutheran Yes! adapts easily to your ministry context.

Learning through Outdoor Ministry:

Sometimes we all need to get away from the every day to reconnect with God and learn about how beautifully and wonderfully we are made — what better place than in creation! Calvary partners primarily with Novus Way Ministries (Lutheridge, Lutherock, Lutheranch, and Luthersprings) and Camp Agape to provide these opportunities to our youth.

Youth Group

Every Sunday from 11:30am-1:00pm (September to May) youth gather together, for devotions and a variety of activities. This is an important time for youth to continue to build their relationships with one another outside of major events. It is an opportunity to step outside of the pressures of daily life that teenagers face and to be in Christ-centered community where all are loved and accepted. The time is subject to change based on other events at the church or needs of the activity. If you or your youth would like to be on the email list, please let Pastor Paul know by emailing him at pastorPcarlson@clcmorganton.org.

25-26 Youth Group Schedule

Service —

While the youth are involved in other areas of service with the larger congregation, there are also some special ways they serve the church and the community throughout the year.

Annual Service-Learning trips (local, national, global)
Serving at BUCM
Making Care Packages for our College Students
Christmas Shopping for children in need at local schools
Making "plarn" out of plastic bags to then crochet into sleeping mats
Christmas Caroling to home-bound members

Youth Sunday

Check out our latest Youth Sunday service on YouTube by clicking this Link! Youth are encouraged and supported to be leaders in worship year round. However, we set aside one Sunday a year when this amazing group of young people plan and lead all aspects of worship. This is a great opportunity for our youth to learn more about worship, practice different leadership roles, and bring fresh experiences to worship.

Fellowship and Fun —

Because let’s face it, we like to have fun together! Some activities we have done include:

Lock-ins
Zip lining and tubing
Chili Bowl Football Game
Game Day

Youth Gatherings

Lutheran Youth Organization Assembly (NC Synod)

The Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) of the North Carolina Synod is open to all youth in grades 6-12. LYO Assembly happens in February and runs the entire weekend. Youth are members by virtue of being a member of any NC Synod ELCA congregation. At LYO Assembly, youth spend time with each other in small groups, singing with the band and growing in faith. Calvary’s youth have a blast during the weekend, especially dressing up for the banquet and dance that takes place Saturday night during the conference weekend. The 2026 LYO Weekend will be the weekend of February 27th - March 1st.

National Youth Gathering (ELCA)

Every three years, 30,000 high school youth and their adult leaders gather for a week of faith formation known as the ELCA Youth Gathering. Through days spent in interactive learning, worship, Bible study, service and fellowship, young people grow in faith and are challenged and inspired to live their faith in their daily lives. The 2027 gathering date will be June 28th - July 2nd!

Camp

Camping ministry is an invaluable experience for people of all ages, but can be particularly formative for youth. Our camps in NC are Lutheridge, Lutherock, and Agape. We have scholarships available as well! Please speak to Deacon Andrew More for more information.