Executive Director Erica Schimelpfenig describes YouthWorks’ mission of connecting teens to God, one another and communities through life-changing, Christ-centered mission trips in this conversation with the ELCA Youth Ministry Network. Below are highlights from that conversation, or you can watch the full webinar above. A focus on teenagers “We make sure we are connecting with […]

Our new 2018 sites offer a variety of service experiences geared toward every age and interest. Whether your group is looking for relational service or hands-on service projects; work with children or adults; an urban or small-town setting; a global project or a mission trip closer to home, one of our new sites could be […]

As we get ready to mobilize 25,000 teens and their leaders to do service this summer, I am struck by the fact that communities still need more volunteers. Week after week, we get calls or emails from new communities who are asking and pleading with us to come alongside them in serving the people of […]

Since Hurricane Maria hit on Sept. 20, the news has been full of images, videos and stories of communities in Puerto Rico that were destroyed by the storm. When we as Christ-followers see suffering and devastation like this, we often want to jump into action immediately and help in whatever way we can. Although this […]

This week parts of our country celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day. Each year, this holiday shifts the focus from celebrating a legacy of colonialism to honoring the original inhabitants of our nation. Here at YouthWorks we have also experienced a shift in the way we serve our communities. In our 24-year history as an organization, YouthWorks […]

On Sept. 20, Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico, leaving behind a path of destruction on the island. In the wake of the storm, which is now considered the strongest to hit the island in 80 years, there has been severe flooding and countless downed power lines. This has led to a complete power outage […]

Since late August, we have been praying for those impacted by hurricanes that caused devastation in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands. We prayed that God would stop the storms or drastically change their paths; and protect these areas, sparing them from destruction. Here in Minnesota, we can’t begin to understand the magnitude […]

 As much as we love all the great ministry that happens on mission trips each summer, there’s another season we’re excited about at YouthWorks. It’s every fall when youth workers from across the country (and beyond) gather at the National Youth Workers Convention. Here’s 4 reasons we love NYWC: 1. Oodles of Resources Wander […]

  We were unable to love: Unable to love God. Unable to love others. But God loved us anyway. Not with a flimsy, only-when-it’s-convenient, once-in-a-while kind of love. But with a deep, all-of-the-time, for-all-of-time kind of love. A love that takes root and gives life. A love that fills us, changes us, flows from us […]

The sun is out, tennis shoes (the clothing item formerly known as “closed foot shoes”) are securely tied, and bagged lunches are packed and ready to go in coolers. This can only mean one thing: The YouthWorks summer is officially here. As the Yea Gods and Taco Tuesdays roll in, here are…     Pray […]