By Kent Goodroad and Alyssa Schwitzer

You may recall that on January 11, 2025, the Synod launched a first-of-its-kind Synod Youth Choir. We’re excited to provide an update about how things have been going!

With 50 youth registered from eight different cities within the Minneapolis Area Synod, we’ve had four weekends of rehearsals at three different locations (11 rehearsals so far). Thank you to our host churches, Lake Nokomis, Christ the River of Life, St. Barnabas, and St. Andrew! Over the past few months, the Synod Youth Choir has engaged these young people in music-making and community-building across our Synod. When we started this new youth ministry endeavor, our goals were to: 

  • Create community amongst youth within the MAS  
  • Sustain relationships with churches within the MAS and beyond 
  • Build youth identity and power within the church 
  • Build beloved community around music 

We believe that giving our youth the opportunity to practice and grow in their gifts within communities of faith fosters deeper roots in the church. Connecting them with other youth and adults outside of their own churches gives them a broader understanding of how we are Church Together.

At one of our recent rehearsals, we saw a beautiful moment of leadership development happen right before our eyes. There were hand drums in our rehearsal room and one student asked if they could drum and sing. We said “of course!” The student began drumming and singing. They then noticed other students wanted to drum, so they started getting drums and inviting other students to drum and sing. Students were stepping up and taking ownership of the choir, seeing it as “their choir” and inviting other students to do the same. It was incredible to witness!

 

We’re preparing for our first big performance coming up on May 3. We will be singing on Saturday morning at the 2025 Synod Assembly! We have three rehearsals left at the different locations, and then one big rehearsal with all 50 students together in April in preparation. We’re also starting to plan a concert on June 1 at 2:00 p.m. More details will come in the next few weeks, but we can say, get ready to party with the Synod Youth Choir! We hope you can attend one of these performances to support and celebrate these up-and-coming leaders. 

If, while reading this post, you have felt energized and encouraged, consider partnering with us! The Synod Youth Choir has a fundraising goal of $20,000. Funds go toward programming, meals, music, translators, t-shirts, and other logistics. Participating congregations are contributing what they can, and we are asking individuals and organizations that value faith-filled youth development to consider investing in MAS youth through a financial contribution. Any amount would be appreciated and would make a difference in the life of a Synod youth.  You can donate online or send a check to the Minneapolis Area Synod (122 W Franklin Ave #600, Minneapolis, MN 55404). Make your check payable to Minneapolis Area Synod with “Synod Youth Choir” in the check memo line. Thank you!