OUR YOUTH

...to activate Youth in the celebration of their faith through learning, prayer, service and fellowship with their peers.

Sunday School at OSLC

-- OSLC offers several Sunday morning learning opportunities for young and old alike. Our adults enjoy a Sunday School class that is in session from the end of August to the end of May each year. We offer a Women’s Sunday School class during the Sunday School hour during our Sunday School year. The junior high and senior high students meet weekly, with adult members of our church leading discussions and Bible studies throughout the Sunday School year.

-- We have adopted a new format for our elementary school-aged students beginning at four years old through the fifth grade. The Sunday School year is divided into several three-week segments focusing on one lesson. The teacher has the flexibility to use crafts, drama, food, Bibles and their imagination to teach the lessons. This past spring, we taught the miracles of Jesus. Each teacher was given a three-Sunday segment to teach their assigned “Miracle.” We enjoyed the success of the new format, and we found that the children retained our lessons well.

-- We are currently using a multi-age approach to teaching. The older children assist with the younger children and are able to reinforce the lesson through their interpretation of the teacher’s lesson. It invites many adults to become teachers, as the time obligation for the lesson is only a three-week segment. We look forward to involving more members of our congregation to share their experiences and teaching with our young people.

Safe Sanctuary Policy

-- OSLC has adopted a Safe Sanctuary policy that will be proactive in keeping our young people safe. Background checks, awareness in services, maintenance of a safe environment, and following our policy mandates will give our parents and students a secure atmosphere for their many and varied experiences at OSLC.

Lutheran Youth Organization

-- The primary responsibility of the Lutheran Youth Organization is to activate Youth in the celebration of their faith through learning, prayer, service and fellowship with their peers. In order to achieve the objectives of this committee, focus should be on, but not limited to, the following duties and activities:

- Work with appropriate staff member(s) to ensure that adequate opportunities are offered to the youth for spiritual development, leadership training, service and fellowship.

- Recruit, organize and assist the advisers for the youth organizations(s).

- Oversee the timely selection of youth delegates to assemblies, seminars, and other meetings.

- Oversee and assist with Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) sponsored events.

- Oversee the organization of Youth Sunday to be held at least annually.

- Assist in organizing events such as All Tennessee, the National Youth Gathering, Affirm, TEC, WOW, and other youth focused events that occur within our conference, synod, or the ELCA.