Breakout session 2 – Lutheran Church-Canada National Youth Gathering

Breakout session 2: Saturday at 4:30pm

Breakout sessions will be offered on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and there are many to choose from! They will all be located in the Bricker Academic Building.

There is a specific track of sessions for youth leaders, which is open to adult leaders only.

There is also a track of sessions for young adults who are around grade 12 and in their 20s.

All the other sessions are open to anyone at the gathering, but are specifically planned for the youth!

Youth Leaders:

Room

Presenter

Topic

Description

Presenter Bio

BA-101

Michelle Heumann & Rhonda Kelman

Restoring Sabbath Rest: The Struggles and the Joys

A busy life with no chance to rest can make us feel broken – but God has given us a gift to refresh us and help us feel unbreakable in the face of constant pressure on our time. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?…Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG). Making time for sabbath rest is often a struggle, yet God has made it for us (Mark 2:27 ESV), set an example of keeping it Himself (Genesis 2:2-3 ESV), commanded that we remember it (Exodus 20:8-9 ESV), and invited us to give Him our burdens. Join other leaders for a discussion about our sabbath practices, why they’re important, and where grace can be found in this commandment. We don’t have all the answers, but we can support each other as we try – and fail and try again – to rest in God and all His blessings.

Michelle Heumann is a writer and editor from Calgary, and she’s been involved in serving the church one way or another since she was still a youth herself. When she’s not busy working or doing church-related things, you might find her reading, playing slo-pitch, watching the Jays (which may or may not actually be relaxing), reading, watching Netflix with her husband, or walking or playing games with friends.

Rhonda lives in Coquitlam, BC. She grew up in Edmonton, but loves the West Coast where she lives now. She is a member of Walnut Grove Lutheran Church and teaches Grade 1 at Hope Lutheran Christian School. Right now she is involved with the Young Adults ministry at the church. Sharing God’s love has always been a passion of hers and encouraging others to do the same! In her free time, she loves to go on road trips, hang out with friends, play board games, and her newest hobby is quilting!

Young Adults:

Room	Presenter	Topic	Description	Presenter Bio
BA-102	Jennifer Kerr	Mental Health from a Faith Perspective	Mental health is a big topic of discussion in the world we live in. As human beings created in the image of God, our mental, emotional, and relational health is important to nurture and care for. However, some of the guidance from the world around us doesn’t always align with our Christian faith. In this breakout session, co-main speaker Jennifer Kerr, a trained marriage and family therapist, will share about how we can think about mental health in a way that makes sense in our faith context. There will also be time for questions and discussion. If you want to care for your own mental, emotional and relational health and be a supportive encourager to those around you as they care for theirs, consider attending this break out session.	Jennifer Kerr is a mental and relational health counsellor from Regina, Saskatchewan. She has a husband named Rocky, a cat named Kirby, and a guitar named Bennett. Throughout her time working with kids, youth, and young adults in many different organizations, Jennifer knew she wanted to grow in her abilities to serve young people and families. That led her to complete her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy and become a professional counsellor. Jennifer has been part of many LC-C youth gatherings as a musician, and spoke at Impact 2023 on mental health from a faith perspective, but this is her first time as a co-main speaker. She is pumped to attend Unbreakable in 2025! Find Jennifer online at www.throughtherapy.ca.

Youth:

Room	Presenter	Topic	Description	Presenter Bio
BA-110	Pastor Eric Moffett	Faith After High School	Congratulations! You’ve finished high school! You’re looking for a job, taking time off, travelling, or continuing your education. You now have a level of freedom you’ve never had…and it’s awesome. But now there are new speed bumps in your faith life too. We are going to talk about that! Ways to ensure you’re being fed by God’s Word on a busy work schedule. How to keep your head in post-secondary education. How to find a church when you’re away from home. Some things to do and not do and learn them from someone who has definitely done and not done many of them. Bring your questions and let’s discuss.	Pastor Eric is pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Beach Corner, Alberta. He is married to the incredible Kayla and is proud and tired dad to their twins Wesley and Wren. He spent 10 years doing outreach ministry on the University of Calgary campus. He has been a part of Youth Gathering committees for 20+ years. He loves slo pitch, hot takes, movies, games, competitions, musicals, and he’s a 2025 Activate Champion…goodness he sounds so “cool”. Find him, say hi, get your team some points.
BA-111	Dcn. Amanda Hastings	Armour Up! Sex and Dating (pt. 2 – for girls only)	What is it like to date in the world that you live in today? What are relationships supposed to look like? Where do we learn about healthy relationships? What are the temptations that come your way? And when they come, how do you protect yourself, guard yourself against sin? There’s this old schoolyard rhyme that goes, “(Name) & (Name) sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.” However, when it comes to relationships, the world we live in doesn’t always follow that order: dating, love, marriage, sex, children. And the world we live in doesn’t necessarily teach that order either. As we explore relationships, we will cover God’s plan and order for sex & dating as found in His Word; how they relate to our personal experiences; where God’s forgiveness fits in to all of it; and how we can live out God-pleasing relationships protecting ourselves and the person we are with. The second session will split the ladies (led by Deacon Amanda Hastings) and the guys (led by Pastor Glenn Worcester) into separate groups to allow for personal discussion and specific questions in connection with the first session.	Deacon Amanda hails from Lethbridge, Alberta, where she first met Pastor Glenn while he was serving as the vicar in her home congregation. Amanda took a 3-year tour of Western Canada from 2007-2010, spending 2 years completing her Director of Parish Services certificate in Edmonton and a year-long internship in Campbell River, BC. She now lives in Regina with her husband Donivan and two children, Riley and Jeremiah. She has served as the Director of Parish Services (Deacon) at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Regina since 2010. Amanda loves Jesus, coffee, the colour purple and owls. She is also an NYG afficionado who has served on many planning committees, and as MC during the 2016 “Living H20” NYG. She loves to celebrate her birthday at the NYG, starting back at age 16 when she attended her first NYG. Fun fact: Amanda and Pastor Glenn’s son, Micah, share a birthday AND Amanda got to share the news to the whole gathering from on stage that Micah had been born way back in 2016.
BA-201	Samantha Neeb	A Conversation with You(th)	This is your chance to advise the Synod. Talk to Samantha about what it’s like being a teen in the church today, what you need to feel supported and heard, and what you see as the future of the church.	Samantha Neeb is a recent graduate of the Director of Parish Services program at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton. In August, she will be starting as the Associate Director – Family Ministries for Lutheran Church – Canada. Samantha grew up near New Hamburg, Ontario, but has spent the last five years living in the west, Vancouver, Edmonton and Central Alberta. She’s excited to be at the National Youth Gathering, it’ll be her seventh one, and if you need someone to go for ice cream with, she’ll volunteer!
BA-202	Dcn. Kathy Cornish	Beyond Chats and Small Talk	Conversations, especially in person are important to building and maintaining relationships. We all want to connect with our friends and family. We stay in regular contact with friends, especially through various message platforms like Insta or gaming chats. We meet f2f too, in the halls, over lunch or when we share activities like sports, choir or youth group. But what do you talk about with your friends? Do you find it easy to talk to anyone? Or does the thought of carrying on a conversation, even with people you know well, a little intimidating? Maybe you’re like me, shy, a bit quiet? Maybe you love talking but always keep it light? How comfortable are you talking about your faith and what you believe with others? This session will be a practical discussion, encouraging and equipping you for when your conversations move beyond small talk. It will explore how we can use the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the other chief parts of the Small Catechism to help guide our conversations.	Dcn. Kathy Cornish is the Director of Education and Youth at Riverbend Lutheran Church in Edmonton.
BA-208	Rev. Glenn Worcester	Armour Up! Sex and Dating (pt. 2 – for guys only)	What is it like to date in the world that you live in today? What are relationships supposed to look like? Where do we learn about healthy relationships? What are the temptations that come your way? And when they come, how do you protect yourself, guard yourself against sin? There’s this old schoolyard rhyme that goes, “(Name) & (Name) sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.” However, when it comes to relationships, the world we live in doesn’t always follow that order: dating, love, marriage, sex, children. And the world we live in doesn’t necessarily teach that order either. As we explore relationships, we will cover God’s plan and order for sex & dating as found in His Word; how they relate to our personal experiences; where God’s forgiveness fits in to all of it; and how we can live out God-pleasing relationships protecting ourselves and the person we are with. The second session will split the ladies (led by Deacon Amanda Hastings) and the guys (led by Pastor Glenn Worcester) into separate groups to allow for personal discussion and specific questions in connection with the first session.	Pastor Glenn is originally from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Concordia University in Ann Arbor; Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne; did his Vicarage at Immanuel Lutheran in Lethbridge; and served as a pastor in Michigan until coming to Peace Lutheran Church in Winnipeg in 2012. Pastor Glenn was the main speaker at the 2019 “Worthless” NYG, and enjoys talking about Jesus, playing board games and sports, music, spending time with his family, and the color pink. Pastor Glenn met his wife Andrea at the 2007 “I Am” NYG in Ottawa. They have three lovely children: Micah (born on the first day of the 2016 NYG, and will celebrate on the last day of this NYG), Ivy, and Jonah.
BA-209	Dcn. Michael Gillingham	LAMP: Shining the Light of Jesus for 55+ Years!	LAMP? What is LAMP? It stands for “Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots” and it’s an organization that has been sharing the good news of Jesus in remote areas of Canada for over 55 years. Join LAMP missionary deacon Michael Gillingham to hear about how LAMP started, what it’s doing today, and what it hopes to do in the future. You will also hear about how you can be involved in this special ministry.	Dcn. Michael Gillingham is a rostered deacon (DPS) in LCC who has served for thirty years in youth ministry, young adult ministry, and music ministry in congregations in western Canada. He has more recently shifted into a new job where he serves as “missionary deacon” with LAMP (Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots). Michael currently works with northern communities and with teams from churches in Canada and the US who seek to provide ministry to kids and adults in these communities. Michael’s interest in questions surrounding gender and sexuality emerged as he worked with youth and families and also as he attended graduate school at a local public university. Michael is hoping that his presentations will provide some helpful information and suggestions for engaging with these questions in positive ways. Michael is a husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather as well as a songwriter and sports fan (go Elks!! go Oilers!!). He is a long time supporter of the LCC National Youth Gathering and is glad to be able to attend and present there this year.
BA-210	Pastor Peter Knelson	The Power of Music: Strengthening Mind & Spirit in Christ	Today, music is everywhere—we stream it constantly, hear it in stores, and have endless songs at our fingertips. But previous generations didn’t have this luxury. In fact, the Apostles, philosophers, and theologians through history took music far more seriously than we often do today. They understood its deep cognitive and spiritual impact. This presentation will explore the power of music according to scripture, philosophers, and theologians to help us take up the shield of faith and extinguish any flaming arrow that Satan may send through music. We’ll also dive into the practical side of music, offering tips on writing, recording, and publishing songs that glorify God. Whether you’re a musician, songwriter, or just passionate about the role of music in faith, this session will equip you to use music as both a creative gift and a spiritual weapon.	Pastor Peter Knelson grew up in Saskatchewan, where youth gatherings played a pivotal role in shaping his faith and fostering friendships. Although he never had the chance to attend a National Youth Gathering as a youth, he’s making up for it now—serving as the MC for the 2025 NYG! His hope is that today’s youth will find this gathering just as impactful, inspiring, and fun as his own experiences. Pastor Peter serves St. John’s Lutheran Church in Warman and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bergheim, Saskatchewan. When he’s not pastoring, he’s helping his wife, Laurel, keep up with their two energetic kids. And when the house finally quiets down, you’ll often find him playing guitar and recording music. He can’t wait to stand alongside you in putting on the full armor of God!
BA-211		Prayer Walk	Need a break from the breakouts? Come take part in our prayer walk and find some quiet time actively in prayer.	The prayer walk was organized by Pastor Eric, and the room will be staffed by Minions during the breakout sessions.