What to Expect at the Missouri District Youth Gatherings:
Time Together
Our main sessions bring all ages of youth and adults together to grow in our faith as we sing, learn, and experience a theme rooted in scripture.
Experience and Learn with Peers
We recognize that junior and senior high youth have vastly different needs, and our team works intentionally to create separate experiences that speak to each group. Senior High Youth: Participants have the opportunity to attend topical breakout sessions led by talented and passionate leaders. Topics can vary, but past discussions have included subjects like vocation, church worker careers, anxiety, relationships, youth leadership, and even time with comfort dogs. Junior High Youth: Junior high participants engage in a variety of activities, including service projects, scavenger hunts, and games that promote fellowship and help them build lasting friendships.
Sample Schedule
A sample schedule of events will be posted closer to each gathering. Stay tuned for more details as the event date approaches. Check out the sample schedule from the April 2025 event.
Registration
2025 registration cost: $120 per individual. Registration deadlines may vary annually, so please check back for updated information on registration dates for future events.
Lodging
Cross Pointe Retreat center has multiple options for lodging including hotel rooms with a 2-5 person capacity, motel rooms with a 2-4 person capacity, and a more economical dorm housing option. The 2025 costs were as follows: Hotel Room ($150 each, houses 2-5 individuals), Motel Room ($120 each, houses 2-4 individuals), Dorm Room ($30 per individual).
Food
Cross Pointe Retreat Center provides all meals, with an effort to accommodate a variety of dietary needs. In addition to regular meals, a salad bar is available at lunch and dinner. However, we cannot guarantee that entrees and sides will be free from gluten, dairy, or nuts. If there are strict dietary requirements, participants may need to bring their own food, and we can work with the retreat center to ensure proper refrigeration/storage.
Medical Forms
Each church is responsible for their own medical and permission forms for all participants. Please ensure that adult leaders have medical forms on hand for emergencies.
Let us take care of the programming while you build relationships rooted in Christ with your youth!
Special Theme: “Believe!”
Over the years, the theme "Believe!" has become central to the mission of our gatherings. As part of our ongoing commitment to inspiring youth, we often revisit this powerful concept. Each gathering focuses on relevant topics that help deepen our belief in the teachings of Christ.
This year, with the LCMS Youth Gathering taking place in the summer, our Missouri District Youth Gathering on April 4-6, 2025, reflected the theme "Believe!" While the youth gathering provides a great opportunity for youth to come together on a larger scale, we aim to complement this with our own event that emphasized faith, fellowship, and growth within the Missouri District. At the April 2025 Missouri District Youth Gathering, we explored the Apostle’s Creed with Pastor of Family Ministry Brian King, who guided us through what it means to confess our faith and live it out daily.
