The ELCA Youth and Young Adult Ministries are excited to invite High School Seniors to a small group ministry called PASSAGE as a sister ministry to the ELCA Young Adults small group ministry, Abide.

PASSAGE will connect recently graduated high school students from across the country with one another and young adult small group leaders. The communities formed through PASSAGE will be centered on mutual support and wrestling with faith and life in times of transition. Our scripture for this ministry comes from Isaiah 43, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you”.

The ongoing purpose of PASSAGE is to connect high school seniors to the next part of their faith journey as a “rite of passage” into ELCA Young Adult Ministry. Small groups will begin the first week of July and last for 6 weeks.

Passage Leaders

If you are a young adult interested in serving as a PASSAGE small group leader, we would love to have you fill out an application. In 2022, we are hoping to have both national and synodical groups. We expect to have a number of ways for our seniors to connect: through their congregations, their synods, and nationally. Videos and small group questions will be available in advance.

Your availability will be matched with participant’s day and time preferences. Our PASSAGE team will create small groups and send them to you as their leader. When you contact them for the first time you can set an exact day and time which works for everyone in your small group.

PASSAGE leaders will be expected to join in an online training in late June. We expect groups to be 5 to 7 people in size. You will receive your participants names in advance. You will receive a video link and small groups questions. There is a Facebook support page for you as well to ask questions and make comments.