Women in Youth Ministry exists to affirm, equip, and elevate women who lead young people in faith. Every year, we gather to remind one another of something ministry can make us forget: You belong here. Your voice matters. Your work matters. And hope is still worth having.
This year, we’re talking about AUDACITY: Hope Has Some Nerve.
Because there is a certain audacity required to be a woman in ministry.
- The audacity to speak up when our students need someone to speak for them.
- The audacity to believe our voices belong in rooms where they haven’t always been welcomed.
- The audacity to keep choosing hope when ministry feels lonely, exhausting, or impossible.
- The audacity to dream bigger for the church when we’re not sure the church is ready to dream with us.
- And the audacity to imagine a bold, beautiful future for young people when the world keeps giving them reasons to believe there isn’t one.
Scripture is full of women with that kind of nerve.
Esther walked into a room where she could have been silenced and spoke anyway. Deborah led with wisdom and courage. Jael changed the course of a battle with a tent peg and a whole lot of audacity. And just days after the resurrection, women went to a tomb expecting death and found an empty grave instead. They became the first witnesses to the impossible—and they went and told somebody.
So, right after Easter, we’re gathering to remember what those women already knew:
Hope has some nerve.
Hope gets up.
Hope speaks.
Hope risks something.
Hope dreams beyond what we can currently see.
And maybe most audacious of all, hope believes God is not finished yet.
At our fifth annual conference, we’ll gather to laugh, worship, learn, create, rage a little, dream wildly about the future, and remind one another that we do not have to shrink our callings to fit the expectations around us.
Sessions Built for YOU
- You’ll hear from a diverse group of women in the trenches of ministry.
- Each session will have a chance for you to ask questions and/or talk about the content at your tables.
- Ever go to a conference and walk away with more problems than solutions? Our sessions will be solutions-based. You’re guaranteed to come back with new, fresh ideas.
Schedules that have FUN
- Fun meet-and-greet Wednesday night to kick off the conference.
- Offsite activity in a private venue Thursday night.
- Sessions will include icebreakers & giveaways to take back home!
- Dinner meetups to meet all your internet pals in real life!
- Plenty of snacks & beverages throughout the day, with your choices in mind!
Affordable for ALL
- Many women are at churches that don’t have the big budgets, so we are committed to providing an accessible experience.
- Lunches & a group activity provided
- Option to sleep in a hotel or in church building, cutting costs.
- Reduced rates for volunteers / volunteer youth pastors
- If you need a scholarship or would like to gift one, email heather@womeninyouthministry.com
Schedule
Wednesday
6pm to 8pm: Check-in and meet-and-greet
Thursday
9:00 Opening Worship & Keynote
10:30 Interactive Workshop
12:00 Lunch (provided)
1:00 Workshop Option 1
2:30 Workshop Option 2
4:00 Break! Optional Building Tour.
5:30 Dinner Meetups
7:00 Outing
Friday
9:00 Morning Worship & Keynote
10:30 Interactive Workshop
11:30 Lunch (provided)
12:30 Workshop Option 1
2:00 Workshop Option 2
3:30 Keynote & Communion Send-off
6: 00 Electives & Dinner Meetups
FAQ
When and where? Tell me more! The Women in Youth Ministry Conference will take place March 31st through April 2nd at Light of Christ United Methodist Church (LOCUMC) in Charlotte, North Carolina. From Wednesday night through Friday night we will have an experience you will likely never forget. We will have a Facebook group for the Conference where you can organize rideshares, hotel sharing costs, and meetups.
What does the cost include? What other costs should I prepare for? The cost includes lunch both days, and a fun outing on Thursday. Please plan to provide your own transportation and lodging, as well as other meals. If you’d like affordable lodging, you can sleep in the church building in a private space that includes showers, available for anyone who’d like to sleep in it. We will also have a Facebook group for anyone who’d like to coordinate carpooling and sharing hotel rooms.
Where is the nearest airport? What hotel should I stay at? If you choose to fly, use Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), located about 20 minutes from LOCUMC. Within minutes of our venue are several hotels. We are working on a hotel block and will update this page.
Would I be able to use my continuing education budget for this? Absolutely! Senior Pastors, if you’re reading this because your talented staff member sent it to you, this will be the most important thing she goes to this year. Not only will she learn from others in her position, but she’ll be able to build relationships that last a lifetime. You can’t afford to not send her.
Would I be able to attend if I’m not in youth ministry? We think this conference will be most impactful for anyone in youth, children, college-aged/young adult, or family ministry — whether you are a Director, Pastor, Coordinator, Volunteer, or Administrator. For us, “youth” means ministry with young people – and when we do that well, everyone is a youth minister!
What are our worship gatherings like? Our worship gatherings celebrate the rich diversity of our community, bringing together women from a wide range of traditions—Pentecostal, Methodist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Mennonite, and Non-Denominational. You’ll experience a beautiful blend of worship expressions: music that ranges from contemporary praise to traditional hymns, and prayers rooted both in historic liturgy and the spontaneous movement of the Spirit. At times, you may find yourself outside your liturgical comfort zone—and that’s by design. We invite you to embrace these sacred moments, trusting that they are holy and deeply rooted in the vastness of God’s Kingdom.
Will there be a virtual option? There will not be a virtual option, but we will record sessions and may choose to place to place it online for further viewing.
Speakers & Presenters
We are working on developing our speaker list! If you’d like to submit a topic for consideration, please click here.
Sponsors & Partners
If you’d like to be a sponsor, contact kat@womeninyouthministry.com.