Youth and Young Adults

Celebrating Youth and Young Adult Contributions…

Part of the Breakthrough Discernment process identified that St. Paul’s has the unique opportunity to embrace and welcome in greater Youth and Young Adult involvement in the life of St. Pauls and our community.

Beginning in Autumn of 2026, the congregation will host three members of the Young Canadian Lutherans (YCL) Movement who together work in the Eastern Synod’s Circle for Reconciliation and Justice (CRJ). The YCLs include Rafael Rodriguez, Director of Public Policy for our Eastern Synod, and Seminarians Andrés Rodriguez (MDiv Student) and Hanne Kuhnert (MTH Student). Hanne is the Chair of the Eastern Synod’s Circle.

In Autumn of 2025 the Youth and Young Adults of St. Paul’s led the Friends of Creation initiative with Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) which included four Sundays of worship in the year focused around the Climate Crisis at it is manifesting around Lake Chad.

In the Lutheran World Federation “Youth and Young Adult” ministry refers to persons aged 18-35. This age group refers to those who are of the “age of majority” and able to travel without parental consent - though some will still be “at home” and others will have started their own “homes” and perhaps “families” which may be much different than is remembered from the past.

In the Call of Pr. Karen Kuhnert to St. Paul’s this was identified as a priority ministry area for the congregation. The St. Paul’s Council with Pr. Karen is actively seeking to animate Youth and Young Adult outreaches including outreach to the Campus of the local University of Waterloo School of Architecture..