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Youth ministries

    • I know the plans I have for you,
    …plans to give you hope and a future.

    Jeremiah 29:11

    Helping young people grow in faith and confidence is a priority in the Anglican Church of Canada. Across the country, youth and young adult ministry programs provide opportunities to explore faith, build community, develop leadership, and engage with the Church in meaningful ways. Whether attending a national gathering, participating in a retreat or contributing to social justice initiatives, youth are encouraged to participate, be heard and grow in their spiritual journey.

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    National programs and initiatives for youth and youth leaders

    The Animator for Youth Ministries and the Youth Secretariat coordinate and support these programs, providing leadership, guidance and opportunities for young people and youth leaders to connect with each other and with the wider Church.

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    • Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth Gathering (CLAY)

      Brings hundreds of Anglican and Lutheran youth and leaders from across Canada together for inspiring worship, engaging activities and opportunities to deepen their faith with friends new and old.

      Large Group Gathering event at CLAY 2023
    • Screenshot of the online gathering of Stronger Together in 2021.

      Stronger Together

      A national retreat for youth and youth leaders to connect, reflect and learn together, offering inspiration and practical ideas to carry back into their home communities.

    • Rhythms of Renewal

      A retreat offering youth leaders space to step back, recharge and strengthen their ministry.

      Participants at Rhythms of Renewal in April 2025

    • National Youth Project

      Engaging youth in issues that matter, combining learning, reflection, local action and advocacy. Past projects have focused on topics like homelessness and human trafficking while the current project, And it was so, explores food insecurity and encourages youth to act as thoughtful leaders in their communities.

    • Youth delegates at General Synod with Animator for Youth Ministries Sheilagh McGlynn

      Youth @ General Synod

      Created for youth delegates, this program introduces national governance and supports connection-building for meaningful participation in Synod.

    • Sacred Beginnings

      A youth-focused program led by Indigenous Ministries that nurtures spiritual growth, leadership and faith development through Indigenous traditions and perspectives.

      Moccasins at Sacred Beginnings

    Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

    This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

    We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

    We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

    Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

    May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.