This project has been shared by the Treasure Valley LFL #352 Life Chapter in Nampa, Idaho. Thank you to Jacquie and Charlie Rowen, Life Chapter Co-Chairmen, for the helpful information.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Psalm 119:9).
During the Boise Walk for Life in January 2025, the Treasure Valley Life Chapter members noticed there were many teenagers in attendance. This sparked the idea of holding a life-affirming event for youth in the Life Chapter’s churches. The Secretary of the Life Chapter volunteers at the local pregnancy care center, Lifeline, and knew about the center’s weeklong curriculum for youth called No Regrets Today. This program provides information for young people to better understand the risks of sexual activity as a teenager and how to avoid them. The thought was brought up to have a portion of this curriculum to presented at an event hosted by the Life Chapter for youth. Jacquie Rowen remembered that Rev. Timothy Pauls from Good Shepherd Lutheran in Boise, Idaho, had written You Ask about Faith: Questions Teens Are Asking and decided to ask him to present. He was on board with the idea. It was hoped that having Pastor Pauls involved would mean that more youth would participate. The idea for the event was presented at the circuit Winkle meeting and was well received by the pastors.
The event “Relationships with No Regrets” was held on a Sunday afternoon in September. Four churches participated in the event with a total of 38 youth and 24 adults. The parents of the youth were encouraged to attend. This allowed them to bring the discussion on relationships into the home and beyond the event. Ages of youth in attendance ranged from sixth grade to a recent high school graduate. When hosting an event like this, it is important to note what ages are appropriate for the material presented.
Pastor Ed Brandt, Treasure Valley Life Chapter Pastoral Advisor, opened with a devotion and hymn. Lifeline Pregnancy Center had three presenters. A small portion of their weeklong presentation “No Regrets Today” was presented. Topics included friendship, dating and love, and the importance of intentionality when picking friends and romantic partners. There were several activities to engage the youth. They played Hot Potato to demonstrate the decisions in life as good, bad, and no choice, and a presentation titled “Infatuation and Love” was about decisions on boundaries on being in love with love.
Pastor Pauls discussed the epidemic of loneliness and referred to Genesis and God’s intention for relationships and man’s fall. He used the 10 Commandments to show how God’s Law is for our good and gives us guidance in relationships. He also spoke on C.S. Lewis’s The Four Loves (affection, friendship, erotic love, and charity). He cautioned the youth about the dangers of technology and its addictive nature, as well as the potential exposure to harmful content like pornography. It was emphasized that connection through the internet lacks the depth and intimacy found in real life relationships with those who love and truly care for each other.
The event ended with pizza and time of fellowship. It was about three hours total. The presentations were about 45 minutes to an hour in length. Ending with fellowship allowed people to stay and visit but leave when they liked. Even though a few of the teens were tired from the school dance the night before, Sunday afternoon was the easiest time to coordinate between the churches and ensure the event was well attended.
Event information and registration forms were sent to each of the churches. It was a bit difficult to collect them, but the Life Chapter made sure to do a lot of follow-ups to collect registration forms. At the event, there was a registration table for participants to check in and collect the parents’ emails. The registration table also had handouts that would be needed for the event, such as information from presenters and a timeline.
There was no cost for the participants to attend this event. The Life Chapter donated to the Lifeline Pregnancy Care Center and sent a thank you card to Pastor Pauls. With the right resources, this event can happen with minimal costs. Contact the churches in your Life Chapter or area for possible topics and presenters. Your local pregnancy resource center might not have a program like No Regrets Today, but they may have resources available that could help with an event. Y4Life.org is another place where you can find a lot of wonderful resources. This information can be passed on to the churches, youth leaders, youth, and parents.
Since the event was a success, Treasure Valley Life Chapter has a topic picked for next year’s event. They hope to continue providing opportunities for young people to be involved in the life arena. May God provide the means and way for many more groups to host such events that support the youth in the Church and strengthen them as Gospel-motivated voices For Life.