Youth Ministry Leader's
Care Retreat & Create Cohort
August 17 - August 20, 2025 • August 24 - August 27, 2025
Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ
The Youth Ministry Leader’s Care Retreat & Create Cohort is a sacred, two-part journey for youth ministry leaders to rest, connect, and reimagine ministry with young people.
Application available May 1 – May 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.
Flourishing Youth Ministry Leaders Nurture Flourishing Young People
What Youth Ministry Leaders Can Expect
A Sacred Retreat Experience
A three-day, in-person retreat in Princeton, NJ, designed to tend to the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of youth ministry leaders.
Intentional Community & Practical Support
Youth ministry leaders will participate in monthly virtual gatherings with a cohort of peers who share a passion for nurturing the spiritual lives of young people.
Practical Support & Theological Resourcing
Leaders will receive curated resources and guidance from the Institute for Youth Ministry—rooted in a theology of care and the practices of design thinking—to support personal reflection and ministry innovation.
Creative Ministry Exploration & Innovation Funding
Each youth ministry leader will be eligible to receive a micro-grant of up to $1,000 to develop and implement a ministry project that responds to the emerging needs and nutures the spiritual life of young people in their congregational context.
Are you a youth ministry leader longing for space to rest, reflect, and reimagine?
The Care Retreat & Create Cohort is a sacred, two-part journey designed for youth ministry leaders seeking space to pause, restore, and reimagine faithful ministry alongside young people.
This experience is ideal for youth ministry leaders who long for renewal, value community, and desire to serve young people with deeper authenticity and hope. Hosted by the Institute for Youth Ministry through its Foundations Project initiative, the journey begins with a three-day renewal retreat in Princeton, New Jersey—offering intentional time for rest, spiritual grounding, and holistic care practices that speak directly to the needs of those in youth ministry. Participants will gather with a small cohort of peers who understand the unique joys and challenges of this work.
Following the retreat, youth ministry leaders will engage in a six-month cohort experience designed to foster continued growth, discernment, and innovation. Through monthly virtual gatherings, curated theological resources, and guided reflection, participants will be supported in developing ministry initiatives that respond faithfully to the evolving needs of young people in their communities.
The Institute for Youth Ministry recognizes that today’s youth ministry landscape is shaped by profound questions of identity, justice, faith, and belonging. Through the Foundations Project, IYM equips Christian congregational leaders to meet these realities with care, courage, and theological depth.
The Care Retreat & Create Cohort offers a sacred pause to engage in self-care, reconnect with community, and discern how God is inviting youth ministry leaders—and the young people they serve—to co-create practices of flourishing within their congregations.
Applications for the Care Retreat & Create Cohort are now open!
Submissions will be accepted from May 1, 2025 through May 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.
All applications will be reviewed by the IYM Foundations Team. Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.
Youth ministry leaders will be notified of their application status via email no later than June 15, 2025.
NOMINATE A YOUTH MINISTRY LEADER
The Institute for Youth Ministry invites nominations for the Care Retreat & Create Cohort, a transformative journey designed to support youth ministry leaders who faithfully serve young people—often giving more than they have space to replenish.
Many youth ministry leaders carry the weight of leadership with deep love, but little opportunity for rest, renewal, or imagination. The Care Retreat & Create Cohort, offered through the Foundations Project, offers a sacred pause—a space to tend to their own well-being, reconnect with their sense of call, and reimagine what ministry can be in this season.
Nominators are encouraged to identify and uplift leaders who may not seek this kind of experience on their own, but who would deeply benefit from it. This is an opportunity to invest in those who continually invest in the lives of young people. Whether it’s a colleague, mentee, or faithful leader within a congregation or network—consider nominating them or encouraging them to apply.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be considered for the Care Retreat & Create Cohort, youth ministry leaders must meet the following criteria:
- Be actively engaged in youth ministry within a Christian congregational or faith-based community (clergy or lay leader roles welcome).
- Work directly with teenagers (ages 12–18) in a leadership, mentoring, or pastoral capacity.
- Demonstrate a desire for rest, reflection, and ministry innovation within their current context.
- Be available to attend one of the in-person retreat dates in Princeton, NJ.
- Commit to participating in monthly virtual cohort gatherings over the six-month journey.
All eligible participants are invited to submit a complete application for the Care Retreat & Create Cohort experience by May 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM.
For questions or assistance, please email contact Angellica Sweat, IYM Program Coordinator at angellica.sweat@ptsem.edu
