In reply to Mike Fogarty.

" After three years and growth we were ask by DCEs to take it over and they let it die after only three months."

I truely hope this is not a pattern.

If youth were truely abandoned like this after getting connected I would say that a large portion of them will not be attending an LCMS church as adults. Not meeting the needs of their people in this case will be directly connected to a decline. Such a great opportunity apparently blown by so called well educated professionals that appear to have been less capable than mere lay education people. If this is the result perhaps professional youth educational workers was a step in the wrong direction for the LCMS and needs to be revisited.