LYV – Church Crash!

If you’ve ever heard the term ‘to crash a party’ you may know it to mean to show up uninvited to an event. But the LYV like to do it a bit differently. We like to ‘crash’ churches – very politely and with prior notice!
Beginning late 2023, Lutheran Youth of Victoria began a new reoccurring event called Church Crash. Sunday Night at St Johns church (SNAS) had finished up and it left us with a new opportunity: to be able to go to different congregations around the state, rather than invite youth and young adults to SNAS, which meant their congregations no longer lost an important piece of their generational makeup.

Church Crash aims to strengthen connections of youth and young adults made at our other events (CLW, Easter Camp, Summer Camp, Empower) and provide an opportunity to worship together again. We believe that worshipping God and communing with other believers is a highly important part of our faith practice and vital in nurturing a strong faith in our youth. We also ultimately hope that by providing an opportunity to visit a church with others of a similar age, we can help someone find their home church.

Before a Church Crash is held, we get in contact with the church to make sure they are welcoming to the idea, and to give them a heads up on any promotional material that might come out before the crash.

LYV Church Crash at St Johns Geelong (left) and St Paul’s Box Hill (right).  Photos supplied by Rachel Schier.

Throughout 2024 we held 5 church crashes, occurring approximately every two months. We visited St Philips Tarneit after Empower, St Johns Ballarat as part of Easter Camp, St Pauls Box Hill, St Johns Geelong and St James Moorabbin. Often after the service we were warmly welcomed with a BBQ lunch generously provided by the congregations, and really enjoyable conversations with people we met. We also enjoyed being able to spend extra quality time together playing board games or going ten pin bowling after a service.

Church Crash is back again in 2025, and we have a new crash in the works! Please check in on our Facebook page LYV: Lutheran Youth of Victoria for updates on upcoming Church Crashes and other events happening in the year. If your congregation is open to hosting us for Church Crash, please contact us via our social media page, or email admin.lyv@lca.org.au