Learn and Discover
You will learn more about spiritual practices, the church, church governance, and leadership.
Build and Grow
Your work and ministry on Diocesan Youth Leadership Council will help you build your leadership, organization, and planning skills.
Create Community
The community that DYLC creates helps each person discover more about themselves and the church.
Applications are open to serve on the Diocesan Youth Leadership Council (DYLC)!
The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts invites High School students (entering 9-12th grade) to join the Diocesan Youth Council. Serving on the Diocesan Youth Leadership Council (DYLC) gives young people the opportunity to build leadership skills, learn more about themselves, be involved in church governance, deepen their spiritual development, and support programming for events for their peers.
To apply, you must be active in your congregation which includes but is not limited to: participating in youth group, supporting Sunday School and/or nursery, altar guild, tech team, congregation-based outreach ministry, regular church attendance, and/or serving as an acolyte, reader, musician/choir, prayer leader on Sunday.
This year we are trying something new! Gatherings, trainings, and events are categorized into three areas. Required (all DYLC need to come), events, and church engagement. All members of the DYLC need to come to the required events. Then, members can choose to focus on Church Engagement or Events or you can do it all! We will talk through these choices at the Retreat on September 26. DYLC will serve a one-year term, which can be renewed. Our hope is to have at least one representative from each deanery in the diocese.
We understand that emergencies arise and members are allowed one absence for the year. If you need to miss, you must contact the Missioner for Children, Youth, and Campus Ministry, The Rev. Shannon Kelly, and notify her before the event or meeting.
Diocesan Youth Leadership Council Calendar
| Date | Event | Attendance |
| September 16, 2026 | Applications Due | n/a |
| September 18, 2026 | DYLC Announced | n/a |
| September 26, 2026 | Retreat and Training (9:30am-3pm) | Required |
| October 18, 2026 | 12-3pm DYLC Diocesan Convention Training 3-5pm Church Polity Training | Required Church Engagement |
| October 23-25, 2026 | BCH Youth Retreat and Work Day | Optional |
| November 14, 2026 | Diocesan Convention | Required |
| December 6, 2026 | 12-2pm Youth Day Planning 2-4pm Christmas party | Events Required (but in a fun, party kind of way) |
| January 2027 | Youth Day (we will plan this together!) | Events |
| February 12-14, 2027 | Winter Retreat at BCH (you can help lead small groups) | Events |
| March 12-14, 2027 | Confirmation Exploration Retreat | Church Engagement |
| April 23-25, 2027 | Spring Youth Retreat | Events |
| May 1, 2027 | DYLC Celebration | Required |
| July 1-8, 2027 | General Convention (Arizona) | Optional with separate sign ups |
| August 10-15, 2027 | Civil Rights Pilgrimage (Alabama) | Optional with separate sign ups |