Lainie Nichols is a young adult member of Erickson Lutheran Church in Erickson, MB. She will be spending a year in service through the ELCA Young Adult in Global Mission (YAGM) program. From August 2026 to July 2027, Lainie will be living and serving in London, UK, where she will accompany global companions, build relationships, and gain new perspectives by sharing life with others.
Here is how Lainie introduces what this year means for her:
Starting in August 2025, I will be serving in the United Kingdom to accompany a local partner, build relationships, and gain new perspectives by sharing life with others!
I attend Erickson Lutheran Church (MNO Synod) and this congregation is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC). Through the ELCIC’s connection to the Lutheran World Federation, I have been introduced to the ELCA and its ministries in the United States and beyond.
I’m excited for my YAGM year because I’m passionate about learning from different communities. I especially enjoy collaborative settings, where people bring their own stories and lived experiences to the table. I’ve learned that when we truly listen to one another, we uncover insights and solutions none of us would have reached alone!
Learning about the YAGM model and its emphasis on accompaniment and mutuality felt deeply aligned with my values. I am drawn to opportunities to learn from others, build relationships across cultures, and better understand how God is at work around the world. Through prayer and discernment, YAGM has felt like a meaningful opportunity to walk alongside others and deepen my understanding of what it means to love my neighbors beyond borders.
Apart from my home congregation, I have had the opportunity to spend time in different parts of Canada and the world, being a part of a variety of church communities and denominations. Each of these experiences has shaped me in important ways. I have seen how faith can be expressed across many cultural, social, and physical settings. These experiences have helped me understand the church as something larger than a single place, building, or tradition, and more as a global, living community connected through Christ. I hope this year can continue to expand this perspective and my understanding of the church!
It is hard to define exactly what I want gain from my YAGM year, because I feel the possibilities are endless. I hope to enter this experience with an open heart and mind, ready to encounter God in unexpected ways. I want to walk alongside communities, learning more deeply how we are connected globally. I also hope to grow through the challenges that will inevitably come, trusting that transformation often happens in spaces of uncertainty and change.
Learn more about how you can support Lainie on the Synod’s YAGM page: https://mnosynod.org/yagm/
