wfn.org | Lutheran Youth Issue Statement about Peace Worldwide

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 4, 2003

LUTHERAN YOUTH ISSUE STATEMENT ABOUT PEACE WORLDWIDE
03-72-MR

     ATLANTA (ELCA) -- The board of the Lutheran Youth Organization
(LYO) called for "safety, healing and peace" for people engaged in
combat around the world in "Blessed are the Peacemakers," a statement
it issued March 30.  The board called for the development of "youth
oriented" study material on human sexuality and attended to other
business when it met here March 27-30.
     LYO, the youth organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA), represents 500,000 middle-school and high-school-
age Lutherans in the church.  The organization's board provides a
link between young people and churchwide units, bringing youth
representation to traditionally adult-led boards and groups.  The LYO
office is in the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries,
Chicago.
     "In solidarity with young people all over the world, we seek to
co-create a world in which all people have the opportunity to live
and grow in health, safety and community," said the statement written
by Liv Karen Sulerud, board member and student at St. Olaf College,
Northfield, Minn.  St. Olaf is one of 28 colleges and universities of
the ELCA.
     "We know from history and from the wisdom of those who have
gone before us that war and violence primarily affect those who are
malnourished, weak, impoverished and oppressed; namely women,
children and the elderly.  It is these with whom Jesus lived and to
whom he reached out with compassion.  We recognize, then, that war
only adds to the vicious cycle of violence and is not consistent with
God's vision of 'agape,' God's unending love.  Knowing these things,
it is essential that we address the root causes of conflict in our
world: hunger, poverty, injustice and oppression," it said.
     "My hope for the statement is to challenge youth to learn about
the issues of war and its effect on all people, to challenge the
church to continue its work for peace and justice, and to challenge
all people to be peacemakers from their own heart, as Christ has
commanded us," said Jon Vehar, Albuquerque, N.M., LYO vice president.
Vehar chaired the meeting.
     The board forwarded the statement to divisions and offices of
the ELCA churchwide organization, particularly to the Office of the
Presiding Bishop, as well as to the Council for Synod LYO Presidents,
an advisory committee of the LYO board.
     In a separate action, the board called for the development of
"faith-based, youth oriented study materials on sexuality" from the
youth ministry team of the ELCA Division for Congregational
Ministries.  The board transmitted the resolution to the LYO Sixth
Triennial Convention for its consideration here July 20-23.
     In its resolution, the board cited the "obvious and apparent
need" for the development of youth ministry resources relating to
human sexuality.  The ELCA "is supportive of the positive personal
and spiritual development of its youth.  A necessary piece of a
youth's personal and spiritual growth process is the study and
discussion of human sexuality in a godly circumstance.	Modern
culture actively bombards the youth of today with negative, worldly
and sinful perspectives with relation to human sexuality. Human
sexuality, in a godly context, is comprised of more than physical
sexuality," it "includes the emotional and spiritual aspects of
sexuality."
     In other business, the board:
     + heard from the Rev. William (Bill) Kees, ELCA director for
youth ministries and gathering team.  Kees told the board about a
strategy for "successful" youth and family ministry in synods and
congregations.	The strategy, developed by the Network of ELCA Synod
Youth and Family Ministry Leaders, includes a proposal for mission,
biblical mandate, core values and strategies related to the mission
proposal.
     + shared stories with one another about their experience
serving on the board.  During an evening reception, board members
were surprised when some former LYO board members, who are now in
their late 20s, greeted and welcomed them into the LYO Alumni
Association, which formed on March 1, 2003.  Former board members
also shared stories about their service in the youth organization and
how that service has impacted their lives.
     + devoted time to planning the LYO convention this summer.  It
reviewed the convention's agenda and theme, and it toured the Georgia
Institute of Technology here, the convention site.
     Under the theme, "N-2-1: Joining in Weakness, We are Strong,"
about 500 delegates   Lutherans between the ages of 15 and 18 or who
are in grades 10 through 12   from the ELCA's 65 synods will conduct
the business of the youth organization.  "N-2-1" is pronounced "into
one."
     Business sessions, led by the board of LYO, will include the
elections of officers, actions on resolutions submitted by delegates
representing synods and congregations of the ELCA, and reception of
reports from the board and its three advisory committees --
Multicultural Advisory Committee, Definitely Abled Advisory Committee
and Council of Synod LYO Presidents.  Other highlights of the
convention include keynote presentations, workshops, music, Bible
study and worship.
     The LYO holds its triennial conventions in conjunction with the
ELCA Youth Gathering -- a gathering that brings together thousands of
high-school-age Lutherans from across the United States, Caribbean
and countries around the world.  More than 38,000 people are
registered to attend the 2003 Youth Gathering here in two back-to-
back events, July 16-20 and July 23-27, under the theme, "Ubuntu: Do
Life!"
     A leadership event for "definitely abled" young people will
take place July 13-16 here at the Omni Hotel CNN Center.  The event,
"Definitely Do Life Day-By-Day" is open to all young Lutherans with
physical, visual, auditory, mental or learning disabilities.
     The Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) will take place
July 13-16 here at the Sheraton Hotel Atlanta.	African American and
Black, American Indian and Alaska Native, Arab and Middle Eastern,
Asian and Pacific Islander, and Latino young people will come
together with international guests and White youth from multicultural
ELCA congregations under the theme, "Bathed in His Image: Washing
Away MYLEs of Hate."
     Participants of both events will also attend the ELCA Youth
Gathering.
_ _ _
     The Lutheran Youth Organization's home page is at
http://www.elca.org/dcm/youth/lyo/ on the Internet.
     Information about the 2003 ELCA Youth Gathering is maintained
at http://www.elca.org/gathering/home.html on the Internet.  For
information about the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event visit
http://www.elca.org/gathering/myle/ on the Internet.  For information
about the Definitely Abled Youth Leadership Event visit
http://www.elca.org/gathering/dayle/home.html on the Internet.

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