wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Receives Youth Convocation Report

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 14, 2003

ELCA Assembly Receives Youth Convocation Report
03-CWA-25-BMC

     MILWAUKEE (ELCA) -- Voting members of the 2003 Churchwide
Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
received a report from the youth convocation under way in
conjunction with the assembly. Thirty-seven youth, ages 15 to 18,
are participating in the convocation.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 11-17 at the Midwest Airlines
Center. There are about 2,100 people participating, including
1,031 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is
"Making Christ Known: For the Healing of the World."
     The report focused on the questions that youth and young
adults ask. The report started with a series of questions about
faith and the church, read by convocation participants. "Each
question is an opportunity, each question is important," said
Kwau Kuntu, 18, of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod.
     "We all have our own way of thinking. It is our desire to
follow God's will and love everyone as sisters and brothers in
Christ," said Sashyl Verduga, 16, of the ELCA Metropolitan
Chicago Synod.
     The youth also made statements about outreach, and they
stressed that youth workers should be thanked for the dedication
they show in working one-on-one with young adults.
     Convocation participants asked the 27 voting members who are
18 years old or younger to stand up and thanked them, saying: "We
are very happy that you have received this opportunity. Thank you
for serving the church in this way."
     Voting member Anna Lindquist, 17, commented after the
session, "I'm glad I can be a part of what's going on here." A
member of the ELCA South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, Lindquist
said she'd like to be come back for the next assembly.
     The closing prayer was led by John Borgstadt, 16, a member
of the ELCA Nebraska Synod. "Help us to know we're always part of
your church. We all want to make a difference."
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Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/03 on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news