wfn.org | 4,000 Lutheran Youth Form Huge Work Party

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 27, 1999

4,000 LUTHERAN YOUTH FORM HUGE WORK PARTY
99-188-DL*

     SEATTLE (ELCA) -- Four thousand visitors came to the Western
States Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) here and participated in a huge work party throughout the Puget
Sound area of Washington state -- from Bellingham to Seattle, Tacoma and
Aberdeen.
     The ELCA's Western States Youth Gathering, held every three years,
began with servant projects July 1-2 and then continued with mass
gatherings, worship, music, speeches, workshops and Bible study through
July 6 in downtown Seattle.
     More than 1,000 volunteers spruced up City of Seattle Parks by
removing graffiti, being on "beach patrol" and giving new coats of paint
to "tired" areas.  Volunteers in Tacoma cleaned up the Point Defiance
Zoo and other public parks.
     Nearly 200 young visitors stayed at Trinity Lutheran College
(formerly Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle), Issaquah, Wash., doing
ground work and painting in nearby family and transitional housing areas
and doing road cleanup work in Issaquah.
     Each servant event was designed specifically for the area in which
it was held.  The positive impact of teen-age Lutherans donating their
time and energy was reported in Puget Sound newspapers and on Seattle
television stations.
     The Rev. David R. Ellingson, ELCA congregational ministries
coordinator for the northwest United States, explained the theme of the
gathering, "Finders Weepers, Losers Keepers," is based on the biblical
lessons of Jesus.  This is the opposite of what seems to be happening in
the world, said Ellingson.  "The acquisition of 'stuff' doesn't lead to
happiness, and 'servanthood' is the giving away for the benefit of
others."
     Motivational speaker and author, Mike Yaconelli, El Cajon, Calif.,
addressed the gathering and led workshops.  There were more than 75
workshops with subjects ranging from resources for youth leaders to
healthy dating relationships and from "Two Views of the Church Dealing
with Homosexuality" to Yaconelli's "If Christianity is so Great, Why are
Christians so Boring?"
     The Western States Servant Band and Theatre, composed of youth
from states attending the event, performed during the Gathering.  The
Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, executive director, ELCA Division for
Congregational Ministries, Chicago, and Ken Medema, musician and
composer, San Francisco, also highlighted the program.
     Two hundred computers valued at more than $500,000 were donated
for use in a hands-on computer lab during the Gathering.  Ellingson was
the Gathering's "virtual chaplain" and produced internal television
coverage of the event with Evergreen Youth Television, an organization
which trains high school youth to produce videos from a faith and value
perspective using facilities at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma,
Wash.
     The Gathering brought together ELCA youth from the Western states,
as well as teen-agers and their leaders from the Midwest and the South.
The ELCA has 5.2 million members in 65 synods across the United States
and Caribbean.
     ELCA synods in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington
sponsored the 1999 Western States Youth Gathering.  Synods in Arizona,
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming will
host the 2002 Gathering in San Jose, Calif.
     The Rev. Maynard W. Atik, Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church, Seattle,
chaired the 1996-99 planning committee.

[* Diane Lewis is editor of The Prayer Fellowship Letter, Trinity
Lutheran College (formerly Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle),
Issaquah, Wash.]

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