wfn.org | Lutheran Latino Young People Gather to Build Leadership Skills

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 22, 2001

LUTHERAN LATINO YOUNG PEOPLE GATHER TO BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS
01-215-FR*
     LOIZA, Puerto Rico (ELCA) -- About 150 Latino children and youth
from across the United States and Puerto Rico met in this small seaside
community Aug. 3-5 in a first-ever gathering for young Lutherans of
various Hispanic backgrounds hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA).
     They met under the theme "Do it! Let no one despise our youth."
Goals of the gathering included identifying and developing leadership
skills among Latino young people and helping to strengthen their
commitment to Christ and the church.
     "Young people in the church are responding in an exciting way to
Jesus' call to follow him," said Lori Claudio, associate director for
Latino evangelism and discipleship, ELCA Division for Congregational
Ministries (DCM), Chicago.  "They are listening to the Lord's call and
following in his footsteps as true disciples," she said.
     The gathering, sponsored by DCM's evangelism and Christian
education team, brought together Lutherans ranging in age from eight to
22 years.  Most were from Puerto Rico; others traveled here from
California, New Jersey, New York and Florida.  More than 50 adults
accompanied the young people to the gathering at the Loiza Vacation
Center.
     Young Lutherans participated in a series of workshops exploring
topics and ideas about the power of prayer, how to recognize the
presence of God's spirit within us, and the role and mission of young
people in the church. They also joined together in worship and
participated in cultural activities.  A highlight of the gathering was a
presentation by a folkloric dance group from the town of Loiza.
     Claudio said she was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and
dedication shown by the young people at the gathering. "Children and
youth are the church's best evangelizers because they do it with
conviction. They are proof that the Spirit of God is alive and well
within us," she said.
     Many of the young people organized fund-raising activities such as
car washes and cookie sales to help pay for the cost of traveling to
Puerto Rico, Claudio said.  The ELCA churchwide organization also
contributed more than $21,000 in scholarships to help the young people
attend the gathering, she said.
     Alexis Omar Blanco, a teenage member of San Marcos Lutheran
Church, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, said the gathering "has helped make me a
better disciple of Christ so that I, in turn, can help others grow in
the faith."
     The Rev. Marta Poling-Goldenne, director for witness and
evangelism ministries, DCM, said the gathering reflected ELCA' s
interest in reaching out to its Latino members and offering them
opportunities to participate more actively in the life of the church.
She praised all those individuals "who have worked very hard to make
this a faith-filled, life-changing experience."
     Workshops were led by the Rev. Marysol Diaz, San Marcos Lutheran
Church, Guaynabo; the Rev. Ricardo Rivera, Nuestro Salvador Lutheran
Church, Guaynabo; the Rev. Edwin R. Cruz, Cristo Rey Lutheran Church,
Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico; the Rev. Maritza Resto, Disciples of Christ
Church, El Senorial, Puerto Rico; Myrna Diaz, San Marcos Lutheran
Church; Isabel Torres Mejias, Santisima Trinidad Lutheran Church,
Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and Damaris Rivera, Bayamon.
     Rivera said, as a follow up to the gathering, the ELCA Caribbean
Synod, with offices in Dorado, Puerto Rico, will sponsor a leadership
training workshop in December for people between the ages of 13 and 21.
The workshop will be held at the ELCA's Maguayo Camp, Dorado.
-- -- --
     **Frank Ramos, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, is a communication
consultant and member of the ELCA Department for Communication advisory
committee.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html