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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 20, 2003

Lutheran Adults Learn About Youth Leadership
03-YG-10-JAC*

     ATLANTA (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America interested in youth ministry participated in workshops
about youth leadership and other aspects of youth ministry during
the ELCA Youth Gathering here
     The ELCA Youth Gathering is meeting here at the Georgia Dome
and Georgia World Congress Center in two back-to-back events:
 July 16-20 and July 23-27.  The Gathering, "Do Life! Ubuntu," is
bringing together some 40,000 high-school-age and adult Lutherans
who are engaging in worship, Bible study, community service and
fun.
     The workshops were offered through the Youth Ministry
Network Academy, an organization that bring together youth
ministry workers from ELCA congregations and from other areas of
the church that provide leadership in youth ministry.  Designed
for both professionals and volunteers, workshops are held
Thursday, Friday and Saturday during both events of the Gathering
and include a general session for all participants.
     The Rev. Roland D. Martinson, Basson-Olson Professor of
Children, Youth and Family Ministry, Luther Seminary, St. Paul,
Minn., was keynote speaker for the general session and also led a
workshop "Putting the Family in Youth and Family Ministry."
Martinson said he hopes the workshops will provide affirmation
for the work of adults in youth ministry.  He said it is
important for adults to recognize the gifts, time and dreams they
bring to relationships with youth.
     Martinson said it was important to offer encouragement to
participants, to orient them to "the real work of this generation
of gifted youth" and to give participants "some knowledge and
skills whereby they can increase their confidence in what they're
doing."  Martinson has been doing youth ministry for 41 years,
including work as an associate pastor, youth pastor, senior
pastor, professor and researcher.
     "I suppose what fascinates me is the way in which a 12-year-
old young [person] makes their way six years later ... into their
adult powers," he said.
     Martinson stressed that youth ministry is vital to a
person's adult life.  "It's such a crucial time in terms of
fostering spirit, developing core values," he said.  "If it's
botched, it can destroy a person's life."
     Workshop topics included how to care for youth, energizing
congregations, teaching faith to youth, developing student
leadership, preparing families to incorporate ministry into
family life, youth ministry in cultural contexts and writing for
youth ministry.
     Many workshops began with short vignettes pertaining to the
workshop topic before opening the floor to guided discussion.
"I'm going to ask for input along the way," said Rick Heltne,
Youth Ministry, Luther Seminary.  In his workshop, "Developing
Student Leadership," Heltne discussed with participants how to
establish youth leaders in church communities.	He asked
participants to consider, "What makes that student a leader?"
     Nathan Frambach, assistant professor for youth, culture and
mission, Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, led a workshop called
"Youth and Family Ministry in Emerging Cultures."  He encouraged
conversation among participants about the problems and advantages
found in different community contexts.
     Luther Seminary and Wartburg Seminary are two of eight ELCA
seminaries.

Information from the ELCA Youth Gathering can be found at
http://www.elca.org/gathering/home.html on the Web.

*Jessica A. Crane is completing her bachelor of arts degree at
Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.  She is an intern this summer
in the ELCA News and Media Production.

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