Title: Thousands of Lutheran Teenagers Worldwide Cross Borders this Summer ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 8, 2006
Thousands of Lutheran Teenagers Worldwide Cross Borders this Summer 06-080-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- About 40,000 high-school-age and adult Lutherans from the United States and around the world will be crossing all kinds of borders to renew their faith as they gather for the 2006 Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The gathering will take place in two back-to- back events -- July 5-9 and July 12-16 -- at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
"The gathering is about young people risking to be a certain way in the world together," said Heidi Hagstrom, director, ELCA Youth Gathering. "It is about following Jesus' lead and crossing boundaries that keep us alienated from each other and from God. It is about our need for each other and for God."
The gathering will feature activities built around the theme "Cruzando: Journey with Jesus." Cruzando is a Spanish word for "crossing." The gathering will have a Latin emphasis, said Hagstrom, inviting participants to celebrate global diversity, nurture their faith, support and strengthen youth ministry. The ELCA Youth Gathering is held every three years under a unique theme.
Teenagers know tension, said Hagstrom. "A day rarely goes by when they aren't wondering how a loving God is active in a world that includes war, tsunamis, poverty and hatred. Parents know it, too. Many are scared and overwhelmed by the responsibility of rearing faithful children in a world where the familiar boundaries of right and wrong are redefined regularly, where temptations abound via the media, where pressures to be perfect hold captive a teenager's attention, and where cultural diversity is redefining the United States of America," she said.
Each day of the gathering will begin and end with programs at the Alamodome. Morning gatherings include technology-enhanced Bible study, evening gatherings will feature guest speakers, and both will include music, dance, drama, video and special effects, storytelling, audience participation and worship. Participants can choose from a variety of activities between mass gatherings.
Volunteer opportunities in the San Antonio area
A significant feature of the 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering will be volunteer opportunities known as "servant events," one-hour to five-hour work projects in the San Antonio area. Projects include reading and playing with children at the Boys and Girls Clubs East and West, serving food at a food bank, working with the San Antonio Police Department and more. Young Lutherans will also be cleaning neighborhoods, parks and recreations areas in and around San Antonio.
At the Gonzalez Convention Center participants can choose to put together health kits for 500 people living in poverty along the U.S. and Mexico border, assemble more than 5,000 school supply kits for children who live along the border, and create special hats to be delivered to San Antonio hospitals for children with leukemia.
Guest speakers
More than 15 keynote presenters will highlight evening mass gatherings, including the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA and president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and the Rev. Margarita Martinez, bishop of the ELCA Caribbean Synod, Dorado, Puerto Rico. The LWF is a global communion representing 62.3 million of the world's nearly 65.4 million Lutherans. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Other speakers include the Rev. Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine and organizer of the Call to Renewal -- a national federation of churches, denominations and faith-based organizations working to overcome poverty; Dr. San Juana Mendoza Bruce, a medical "charity" doctor who provides comprehensive care for more than 8,000 patients each year in Anapra and Juarez, Mexico; Dr. Kristine M. Gebbie, a former member of the first Presidential Commission on AIDS; and Donald Miller, author of the book "Blue Like Jazz."
International Guest program
Young people from Lutheran churches overseas will attend the ELCA Youth Gathering as guests of ELCA congregations. Under the Youth Gathering's International Guest program organized by ELCA Global Mission, more than 100 high-school-age and adult youth directors from the Caribbean, Central and South America Central will attend, as well as 21 youth and youth directors from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Interaction Center
Located in the Gonzalez Convention Center, the Interaction Center provides a place where participants can play beach volleyball, climb walls, explore different ministries of the church, donate a pint of blood, meet with college and university representatives and more.
Transformational learning, Youth Ministry Academy for Adults
Transformational learning will offer participants a place to learn with artisans, teachers and friends to share stories about faith and life.
The Youth Ministry Academy for Adults offers on-site training and support for pastors, youth ministry professionals and volunteers. Training will be provided by the Youth Ministry Network, an organization committed to strengthening and empowering adults who work with young people in congregations of the ELCA.
Pastor's Academy
Youth from about 300 of the ELCA's 10,585 congregations have not attended either of the past two ELCA Youth Gatherings. Senior pastors of these congregations were invited to attend the 2006 gathering under the "Pastor's Academy" program. "We want pastors to experience an ELCA Youth Gathering," said Hagstom, since "senior pastors play a key role in creating a culture in a congregation that passes on the faith to younger generations."
The Rev. Roland D. Martinson, professor of children, youth and family ministry, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., will lead the academy.
"Hamiltons for Hunger," In-Kind and Sunday offerings
Participants in the 2006 Youth Gathering are saying "no more hunger" and will strive to raise $1 million for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. Under the "Hamiltons for Hunger" effort, every participant is asked to bring $30 or "three Hamiltons." The Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) issued the $1 million challenge. The LYO represents the high-school-age members of the ELCA.
Participants are also asked to bring a $10 gift card as an "in-kind offering" to four San Antonio organizations that support families and children. Gift cards allow families and children to purchase items they need rather than accepting what others choose for them, according to Hagstrom. Some gift cards will be used to purchase supplies for school kits being assembled at the Youth Gathering.
Funds collected during Sunday morning worship will be distributed to domestic and international ministries that support children, youth and families.
Peer ministry
Peer ministers -- young Lutherans attending the gathering who have received practical ministry skills -- will be "on call" at the gathering. They will be given assignments to help create a caring and welcoming atmosphere at the gathering and meet with other young Lutherans who would like to talk with someone their own age about various life issues and concerns.
Leadership events precede gathering, LYO triennial convention
The gathering is preceded by two leadership events -- the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the Definitely- Abled Youth Leadership Event (DAYLE) -- both taking place July 2- 5. The Seventh Triennial Convention of the LYO will be July 9- 12.
MYLE will take place at the Marriott Riverwalk Hotel, San Antonio. Youth from African American and Black, American Indian and Alaska Native, Arab and Middle Eastern, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino, and multi-ethnic communities will come together with international guests under the theme "La Luz: The Power of the Light Shines for MYLE."
DAYLE, a leadership event for any high-school-age Lutheran who lives with a disability, will be at the Marriott Rivercenter, San Antonio. The theme is "Strengthen by God to Serve."
Under the theme "El Rio de Vida: Moving, Changing and Sustaining," hundreds of delegates from the 65 synods of the ELCA will conduct the business of the LYO. Business sessions include the election of officers, action on resolutions submitted by delegates and reception of reports from the board of LYO advisory committees -- Multicultural Advisory Committee, Definitely-Abled Advisory Committee and the Council of Synod LYO Presidents. The LYO holds its triennial conventions in conjunction with ELCA Youth Gatherings. - - -
Information about the 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering is available at http://www.ELCA.org/gathering/home.html on the ELCA Web site.
Information about the Lutheran Youth Organization is at http://www.ELCA.org/lyo on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog