Post-Gathering Resources
You still have work to do.
A Note from Heidi…
The Youth Gathering is over, but as the adult leader you still have work to do. In fact, this might be the
most important work you do in conjunction with the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering.
To ensure that the Gathering is a faith-formative or faith-informing experience for young people, it is critically important that the mountain-top experience be integrated into the daily lives of young people, as well as the life of your congregation. The following
resources were assembled to help you do the important work of connecting the dots between the experience of the Gathering and a passionate faith life.
We strongly encourage you to process the experience of the Gathering by intentionally engaging these questions as a group:
- What will you do with the experience that you have just lived through?
- How will the experience of the Gathering impact your behaviors going forward?
- What’s next? How will this experience become part of your life, the life of your family and the life of your congregation?
- How will you sustain the commitment to the people with whom you are now in relationship because of the experience you have had?
- What are the things you will do to demonstrate what you’ve learned, and how will you introduce it to your congregation?
We have provided materials below that can support this intentional processing. Specific components will include the following:
- Educational resources
- Weekly inspirational blog posting
- Online forums for sharing the fruits of your group’s processing
- Monthly webinars with key leaders (details to come)
- Opportunities for one-on-one coaching with key leaders
Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers
- Romans 12:11-13
Resources for right now:
- In the June 2012 The Lutheran magazine, Kathyrn Sime reframed the traditional “mission trip” as an opportunity to engage in reflection and partnership. Click here to go to Sime’s article and the accompanying study guide.
- The Book of Faith Initiative invited service-learning guru Gene Roelkepartain to riff on faith formation and service with Dr. Mark Jackson and Dr. Dave Ellingson of Trinity Lutheran College. Then they made the video of the conversation available for FREE! Click here to check it out.
- Why just watch Gene Roelkepartain’s interview when you can get the full six-session study “Service and Learning” with six phenomenal teachers who have practiced justice in their own ministries? It is available from Select Resources via streaming for $29.95, or you can have the entire DVD set mailed to you for only $39.95.
- The SALLT (Service and Learning Leadership Team) Project is giving away all of their service and learning resources for FREE. The story includes a preview of a mobile app that will soon be released, and can be used during your home Practice Justice experiences. Visit their store and website by clicking here.