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Hotels for the Gathering
While congregations have been preparing to return to New Orleans, New Orleans has been preparing to receive you again! We've been updating our contracts with hotels, and are very pleased to report that our rates are not significantly higher than in 2009.
New for 2012 is our plan to house synods as closely together as possible. We want to help strengthen the bonds between congregations in each synod, and assigning synods to specific hotels is one way to accomplish that.
As in 2009, congregations will rotate through their Gathering days in tracks. One day congregations will Practice Peacemaking, one day they will Practice Justice, and one day they will Practice Discipleship. And every congregation will be given early access to the floor and first bowl of the Superdome on their Practice Discipleship day.
A new venue for 2012 is Champions Square -- an outdoor entertainment plaza located between the Superdome and the newly rebuilt Hyatt Regency. Not only is this a great place for tailgating each afternoon -- with lots of food vendors and music -- but there will also be plenty of water with indoor restrooms! Our Community Life team is making plans to use this area before and after our time in the Superdome each evening.
Financial assistance and volunteers On May 15, 2011, the applications for both financial assistance and volunteers and opened on the citizens with the saints website. Immediately, many congregational leaders began applying for assistance on behalf of young people in their congregation. Within the hour, there were 87 completed applications. By the end of the day there were almost 500 completed applications and within one week there were well over 1000. The money allocated from the Gathering budget to provide financial assistance has been exhausted, so if you sign up now you’ll be added to a waiting list in case those who have been granted assistance are unable to register or attend. If you or your youth group would like to help sponsor a young person to attend the Gathering, please give to your congregation or contact your synod office to see if there are congregations in your synod that are seeking additional financial assistance.
The Gathering has also received many applications from volunteers, as shown in the right sidebar. The fact that so many people have already indicated a willingness to serve is a testament both to our church and to the grassroots group of leaders who make this ministry happen. We do need more volunteers! For those who have started the application process, please finalize your application by the end of summer in order to be considered as a volunteer. Background checks will be processed once the Gathering is less than a year away, so watch for notification that you’ve been accepted as a volunteer this fall. Apply to be a volunteer.
Bulletin board
- Director's blog -- blogs.elca.org/youthgathering
Why are we going back to New Orleans? I can't tell you how many times people have asked me that question. The first few times I answered, I have to admit I did it with a bit of an attitude, a kind of hand-on-one-hip "why wouldn’t we?" response. And every time -- yes, every time -- if the person asking had been to New Orleans for the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering they had their own long list of reasons why we should go back. They just wanted to hear my reasons. That's easy. | Read more.
- Getting ready
Do you know who the Gathering Coordinator in your synod is? If they haven't connected with you, send them an email and let them know what your plans are and see how they can help! | Click for the full list of Gathering Coordinators.
- Connecting to the congregation
Have you lost the posters that your congregation received back in December? Did they languish on someone else's desk and never even make it to you? Do you want a poster with the new logo on it to hang on your bulletin board? The ELCA Youth Ministry Network Tech Geek explains how to print out a tiled poster to replace the one you have, or maybe never had, in this article. Or order a Gathering banner from OldLutheran.com. |
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