What is Practice Peacemaking?

The mission of the ELCA Youth Gathering is to accompany young people in their faith journey to understand their vocation and articulate their faith in Jesus Christ. We will live that out in the program area called "Practice Peacemaking," one of three days at the ELCA Youth Gathering (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) to which congregational groups will be assigned. "Practice Peacemaking" will help young people become more conscious of their own call through focusing on how they can strive for justice and peace within themselves, their communities and the world. This justice and peace is achieved through Christ's reconciling work in the world. We are invited to participate in this work by accompanying neighbors next door and across the world. At the Gathering, youth and adults will be invited to step into a global community of interactive learning as together we learn how God gives us the capacity to live God's vision of "one new humanity" (Ephesians 2:15) through the cross of Christ.

"Practice Peacemaking" will turn the New Orleans Ernest M. Morial Convention Center into a space for Interactive Learning. In this space, participants will engage in multi-sensory opportunities that will invite them to reflect on God's value for everyone, particularly those who are marginalized by society; discern how they can participate in the church's efforts to express this love and actually practice peacemaking. 

Through these efforts, we hope participants will be able to:

• Recognize when they hold the power in relationships with people who are marginalized and freely give that power away.
• Take a back seat comfortably (i.e., deny self, to reach a point where their self is no longer the most important thing in the world).
• Listen before speaking.
• Work toward reconciliation in Christ in all relationships.

Practice Peacemaking Interactive Learning Activities will include:

• A variety of interactive learning opportunities using several mediums such as art, music, technology, sports, community, fun and reflection.
• Worship as a gathered community that centers on the reconciling work of the cross of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Opportunities to stimulate one's desire to know more deeply the word of God -- spoken (preached), written (Bible) and living (Jesus).
• Activities to engage youth in peacemaking within themselves, their community and the world.            
• Encounters to challenge youth through experiences both within their comfort zones/skill sets and outside comfort zones/skill sets that respect the multitude of ways youth learn and honor the gift of each learning style.
• Places for youth to enter the deep faith questions like:
  • What is my vocation?
  • What do I believe?
  • Who is Jesus?
  • How am I a peacemaker?
  • What walls of hostility am I building?   
• Exercises to better understand what peacemaking is and how it differs from mercy or merely being nice.
• Invitations to introduce young people to many global organizations that are involved in peacemaking including organizations that are in partnership with the ELCA.
• A chance to embody, create and proclaim peace.

2012 ELCA Youth Gathering registration

It can be a pain pulling together all of the information that is needed to successfully complete the online registration for the Gathering. In order to make it just a little bit easier there are Registration Information Forms available for the Primary Leader to collect the information they will need for their congregation.

• Primary Leader and Adult Counselor Registration Information Form -- all the information needed to complete online registration for the congregation and from each adult counselor, including the primary leader.

• Youth Registration Information Form -- all the information needed to complete online registration for youth participants from your congregation.

Distribute these forms to your adults and youth so you can start collecting and entering data. When registration opens on October 9 at 2 p.m. EDT, all you'll have to do is click "submit"! Please note, these forms are for your use only, they are not meant to be sent to the ELCA Youth Gathering office.

For those of you who are not going to have all your data for registration by October 9, don't fret. All registrations received in a timely fashion, by December 9, will be treated equally. While the Gathering staff appreciates those who register at the first opportunity because it helps with the planning process, know that there is plenty of space in New Orleans for your group.

In addition to the Registration Information Forms above, the Gathering requires that each participant, youth and adult, complete and bring with their group to New Orleans some additional forms. The Adult Leader Agreement and Release of Liability Form is for adults and the Youth Agreement and Release of Liability Form is, not surprisingly, for youth. These forms should be filled out and signed by each participant, and, in the case of youth, a parent or guardian. The Gathering Medical Form has been carefully designed by the Gathering's Safety and Security Team to have the relevant information required by medical personnel in the case of an emergency and needs to be filled out by each participant, youth and adult. It is used for the Gathering, MYLE and DAYLE.

The Primary Leader should carry each of these forms during the Gathering as well as while traveling to and from New Orleans. You will be required to show that you have them with you prior to participation in certain Gathering activities and to complete registration. It is also a good idea to make copies for each adult leader to have, particularly if your group is splitting up into smaller groups in the evening.