ELCA Youth Pursue Ministry with Homosexual and Bisexual Youth

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The youth of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will "pursue a dynamic, interactive, open and welcoming ministry" with gay, lesbian and bisexual young people, but will "exclude the possibility of a gathering" for homosexual and bisexual youth to precede the triennial ELCA Youth Gathering in the year 2000. The board for the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) met here March 5-8.
At its 1997 convention, members of the LYO passed a resolution to ask the church to "investigate the feasibility" of an event for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth. Two other events that usually precede the gathering are the Definitely Abled Youth Leadership Event (DAYLE) and the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE).
"We've found that planning this gathering is not feasible because we could not determine how to create a safe environment for gay, lesbian and bisexual young people who decide to attend. Because of this we felt that planning a gathering like this may not be the best way to do ministry," said Meredith Lovell, board member from Ellicott City, Md. Lovell is a member of the task force organized to address the resolution.
"The specific suggestion for a gathering is not feasible but there are other things to do," said Jay McDivitt, board member from Loveland, Colo. "The intent of the resolution was to kick-start the youth organization into doing ministry with gay, lesbian and bisexual young people," he said.
"The youth organization is not going to shut up about doing this ministry," McDivitt said. "We will continue to organize and re-envision how we can pursue this ministry," he said.
At its meeting last fall the board acted to designate 1998 as "A Year of Prayer" for homosexual and bisexual youth.
April 29, 1998 will be a day when about 500,000 members of LYO and others in the ELCA will be invited to pray and fast for the "personal and faith issues facing gay, lesbian and bisexual youth." Communication on the Internet and a "time for engagement with pastors, theologians and families" are planned for that day.
In 1995 the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly affirmed "that gay and lesbian people, individuals created by God, are welcome to participate fully in the life of congregations."
"We have much to learn and we are working toward a partnership with the leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We can learn from each other and struggle with issues together," said Lovell.
LYO President Rebecca D. Lawrence, Chicago, said, "It is the youth organization's responsibility to address and meet the needs of the youth sitting in the church pew. The board of the youth organization should not be in the limelight, but should work along with the ELCA and its young members."
"A highlight of the board meeting was to engage in an envisioning-the-future process for the Lutheran Youth Organization," said Lawrence. "Directions the board will take for the future include prayer, work on social issues both as a calling and as an evangelism approach, and fellowship at all levels to show that the church is cool,'" said Lawrence.
"The board felt that it is important for young people to feel the presence of God in their lives and that God can be the center of their lives."
Lawrence said the LYO board members "should lead by example. In order for us to make other youth feel that Christ is present in their lives, we must show that Christ is present in our lives first and foremost. From then on, others will see that Christ is present. We can tell others about Jesus Christ and his teachings as well."
"Teenagers are leaving the church and we want to know why," said Lovell. "The youth organization wants to find ways of helping congregations invite young people into the life of the church once again. Envisioning the future will help make the work of the LYO board more relevant to the youth sitting in the pew," she said.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html