ELCA Youth Gathering Team Leaders, Volunteers Meet in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (ELCA) About 150 team leaders and volunteers from throughout the United States and Caribbean met here Jan. 8-10 to plan the 2000 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering, an international worship and learning event for young people, most of whom are Lutheran.
The gathering will bring about 45,000 young people and volunteers to St. Louis in back-to-back events June 28-July 2, 2000 and July 5-9, = 2000.=20 In 1996, organizers decided to schedule two events instead of one after evaluating the growth of the Gathering, said the Rev. William "Bill" Kees, director for the ELCA Youth Gathering.
Some 35,000 people attended the 1997 ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans, which was a single five-day event.=20
The ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM), in consultation with team leaders and volunteers, organizes the gathering.=20 It's held every three years at different sites.
A promotional video about the gathering is being sent to congregations this month, Kees said. It was produced by the ELCA Department for Communication and IMS Productions Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo.
The theme for the 2000 Gathering is "Dancing at the Crossroads."=20 Young people attending the Gathering will have an opportunity to learn about their faith through Bible study, worship in mass gatherings at the TWA Dome, participate in structured learning activities, interact through "hotel life" experiences and perform a variety of community service projects.
"Our intention is to give back to the community, not 'use up' the community," said Heidi Hagstrom, associate director for the gathering. "The gathering impacts the community in a huge way. We want to be prudent in how we use resources, both human and material."
Gathering participants are high school-aged young people from throughout the world. The event is designed to support congregational youth ministry efforts, Hagstrom said.
Most who will attend are members of ELCA congregations. Already, international representatives from South Africa, Sweden and France say they will attend.
Important components of the gathering are youth ministry events that occur before, during or in-between each gathering, Kees said. These include the Lutheran Youth Organization Convention, the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the Definitely-Abled Youth Leadership Event (DAYLE).
Last April and June, 40 adults and young people helped shape the theme for the gathering, Kees said. Planned daily themes for the gathering include "Getting Into the Dance" (Wednesday); "Dancing with Friends and Family" (Thursday); "Dancing with the Stranger" (Friday); "Dancing on the Edge" (Saturday); and the concluding theme, "Dancing at the Crossroads" (Sunday).
Designers also expect the gathering to teach many of the Search Institute's "developmental assets" to the participants, Kees said. Some of the assets include attributes such as positive relationships, service to others, religious community, academic achievements, responsibility, peaceful conflict resolution and self-esteem. Lutheran Brotherhood, a fraternal benefits society based in Minneapolis, is supporting the use of the development assets, he added.
Registration materials for the 2000 Gathering will be distributed in August, along with inspirational and resource materials to prepare the participants and adult leaders for the event, Hagstrom said.
The web site is www.elca.org/gathering for "Dancing at the Crossroads." Registration for the gathering is scheduled for later this year, and will be handled electronically and by mail, Kees said.
Already, DCM is working to determine the site for the 2003 ELCA Youth Gathering, Kees said. Announcement of the site selection is expected later this year.

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