4,000 Lutheran Youth Form Huge Work Party

SEATTLE (ELCA) -- Four thousand visitors came to the Western States Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) here and participated in a huge work party throughout the Puget Sound area of Washington state -- from Bellingham to Seattle, Tacoma and Aberdeen.
The ELCA's Western States Youth Gathering, held every three years, began with servant projects July 1-2 and then continued with mass gatherings, worship, music, speeches, workshops and Bible study through July 6 in downtown Seattle.
More than 1,000 volunteers spruced up City of Seattle Parks by removing graffiti, being on "beach patrol" and giving new coats of paint to "tired" areas. Volunteers in Tacoma cleaned up the Point Defiance Zoo and other public parks.
Nearly 200 young visitors stayed at Trinity Lutheran College (formerly Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle), Issaquah, Wash., doing ground work and painting in nearby family and transitional housing areas and doing road cleanup work in Issaquah.
Each servant event was designed specifically for the area in which it was held. The positive impact of teen-age Lutherans donating their time and energy was reported in Puget Sound newspapers and on Seattle television stations.
The Rev. David R. Ellingson, ELCA congregational ministries coordinator for the northwest United States, explained the theme of the gathering, "Finders Weepers, Losers Keepers," is based on the biblical lessons of Jesus. This is the opposite of what seems to be happening in the world, said Ellingson. "The acquisition of 'stuff' doesn't lead to happiness, and 'servanthood' is the giving away for the benefit of others."
Motivational speaker and author, Mike Yaconelli, El Cajon, Calif., addressed the gathering and led workshops. There were more than 75 workshops with subjects ranging from resources for youth leaders to healthy dating relationships and from "Two Views of the Church Dealing with Homosexuality" to Yaconelli's "If Christianity is so Great, Why are Christians so Boring?"
The Western States Servant Band and Theatre, composed of youth from states attending the event, performed during the Gathering. The Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, executive director, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, Chicago, and Ken Medema, musician and composer, San Francisco, also highlighted the program.
Two hundred computers valued at more than $500,000 were donated for use in a hands-on computer lab during the Gathering. Ellingson was the Gathering's "virtual chaplain" and produced internal television coverage of the event with Evergreen Youth Television, an organization which trains high school youth to produce videos from a faith and value perspective using facilities at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash.
The Gathering brought together ELCA youth from the Western states, as well as teen-agers and their leaders from the Midwest and the South. The ELCA has 5.2 million members in 65 synods across the United States and Caribbean.
ELCA synods in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington sponsored the 1999 Western States Youth Gathering. Synods in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming will host the 2002 Gathering in San Jose, Calif.
The Rev. Maynard W. Atik, Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church, Seattle, chaired the 1996-99 planning committee.

[* Diane Lewis is editor of The Prayer Fellowship Letter, Trinity
Lutheran College (formerly Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle),
Issaquah, Wash.]

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