ST. LOUIS (ELCA) -- The Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will bring together thousands of high-school-age and adult Lutherans in two back-to-back events this year: June 28 -July 2, and July 5-9. The gathering, "Dancing at the Cross Roads," will take place here at the America's Center convention complex.
A capacity of 40,000 registrants will be accepted overall.
"As of March 3, more than 30,000 young people have registered for the gathering, said Donna Wiegel, registrar, ELCA Youth Gathering, Chicago. "Most of them are in the 10th grade." About 7,000 adult participants and counselors are registered.
"Registration for the second is still open, with a stack of registration materials arriving daily. Registration for the gathering will close April 1," Wiegel told the gathering's organizers -- team leaders -- Feb. 25-27. Team Leaders for the ELCA Youth Gathering met here to receive a progress report on plans for "Dancing at the Cross Roads."
Registration for the gathering opened Oct. 18, 1999. Information about the gathering can be accessed via the Internet at www.elca.org/gathering.
Young Lutherans from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe will attend "Dancing at the Cross Roads."
ELCA congregations from across the United States will host international guests, said Heidi Hagstrom, ELCA associate director for the gathering.
Each day of the gathering will begin and end with a mass gathering at the TransWorld Dome, part of the America's Center. Morning mass gatherings will feature Bible study, evening gatherings will feature guest speakers, and both will include music, dance, drama, video, storytelling, audience participation and worship.
"Dancing at the Cross Roads" will feature an interaction center called "The Beat," where young people can participate in the largest indoor adventure course ever built at a youth gathering. Located at the Cervantes Center in the America's Center, The Beat will also feature sports, an indoor garden, dance and music lessons, such as swing, simba drumming, rock and country. At The Beat young people will have the opportunity to build walls for four Habitat for Humanity houses.
Thousands of youth will participate in "servant events" on three of their five days in St. Louis. Projects include cleanup and rebuilding in several of the city's neighborhoods, and participating in four Habitat for Humanities projects. Other servant events include visiting homeless shelters, playing with children in day care, and helping deliver meals in "senior service" centers. Participants will also have the opportunity to bring an "in-kind gift" such as canned foods or children's books to donate to agencies in the city.
Other afternoon activities include attending workshops and seminars, and "Hip Hoppin' around St. Louis," which includes touring the city's cathedrals, botanical gardens and theme parks.
Breakfast, worship, exercise and dancing are some of the special activities being planned for young people in St. Louis' hotels and the America's Center.
More than 500 volunteers will secure the safety and transportation for "Dancing at the Cross Roads" participants.
The ELCA Youth Gathering is an event where youth and adults from Lutheran congregations around the world will gather to "invite, grow and nurture faith" in the lives of all who attend, Wiegel said.
A leadership event for "definitely-able" young people will take place June 25-28, at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Ill. The event, "Here I am Lord, With My Dancing Shoes On," is open to all Lutheran young people with physical, visual, auditory, mental and learning disabilities or a combination of these disabilities. Participants will contemplate the theme through Bible studies, small group activities, workshops and worship. The Rev. Lisa T. Cleaver, ELCA director for disability ministries and deaf ministry, Chicago, will lead a general session.
The Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) will take place June 25-28, at Southern Illinois University. African American, American Indian, Arab American, Asian American and Latino young people will come together with some international guests and White youth from multicultural congregations to "celebrate" the ELCA's commitment to embracing cultural diversity.
The theme for MYLE is "Let the Spirit Move You." Participants will gather for Bible studies, leadership development, small group activities, workshops and worship.
The Fifth Triennial Convention of the ELCA Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) will be held July 2-5 at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Hundreds of Lutheran youth delegates from across the country will conduct the business of the organization.
LYO is the "umbrella" organization for youth in the ELCA. It represents the voice of more than 500,000 young people in the church. LYO is located in the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, Chicago.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
