CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will bring together about 40,000 high-school-age= =20 and adult Lutherans in two back-to-back events this year: June 28-July = 2,=20 and July 5-9. The gathering, "Dancing at the Cross Roads," will take place at the America's Center in St. Louis.
"More than 22,000 young people, adult participants and couselors, volunteers and others are registered for the first event. Most of the young people are in the 10th grade," said Donna Wiegel, registrar, ELCA Youth Gathering. "More than 16,000 people are registered for the second event," she said.
The ELCA Youth Gathering is an event held every three years 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.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu will address the gathering June 30 and July 7. Participants will focus on forgiveness and reconciliation those days. Tutu is the Robert W. Woodruff visiting professor at Emory University, Atlanta. From 1978 to 1985, Tutu served as general secretary of the South African Council of Churches. In 1995 President Nelson Mandela appointed Archbishop Tutu to head the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and chair the Human Rights Violations Committee. Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
Other keynote presenters at the Youth Gathering include the Rev. Pamela R. Fickenscher, pastor of The Spirit Garage, Minneapolis, an ELCA congregation of people between the ages of 20 and 35; and Mike Yaconelli, Yreka, Calif., co-founder and owner of Youth Specialities, an international organization that trains and provides resources for more than 100,000 youth workers worldwide. Yaconelli is also a lay minister for Grace Community Church, a small church "for those who don't like church much," he said.
Young Lutherans from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Papau 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.
Each day of the gathering will begin and end with a mass gathering at the TWA 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.
Afternoon activities at "Dancing at the Cross Roads" are organized under four categories: The Beat, Two Step Service in St. Louis, Hip Hoppin' Around St. Louis and G2K Learning Community.
"The Beat" is an interaction center 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 lessons about music 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 opportunities" on three of their five days in St. Louis under "Two Step Service in St. Louis." Projects include cleanup and rebuilding in several of the city's parks and neighborhoods, and participating in four Habitat for Humanity projects. Other servant opportunities include visiting shelters for homeless people, playing with children in day care, and helping deliver meals in "senior service" centers. Participants will also have the opportunity to bring "in-kind gifts," such as canned foods or children's books, to donate to agencies in the city.
"Hip Hoppin' Around St. Louis" is designed for participants to learn about the history of St. Louis. Activities include trips to the city's cathedrals, botanical gardens and museums.
G2K Learning Community is organized into six "Hoods" designed for participants to share and exercise their God-given talents and gifts. Prior to the gathering, young people will have the opportunity to complete "Dancing with Your Gifts," a "spiritual gift-assessment inventory." Participants plan their participation in the G2K Learning Community accordingly. Activities in the Hoods include workshops, keynote presentations, Bible studies, music and writing opportunities.
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 of and transportation for "Dancing at the Cross Roads" participants.
A leadership event for "definitely-abled" 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 or learning 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. 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 housed in the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, Chicago.
Editor's Note: More information about the ELCA Youth Gathering can be
found at the gathering's Web site: www.elca.org/gathering/main.html .
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
