EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (ELCA) -- Members of the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) -- the youth organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) -- elected a new president for the LYO board, along with a new vice president, secretary and regional representatives, here July 4.
Leota Thomas-Breitfeld, 18, Brookfield, Wis., a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Waukesha, Wis., was elected LYO board president.
"I want to reach ELCA youth in the pews that don't know about LYO events and get them involved," she said. "I feel inspired and ready to get started."
Thomas-Breitfeld succeeds Jay McDivitt, Loveland, Colo. McDivitt, former vice president for LYO, took office when Rebecca D. Lawrence, Chicago, resigned as president in April 1999. Lawrence was elected president at the Fourth Triennial LYO Convention in 1997.
To run for the board of the LYO, candidates must be members of ELCA congregations and be age 15-18 and/or entering grades 10-12 at the time of the convention. Nominations are accepted from the floor of the convention with written support from seven LYO delegates.
Jon Vehar, 18, St. Luke Lutheran Church, Albuquerque, N.M., was elected vice president for the LYO board. "It's still settling in. I'm very excited. It's something I've dreamed of and prayed about for many months," Vehar said. "I want to lead the LYO into the new millennium by strengthening youth ministry and being an advocate for equal rights for all people." Vehar also said that he would like to see more youth in leadership positions in the church.
Rachel Preisinger, 17, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Glenville, N.Y., was elected secretary for LYO. Representatives for the nine geographical regions of the ELCA were also elected:
+ Region 1: Jonathan Oakman, University Congregation at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash.
+ Region 2: Ima Ekong, Hope Lutheran Church, San Mateo, Calif.
+ Region 3: Liv Karin Sulerud, Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Chanhassen, Minn.
+ Region 4: Jason Spores, Joy Lutheran Church, Tulsa, Okla.
+ Region 5: Benjamin Wagner, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Schaumburg, Ill.
+ Region 6: Chris Morgan, Grace Lutheran Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
+ Region 7: Gary Schaeffer, Zion United Lutheran Church, Brodheadsville, Pa..
+ Region 8: Kiija Manty, Lutheran Church of the Reformation, Washington, D.C.
+ Region 9: Stacey Nyitrai, Grace Lutheran Church, Hendersonville, N.C.
Leaders for the Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) of the LYO board were elected at the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event, held here June 25-28. MAC advises the LYO board on the specific needs and interests of young people from ethnic-specific communities of the church:
+ African American and Black representatives: Simone Hylton and Hank Rawlerson, both from Reformation Lutheran Church, Philadelphia
+ American Indian and Alaska Native representatives: Gail Smithhisler, Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Nome, Alaska, and Lawrence Leonard, Anchorage, Alaska
+ Asian and Pacific Islander representatives: David Foley, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, and Mai Her, Hmong Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
+ Latino/Hispanic representatives: Aiyana Machado, Todos Los Santos Mision Luterana, Minneapolis, and Guillermo Howell
Leaders for the Definitely Abled Advisory Committee (DAC) were elected at the 2000 Definitely Abled Youth Leadership Event held here June 25-28. Each young Lutheran with a disability was accompanied by a parent or other caregiver. DAC advises the LYO board on concerns of the definitely abled community of the church. Those elected were:
+ Sarah Flatt, St. Claire Shores, Mich., chair
+ Joanna Storm, Madison, Wis., liaison to the LYO board
+ Michael Davidson, New Orleans, secretary.
Housed in the ELCA's Division for Congregational Ministries, LYO represents more than 500,000 high-school-age people in the 11,000 congregations of the ELCA in the United States and Caribbean. About 350 delegates conduct the business of the church's youth organization. The LYO board -- made up of 12 leaders -- acts as a "resource" and provides leadership training to the Council of Synod LYO Presidents. The council -- made up of 63 leaders -- serves as the liaison between the LYO board and ELCA's 65 synods.
The Lutheran Youth Organization holds its triennial convention in conjunction with the ELCA Youth Gathering -- a gathering of thousands of young Lutherans from around the world. The gathering met June 28-July 2, and is meeting again July 5-9 at the America's Center in St. Louis. The two events bring together some 40,000 Lutheran young people and adults who are engaging in worship, Bible study, community service and fun under the theme "Dancing at the Cross Roads."
[*Michael N. Hoffman is a junior at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. This summer he is an intern with ELCA News and Information.]
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.htmll
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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
