INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Evangelizing young adults requires church leaders willing to stretch beyond traditional worship and programs, said Desiree Quintana, a young adult who chairs an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) initiative to connect with her generation. Quintana reported progress on the initiative "Connect With Youth and Young Adults" at the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly Aug. 13.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,039 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Sharing Faith in a New Century."
Quintana's report on the initiative included highlights from a 1999 youth summit and tips for connecting with the post-modern generation. Final reports on each of the seven initiatives, launched by the ELCA in 1997, are being presented at this assembly.
Congregations who minister to youth must "let loose the bonds on the means by which the Word is shared," Quintana said. Church leaders must meet youth where they are, she said, which means looking at community needs. For example, if a church has single mothers, leaders could form a small group for support, Quintana said. She also suggested researching the secular music youth prefer, then finding worship music in that style.
To learn more about the role of youth and young adults in the church, members of the initiative committee hosted a youth summit in Feb. 1999. More than 1,000 people from 10 ELCA ministries gathered to share ideas, support each other and energize for ministry, Quintana said.
The initiative committee also plans to start a Web site to connect with youth. Participants in the youth summit agreed on the site's name www.soulfuel.org. The site is not yet operational.
Quintana said the name "soul fuel" represents the longing in her generation. "Many youth and young adults long for God to energize their everyday lives." -- -- --
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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.
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