Lutheran Latino Young People Gather to Build Leadership Skills

LOIZA, Puerto Rico (ELCA) -- About 150 Latino children and youth from across the United States and Puerto Rico met in this small seaside community Aug. 3-5 in a first-ever gathering for young Lutherans of various Hispanic backgrounds hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
They met under the theme "Do it! Let no one despise our youth." Goals of the gathering included identifying and developing leadership skills among Latino young people and helping to strengthen their commitment to Christ and the church.
"Young people in the church are responding in an exciting way to Jesus' call to follow him," said Lori Claudio, associate director for Latino evangelism and discipleship, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM), Chicago. "They are listening to the Lord's call and following in his footsteps as true disciples," she said.
The gathering, sponsored by DCM's evangelism and Christian education team, brought together Lutherans ranging in age from eight to 22 years. Most were from Puerto Rico; others traveled here from California, New Jersey, New York and Florida. More than 50 adults accompanied the young people to the gathering at the Loiza Vacation Center.
Young Lutherans participated in a series of workshops exploring topics and ideas about the power of prayer, how to recognize the presence of God's spirit within us, and the role and mission of young people in the church. They also joined together in worship and participated in cultural activities. A highlight of the gathering was a presentation by a folkloric dance group from the town of Loiza.
Claudio said she was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and dedication shown by the young people at the gathering. "Children and youth are the church's best evangelizers because they do it with conviction. They are proof that the Spirit of God is alive and well within us," she said.
Many of the young people organized fund-raising activities such as car washes and cookie sales to help pay for the cost of traveling to Puerto Rico, Claudio said. The ELCA churchwide organization also contributed more than $21,000 in scholarships to help the young people attend the gathering, she said.
Alexis Omar Blanco, a teenage member of San Marcos Lutheran Church, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, said the gathering "has helped make me a better disciple of Christ so that I, in turn, can help others grow in the faith."
The Rev. Marta Poling-Goldenne, director for witness and evangelism ministries, DCM, said the gathering reflected ELCA' s interest in reaching out to its Latino members and offering them opportunities to participate more actively in the life of the church. She praised all those individuals "who have worked very hard to make this a faith-filled, life-changing experience."
Workshops were led by the Rev. Marysol Diaz, San Marcos Lutheran Church, Guaynabo; the Rev. Ricardo Rivera, Nuestro Salvador Lutheran Church, Guaynabo; the Rev. Edwin R. Cruz, Cristo Rey Lutheran Church, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico; the Rev. Maritza Resto, Disciples of Christ Church, El Senorial, Puerto Rico; Myrna Diaz, San Marcos Lutheran Church; Isabel Torres Mejias, Santisima Trinidad Lutheran Church, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and Damaris Rivera, Bayamon.
Rivera said, as a follow up to the gathering, the ELCA Caribbean Synod, with offices in Dorado, Puerto Rico, will sponsor a leadership training workshop in December for people between the ages of 13 and 21. The workshop will be held at the ELCA's Maguayo Camp, Dorado. -- -- --
**Frank Ramos, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, is a communication consultant and member of the ELCA Department for Communication advisory committee.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html