Lutheran Youth Issue Statement about Peace Worldwide

ATLANTA (ELCA) -- The board of the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) called for "safety, healing and peace" for people engaged in combat around the world in "Blessed are the Peacemakers," a statement it issued March 30. The board called for the development of "youth oriented" study material on human sexuality and attended to other business when it met here March 27-30.
LYO, the youth organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), represents 500,000 middle-school and high-school- age Lutherans in the church. The organization's board provides a link between young people and churchwide units, bringing youth representation to traditionally adult-led boards and groups. The LYO office is in the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, Chicago.
"In solidarity with young people all over the world, we seek to co-create a world in which all people have the opportunity to live and grow in health, safety and community," said the statement written by Liv Karen Sulerud, board member and student at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn. St. Olaf is one of 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA.
"We know from history and from the wisdom of those who have gone before us that war and violence primarily affect those who are malnourished, weak, impoverished and oppressed; namely women, children and the elderly. It is these with whom Jesus lived and to whom he reached out with compassion. We recognize, then, that war only adds to the vicious cycle of violence and is not consistent with God's vision of 'agape,' God's unending love. Knowing these things, it is essential that we address the root causes of conflict in our world: hunger, poverty, injustice and oppression," it said.
"My hope for the statement is to challenge youth to learn about the issues of war and its effect on all people, to challenge the church to continue its work for peace and justice, and to challenge all people to be peacemakers from their own heart, as Christ has commanded us," said Jon Vehar, Albuquerque, N.M., LYO vice president. Vehar chaired the meeting.
The board forwarded the statement to divisions and offices of the ELCA churchwide organization, particularly to the Office of the Presiding Bishop, as well as to the Council for Synod LYO Presidents, an advisory committee of the LYO board.
In a separate action, the board called for the development of "faith-based, youth oriented study materials on sexuality" from the youth ministry team of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries. The board transmitted the resolution to the LYO Sixth Triennial Convention for its consideration here July 20-23.
In its resolution, the board cited the "obvious and apparent need" for the development of youth ministry resources relating to human sexuality. The ELCA "is supportive of the positive personal and spiritual development of its youth. A necessary piece of a youth's personal and spiritual growth process is the study and discussion of human sexuality in a godly circumstance. Modern culture actively bombards the youth of today with negative, worldly and sinful perspectives with relation to human sexuality. Human sexuality, in a godly context, is comprised of more than physical sexuality," it "includes the emotional and spiritual aspects of sexuality."
In other business, the board:
+ heard from the Rev. William (Bill) Kees, ELCA director for youth ministries and gathering team. Kees told the board about a strategy for "successful" youth and family ministry in synods and congregations. The strategy, developed by the Network of ELCA Synod Youth and Family Ministry Leaders, includes a proposal for mission, biblical mandate, core values and strategies related to the mission proposal.
+ shared stories with one another about their experience serving on the board. During an evening reception, board members were surprised when some former LYO board members, who are now in their late 20s, greeted and welcomed them into the LYO Alumni Association, which formed on March 1, 2003. Former board members also shared stories about their service in the youth organization and how that service has impacted their lives.
+ devoted time to planning the LYO convention this summer. It reviewed the convention's agenda and theme, and it toured the Georgia Institute of Technology here, the convention site.
Under the theme, "N-2-1: Joining in Weakness, We are Strong," about 500 delegates Lutherans between the ages of 15 and 18 or who are in grades 10 through 12 from the ELCA's 65 synods will conduct the business of the youth organization. "N-2-1" is pronounced "into one."
Business sessions, led by the board of LYO, will include the elections of officers, actions on resolutions submitted by delegates representing synods and congregations of the ELCA, and reception of reports from the board and its three advisory committees -- Multicultural Advisory Committee, Definitely Abled Advisory Committee and Council of Synod LYO Presidents. Other highlights of the convention include keynote presentations, workshops, music, Bible study and worship.
The LYO holds its triennial conventions in conjunction with the ELCA Youth Gathering -- a gathering that brings together thousands of high-school-age Lutherans from across the United States, Caribbean and countries around the world. More than 38,000 people are registered to attend the 2003 Youth Gathering here in two back-to- back events, July 16-20 and July 23-27, under the theme, "Ubuntu: Do Life!"
A leadership event for "definitely abled" young people will take place July 13-16 here at the Omni Hotel CNN Center. The event, "Definitely Do Life Day-By-Day" is open to all young Lutherans with physical, visual, auditory, mental or learning disabilities.
The Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) will take place July 13-16 here at the Sheraton Hotel Atlanta. African American and Black, American Indian and Alaska Native, Arab and Middle Eastern, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Latino young people will come together with international guests and White youth from multicultural ELCA congregations under the theme, "Bathed in His Image: Washing Away MYLEs of Hate."
Participants of both events will also attend the ELCA Youth Gathering. _ _ _
The Lutheran Youth Organization's home page is at http://www.elca.org/dcm/youth/lyo/ on the Internet.
Information about the 2003 ELCA Youth Gathering is maintained at http://www.elca.org/gathering/home.html on the Internet. For information about the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event visit http://www.elca.org/gathering/myle/ on the Internet. For information about the Definitely Abled Youth Leadership Event visit http://www.elca.org/gathering/dayle/home.html on the Internet.

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