CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The 2006 Youth Gathering of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) offered about
40,000 Lutheran youth and adults the opportunity to participate
in a variety of stewardship programs. The gathering took place
in two back-to-back events in San Antonio, Texas. Some 15,000
young people, chaperones and volunteers participated July 5-9;
more than 24,000 people participated July 12-16.
As of July 17 more than $530,000 had been raised for
"Hamiltons for Hunger." Under the "Hamiltons for Hunger" effort,
every participant was asked to bring $30 or "three Hamiltons" to
raise $1 million for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. Donations are
still being collected.
Worship offerings from both weeks were about $580,000 and
will benefit domestic and international ministries that support
children, youth and families. About $100,000 in gift cards was
collected during the gathering as an "in-kind" offering to
benefit six San Antonio organizations.
In addition to gift cards, about $50,000 in leftover
materials was collected that included everything from "TV sets to
wood," said the Rev. William B. Kees, director for youth
ministries, ELCA Vocation and Education.
Anything that could be reused was divided among seven different organizations, said Peggy Contos Hahn, assistant to the
bishop, ELCA Gulf Coast Synod. The majority of the materials
will benefit two mission centers that are part of La Frontera
ministries along the U.S.-Mexico border. A mission center in El
Paso, Texas, received 40 pallets of material to be used in El
Paso and Juarez, Mexico, to build churches and aid those living
in poverty. A mission center in Laredo, Texas, received 30
pallets of material that will benefit eight congregations along
the U.S.-Mexico border, Hahn said.
Texas Lutheran University (TLU) Center for Student Servant
Leadership, Seguin, received hand tools for the TLU chapter of
Habitat for Humanity; landscape timber and benches for the
Center; plants that Faith Lutheran Church, Seguin, will sell to
raise money for Lutheran Border Ministry; and leftover Youth
Gathering backpacks that will be sold to raise money for the
Center for Student Leadership in conjunction with the center's
fair-trade weekend, said Ron Quiros, director, TLU Center for
Student Leadership. TLU is one of 28 colleges and universities
of the ELCA.
Lutheran Social Services of the South received backpacks and Bibles. Lumber and other building materials were donated to Camp Chrysalis, Kerrville, Texas, as well as Bulverde United Methodist Church, San Antonio.
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Information about La Frontera ministries is at
http://www.lutheranborderministry.org/ on the Web.
Information about the 2006 Youth Gathering is at
http://www.ELCA.org/gathering/ on the ELCA Web Site.
*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an
intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
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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
