ELCA Assembly Greeted by Lutheran Youth Organization

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The high-school-age members of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the 2007 ELCA
Churchwide Assembly together can transform the ELCA into
something relevant and meaningful to all of God's people. That
was the message from the president and vice president of the
Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) to the assembly Aug. 10.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall.
About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,069 ELCA voting
members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's
Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
On behalf of the LYO, Nathanial Viets-VanLear, LYO
president, and Walter M.L. Hampton II, LYO vice president,
delivered greetings to the assembly.
The 22-member board of the LYO serves hundreds of thousands
of ELCA members between the ages of 14 and 18, said Hampton.
"The LYO is about leadership development for today's youth for
the church and the greater world. It's also about advocating for
the inclusion of young people in the whole church, ensuring that
the decisions discussed in the church are relevant to its youth,"
he said.
"We have a great team. Every single person on the board is
passionate about the work and giving it their all. This is
something not limited to the youth on our board, but it's normal
for the youth of our generation everywhere. We see passion in
LYO conventions, where we pass resolutions (ranging) from
recycling to the conflict in Darfur. At the (2006 ELCA) Youth
Gathering in San Antonio, (about) 40,000 youth came together to
celebrate their faith," said Hampton.
In 2006 the LYO board "recognized the power of Scripture and
prayer in its work" and felt the need to create something that
expresses that power, said Viets-VanLear. Through the "4-24
Campaign" -- based on Acts 4:24 -- members of the LYO will pray,
everyday, at 4:24 p.m. "We hope that the campaign will spread
throughout the church," he said. Participants of the 2006 ELCA
Youth Gathering prayed at 4:24 p.m. everyday of the event.
Hampton and Viets-VanLear told the assembly that the LYO is
undergoing a self-evaluation process to examine its structure "to
enable the best youth ministry possible. This is a pretty big
deal for us."
"We know the values of networking, and we're here to do just
that. The LYO and churchwide assembly should have a stronger
partnership. We, the board, are devoted to working" across
generations in the ELCA," said Hampton. "It shouldn't be
young and adults, just Lutherans working together within the
church."
"We have something new and unique to offer to you from a
youth perspective that would add to the wisdom and experience you
already carry. Together, we can utilize our gifts and your gifts
to transform the church into something relevant and meaningful to
all of God's people. Give us a chance, take a risk, and we just
might surprise you. Plus, I think we make things so much more
fun," said Viets-VanLear.
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be
found at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/ on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news