by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service
U.S. consulates are denying travel visas for some high-school-age
Lutherans wanting to attend the 2006 Youth Gathering of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), according to
Sunitha Mortha, associate director for global events, ELCA Global
Mission. Taking place in two back-to-back events July 5-9 and
July 12-16 in San Antonio, Texas, the ELCA Youth Gathering brings
together more than 40,000 teenage and adult Lutherans from the
United States and around the world to nurture faith, celebrate
global diversity, and celebrate and strengthen youth ministry.
ELCA Global Mission has invited about 100 teenagers and 24 adult
youth leaders from Lutheran churches in Africa, Asia, Caribbean,
Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, South and Central America and
elsewhere to attend the Youth Gathering and visit the United
States as guests of ELCA congregations. The invitation is part
of Global Mission's International Guest Program.
"Mission is about partnership, and mission is about receiving and
giving," said Mortha. Immigration restrictions make it difficult
for the ELCA to live out its ministry of accompaniment with
Lutheran churches overseas, she said. In particular it is very
difficult for young people around the world to come to the United
States because "they don't meet the standard requirements to
acquire a visa, such as being able to prove that you have a
strong family tie or a career in your home country. Young people
do not have a spouse and most are students," she said, adding
that it puts the church in "a hard place" when providing
"opportunities to share the gifts of our companion churches."
LINKS:
Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
http://www.ELCA.org/gathering/home.html
youth ministry
http://www.ELCA.org/youth
ELCA Global Mission
http://www.ELCA.org/globalmission
International Guest Program
http://www.ELCA.org/gathering/intguests.html
companion churches
http://www.ELCA.org/companionsynod/index.html
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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
