ELCA Youth Gathering--Practice Discipleship

I was walking alone down a street in the French Quarter.  I was wearing our synod’s youth t-shirt and my youth gathering wristband , both of which identified me as being part of the massive gathering that had invaded New Orleans.  A woman walking in the opposite direction stopped me to say, “Thank you for being here.”  That’s it.  It was just a simple word of thanks.

I had heard similar stories, but had not experienced it myself.  It took me by surprise.  My son was speaking with the concierge of his hotel.  He too expressed his thanks for what our ELCA youth were doing for his city.  He told my son that since Hurricane Katrina he had seen many groups come and go.  He was impressed with the ELCA because “you practice what you preach.”  He no doubt was referring to the 400 service and learning projects being done across the city.  They were done in the name of justice, but they were also a great example of discipleship.

Practice Discipleship.  One day of the recent youth gathering was devoted to learning more about and practicing discipleship.  In recent years, the ELCA has emphasized seven faith practices associated with discipleship.  They are pray, study, worship, invite, encourage, serve and give.  After a morning of worship and study, our youth were sent out into the city to explore discipleship in a fun way.  I was not part of a group as they discussed “invite.”  I wish I had been because the youth discussed how they could be more inviting personally and in their congregations.  They may have ideas to share with you in their home congregations.

Don’t be surprised if your youth’s idea of invitation is a bit broader than your own.  At the youth gathering, I believe that the message they heard regarding radical inclusivity was the most well received of any.  If you would like to hear the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber’s message click here: http://youtu.be/kM9Y5S3UYi8.

Are there ways your congregation could have some fun in discovering how to be better disciples of Jesus?

Comments?  Go to the blog site or comment on Facebook.  --JC

ELCA Youth Gathering--Practice Justice

"What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God."

The magnitude of the disappointment surprised me.  A number of the youth of our synod were unable to participate in their planned Practice Justice service projects in New Orleans because of the torrential rain that we experienced on Friday.

Meghan, Minnette and Anna

I accompanied the youth and leader from Freedom (Oregon, IL).  Together, we participated in a Literacy Matters project, which meant we worked indoors.  We traveled with a bus load of others to a school in the city where a summer day camp was being held.  We read to the children, presented books to them as gifts, and helped them with art projects.  I also had the opportunity to speak to a teacher of the school, not involved with the day camp, who was setting up her classroom.  School there starts in just a couple of weeks.  She is the first Katrina with whom I have had an extended conversation.  It was a great day for us.

The day began with worship and some introductory information at the Superdome.  We got wet running through the pouring rain to the bus.  The weather was so bad and the streets so flooded that we were held on the bus for quite a while.  I think our bus was floating as we left downtown!  After we returned to the Superdome, we walked through ankle deep water to get back to the hotel.  We were lucky.  Some of the groups that were assigned to do outdoor projects never left the dome.

I knew that the service component of the youth gathering was important to the whole youth gathering experience, but I underestimated its importance to the youth.  On Saturday morning, I spoke to some who had missed the opportunity.  They were really sad because they had looked forward to being out in the community.  I was pleased to know that one disappointed group had already developed a plan for a service project at home.

Gathering volunteers wore distinctive orange shirts

Service to the community is a significant component of living out one’s faith and it is one that our youth expect.  Our Lutheran youth understand that loving like Jesus means service to our neighbor.  We serve in response to the Gospel.  We do not need to travel far to serve.  There are needs to be addressed next door, down the street and around the corner.

If we wish to make the church relevant to our youth, we must offer opportunities for service.  We need to work side by side with them.  Our youth can be an example to us and we can learn from them.

What opportunities already exist in your congregation?  What new opportunities might your congregation explore?  How will you allow youth to lead?

Share comments on the blog site or comment on Facebook.  --JC

2012 ELCA Youth Gathering

The organizers of the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering placed upon synodical bishops the expectation that they would attend this year’s gathering and take an active part in the life of this church’s young people.  It took little more than an invitation because most if not all bishops highly value youth ministry and faith formation.  In the end, a very impressive 63 of 65 bishops were in attendance to engage and participate.  Bishop Wollersheim’s sabbatical this summer conflicted with the Gathering, a fact which caused him some considerable distress.  He debated about what to do, but he was finally persuaded by his staff and family that his sabbatical had to be the higher priority.  It was several months ago that he asked if I would attend in his place.

The Northern Illinois Synod had approximately 51 congregations represented at the gathering.  I don’t know the exact number because some youth may have registered with another congregation.  In all, we had over 600 from our synod in New Orleans.  They traveled there by bus, train, van and air.  The largest group had 41 and the smallest was a group of two.

The bishops were specifically asked to assist in a Practice Peacemaking activity, to accompany a congregation in a Practice Justice service project, and to preach for their respective synod’s Practice Discipleship worship.  As the bishop’s stand-in, I was assigned to be a prayer partner, to accompany Freedom SAWC (Oregon, IL) for their day of service and to preach and preside for the Northern Illinois Synod’s worship.

It was great fun for me to share God’s Word and share Communion with our young people and their adult leaders.  A flooded ballroom at the Marriott forced us to move to a less ideal space one floor below, but we did just fine in the slightly cramped quarters.  The day before our synod worship, I was informed that a young woman had asked if it would be possible to be baptized.  Hakilah was baptized from water held in plastic ice cream cups I hastily purchased from the Walgreen’s across the street.  What incredible joy filled the room as I poured the water over her head! 

There are photos, videos, summaries, blogs and Facebook entries that tell the story of the Gathering.  I hope you will take a look at what’s out there.  Pay closest attention to materials provided by the youth.  If you had youth from your congregation attend the Gathering, ask them about the experience.  They will want to tell you.  Listen carefully and you will hear how the Holy Spirit moved them.  Allow these young people to teach you something about how to practice your faith.  They have spent the better part of a week practicing their faith in new and exciting ways.

If you, as a congregation member, participated in any fundraiser or helped youth from your congregation in any way to get to New Orleans, please receive the thanks of your youth and your synod.  An experience such as this is expensive in dollars but priceless in what it can do in a young life.

I am both physically and emotionally tired from this past week’s gathering in New Orleans.  My tiredness is nothing compared to that of the pastors and adult leaders who traveled with youth from their congregations.  Be sure to thank those who traveled from your congregation with your youth.  They are special folks.

Selfishly, I am so very glad that I was able to attend in Bishop Wollersheim’s place.  I am filled with gratitude for the experiences of the time we had together in New Orleans.

Comments?  Go to the blog site or comment on Facebook.  Find more Gathering info here.  --JC

citizens with the saints

The ELCA Youth Gathering will take place this week, Wednesday through Sunday.  In excess of 33,000 folks from across the ELCA will be in New Orleans for this event.  The vast majority, of course, are youth from our congregations.  Adding to their numbers are their adult leaders/chaperones, volunteers, and institutional representatives.  The theme for this year’s gathering is, “citizens with the saints.”  It is based upon this paraphrased passage from Ephesians:

Jesus is our peace. In his life and death on the cross, Jesus broke down the dividing walls so that we are no longer strangers and outsiders, but we are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God. The foundation of God’s house was built of apostles and prophets, and Jesus, the cornerstone, holds it all together.

The gathering website states that the “theme also blends the rich faith history, diverse cultures and arts of New Orleans with the communion of saints that is present whenever and wherever God’s people gather!”

I first accompanied a group to a national event in 1979 when The American Lutheran Church’s youth event was held in Kansas City.  I watched as our youth participated in the mass gatherings and were challenged by such speakers as the Rev. Jesse Jackson.   I shared the awe of our youth, who had never previously realized that there were thousands upon thousands of young Lutherans from across the country, some just like them and some very different from them. I witnessed lives being changed by Christ.

Youth ministry is a lot different today than it was 33 years.  But, in all these intervening years, I have believed and still believe that there is nothing better or more important that a congregation can do than to encourage its youth to attend the ELCA Youth Gathering.  Lives are changed.

These days, not only are the lives of our youth being changed, but the lives of those whom they serve are changed.  Can you imagine the impact on New Orleans as our youth are sent out for a day of service in the community?

A common concern regarding the youth gathering is the expense to participants and congregations.  I know it takes a lot, and I do mean a lot, of fundraising, congregational gifts and sacrifice on the part of families.  But, for what the youth receive in terms of transportation, accommodations, resources, facilities in the host city, not to mention the opportunities for which we cannot place a value such as faith building and service to the community, the experience is, in my opinion, worth every penny.

There are 600 youth and adults attending from the Northern Illinois Synod.  I will be among them.  Would you please remember all of us in your prayers this week?  If you have youth attending from your congregation, please pray for them by name.  They will be encountering Christ in new ways and they will come home to you changed.

Comments?  Please go to the blog website or comment on Facebook.  --JC