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2009 ELCA Youth Gathering E-News
November 2008 ► Issue 7

The Gathering E-News will be sent to you each month and deliver Gathering information and news to you on New Orleans and beyond. Previous issues of the Gathering E-News are archived.

Registration for the Gathering is still open!

Close to 35,000 youth and adults have registered so far!

Online registration will remain open until it is full, or until January 15, 2009. Go to registration information on the Gathering Web site. Registration is also open for the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the Definitely-Abled Youth Leadership Event (DAYLE).

If you have already registered your congregation, please make any changes, substitutions, or additions by December 15th. Housing assignments will be emailed to primary leaders at the end of the year.
 

Shoulder bags for every participant. Where will they come from?
The quick answer is that they are being made in Lebanon as part of a very interesting ministry -- the Contact and Resource Center (CRC). This long-time ELCA World Hunger partner is involved in both training and advocacy with persons with disabilities.

Women from northern and rural Lebanon that have been affected by years of war and bombing are working on the Gathering shoulder bags with CRC and, in the process, learning to start their own micro-businesses. They are able to attend seminars on establishing sewing workshops, running workshops, book keeping, marketing, and working in healthy environments.

Three groups of women in northern Lebanon and Beirut were chosen to work on producing the shoulder bags and to develop their personal business skills. Sewing training for the women was done through local trainers who came to CRC for training and to receive Gathering shoulder bag samples. The women trained were then given the responsibility of training other women in their villages.

An additional team has been formed in Beirut consisting of two women with disabilities and a staff member (who is also disabled) to be responsible for receiving the 36,000 finished bags, doing quality control, and stocking the finished bags.

It's an incredible story and ministry... and you thought it was just a shoulder bag!
 

Busy raising money to go to the Gathering?
An ELCA Youth Ministry MissionPlus investment is an easy way to set aside funds for the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering and have immediate access to the funds when they are needed -- even on-site in New Orleans. Your funds will earn interest and help provide loans to ELCA congregations and related ministries through the Mission Investment Fund.

Where are you stashing your hard-earned pennies?
 

Online training for youth ministry leaders and adults
The ELCA Youth Ministry Network, in partnership with the ELCA Youth Gathering, is inviting you to participate in an Online Training Initiative in preparation for the Gathering in New Orleans.

The Network has created 3 "semesters" of online courses, taught by experienced youth ministry leaders, to help you effectively lead your groups and process their experiences in New Orleans. This training is more important than ever given the dynamics of a post-Katrina New Orleans and the different Gathering design for 2009. The online courses will not replace the local training provided by your synod’s Gathering Coordinator, but will instead compliment and enhance it.

The courses are offered free of charge to all adults who are bringing young people to the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering. For more information or to register, please go to www.elcaymnet.org/onlinetraining.
 

The Gathering Bible
The 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering Bible will be the new Lutheran Study Bible (NRSV) being published by Augsburg Fortress as part of the ELCA's Book of Faith initiative. The purpose of the Book of Faith initiative is to increase biblical literacy and fluency throughout the ELCA for the sake of the world.

As in previous Gathering Bibles, the Final 15 daily devotions will be printed in the front of the Bible so that you can gather with your group each evening to talk about the day, reflect on scripture, pray, and prepare for the next day. Every registered participant -- youth and adult -- will receive a copy of the Gathering Bible in New Orleans. 
 

Jesus Justice Jazz... wear boldly!
Gathering shirts and gear are available from Old Lutheran. You can find waterbottles, t-shirts, and polo shirts with the Jesus Justice Jazz logo.

If you're feeling more creative and adventuresome, make your own Gathering gear and clothing using the Gathering logos found on the Gathering Web site. You can also use the Gathering graphics for your newsletters and Web sites.

 

Tips from leaders who have trod the path to the Gathering before
  • Gather and print a list of your group's cell phone numbers. As a group, pull out your cell phones and enter in the numbers of your adult leaders and your congregation's office number.
     
  • Make back-up copies of every form: registration, medical, release, covenants, etc. Have a set or two with you in New Orleans and leave one at your church office.
     
  • Recruit congregation members to hold your group in prayer now and through the Gathering. Email the prayer crew specific concerns and joys.
Did you know?
  • There are 14 Gathering planning teams working on different aspects of the Gathering.
     
  • Over 1,000 volunteers give of their time and talents during the Gathering to make it happen.
     
  • Overall, New Orleans is at about 72% of its pre-Katrina population of 450,000. 80% of residents who are rebuilding their ruined homes did not get enough state and federal relief funds to cover the cost of their repairs, with homeowners coming up an average of $35,000 short.
     

You are receiving this e-mail because you subscribed to the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering E-News.  Unsubscribe from or subscribe to this Gathering E-News list.  For general questions contact the ELCA Youth Gathering office at gathering@elca.org or 1-800-638-3522, ext. 2100.