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2009 ELCA Youth Gathering E-News
February 2009 ► Issue 10

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.
 

Lutheran Teens Say God's Justice Goes Beyond 'Just Us'
(ELCA NEWS SERVICE, December 30, 2008, Susan Hogan) 

Amanda [Kurtz] is one of 461 teens and adult leaders from the Northeastern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) attending the 4.7-million member denomination's July 22-26 youth gathering in New Orleans.

As preparation, synod participants are involved in a yearlong justice awareness program. "The Synod Journey," as the program is called, involves prayer, biblical reflection and service projects, such as clothing drives. "We encourage congregations to take a whole year for leadership development and justice immersion," said Catherine Anderson, synod youth ministry coordinator.

Amanda said the word "justice" makes her think of the police, courtrooms and Judge Judy. She's eager to learn how it applies to God and issues such as hunger and poverty.

"The kids are very curious to know what it means to follow the justice of Jesus," said Kurt Hagesteun, youth and family minister, First Lutheran Church.

Confirmations, hotel housing, and substitutions

Where will you be laying your weary body when things wind down each evening in New Orleans? Good question.

Most congregations have received their housing assignments. On March 15 you can begin sending your rooming lists and hotel deposits directly to your designated hotel. 

 
Some congregations have expressed concern that they didn't receive all the double/doubles (4-person rooms) they needed. The Gathering staff has been working to match the available rooms to congregational requests and needs. This also means that there are some congregations that were assigned all king (2-person) rooms. If this happened to your congregation, please go ahead and send your deposits to your designated hotel on March 15, and indicate that you would prefer to have double/doubles if anything opens up. Most hotels will do their best to accommodate your needs.

You can now again access your online registration to make substitutions or reprint your confirmation letter. You can make substitutions but no additions or deletions. Have your congregational ID # and primary leader's email ready to access your online records.
 

Can your group help serve communion at the closing worship?
To date, 95 congregational groups -- 1,650 people -- have signed up to help with communion during Sunday's closing worship at the Gathering. We still need about 200 people. Youth groups of 1 person to 100 persons are invited to help.

If your youth group is interested in serving communion on Sunday morning during worship in the Superdome, please email Pastor Chris Marien at pc@redeemerboise.org. Include the following information:

  • Congregational ID #
  • Name of congregation
  • Full address of congregation
  • Primary Leader name
  • Primary Leader email & phone number
  • Estimated number of youth and adults interested in assisting with communion
How long will it take to walk to...
Approximate walking times from various hotels to:

This is not a comprehensive list of Gathering hotels and walking times will vary for every group. A big "thank you" to Christopher Mueller for compiling this information and sharing it.

Registration is open for the LYO Convention
The Eighth Triennial Convention of the Lutheran Youth Organization will take place after the Gathering, July 26-30, 2009, at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Learn more and register for the Convention before April 1. You can also join the LYO Convention's Facebook group.

February's Getting Ready resources take a look at the Gathering's theme of Jesus Justice Jazz.

Did you know?
  • New Orleans is considered the birthplace of jazz. Learn more about the history of jazz in New Orleans and get a sense of its soulful energy and creative expression.
     
  • "New Orleans Jazz has a unique sound that reflects the culture of its people. It is the shortcut to the soul of the people with all their joy and pain, their laughter and tears. Whether played in marching bands, dance bands, or funeral-processions, New Orleans Jazz is both sacred and sacramental. Just as New Orleans Jazz musicians improvise new music and enliven old songs in response to the feeling and needs of the moment, ELCA youth will return to their homes, schools and congregations with new skills and practices to call upon as they serve, worship, pray, play, reflect, and bear witness to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives."

(from the Gathering's Theological Statement)

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