July 23, 2009

NEW ORLEANS – A conga line snaked up and down the aisles on the main floor of the Louisiana Superdome. Carefree teenagers swayed from side to side in rhythm to the electric guitar music.

Kaitlin Smith remained in her seat but watched intently. The 14-year-old is from Whitewood, S.D., a town of 850, where Lutheran worship is more traditional.

"I thought they were going to make us sing hymns," she said in a tone of genuine surprise. "This is great."

Smith is among the 37,000 youth and adults in town for the 2009 Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The July 22-26 event kicked off at the Superdome.

The church presented the gospel using razzle-dazzle pyrotechnics, humorous cartoon animation and colorful video technology designed to grab the youths' attention.

Emilie Wake said seeing so many Lutheran teens at once made more of an impression on her than what happened on stage.

"When I first walked into the Superdome I was really emotional, really excited," said Wake, 15, of North Freedom, Wis. She described herself as "confirmed," but not an every-Sunday-to-church sort of girl.

At least 10 big screens spanned the stage, flashing everything from long lyrics to the Youth Gathering theme: Jesus Justice Jazz. The screens directed the youths to "stomp" and "clap" at different intervals during the evening.

"It's awesome," said Alexandra Smith, 17, of Arcadia, Ariz. "I've never seen anything like this."

Smith said she didn't join the conga lines because she was afraid of not finding her seat again. "I've never been good with directions," she said.

The evening's speakers stressed the importance of doing community service – a key component of the Youth Gathering. The youth will help with nearly 200 Hurricane Katrina recovery projects over the course of three days.

"The ELCA's choice of New Orleans was very intentional as a place where our young people can learn the Christian value of compassionate justice," said Heidi Hagstrom, director, ELCA Youth Gathering.

Liz McCartney, a speaker, first came to New Orleans as a volunteer for a couple of weeks in 2006. The devastation so affected her that she moved here and co-founded the St. Bernard Parish Project to help families most in need.

She pleaded with the ELCA youths to make helping others a way of life.

"Do something," she said. "Just do something."

Another speaker, Craig Kielburger, told youths that community service is everyone's responsibility. He's the founder of Free the Children, an international organization that helps children in poverty.

"We are called to serve," he said.

More at http://blogs.ELCA.org/prettygoodlutherans/, on the Web.

Information about the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering is at http://www.ELCA.org/gathering/, on the Web.

ELCA News Service