July 19, 2010

CHICAGO – The two largest Lutheran denominations in the United States are committed to helping rebuild the U.S. Gulf Coast following the 2005 hurricane season, which included Hurricane Katrina. Although two separate church bodies, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) are fixed on reminding the people of New Orleans that "they are not forgotten."

The ELCA is the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States with 4.6 million members.

The 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering "literally embodied God's mission through service" in New Orleans, said Heidi Hagstrom, director for youth gatherings, ELCA Vocation and Education. That year about 37,000 ELCA teenagers, adult leaders and others gathered in New Orleans, not only to paint and make home repairs, but to learn about and experience the faith of people who live there.

The ELCA Youth Gathering will return to New Orleans in 2012. Returning to a host city consecutively is unprecedented in the history of ELCA Youth Gatherings.

In the meantime, the LCMS will pick up the baton and hold its national youth gathering in New Orleans "in an effort to serve all God's people, following the example of Jesus," said Hagstrom. The LCMS Youth Gathering there is July 17-21, 2010.

"For weeks now I have been asking God to use the LCMS youth this summer as powerfully as God used ELCA youth last summer to communicate to New Orleanians that God's people will stand with them in their recovery for as long as it takes," said Hagstrom, who is attending the LCMS Youth Gathering.

"Youth press on to serve God's mission together, communicating to the people of New Orleans that God's people will stand with them in their recovery for as long as it takes," she said.

Two leadership events will precede the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering – the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the Definitely Abled Leadership Event (DAYLE) will be held July 15-18. The ELCA Youth Gathering will be held July 18-22.

"In I Corinthians 12: 26 we read that when one person suffers we all suffer. ELCA youth understand the radical interconnectedness implied in that passage, a connectedness into which they were baptized," said Hagstom. "By returning to New Orleans in 2012, the ELCA Youth Gathering reflects the commitment of young people to relationships made real through and sustained by Jesus."

Information about the ELCA Youth Gathering is at http://www.ELCA.org/youthgathering/, on the ELCA website.

ELCA News Service