July 2, 2012

CHICAGO – For the past 25 years, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has been deeply committed to the faith formation of its teenagers, namely through ELCA Youth Gatherings – the largest event organized by the 4.2 million-member church.

Held every three years, ELCA Youth Gatherings bring together 35,000 ELCA teenage-members, adults, volunteers and other Lutherans from around the world for leadership development, faith formation, service opportunities and more.

"Citizens with the saints" is the theme for the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering to be held July 18-22 in New Orleans.

For Greg Von Wald, a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Gaithersburg, Md., attending the 2009 gathering changed the trajectory of his life. The service work opportunities and wrestling with questions of faith, plus an inspiring quote, inspired Von Wald to help change the world.

"Gandhi's famous quote, ‘be the change you wish to see in the world,' is a call to action," said Von Wald, who has since traveled to economically depressed areas in the United States to continue volunteer work.

Now entering college in the fall, Von Wald will major in integrated science and technology "to develop and refine new methods of renewable energy. Everyone knows that global warming is a problem."

His continued volunteer work after the gathering also has made Von Wald "conscious of the fact that being the change I wish to see should not end with each service trip (or event). Rather, it should be a living idea that grows with me and is in my mind every single day."

Von Wald plans to share his experiences on stage when he speaks to the estimated 35,000 participants at the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering.

Citizens with the saints

"This generation in particular is a product of the ELCA's deepening understanding of and commitment to the connection between service learning and faith formation," said Heidi Hagstrom, director of the gatherings.

She said she has always understood ELCA Youth Gatherings "to be a tool that our congregations can choose to use as they fulfill the promises they made when baptizing children and that they, along with parents, will rear those children in the faith.

"I want young people to return to their congregations as leaders, demonstrating what they've learned and possibly igniting the whole congregations' imagination" for mission, she said, adding that this summer's gathering is also about justice and love.

"Something very special happened between ELCA members and the people of New Orleans," back in the 2009 gathering, said Hagstrom. "A bond of companionship was established," which is part of the reason why the ELCA Youth Gathering is returning to New Orleans – the first time the gathering will be held in the same city consecutively.

"People often ask why we are going back to New Orleans," said Hagstrom. "The answer is simple: God is not done with us there."

"I have also never experienced so many congregations reporting back about how they intended to stay in relationship with the people they served in New Orleans," she said.

The 2012 theme, "citizens with the saints," beautifully defines our commitment to New Orleans, said Hagstrom.

Highlights of the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering

As planning for this gathering began, "We went back to the people and organizations that we served in 2009 and asked them to tell us about their hopes and dreams now," she said.

"The challenges that rose to the surface in those conversations were all the result of systematic, generational poverty" that continues since Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast eight years ago.

One urgent challenge that participants of the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering will address is the literacy rate. A goal is to collect 1 million books for the children and families of New Orleans.

"ELCA youth will be distributing books to children by hosting 25 book festivals through the New Orleans Recreation Department and the New Orleans Communities in Schools organization. They will host several reading camps and plan to build libraries in three recreation centers. In 2009, ELCA youth stuffed 13,000 backpacks with school supplies – enough for every child in grades kindergarten to third. In 2012, we'll be doing the same for children in grades four to six," said Hagstrom.

Other significant service opportunities include helping with neighborhood cleanups, building backyard gardens for families, painting a mural and more. A primary focus of these opportunities will also provide ways for ELCA youth to learn about some injustices in New Orleans.

Keynote speakers at this summer's gathering include the Rev. Mark Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, and Leymah Gbowee, a 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Lutheran Liberian peace activist.

Another highlight of the gathering is the "100 Wells Challenge," where the goal is to raise $250,000 to support the water projects of ELCA World Hunger, particularly in areas where they are needed most.

Several ELCA congregations across the country received grants from the Mission Investment Fund, a financial ministry of the ELCA, to attend the gathering.

Two events on July 16-18 – Multicultural Youth Leadership Event and the Definitely Abled Youth Events – will precede the ELCA Youth Gathering.

For detailed information about the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering, visit http://www.ELCA.org/ELCA/youth-gathering.aspx.

ELCA News Service