The LWF delegation in the New Orleans arena where the ELCA Youth Gathering took place from 16 to 20 July. Photo: ELCA/C. Jacobs
ELCA brings together young people for five days of worship, workshops, learning and community service volunteering
(LWI) - Created to be brave, authentic, free and disruptive disciples. That was the theme of a huge youth gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) which was held in mid-July in the southern city of New Orleans. A delegation of young women and men from The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) took part in the event which had previously been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over 16,000 young people met together for five days of vibrant worship and workshops, presentations and panel discussion, interactive learning and volunteering with dozens of local community service projects. The 16 to 20 July gathering marked the first time in six years that young Lutherans from across the country had the opportunity to meet and to share their stories of faith. The LWF delegation was part of the first ever ELCA Young Adult meeting for people aged from 18 to 35, a parallel event to the popular Youth Gathering which is aimed predominantly at high school students.
The LWF delegation outside the New Orleans arena where the ELCA Youth Gathering took place. Photo: LWF
Rev. Sally Azar, a member of the LWF delegation, speaks about disrupting injustice at the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans. Photo: ELCA/C. Jacobs
“These regular youth gatherings are an important moment for those inside the church to learn about different ministries and to connect to a wider national and international context,” said LWF Program Executive for Youth, Ms. Savanna Sullivan, who coordinated the group of 20 young delegates representing all LWF’s regions. “There is a great energy amongst participants and a shared sense of identity which helps people to feel less alone.”
Connecting local, national and international contexts
As a former director of ELCA’s young adult ministry, the New Orleans meeting was Sullivan’s third time in attendance, having previously attended as a speaker and as a chaperone to a local congregation. “Taking part as an international coordinator showed me a greater richness, but also helped me to appreciate the broader context and to celebrate the unique contributions that my own church has to offer,” she reflected.
Sullivan facilitated and moderated a panel discussion on Lutheran identity with speakers from Brazil, Chile, Tanzania, Palestine and Norway’s indigenous Saami people. Another LWF-led panel focused on ecotheology and the urgency of working for climate justice with speakers from Indonesia, Bolivia, Tanzania, France and Germany.
Sullivan also coordinated two workshops introducing the LWF Peace Messengers program, which builds the capacity of young people to work for reconciliation and conflict resolution in their own countries. Another member of the LWF team, Rev. Sally Azar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, addressed the gathering as the first Palestinian woman to be ordained in the Holy Land. She spoke of her experience of being “disruptive” to end injustice in the context of the Israeli occupation and the ongoing war in Gaza.
The energy in these holy spaces was electric.
Deacon Jessica Liles, new director of ELCA Youth Gathering.
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, a former LWF Vice-President for North America, encouraged the young people on the first day of the gathering saying: “You can make a change: you can be disruptive.” Other presenters spoke about some of the key issues facing young people in the church, including racism, homelessness, gender equality and the struggle with mental health issues.
Music and dance were an important part of the event which featured a house band and a host of other performers leading participants in both religious and secular songs. The gathering ended with a closing worship service which included the sharing of Holy Communion among all those present in the packed arena.
A new director of the ELCA Youth Gathering, Deacon Jessica Liles, was also installed during the closing Eucharist. She commented: “The energy in these holy spaces was electric. My hope is that we can carry this spark to local communities, creating a change, inspiring others and helping young people to deepen their faith between now and the next Gathering in 2027.” That meeting will take place from 28 June to 2 July in the city of Minneapolis in the northern U.S. state of Minnesota.
