WINTER 2018 Winter 2018 • $8.95
Journal of Children, Youth & Family Ministry
The Gathering Issue 1
Moving Forward You’re passionate about nurturing and strengthening the faith of young people and their families. Let Luther Seminary expand and enrich your education to connect to God’s ministry among young people, as God is active in the midst of their reality. Master of Arts in Children, Youth and Family (CYF) Ministry The CYF Ministry concentration provides students with academic courses, community discipleship, and hands-on ministry experience that prepares students for leadership in various ministry settings. Master of Divinity—Concentration in Children, Youth and Family Ministry Designed for individuals who are interested in a ministry to young people and their families in either a church or para-church ministry context, this degree program provides theology, theory and practice in a holistic educational environment.
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Taking science in American youth ministry from an afterthought to a primary concern
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PUBLICATION INFORMATION Published by: ELCA Youth Ministry Network www.elcaymnet.org
CONTENTS Welcome! 4 Todd Buegler Gathering Director Molly Beck Dean Shares Insights on the Gathering 5 Bunmi Ishola
An Interview with Bishop Mike Rinehart: Hurricane Harvey to the Gathering 8 Christopher Zumski Finke
The Gathering as a Catalyst for Faith Formation 9 Dannica Olsen
What Changes Everything? An Interview with Bishop Elizabeth Eaton 11 Christopher Zumski Finke
This Changes Everything: Reflections on the Theme 13 Subscription Information: call 866-ELCANET (352-2638) or visit: www.elcaymnet.org connect@elcaymnet.org
Design and Layout: Michael Sladek Impression Media Group www.impressionmediagroup.com
Managing Editor: Erin Gibbons
Connect Editorial Board: Todd Buegler, Nate Frambach, Erin Gibbons, Dawn Rundman, Michael Sladek
Cover Photo: Michael Sladek www.msladekphoto.com
Facebook Crowdsource: Six-Word Gathering Stories 14
Network Standards & Guidelines 2017 15
This Changes Everything George Baum
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UPCOMING CONNECT ISSUE THEMES:
The Women’s Issue (Spring ‘18) The Politics Issue (Fall ‘18)
ELCA YOUTH MINISTRY NETWORK BOARD Becky Cole: Board Member
Dr. Jeremy Myers, AIM: Board Member
Rev. Regina Goodrich: Board Member
Tom Schwolert: Board Chairperson
Kinda Makini: Board Member
Erik Ullestad: Board Member
Sue Megrund: Board Member
Rev. Todd Buegler: Executive Director
The ELCA Youth Ministry Network exists to strengthen and empower adult youth ministry leaders in service to Christ as a part of God’s mission. 3
WELCOME!
NEWS BITS
Dear friends,
NETWORK NEWS
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
It’s one of the largest gatherings of Christian young people in the world. It’s the largest gathering of ELCA adults within our church. It’s a celebration of what God is already up to. It dominates our conversations for a solid year before the first bus rolls. It’s the premier faith formation event within the ELCA. It is serving our neighbor on a scale that you can’t believe until you see. It is an economic boon to the community we visit. It is a celebration of what God is already up to. It is great adult preparation and training. It is about relationships with each other. It is about our relationships with people we meet in our host city. It is about accompaniment. It is about Jesus.
The Discipling Cohorts Initiative launches at Extravaganza 2018. Our goal is that everyone in the Network, over the next 3 years, works to develop an individual plan for vocational, spiritual and skill development. You can get more info on this exciting project by going to www. DisciplingCohorts.org
It is the ELCA Youth Gathering. There are a lot of things that I love about the Gathering. But the thing that I am the most excited about? That we are a part of a church that dares to do something on this scale. Think about it: The ELCA dares to book dozens of hotels. They dare to rent football stadiums and convention centers. They dare to launch 10 to 12 thousand people a day into the streets to serve.
The Network welcomes Savanna Sullivan to her new role as ELCA Program Director for Young Adult Ministries! Savanna brings with her experience in campus ministry, outdoor ministry and
I want to be a part of a church that dares, and dares big. Don’t get me wrong. The Gathering isn’t perfect. Anytime you do an event with 30,000 people involved, there are bound to be glitches. I’ve been a part of every ELCA Youth Gathering since San Antonio in 1988 (I still can’t get that lousy “Rejoice in the Lord Always” song out of my head). And I’ve got lots of stories—the good, the bad and the ugly. But the leadership, the staff and the planning teams have always been second to none. What the Holy Spirit does always outweighs the glitches.
Young Adults in Global Mission. She has a passion for this ministry and for connecting others who do.
And I’m going to out on a limb here: I believe firmly that when the Gathering hasn’t lived up to an individual or group’s expectations, it’s not because of the Gathering; it’s because of us. It’s because we’ve depended on the Gathering to do the whole thing—when it’s up to congregational group leaders to lead, interpret and process the experiences with the young people we bring. The Gathering isn’t an event that happens in a vacuum. We are a part of it. The experience of the Gathering depends on us as much (or more) than the planners. This issue of Connect is about the experience of the Gathering. It’s not about details or logistics, those resources are available at elca.org/gathering. Rather it’s about the idea of the Gathering— about what it can be for our young people. Be prepared for the Holy Spirit to light it up this summer. Be prepared for amazing experiences and new ideas. And be prepared to lead. I dare you. Peace,
Don’t Forget! You can designate your Thrivent Choice dollars to support the ministry of the Network! Go to Thrivent.com, log in and follow the links to Thrivent Choice!
Watch for the launch of the 2018 Network Salary Survey, coming in January! The data we collect will be Todd Buegler Executive Director – ELCA Youth Ministry Network
able to help you and your congregation in
Pastor – Trinity Lutheran Church; Owatonna, Minnesota Todd@elcaymnet.org
info on the Network’s social media feeds.
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budgeting a fair and just salary! Watch for
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GATHERING DIRECTOR MOLLY BECK DEAN SHARES INSIGHTS ON THE 2018 YOUTH GATHERING
by Bunmi Ishola
ing is that it really just gave me the chance to observe and think about what I would keep and what I would change. So we’ve made some changes this cycle—everything from staffing, to really trying to put an emphasis on communication and equipping adult leaders to bring groups. The Gathering came be a daunting task for congregational leaders, especially if you are a volunteer like a mom or dad who is just stepping in and taking groups. So we really tried to up our game as far as communication with folks.
Molly Beck Dean took on the role of being the ELCA Youth Gathering Director six months before the 2015 Gathering in Detroit. “It was a little crazy,” she says. “But they were thinking ahead, and my predecessor Heidi Hagstrom was still on staff, and so we kind of co-directed for the final bit.” Being director has brought her a lot of joy as she’s gotten to work with what she calls the “greatest people at our church.” “We have a small staff, and I love my colleagues, but really the only way that this Gathering happens is by the hundreds of volunteers—so, everything from our planning team leaders to the volunteers who come in for the week of the Gathering. I just feel really blessed to work with some of the people in our church,” Dean says. She remembers going to the Gathering as a 17-year-old, and how transformative it was for her. At the time, she thought she might want to do youth ministry and work within the church, but wasn’t 100 percent sure. The Gathering helped solidify that calling. In her career, Dean has worked at a congregation, synod and youth camp, and while she hadn’t dreamed of becoming director of the Gather-
ing, she knew she couldn’t say no when the opportunity was presented to her. “It’s not too often as an adult that you get to come back and help lead and help shape something that was so important to you as a kid,” Dean says. “It’s cool and humbling and awesome to be able to do this job. And just to know that you get to be a part of these young people’s lives—most of them whom I never meet. It’s just this sea of high schoolers. I just hope that they have as meaningful experience as I did 20 years ago.” This conversation has been lightly edited. Bunmi Ishola: How are things going with the planning for the 2018 Gathering? Molly Beck Dean: Everything is going along really well. We’re right where we want to be. It’s kind of new phase now that registration is open. People are getting just as excited as we have been over the last two years! BI: Since this is your first year running the Youth Gathering solo, what have been some things that you have chosen to implement to make it your own? MBD: I think one of the nice things about coming on board before the 2015 Gather5
BI: The Gathering is in Houston this year. How did you and your staff pick the city, or how does a city get to be a Gathering location? MBD: It’s like a smaller version of (how picking cities for the Olympics works). Cities bid for the Gathering; we put together a request for a proposal, and we either send it to cities or cities contact us. It’s a competitive bidding process. It took just over a year to book 2021, and we’ve already started receiving bids for 2024. And then we go and visit cities, and see what they have to offer and what their venues are like, and what the story of the city is. There are not a ton of cities in the United States that can host the Gathering because of our requirements of space and hotels and major airports. But there’s enough to keep it competitive. They had signed Houston in 2010, which is even a little bit further than normal, but Houston was very excited about the possibility. BI: Each Gathering has a service component. Houston just went through a lot with Hurricane Harvey. Have ideas or partnerships you have built shifted in light of this? MBD: We have entire team and a deployed staff person just for the service learning component of the Gathering. The Gathering values accompaniment. We try not be
the folks who drop in and do a day’s work of service wherever we think the city needs it, and then leaves. So, building relationships with existing nonprofits, community groups, even government groups, is really important to us. Our service learning team has really been about cultivating relationships, and now they are starting to identify projects with each of those partners. Certainly after Harvey, those projects might be some recovery projects. But our motto and our mission has been the same, even after Harvey: We’re going to serve where the city of Houston needs us to serve. And if that is with hurricane projects, then we are glad to do that, if that’s doing literacy camps, serving at food banks—if that’s what the city needs, then that’s what we’re going to do. BI: Can you share some of the partners for next year? MBD: One of our major projects is the Houston Independent School District (HISD). And not only are we partnering with them, but our in-kind offering is going to benefit the schools. We’re doing a “Blast Off for Books” campaign, helping with children’s books—not only for schools and libraries, but really to put books in children’s hands so they have books at home to read. We’re working with the Houston Food Bank, who will take many busloads of kids every day. We’re working with different human trafficking organizations. We’re doing some urban gardening, just a little bit of everything.
The biggest addition to the Gathering since Molly became its director is The Official Gathering Handbook, a resource geared toward adult youth leaders. She compares the Handbook to a bride’s book that offers tips and tricks, checklists and countdown information for the Gathering. “We brought in youth workers from across the country and crowdsourced it online, and just gathered everyone’s best tips and tricks in a format that made sense and published it,”
Here are some of the other ministry partners in Houston that the Gathering team is excited about: Target Hunger (targethunger.org) Neighbors in Action (neighborsinaction.com) The Beacon (beaconhomeless.org) The Landing (thelanding.org) Books Between Kids (booksbetweenkids.org) The Center (thecenterhouston.org)
BI: Do kids and churches get to choose what service project they are a part of? Or is this assigned to them? MBD: In the past, there has been some ranking for projects. But we found that that the percentage of people who wanted to do X, Y, Z didn’t match up with the percentage of projects we had for that. So now it’s just random. It’s kind of fun because they don’t found out (where they are serving) until they are on the bus. So they load up, and their servant-companion, a young adult volunteer who leads its busload of congregations on the projects, gets on board and says, “Okay…let’s find out where we’re going!” Knowing ahead of time might be great, but I think not knowing just really solidifies that we ask people to come with an open heart and to go and to serve joyfully wherever God is calling them. Maybe that’s not their ideal project, but it’s not about you. It’s about where we are being called today. And I think that surprise helps emphasize that it’s not about you and what you want to do.
Dean says, “Something physical that people can put their hands on if they have never done this before.” The Handbook includes a timeline, a budget and tips and tricks for covenant building for leaders to prepared before the Gathering, as well as a section for what to do during and after the Gathering as well. The Handbook can be viewed and downloaded at elca.org/gathering.
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BI: I’m guessing this also helps with putting smaller groups together too. MBD: Yeah, most of our groups are eight to 10 people, so with 45 people on a bus you’re going to serve with two or three other congregations. The Gathering is a great place to meet people from all over the country, and every cycle we hear stories of congregations who met, or individuals who met, and are still in relationship with each other across the country. Last cycle we had a group that met at the Gathering, and then the summers afterwards they did servant/cultural-immersion trips to each other’s congregations. That’s so beautiful! BI: Does the Gathering staff facilitate that, or does that happen organically? MBD: It happens organically, and we don’t do anything specific programs, but we are definitely there for congregations to be a resource on in-between years. And we point to our partners, like The Network, like Lutheran Outdoor Ministries, that do offer programs and opportunities on off years. BI: The theme for the Gathering is “This Changes Everything.” How did you guys land on that for the theme? MBD: We had a theme discernment retreat with young adults from across the country, and just spent some time in prayer and conversation about what our theme might be. And part of that is looking through evaluations from the 2015 Gathering, and one of the questions we ask kids is, “What is the greatest
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with other young people, even if it’s not the same disability, it’s still more of a common story.”
Each year, the Gathering also hosts two pre-events: The Multicultural Youth Leadership Academy (MLYA) for youth of color, and tAble for youth with disabilities. While the Gathering dates back more than 100 years (Molly Beck Dean, the Gathering’s director, was able to think back as far as the late 1800s), these two organizations were introduced in the 1990s. “It is really important to gather those communities,” Dean says. “It’s a time of leadership development and faith formation, but it’s also about gathering the community, and having a place to celebrate culture.” In her opinion, these pre-event opportunities are an essential part of meeting the needs, and acknowledging the contributions of Church members who have the potential to not feel included in the larger Church story.
spiritual need of young people today?” And as we started to look for themes, we heard over and over again something to the effect of “I just don’t feel like I’m enough” and “I just don’t know if I deserve the love of God.” And then we also started talking about how it would be great to have a theme that somehow centered around a foundational piece of our Lutheran belief. As we started talking about grace, one of our team members said, wouldn’t it be great if young people believed that they are saved by grace through faith, and that Christ died for them? And that if they really believed that, that changes everything. They would know that they are enough. And so that’s when our ears perked and up and were like, yeah, “This changes everything.” And from there things just kind of unfolded. We kept it vague on purpose. So we could have said, “Jesus Changes Everything” or “Grace Changes Everything,” but we wanted to keep it a little vague to keep it interesting. And I think the reality is that could be the slogan for the new iPhone. Our culture tells us that lots of things will change our lives and make us worthy and make us complete. And so as the logo was being designed, we intentionally made the cross a prominent piece of that, because as Christians we know that it is because
“For a lot of our young people of color, they are greatly outnumbered,” she adds. “Our church is kind of a sea of white faces, and so to be at MYLA and to be with other young people of color, to share stories and to think about how God is working through them is really important.” The same, she said is true for those with disabilities. “For most young people with disabilities, they are the only one in their church,” Beck says. “So to come and to be
of Jesus’s life, death and resurrection that our lives are changed. BI: This Gathering has a theme song was chosen through a competition this year. How did that happen? And how did you all settle on a winner? MBD: It was crazy. We knew we wanted a theme song this cycle, and we really wanted people to be a part of the experience. So we thought, hey, let’s get some submissions. We had never done it that way before, and we would have been happy if there were 10 submissions. We ended up getting 50 submissions of all different types. We ended up choosing the one that we did because it was so catchy. We thought it would be transferable—it could be a congregation singing it; it could be a youth group singing it. We have a theme song that we think people will love and will have some staying power. BI: If any youth leaders or youth are feeling hesitant about coming to the Gathering, what would you tell them to convince them that it’s worth it? MBD: Well, I think it’s an experience like none other. There’s something about being church together, and this is nothing that any 7
Youth who wish to participate in MYLA and tAble come to Houston three days before the main Gathering convenes. Each have their own themes, and will include service, worship, Bible studies and other breakout workshops planned.
congregation or any synod can do on their own. There’s just something spiritually powerful about being together with people from all over the country, and tens of thousands of your peers, and knowing that you’re not alone in your faith. It’s just a really powerful experience. And for most people, the first time they walk into that stadium, and we all sing together or we say the Lord’s Prayer together or we take communion together—you just really get an idea of how big the church is, and how many people love God. That’s something that I hope, that I would love to have, every high schooler in our church to have that experience.
Bunmi Ishola is a graduate of Texas A&M and Northwestern University. She currently lives in Houston, Texas and teaches 8th grade English.
AN INTERVIEW WITH BISHOP MIKE RINEHART: HURRICANE HARVEY TO THE GATHERING Lutherans probably aren’t top-of-mind when most Americans think about Texas. But the hoteliers of Houston are preparing right now for the 30,000 Lutherans headed to the ELCA Youth Gathering this June. The throngs of youth will come together in the fourth largest and most racially diverse city in the U.S. They’ll also arrive almost exactly 10 months after Hurricane Harvey flooded the Houston area with record amounts of rainfall. To prepare travelers for the biggest event on the Lutheran calendar, I talked with Michael Rhinehart, bishop of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, and put together a primer on all things ELCA in Houston.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE LUTHERAN IN TEXAS? Being Lutheran in Texas means answering questions. “We’re less than two percent of the population down here,” says Bishop Rhinehart, which means, “We often do a lot of explaining about what Lutheranism is.” The Houston area is one of the most racially diverse metro areas in the United States. Latinos comprise 35 percent of the population; African Americans comprise 15 percent, and Asian Americans another 5 percent. With the ELCA being 96 percent white and Houston being widely diverse, Rhinehart notes, “Nobody comes to Houston looking for a Lutheran church.” Even though the ELCA in Houston is more diverse than the national average, the denomination is on the religious fringe in Texas. “The Baptists and Catholics rule the roost down here,” which, Rhinehart says, is a blessing and a curse. “It forces you to hone your theology and be able to say, okay, how are we different?” What makes Houston special—the racial and ethnic diversity—can’t help but influence the local Lutheran churches. Like the ELCA in the upper Midwest, the denomination still has a strong German influence. Germans “established churches and breweries and creameries across Texas,” and have left a legacy of polka services and accordion music. But the crosscultural nature of Houston means you’re just as likely to find tamales at a potluck as you are sauerkraut. Rhinehart notes, “What you don’t hear is Sven and Ole jokes.”
HURRICANE HARVEY Hurricane Harvey, if you need a refresher, was the hurricane that swept through the Caribbean and southeast U.S. from August 23 to September 3, 2017. By the time it had dissipated, 84 people were dead from the wettest weather event in U.S. history. Parts of southern Texas saw more than a year’s worth of rainfall in five days. Rhinehart’s role in the hurricane was as crisis manager, a role he knows well. Harvey flooded 20 Gulf Coast Synod churches and hundreds of congregants’ homes. Some ELCA congregations had as many as 20 families with severe flooding. Rhinehart stressed that these are small congregations—there are no ELCA churches in the Gulf Coast Synod with 1,000 average weekly worshippers—but even those without flooding were in crisis. “It’s everywhere,” Rhinehart said at the time. “The scope is hard to get your mind around.” The Houston metro area as a whole had more than 125,000 homes severely damaged, and more than 50,000 people living in shelters or temporary housing after the storm. Despite the scale of damage caused by Harvey in the Houston area, the majority of Gathering participants likely won’t see much evidence of it. Most homes will be repaired, most buildings, restored. The one million destroyed cars and 3.8 million cubic yards of trash will be gone. That’s a lot of work in 10 months.
THE GULF COAST SYNOD Rhinehart says that kind of recovery is just what happens in Houston. The Gulf Coast Synod stretches from New Orleans, Louisiana to Houston, Texas. Floods, hurricanes, disasters and the necessary and exhausting recovery are the realities of life along the Gulf Coast. “It just becomes a part of our consciousness.” “It’s a unique area,” Rhinehart says. It’s very large, geographically, unlike many other ELCA synods that are metropolitan, where “you can drive to all the congregations in an hour or so.” The Gulf Coast Synod is massive, stretching 350 miles from New Orleans to Houston. “It’s a privilege, to have this geographical spread.” Much of the national media’s attention on the Gulf Coast results from the weather. “We’re 8
by Christopher Zumski Finke
still feeling the effects of Katrina, and it’s been 12 years.” Baton Rouge flooded in 2016. In 2017, multiple hurricanes battered the coastline. Add to the natural disasters a high number of undocumented immigrants, and you start to get a sense of what it’s like to be bishop of the Gulf Coast Synod. Bishop Rhinehart, reflecting on what it means to be ELCA bishop in his specific part of the nation, said that the job made him aware of how people struggle. “After a hurricane the people who struggle the most are the people on the low end of the socioeconomic ladder— immigrants, and those that are undocumented immigrants, those that are afraid to get help, because they’re afraid someone will try to deport them.” In the time of recovery after a disaster, Rhinehart says, “We become aware of those that are really struggling.”
WHEN THE GATHERING COMES TO TOWN Houston is a sprawling city. It’s built outward, not upward. “It takes a long time to get around places,” Rhinehart says, and visitors shouldn’t expect to be walking from their hotels to the events. “From NRG (Stadium), you can’t even see downtown.” One interesting outcome of this year’s Gathering will be Houston’s more diverse churches getting their first glimpse of the rest of the ELCA. Rhinehart notes, “Some of our kids from Latino congregations” will be “shocked to see how white Lutheranism is.” As for sightseeing, it’s unlikely Gathering attendees will have much time. But if the opportunity arises to do something, Bishop Rhinehart has one suggestion: “If you leave Houston without having good barbecue, that would be a mistake.”
Christopher Zumski Finke
is a journalist living in St. Paul, Minnesota with his spouse and two kids. Follow him on Twitter at @christopherzf.
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THE GATHERING AS A CATALYST FOR FAITH FORMATION by Dannica Olsen The summer after my junior year of high school, I attended the ELCA Youth Gathering with my congregation, and more importantly, my closest friends. I assumed, like many teenagers, that I had it all figured out, that the Gathering was an event that would be a “cool” thing to attend, that I would go, see, do and then return to life as usual. I could never have imagined how my life would be impacted, how my worldview would be shifted or how that event would be a catalyst for my future.
that ended for me when I went home. We all hope that the Gathering is not a standalone mountaintop experience where kids come back to the valley and have no idea what to do with what they experienced. Rather, we hope the Gathering is a launching point for faith formation in our young people. But what does it look like to integrate the experience of the Gathering back into the life of your congregation?
BEFORE THE GATHERING I spent hours before each mass gathering session with my congregation, waiting outside the dome for the doors to open. We would stampede to get our spots on the floor—we wanted to be up close and personal with all that was happening. We became accustomed to being close and never dreamed of sitting anywhere but the floor as close as we could get. Then Sunday came. We were afforded the privilege of serving communion and doing anointing at closing worship. I considered it a privilege, until I found out what station I would be communing. It was not on the floor. In fact, my station could not have been farther from the floor, way up at the tip-top of the stadium, nowhere near my friends. My life was over! Little did I know that God was up to something that day. Right there in the nosebleeds of the dome, the place I least expected to encounter the Holy Spirit, my perspective was changed, my world was shaken, my faith lenses were sharpened and I became fully aware of God’s calling on my life. What happened at the Gathering that day changed the way I saw the church and how I saw myself in the unfolding of God’s continued story. By moving my feet, my perspective was changed, and I could see the Youth Gathering as a catalytic moment for my future, rather than a “cool thing” I came, saw and conquered. We are all hoping for our students to have these moments, aren’t we? What I know now as an adult, and a professional in ministry, is that the Gathering itself was not the thing that changed my perspective. It was all the things that my faith story had been built on to get me to that moment, and it also was not something
Prepare your attendees, their parents, adult leaders and your congregation for what is to come. I’m a firm believer that what you put into the Gathering experience is what you will get out of the Gathering experience. Take preparation seriously—use the getting ready materials! There are great resources that tie directly to the Gathering and to the things young people will see, hear and learn while there. Preparing them will help you all have a better experience! If you serve a congregation where the Youth Gathering is your primary youth ministry, if you serve a congregation with robust weekly meetings or somewhere in between, the preparation materials will fit in any context and are meant to be tailored to your specific group. Train your adults to be lead question askers, and not experts and know-it-alls. Train them to listen intently, to ask great questions and to be comfortable saying, “I don’t know”, or “I struggle with that too.” Train them to lead rather than look for trouble, discipline or parent. Adults will experience the Gathering too, and so it’s important to prepare them for what might happen in them, as well as what might happen for the youth in their small group. Preparation is key to having a great Gathering and is a great way to create cohesion and collaboration before you ever set foot in Houston.
DURING THE GATHERING While you are in the middle of the Gathering experience, take the time to be in regular conversation with each other. Help your young people process what they are learning, seeing, hearing and experiencing, while they are learning, seeing, hearing and experiencing. 9
Take time each day to have small group checkins, to debrief and process the Gathering as it’s happening in real time. Checking in allows young people to process the experience as it’s happening, rather than expecting them to remember it all at the end of the week. So much gets lost when no processing happens, so offering them chances to take in small bites of the Gathering will help them digest it. Another benefit of checking in regularly is the opportunity to catch when a young person has a lifeor perspective-changing moment. As caring adults in their lives, we have the privilege to celebrate that with them, but then also to be sure that it becomes a part of who they are and how they operate when we return home.
AFTER THE GATHERING Bringing the Gathering home can be one of the harder tasks of the whole experience, but if you equip your congregation, the parents and the kids, the Gathering doesn’t have to be left in the city that hosts you. • Work with your church musicians to integrate some of the favorite songs into your regular worship life. • Give the youth the chance to tell about their experiences to the congregation. Show pictures and have multiple youth share stories from their unique perspectives. • Re-create some of the hands-on learning experiences from the interaction center for the whole congregation to try. • Use the Gathering theme, and have your high school students lead a retreat for your middle school youth. • Prepare your congregation and parents with conversation starters, so that the youth can continue to unpack, process and share about their experience. Most people ask “Did you have fun?” or “How was the Gathering?”, which are not bad questions. But after having the Gathering experience, questions like this minimize what has just happened in them. Instead, prepare them to ask questions like: “What was the most surprising thing to you from the Gathering trip?” “Where did you see God at work?” “Which speaker’s message resonated with you the most and why?” “What is one thing you saw,
heard or felt that will stick with you?” There are so many ways to make the Gathering a part of youth ministry—before and after. Involve the youth in planning regular youth or cross-generational events, give them opportunities for leadership, set them up for success in using their gifts in the regular weekly worship and servant life of your congregation. You may decide that the Gathering is a great place to begin a new ritual for your students. Something as simple as asking regularly, and sincerely, “How is God at work in your life?”. A small question with great returns. Because of my experience in high school, I know first-hand the transformational power that the Gathering can have in a young person’s life. I also know that if the adult leaders in my life had let the Gathering experience remain in the host city, it would have had far less of an impact on my life of faith. The continual accompaniment, question asking and opportunities for leadership that I was given made all the difference.
I love the Youth Gathering and the catalytic moments it provides for the students I work with. Each Gathering is of course unique, and the thing that I am most looking forward to in 2018 is the Gathering’s theme “This Changes Everything”. It is my hope that this theme will lend itself to many chances for the youth and adults, from my congregation, to have their theological imaginations stretched and hopefully to see God’s grace in action.
Dannica Olsen is the Director of Youth Ministries at Westwood Lutheran Church in St Louis Park, Minnesota. She is also the host of the Network’s 3rd Tuesday Conversations.
With some care and thoughtfulness, we can be sure that the Gathering is never a stand-alone event, but something that serves to catapult youth to a mature Christian faith and a lifelong love of Jesus—an event that, from the floor or the nosebleeds, changes their perspective, sharpens their faith lenses and helps them become aware of God’s calling on their lives. Have a great Gathering!
3rd Tuesday Conversations are monthly gatherings of friends. They are great continuing education events. They are opportunities to hear from, and interact with experts in the field. 3TC conversations are free for Network members. January 16: “Youthworks” with Erica Schimelpfenig February 20: To be announced March 20: To be announced
Our conversations: We use online webinars. You can log in to a special webinar site and listen to the conversation while watching images on your screen. Or, you can watch on the computer while calling in and listening on your phone. You will have opportunities to ask questions as well.
April 17: To be announced May 15: To be announced
Join the conversation! www.elcaymnet.org/3tc
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WINTER 2018
WHAT CHANGES EVERYTHING? AN INTERVIEW WITH BISHOP EATON by Christopher Zumski Finke Change is in the air. You can probably feel it. So much is happening—in the news, in the church, in the culture at large. In times like these, it’s hard to imagine how any institution could face the future without expecting change. But that uncertainty can also be a reminder of the elemental foundations that exist within our institutions, and the changes that have already occurred that make us who we are. The ELCA Youth Gathering is approaching, and this year’s theme—“This Changes Everything”—is all about change. It’s a reminder that for the church, the resurrection already changed everything, forever—a reminder that whatever changes lie ahead, the cross remains a symbol for Christians of what has already been done. As the ELCA, like the rest of the world, looks at an uncertain future, the Gathering seems like a good moment to take stock of Lutheranism— where it is now and where it might go in the future. To better understand those matters, I spoke to Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton about what her hopes are for the Gathering and for Lutheranism in the 21st century, and if she sees any challenges that just might change everything. This conversation has been lightly edited. Christopher Zumski Finke: What’s your personal experience of the Gathering? Bishop Elizabeth Eaton: The first Gathering I attended was the LCA Gathering in Purdue, in Indiana. I don’t know if it was ‘81 or ‘82. I was a new pastor. I’d never been to one of these before. I remember thinking, we all fit into one auditorium, all of us, and I was amazed that we could have that many Lutherans in one place at one time. That’s kind of amazing because now we have 30,000 people there. It’s been really wonderful to see it grow. It’s a wonderful program. CZF: What’s your favorite part of the Gathering? BEE: I had a great time walking around the interactive space at the last Gathering. Just popping up and talking with the youth and
their advisors. That was just a lot of fun, to mix with the crowd there. I wasn’t so keen on the volume of the music, but that’s because I’m an old person, so that’s okay. CZF: Do you have any insights into the theme this year? BEE: This Changes Everything: appropriately so, talking about the death and resurrection of Jesus. The cross changes everything. CZF: The resurrection is the “this” in is the theme’s statement. But is there anything happening in the ELCA or culturally that might also function in a “This Changes Everything” way? BEE: You never know, between now and next summer, what’s going to happen. With all the fires and hurricanes and earthquakes—that’s pretty traumatic. But, I think focusing on the message, that the cross changes everything—I didn’t say this first; it was written by Jaroslav Pelikan—that if the resurrection happened, nothing else matters, but if the resurrection didn’t happen, nothing else matters. It’s really our core fundamental message, and I think it’s important that we hold that up for people. CZF: As Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, what do you hope for as an outcome for the Gathering? BEE: I hope, and I think it happens every time, that our youth have a renewed sense of their baptismal call, that they are the church now, and they are the ones who are being sent back to their congregations and communities. Also, many of us don’t really realize how many Lutherans there are. Your youth group may be small, but get us together, and there’s a lot of us. It’s just a wonderful feeling of being surrounded. And then the service component is always very important. I know that’s one of the favorite things for the youth. The faith practices are nurtured during the Gathering and then continued after they leave—that I’m in something bigger than myself, this is a big church, I’m part of that. I’m the one who has been given the call as a youth to tell people about this good news, and how the cross does change everything. 11
CZF: The Gathering is in Houston this year. Do you have any thoughts about what it means to be in Houston, coming after Harvey and this terrible hurricane season? BEE: I think it’s going to be very important to the city. It’ll be incredibly important for us to show up there. When we were in New Orleans, doing work after Katrina, that was important for those people. When we were in Detroit, the city officials and business folks did not believe that we would come to their city. We kept having to tell them, we are coming, you better have these hotel rooms ready because there are going to be this many people. For Houston, that’s also going to be important. We haven’t forgotten you. The city will be up and running—they’re unfortunately pretty skilled in dealing with disasters. It will mean a lot that we’re going to show up and lend a hand, but also, how much our youth can learn from the Houstonians. What was it like to ride out a storm like that? What is the recovery like? Tell us your stories, and also how as your faith gotten you through this? How has the church been present for you? There will be learning on both sides. It’s crucial that we go to Houston. CZF: A lot of change is happening inside the ELCA, and Christianity at large. There is a greater emphasis on inclusivity and multiculturalism, while Christianity is losing its place of privilege in culture. What do you think the place of Lutheranism is in the 21st century? BEE: I am more and more convinced that Luther’s rediscovery of the radical grace that God gives to us through Christ is more important and relevant now, maybe even than it was 500 years ago. Yeah, if we try to dress it up and have cool programs, or even gimmicky programs, that sort of thing, that’s not going to help. But the notion that God loves us that completely and loves everyone that completely, I hope it provides a sense of joy and peace to everyone. But also this message of grace that God gives to all of us presumes that we need it. Which means that all of us need God’s grace, and all of us receive God’s grace, so no one group of people can claim superiority over another
group of people. And I think that’s relevant now and will bear some fruit through really intense discussions about race and privilege in this country. At the same time, none of us have privilege because we’re all broken and sinful people. The church, we did have this good place in the culture, until maybe the 80s when it all started to unravel. That might be good for us. I don’t like it. It’s hard. It’s difficult. But then, are we depending on saying: We are Lutherans; you should be like us? Or are we missionaries again, missionaries with this message of God’s radical grace that is for everyone? CZF: Do you think some of that difficult work is being done by the Decolonize Lutheranism movement? BEE: They’re doing some of it, absolutely. But also the difficult work is being done by congregations just saying, let’s take a look at how we are in the world. But you say white privilege and white people, and we get pretty nervous. But when you explain that we didn’t create it, and it’s a reality that some groups of people are privileged in our society, our good breadand-butter, rank-and-file folks are starting to say, yeah, that’s true, that’s not right. CZF: How is the church supporting young people, youth workers and youth ministry in the first third of life during the time between Gatherings? BEE: The Gathering does a really great job of equipping folks and synods to keep up the faith formation that’s part of the Gathering, to keep that going, during the triennium. Our congregations, as best they can, in sometimes really wonderful ways, really do take care of their youth and young adults. Everyone always says youth are the future of the church, and I say, no, Jesus is the future of the church. So a good way to support youth is to say, how can they serve responsibly and effectively in our congregations? And not just say, okay, it’s youth Sunday, so we’ll just have the kids put on a show. But how are they fully seen as the baptized in our congregations and synods, as a resource, even though they’re still learning and growing in their faith? They’re not junior church.
CZF: Is there something the ELCA as a whole is doing? BEE: For people looking for the ELCA to roll off huge new programs with lots of new staff, we’re just not going to do it. It has to be worked on by synods and congregations. Unless people want to send in buckets of mission support, then they’ll be glad to do it. CZF: Youth pastors and youth workers are always confronting the dwindling numbers of church attendance. Looking at that reality, which isn’t new, what’s your vision for faith formation in the future? BEE: No, it isn’t new. There are a lot of ways that don’t have to happen on Sunday morning. Sunday school on Sunday morning is probably the least effective and least used way of doing faith formation. You go where the people are. How do you have conversations? How do you set up networks? How do you use social media? We have to look at different ways to reach our youth, and not just depend on it happening only, or exclusively, on church property. I think our folks are doing some creative stuff with that. CZF: I’m curious if you have thoughts about the future of the Gathering—not just as a popular and well-liked event, but one that takes a lot of resources, and might, in some ways, overshadow the day-to-day efforts of faith formation amongst youth workers. BEE: I don’t see that. I was always in charge of youth ministry, but I never felt the Youth Gathering took resources away or overshadowed faith formation. And there’s no way that anyone could sustain the level of intensity that happens in the week we have the Gathering. It gives us a shot in the arm. It’s an encouraging thing to be with that many people. And to be with that many folks that are at a critical time in their faith development, when they’re starting to ask questions about what they believe or what they don’t believe, questions about what difference does what I believe make in the world. The real nurturing that has to happen is the daily life in our congregations. You can’t have Easter and Christmas every single day. You have to live between the times through that. The Gathering gives some examples or a vision for how the youth group can come back to their communities and be a voice for hope, doing God’s work in our communities. 12
CZF: Does the ELCA consider one of the goals of the Gathering to create lifelong Lutherans? Or is there a bigger picture goal for the event? BEE: I’m not sure I understand the distinction. CZF: There are 30,000 young people headed to the Gathering. If they were all lifelong Lutherans, the numbers of the church would look different. BEE: Our goal, I think, as the Lutheran movement within the church, is not to create lifelong Lutherans. It is to give the gospel free reign in the world, so the gospel can take hold in people’s lives. And people can experience and know for sure of this complete, intimate love that God has for each one of us. I’d like it if people belonged to Lutheran congregations. That would be great, but our goal is to be like St. Andrew: I want you to see this Jesus; this is something that’ll change your life. This changes everything. So, I hope it gives a closer insight and a closer relationship with Jesus. I hope it gives them closer relationships in the world. I hope that, since we’re now set free, that it will also result in concrete action and deepened worship. But we’re not trying to build a Lutheran army.
Christopher Zumski Finke is a journalist living in St. Paul, Minnesota with his spouse and two kids. Follow him on Twitter at @christopherzf.
WINTER 2018
THIS CHANGES EVERHYTHING : REFLECTIONS ON THE THEME Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Francisco Herrera Ph.D. student at The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Chicago, Illinois It bothers me that Jesus’ first response to these wounded wanderers in this text was to call them “fools.” They were shattered, grieving and certainly deserving of some sympathy, or at least patience. Yet still, Jesus may have had reason to poke, especially as before the crucifixion (apparent in Luke’s Gospel) not many people really “got” what Jesus was about (9:18-20). In the wake of his miracles and his confrontation with corrupt religious leaders, many saw Jesus as a spiritual leader. Others, however, saw him as a political one—he was certainly painted that way by the Pharisees, who ratted
The Rev. Dr. Shauna Hannan Associate Professor of Homiletics (Preaching) Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS), Berkeley, California We live in a “there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-freelunch” society, which suggests everything must be earned. For us, there is no bolder claim than one that insists that it is solely by God’s grace that we are saved. We need not, indeed we cannot, earn our salvation, for that can only be gifted by a gracious God, our God. This biblical principle was not new in the 16th century when Luther sparked what we now call the protestant reformation; it’s just that the concept was obscured by systems too afraid to embrace it. Why? Well, probably for the reasons we too are afraid to embrace it. • How will anything get accomplished if there is no incentive program? • How will we improve without a rewards/ punishment system? • We need to “earn our keep.” • Grace leads to laziness.
him out to the Roman authorities as a threat to their rule (21:1-2). In this case, then, if this was where the Emmaus travelers had their hope—either in Jesus as a political leader or a religious leader, they were indeed off. Rather, Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, and as such, is both. Jesus addressed our physical well-being in the “polis” of day-to-day life—how he literally fed thousands of people in a single day (9:10-17) and even counseled the rich to give up their possessions for the sake of the poor (18:18-23). His spiritual authority couldn’t be denied either—cleansing the Jerusalem temple of money changers (19:45), arguing with the Pharisees (11:37-54) and sharing insight about God’s relationship to us (6:1749). So if anything, Jesus might have chided the Emmaus travelers—much like he did the
Undoing this kind of system is risky. And that is what makes the claim that we are justified by grace through faith and not by our works bold. If we think it’s risky, imagine how risky it was for God who asks us to “do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). I wonder if God wondered: • How will anything get accomplished if there is no incentive program? • How will my people without a rewards/ punishment system? • Will this gift lead to laziness? God took the risk by becoming human . . . and it changed everything! As the incarnate one, Jesus, God risked death. Jesus died on the cross. And then that changed everything! As it turns out, the risk could not overpower the benefit. Jesus rose again. And guess what? You probably know what I’m going to say . . . that changed everything!
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apostles—because they didn’t perceive the full scope of the gospel. From Eden to our own days, God has never ceased to reach out to us, reminding everyone Their promise to not just love for us, but also to care for us and to address our every need. And that is precisely what Jesus is, the fullest fulfillment of God’s promise to us—the promise that though hard times may come (and stay long), they will never last forever, and that God will always support us, love us and empower us, through thick and thin, and throughout all time.
While grace is still risky, the benefits outweigh the risks. Now, we need not scramble to prove our worth to God in order to gain salvation. Instead we scramble for opportunities to “do justice and love kindness” because of what God has first given us. I hope you see Christ in those you encounter in Houston. I hope you know that God has graciously claimed them just as God has claimed you and that none of you has to prove your worth to God or one another. Just imagine how this changes everything. Your service in the community of Houston can be completely free of self-aggrandizement (a big word for a big ego) and completely for the other in thanksgiving for God’s gracious gift of salvation. Walking humbly with this gracious God changes everything!
Jessica Christy Vicar, Mount Olive Lutheran Church Minneapolis, Minnesota Proclaiming the resurrection is an act of defiance. We live in a world ruled by death. It’s everywhere we look. Bodies wear out. People hurt and kill each other, choosing hate and fear over love. Nations go to war. Our planet is rapidly changing around us, with deadly consequences for vulnerable communities and ecosystems. Science tells us that even the stars will someday burn out, leaving our universe dark and cold. When we look at the evidence around us, we don’t have much reason to believe in the power of life. All our senses tell us that death always has the last word.
But the resurrection tells us that death doesn’t win. Christ conquered death for us, and that changes everything. Because of Jesus’ victory over the grave, we know that the world we see around us isn’t the whole story. We can defy the powers of sin and death and proclaim that this isn’t the way things need to be. As the beloved people of God, we can live in the new reality that Jesus has made for us: a world ruled by life and love. This moment in history is full of conflict and uncertainty, but being in mission in 2018 means that we have a chance to invite our hurting world into the new, transformed reality of Christ. Together, we can bring resurrection hope to the people and places that the world has given up on.
This is what the two disciples discovered on their way to Emmaus. After the crucifixion, they thought that Jesus’ story was over. It looked like hate, violence, and death had won; all their hopes that Jesus would save them had been for nothing. They were ready to give up and move on. But then they met the risen Christ, and they learned that the story was only beginning. It was time for them to share the good news that life is stronger than death, love is stronger than hate, and God is always with us. Jesus changed everything for them, and because of that, they went out and changed the world.
facebook Jennifer Ernst Crumpton: Becker Maser: Gatherings: where hands and hearts Gathering—dispersing, crowdsource: connect. and making God smile! 6 Word Gathering Yvonne Steindal: Life-time opportunity: Don’t miss it! Anne M. Monroe: Stories Bringing hope, bearing burdens, We asked the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Facebook group sto share a six-word story about the Gathering. Here’s what you shared!
Michelle Basner-Ketepa: We came. We saw. We served.
building bridges. Dave Berger: Life-changing servant-minded global community.
Donna Fraunfelter Wilkie: Going to the Gathering changes everything.
Jenni Smith Thorpe: Faith becomes flesh at the Gathering.
Suzanner Parramore Bathe: Houston is the best city ever!
Megan Nerison: Faith formation and foundation for life.
Hannah Smith: Experience available: faith-strengthening and transformative 14
Tarra Hartmann: We gather, serve, worship & love
Jeff Kelty: 30,000 new friends & spiritually transformed.
Julie Leinhauser: Faith in action. God’s love abounds.
Joan Hoffmeister Pugh: Anxiety, arrival, engagement, challenge, bonding, commission.
WINTER 2018
STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES 2017 Introduction As part of its vision and mission, the ELCA Youth Ministry Network has developed Standards and Guidelines for excellence in children, youth and family ministry. The spirit that surrounds these Standards and Guidelines is about creating a learning community of youth ministers—a community that seeks to support and network with each other, as we live out our calls in ministry. The Standards and Guidelines will never be complete, nor will anyone master all of them. As a learning community, we will seek to faithfully attend to these realities. Personal and professional growth is vital to the development of ministry leaders. Growth happens within the framework of personal renewal, continuing education, networking and relational support. The Standards and Guidelines are not intended as a checklist to fully complete; rather they are an essential set of core understandings and competencies for vocational development.
Competencies: Children, Youth and Family Ministry professionals should see themselves as lifelong learners who continually deepen their competency in all areas of ministry throughout their career. It is our expectation that an adult who works with young people and families would be able to demonstrate understanding and growing competency in the following areas:
I. Faith and Spiritual Practice II. Knowledge III. Ministry Skills IV. Administrative and Organizational Skills V. Leadership Skills VI. Commitments
I. Faith and Spiritual Practices It is critical that those who work with young people and their families have an understanding of the seven marks of discipleship identified by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: • Worship • Study • Invite • Encourage • Pray • Serve • Give This core competency includes practicing these disciplines themselves, as well as being able to communicate and teach them to others. In addition, a theological understanding and a commitment to living out the ELCA’s five baptismal “gifts of discipleship” is critical.
II. Knowledge An understanding of ministry is necessarily shaped by theological thought and reflection. Effective children, youth and family ministers are competent in these three areas: 15
1. Biblical Studies • Understanding of the overall biblical narrative • Ability to apply and teach biblical understandings within our changing culture 2. Lutheran belief and doctrine • A solid understanding of Lutheran theology • Ability to articulate that understanding and apply it to life situations 3. Theology • An understanding of different theological positions • Ability to engage these different positions in dialog 4. Human development • Understanding of developmental stages of children, youth and their families
III. Ministry Skills Children, youth and family ministry is by its nature interdisciplinary. The professional should work toward competency in these vital areas: 1. Inter-generational ministry 2. Marking faith and life transitions and milestones 3. Effective teaching and learning methods 4. Pastoral care 5. Leadership development 6. Ministry in alternative settings (retreats, mission trips, etc.) 7. Multicultural skills
IV. Administrative and Organizational Skills Administration, planning and leadership are vital aspects of any ministry, and include: 1. Safe-haven Management 2. Ministry Administration and Communication 3. Strategic Planning
V. Leadership Skills At the heart of professional ministry with young people is the ability to gracefully move between theory, theology and praxis. It is critical that all children, youth and family ministers develop and expand upon baseline skills in each of these areas: 1. Create nurturing relationships 2. Communicate and teach effectively 3. Create and tend collaborative leadership 4. Read cultural landscape and contextual realities 5. Effectively communicate the Gospel to a variety of audiences
VI. Commitments The ELCA Youth Ministry Network seeks to be a resource in supporting children, youth and family ministry leaders in their personal and professional growth. The Network strongly suggests the following: • Living a vibrant life of faith in Jesus Christ. • Membership and active participation in a faith community. • Maintaining annual membership in the ELCA Youth Ministry Network. • Participating in at least one Network Extravaganza or other ELCA Network event at least every three years. • Participating in at least 20 contact hours of quality continuing education annually. • Participating in coaching or mentoring relationships • Networking with other children, youth and family ministry professionals 16
WINTER 2018
To unpack the relationship between college students, campus ministries and local congregations, one need only ask about food. Everyone in campus ministries will tell you: Food is a big deal. Free food works like Pavlov’s bell. If you cook it, they will come. But not always for the same reason. Ask a minister working on campus, and they’ll tell you that students are looking for a place of their own. Out of the house for the first time, they’re solely responsible for their time: getting to class, getting their work done and fulfilling their educational and physical needs. During those first years on your own, even the most basic needs, like feeding your hunger, can be overwhelming. Come to the local ELCA campus church, and you’ll find food meeting all of students’ needs. Often this food is literal: We all have to eat. But in the words of campus ministers, the food they serve is just as often metaphorical. Sometimes it’s both. Whether it’s for fun or service, feeding yourself or another, the measure of campus ministry can be extrapolated from how they talk about food.
FOOD, SHELTER, AND A SENSE OF BELONGING Among the student body of the University of Florida, 10 percent suffer from food insecurity. “That’s a huge number,” says Sharon O’Brien, diaconal minister of the University Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gainesville, Florida. The problem is not just students. “We have staff that are hungry too,” O’Brien says. “The minimum wage is high, but the cost of living is higher.” Food insecurity is a growing problem on America’s campuses. The inability to secure a reliable source of nutrition leaves students struggling “to reach milestones, such as yearto-year persistence and certificate or degree completion,” according to recent Higher Ed research. As a result, these students “need additional institutional support to continue their studies.” National data on the number of students going hungry is difficult to gather, in
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part because self-reporting food insecurity comes with stigma and shame, according to the Washington Post.
wiggle their way over like monsters.” This is how Pastor Scott Maxwell-Doherty described the event, anyway.
The monsters he mentioned were Cal LuThe problem was only noticed at the univerNow experience ELCA Youth Ministry Network anytime, theran students, drawn to the scene by the sity level in recent years. O’Brien noted that anywhere . . .renew your faith…experience powerful edufamous In-N-Out Burger. “The overwhelming “UF only discovered in the last few years that cationacademically opportunities wherever you are, anddoing connect question was: Who’s this,with why are you students were being affected peers who share the same joys and struggles in ministry. doing this, and does it cost me anything?” because they were hungry.” To address the Turns out it didn’t cost anything; Lord of Life problem the school created Fork and Field was just putting the out free “We know food pantry, which provides healthy foodatand Yes, put all this your fingertips--with stateburgers. of the art food brings young people to the table, education to all Gators “about how to make app for your iPhone or iPad. This app is free and gives you ” Pastor Maxwell-Doherty told me during our phone balanced food choices.” The food secuunlimited access to these great features: call. Being a food truck, I knew the table was rity issue is a big one for Lutheran Campus metaphorical. Ministries at UF. They organize food drives · with Streaming and service opportunities Fork andvideos Field of education events--watch and listen Evangelical from home or anywhere! keynote BringingInstantly people toaccess the table is a theme of at the 65-year-old University talks from past Extravaganzas, webinars from 3rdTuesday Maxwell-Doherty’s ministry this year. Room at Lutheran Church. the TableDiscipleship was Cal Lutheran’s chapel Conversations and the Practice Initiative. All theme for last year, and Pastor Maxwell-Doherty says I spoke with Pastor O’Brien about her work these resources are literally in the palm of your hand! the chapel ministers and speakers have helped on the University of Florida and around the everyone wonder, “How big is the table? How synod’s colleges. And our conversation con· News and Events - stay up to date on Network happeninclusive is it? What do we do when we recogtinually returned to the need to feed hungry ings. Add events ownthat calendar, set reminders, it’s become exclusive?” get students and staff, though their efforts alsoto yournize directions, and share with friends-on the spot! reach into the local community as well. Those were the same questions that wanderingVision, hungry students to the In-N-Out University Evangelical Lutheran Church · Discover Our Mission, History,brought Leadership Burger event. Bring people to the table hosts Family Promise, which allows homeless Teams and More - it’s a “Network Leadership Directory” in with free burgers, but let them know why you do it. families to live in the church for a week. These your pocket, with leadership roles, bios, and more. Plus all families can use the church’s resources to look “We got to identify as a faith community that the info on the Network’s history, and where we’re going worships every Sunday night and let them for work and meet other basic needs, while know they’re always welcome.” campus groups providetogether! meals and make connections with the families. Sometimes, · families ContactasInfo e-mail usisdirectly IdentifyingCall as aor faith group the purpose of students will visit with the they- Got questions? move from church to church the page. these “fun food events,” Maxwell-Doherty from around the contact says. But the point is not to put butts in pews. Gainesville area. “We don’t do these things to build attendance. · Support the Network Easily! - With just two clicks! Attendance might be the result of, but not a Pastor O’Brien was clear that Lutheran CamCompletely secure, you can make gifts or donations to precondition for. We want to do this because pus Ministries at UF goes beyond the reach of thehomeless. Network simply and it’s fun. ” quickly. food drives and servingsupport food to the But the reality remained clear: Hunger was · about Inviteit,Others - Shareput, content effortlessly onthe Fun, simply appears to be one of the issue. “Make no bones ” O’Brienand Share central goals of campus ministries and Lord of told me as we wrapped your up ourfavorite conversation. social site: Facebook, Twitter, SMS, and e-mail. Life on the Cal Lutheran campus. It’s not their “Food is a big issue. You“Go will always find stuviral” with anything and everything, and help others only effort; issues oriented work drives their dents are interested in astay freeconnected! meal.” ministry as well. For example, this year, a wider HOW BIG IS THE TABLE…AT YOUR ELCA effort to aid Syrian refugees energized free app todaycreated in the App Store campus. Students school packs for FOOD TRUCK? Why wait? Download this and Google Marketplace. children and collected clothing and blankets At the beginning of last semester, Lord of Life, for Syrian refugee families. The charity event the campus church of California Lutheran was anPut attempt to combat the impulse, comUniversity, hosted a food truck from In-N-Out Renew, Educate and Connect. the entire Network in mon in the face of global crises, to “throw our Burger. “That smell goes out, and people just
your pocket!
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THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING by George Baum The “yes” of Mary. When the Angel Gabriel comes to Mary in the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, the ticking before her response is the loudest sound in the universe. Everything hangs in the balance. She could have said, “As if!” and stormed off. She could have said, “Let me think about it,” and pondered in her heart. Mary could have said anything, and I imagine Gabriel just standing there with the most hopeful look in his eyes, not knowing how Mary will react. As St. Augustine said, “All of creation held its breath, awaiting the yes of Mary.” Mary could have said anything; and what she says is, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” The importance of this moment is hard to grasp, because everything is about to change—and I do mean everything. Up to this point, God has been dealing with people from afar: in dreams, through the prophets, occasionally in the combustible bush or what have you, but God does not walk among the people. God is sort of everywhere and anywhere, dwelling in tents, talking on mountains, being somehow present in Israel’s escape from Egypt, and Noah’s boat-building.
Up to this point, God is here, yes, but in an ambiguous sort of way. In what we Christians call the “Old Testament,” all sorts of things are attributed to God, both good things and bad things. People have the occasional interaction with God, but nobody invites God over for dinner. In these stories of the Hebrew people, God is present in a random and mystical way—the Jews were God’s chosen people, whether they liked it or not. With the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, everything is about to change. Or not. As St. Augustine said, “All of creation held its breath, awaiting the yes of Mary.” And there it is again. God did not go to the vagueness of “all humanity” to see if we were up to this challenge. God did not go to a committee to see if it was “The Consensus of The Group.” No, God sends Gabriel to one specific person, living at one specific time, and bets the house on the chance that she might say yes. There are those who will say, “Well, God knew that Mary would say yes.” I am not willing to agree so easily. I think that it is an important part of this story, perhaps the most important part of this story—that it could have gone either way. I think it is important
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that Mary is not a mindless robot. I think it is important that Mary had the option to say no. I think it is important that Mary is offered the honor to be the one to carry the redeemer of the world, and it all turns with this sentence: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” And until that moment, “All of creation held its breath, awaiting the yes of Mary.” And that “yes” changes everything. George Baum is an Episcopal Priest who lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with his family and their cats. He spent 29 years playing in the band “Lost And Found,” which stopped touring in 2015, but is still available for parties (if they’re good ones).
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The Network!
N AGA RAV EXT
Extravaganza fees cover approximately 2/3 of the cost of the event. The remaining 1/3 is covered by organizational and partnership gifts.
Thrivent Members Can Now Choose The ELCA Youth Ministry Network is now a recipient of Thrivent Choice
extravaganza
ION
operating expenses
Funding for developing our future vision comes from financial gifts from individuals, and organizations.
RAT
dollars can go to the Thrivent choice
IST
Network operational costs are covered by membership dues.
REG
dollars! Folks who have access to these
ZA
Connect Journal • Staff • Publicity • Etc...
page and designate the Network as the recipient of your dollars! It’s a great way to support the Network!
MEMBERSHIP DUES To make a donation, please go to:
These individuals have made a special gift during the current fiscal year to help further the mission of the Network. We are grateful for their support!
www.thrivent.com/thriventchoice . Log in, and from there you can search for the ELCA Youth Ministry Network in the
Paul Amlin
Richard A. Hardel
Regina Goodrich
listing of approved organizations, and
Kathy Hunstad
Jason Reed
Nathan Allen
make your designation! Thank you to all
Wendy Black
Jan Mills
Dan Fugate
who have chosen the Network for your
Leah Jarvis
Ashley Strelau
Ingelaurie Lisher
donations so far!
Tamara Howes
Terri Elton
Kristina Dernier
Megan Floyd
Amy Wagner
Sharon Hardel
Todd Buegler
Justin Snider
Barbara Harner
Bryan Jaster
Kathleen Fisher
Terri Robertson
Charlene Rineer
Tom Schwolert
Laurie Line
Mary (Peg) Miller
Paul Clark
Wendy Black
Natalie Romero
Becky Cole
Barbara Harner
Larry Wagner
Mark Behrendt
Chelle Huth
These organizations have taken the extra step to become Network partners this year to provide support for the Network. We are grateful for their support!
Gold Partners: Augsburg College Luther Seminary ELCA World Hunger ELCA - Congregational & Synodical Mission Unit ELCA Youth Gathering Faith Growth GSB - Mike Ward Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Mission Investment Fund Old Lutheran Portico Benefit Services Upper Missouri Ministries Thrivent Financial
Silver Partners: Augsburg Fortress Trinity Lutheran Seminary Wartburg Seminary Faith Inkubators Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp Lutheran Retreats, Camps and Conferences Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota Novus Way Ministries Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries
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Serve Boldly Wheat Ridge Ministries Youth Leadership
WINTER 2018
Gustavus Academy for Faith, Science, and Ethics
Preparing leaders to build creative alliances between religion and science in order to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
The Gustavus Academy Summer Program provides opportunities for high school students to explore their beliefs and to discover how scientists and people of faith are working together to address some of the world’s most pressing problems. As an Academy Fellow, they will join with other outstanding high school students to grow in knowledge, develop leadership skills, and clarify their sense of purpose.
2018 GUSTAVUS ACADEMY Land and Identity: How our Food and Microbiomes Change Who We Are When: July 14–20, 2018 Where: Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, Minnesota Who: High school students who will have completed 9th, 10th, or 11th grade by June 2018 Cost: $300 (Scholarships available to assist with fee and/or travel costs.) Apply: gustavus.edu/chaplain/academy by February 23, 2018 Questions: email faithandscience@gustavus.edu Gustavus Academy for Faith, Science, and Ethics is made possible by a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc.
www.MartinsList.org NEW, IMPROVED AND AWESOME! Martin’s List has been under construction with a major overhaul! The ELCA Youth Ministry Network’s greatest assets are you, the members and the experiences and resources you have created and curated over the years. With this update to Martin’s List you will now have the capacity to: • easily upload resources to share • easily download resources created by fellow network members • connect with network members and see how they use different resources • find resources on the fly with mobile-friendly access
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WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU: This is user-driven content, so we need your participation. These resources can only be helpful if they are shared. As network members there are at least a few things you can do to help this reach its full potential: • upload resources that you have created • encourage others to share their resources through Martin’s List • comment on resources you’ve used and how you found them helpful • provide feedback on how Martin’s List is or is not working for you so we can continue to make improvements that matter for you The possibilities are endless! See you on Martin’s List!
Yo u c o u l d i n v e s t i n a n o r d i n a r y I R A . Or you could invest in an IRA that lends a helping hand.
FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH LAVALLETTE, NEW JERSEY Save for retirement with the Mission Investment Fund and you might just save an ELCA congregation. That’s because your investments earn a great rate of return and finance loans
To learn more about the competitive
to ELCA congregations like Faith Lutheran. When Superstorm
interest rates and flexible terms we offer on
Sandy destroyed the renovations Faith had financed with
a wide range of investments for individuals
an MIF loan, MIF deferred Faith’s loan payments until the
and congregations as well as ministry
congregation got back on its feet. Why invest in just any IRA
loans, contact our financial services center
when you can invest in one with a heart?
at mif.elca.org or 877.886.3522.
IRAs • TERM INVESTMENTS • SAVINGS ACCOUNTS • MINISTRY LOANS
Mission Investment Fund investments are subject to certain risks. See “Risk Factors” in the MIF Offering Circular. MIF investments are not bank accounts. As securities issued by a nonprofit institution, the investments are not insured by FDIC, SIPC or any other federal or state regulatory agency. The securities are sold only by means of the Offering Circular. This is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described here.
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WINTER 2018
LOST AND OUND
RESENTS THE
FESTIVAL
The Reformation Continues
June 16-22, 2019 Wittenberg, Eisleben, Eisenach, Berlin, Leipzig, Torgau, Erfurt Walk in the steps of Martin Luther and learn that Church history can be a whole lot of fun. Bring the family, the youth group, or the whole congregation! Learn, Serve and Celebrate together in Germany.
Get all the details at www.luther500festival.com 23
ELCA Youth Ministry Network 150 Oakwood Lane Owatonna, Mn 55060
The Gathering Issue 24