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Title: ELCA Youth Gathering Registers 35,000 ELCA NEWS SERVICE - NEWSBRIEFS December 9, 1996 YOUTH GATHERING REGISTERS 35,000 Registration for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Youth Gathering opened and closed Nov. 4. The Gathering Advisory Committee closed registration when 39,000 forms were collected opening day. The maximum number of participants allowed to attend the gathering is 35,000. Registrants will be chosen by lottery and will receive notification by mail in early December. Some alternative opportunities for youth not accepted to attend the gathering will also be announced in the mailing. The five- day, senior high gathering, "River of Hope," will take place in New Orleans July 23-27, 1997. Preaching for the opening worship service will be the Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, bishop of the South Dakota Synod. The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, will preach for the closing worship service, and Walter Wangerin, Jr., host of "Lutheran Vespers," will be the storyteller. The Youth Gathering for the year 2000 will be two separate events run back-to-back. A capacity of 45,000 registrants will be accepted overall, with 22,500 youth attending each event. For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service, (312) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955 or [log in to unmask]; Melissa Ramirez, Assist. Dir., (312) 380-2956 or [log in to unmask]