Title: Registration for ELCA Youth Gathering 2000 Opens October 18
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 21, 1999

REGISTRATION FOR ELCA YOUTH GATHERING 2000 OPENS OCTOBER 18
99-231-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Registration for the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) Youth Gathering 2000 opens Oct. 18.  The senior high
school gathering, "Dancing at the Cross Roads," will take place next
summer in St. Louis at the America's Center and TWA Dome.
     Young people and adult counselors can register for the gathering
in one of two ways -- via the Internet at www.elca.org/gathering or by
sending materials through the mail, said Donna Wiegel, registrar, ELCA
Youth Gathering.  Registration for "Dancing at the Cross Roads" on the
ELCA's website is a new feature, she said.
     The Youth Gathering will be held as two separate events scheduled
to run back-to-back: June 28 to July 2, and July 5 to July 9.  A
capacity of 50,000 registrants will be accepted overall, with 25,000
young people attending each event.
     The idea for organizing two events came "when too many
congregations were turned away from the 1997 Youth Gathering in New
Orleans, because of the lack of space," Wiegel said.
     The gathering staff expects that everyone who registers will be
accepted.
     "The gathering had reached a crossroad of its own -- so many
people and not enough room.  The board of the ELCA Division for
Congregational Ministries decided that the gathering should be available
to everyone who wants to come.  The gathering was transformed from a
one-time occurrence to a twice-repeated event," Wiegel said.
     The mission of "Dancing at the Cross Roads" is "to make and
nurture disciples of Jesus Christ."  The goals of the gathering include:
to connect with, support, celebrate and strengthen congregational youth
ministries; to create a safe environment for truth-telling; to nurture
faith journeys at all stages; to train and support adult and youth
leaders; to celebrate global diversity; and to inspire discipleship that
works for justice in the world.
     According to the mission, vision, values and goals, the ELCA Youth
Gathering is a public venue where youth and adults from Lutheran
congregations around the world will gather "to invite, grow and nurture
faith" in the lives of all who attend.
     A leadership event for "definitely-abled" young people will take
place June 25-28, 2000, at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville,
Ill.  The event, "Here I am Lord, With My Dancing Shoes On," is open to
all Lutheran young people with physical, visual, auditory, mental and
learning disabilities or a combination of these disabilities.
Participants will contemplate the theme through Bible studies, small
group activities, workshops and worship.
     The Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) will take place
June 25-28, 2000, at Southern Illinois University.  African American,
American Indian, Arab American, Asian American and Latino young people
will come together with international guests and White youth from
multicultural congregations to "celebrate" the ELCA's commitment to
embracing cultural diversity.
     The theme for MYLE is "Let the Spirit Move You."  Participants
will gather for Bible studies, leadership development, small group
activities, workshops and worship.
     The Fifth Triennial Convention of the ELCA Lutheran Youth
Organization (LYO) will be held July 2-5 at Southern Illinois
University, Edwardsville.   Hundreds of Lutheran delegates from across
the country will conduct the business of the organization.
     LYO is the "umbrella" organization for youth in the ELCA.  It
represents the voices of more than 500,000 young people in the church.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html