As the Gathering is just over 100 days away, the blog editor thought this would be a great chance to interview those who have attended previous Gatherings, those who are looking forward to the upcoming Gathering in Houston, and those who will be serving in different ways at Mass Gathering. Keep reading the blog–more interviews are to come!

Meet Christopher Bautista. He attends Emanuel Lutheran Church in Dallas, TX. Christopher went to MYLE and the Gathering in Detroit in 2015 and will be at MYLE and the Gathering in Houston in 2018.

Tell the Gathering blog readers a little bit about yourself.
I am a junior in high school. I play football and I also play clarinet in band.

Where do you see God most active in your life?
I see God most in my life when I play football. It is a group of people working together, being on a team, and working for a common goal.

What is your favorite thing about your church/ faith community?
My favorite thing about my church is how we always come together, serve others around the church and in the community, and have fun together.

What are you most looking forward to at MYLE?
I’m looking forward to getting to know people from different parts of the country. There will be people there with different experiences than me and we can learn from each other.

The theme for MYLE is “One.” How does this theme and this word connect with you as a member of the church? 
We’re all here for each other and work together to be one. Even though everyone is their own person, nobody is alone.

What is your biggest hope for you when you come home from MYLE?
I hope to share with others what I learned from my experiences at MYLE.

With the theme “One” and your hopes and expectations for MYLE, what is your biggest hope for your church/ faith community when you return from Houston?
My hope for us going to MYLE is that we can come back more like family as well as friends and bring that home to our church.