– Rev. Stephen P. Bouman

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and it is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
-Ephesians 2:8

As I reflect on my parish ministry, I realize that mentoring relationships were always forming. For more than a year in one congregation I served, I never knew that the sexton was a musician and a poet. William Garcia, a quiet and competent high school kid, cleaned the church and school every week. A year into our polite relationship, we finally had a real conversation as part of a series of one-on-ones I was doing in the congregation. Our church was contemplating beginning a liturgy in Spanish, and so I was meeting with and listening to some of our bilingual members. William and I sat for over an hour in the church basement. I listened as he told me about his passion for the violin, his love of poetry, the jumble of his chaotic family life, and his efforts to hammer out an education and musical excellence from the local schools. Looming over our conversation, as it does for most city kids, was the street. I asked, “Will you meet with me an hour a week for a month and teach me about your world? Oh, and by the way, will you play your violin in church sometime?” He smiled.

William and the other Hispanic members became my mentors in mission, setting a new table. When we began our liturgy in the Spanish language, it was William who accompanied the hymns on his violin and who wrote the prayers of the church in a language of poetic beauty. He played, prayed, and led, because one day I stopped ignoring him and listened.

That my own life has been given to me by my Creator as an act of unconditional love, and then returned to me through the death and resurrection of Jesus as a free gift to be shared for the sake of the world is an astonishing insight into my identity and vocation. And that is the lens through which we see all who touch our lives. Houston will be filled with William Garcias, living into the free gift of their own lives and giftedness, trying to figure out how to use that graceful freedom as a servant in the world, grateful for the presence and attention of those leaders and mentors who touch their lives and are touched by them.

-Sierra Ronning

I’m Sierra Ronning, and I am very excited to join the ELCA Youth Gathering team in Communication and Administration. I have a BA in Multimedia from California Lutheran University, I worked in TV production for a year, followed by work in youth ministry for three years. I couldn’t have dreamed of a position that combines all of my experiences.

I had my first Gathering experience in 2006. I was a volunteer with Service Learning in San Antonio, and that was such an experience. The energy was contagious. Everywhere I went, someone was hugging a stranger or offering a high five—there was nothing but smiles and an immense love for this community. In 2015, I experienced what it takes to take youth to the Gathering. The stresses of fundraising, preparing the group for what to expect, assuring parents that their children will be safe, figuring out how to feed a group of 20 in a packed city… it’s a lot of work. Once we got to Detroit and I saw how my youth were engaging, growing, and just having the time of their lives, I knew this would be an experience none of us would ever forget.

The 2018 Gathering in Houston will be another life-changing experience for a new group of youth, adults, volunteers, and staff. Know that the stresses that come with it are all worth it. I’m excited to be supporting this ministry in a new way, and I’m looking forward to connecting with everyone involved. See y’all in Houston!

– Molly Beck Dean

We are excited to share with you the theme for the 2018 Gathering, “This Changes Everything.” Our primary scripture is 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.”

Grace is a foundational part of Lutheran theology. This gift of grace, undeserved and freely given, changes lives and perspectives as people realize they are enough. We are enough because of what Christ has done for us, and we are called into the world to serve our neighbor and to share the good news.

Our logo is a visual representation of our theme and the 2018 Gathering experience. It incorporates the coming together of a mosaic to reflect the diverse host city of Houston. It also incorporates the idea that we are a church where all are imperfect and incomplete, yet we each belong and have an important place in God’s masterpiece. The cross at the center of the logo is the focus—it is God’s grace, through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, that changes everything for all people.

In her book “Woo: Awakening Teenagers’ Desire to Follow in the Way of Jesus,” Morgan Schmidt identifies the three central desires of teens.

All youth desire:

• someone to become
• somewhere to belong
• something to do [that changes the world]

As young people struggle to find someone to become, somewhere to belong, and something to do, the Gathering seeks to be a ministry that helps define some of that, or at least open up pathways of discovery. Ultimately, we want youth to understand the fierce love that God has for them just as they are, and that by grace, through faith, they have been saved. When young people (or a person of any age) truly claims this reality, it indeed changes everything.

We look forward to diving deeply into this theme with you in the months to come!