– Natalie Zielinski

Once you experience the Youth Gathering, you keep wanting to come back.

I was lucky enough to attend the past two Gatherings. They were both were life-changing experiences for me. The Gathering helped me find my faith at a time where I was struggling. When I went to my first Gathering in New Orleans, I was getting ready to be a freshman in high school. I spent the past year battling an illness no one could figure out, and I was being bullied for having to use crutches and a wheelchair to get around. I was depressed and felt very alone, and I needed something to help me feel like I belonged.

Everyone I knew talked about amazing experiences at a Gathering and how it had changed their lives. I just hoped maybe it would change my life, too. It ended up having a bigger impact on my life than I ever imagined. When we got there the first night, I was amazed at the sheer number of youth that were surrounding me. Just standing in the sea of youth was such a powerful experience all on its own.

After hearing people like Nadia Bolz-Weber, Shane Claiborne, Leymah Gbowee, and so many others speak throughout the week, I had an “aha moment.” I heard all of the different stories and struggles other people faced and I started to not feel so alone.

The Gathering made me realize that I wasn’t the only one who felt out of place and didn’t know where to go. I realized I was part of a bigger story.

The Gathering made me realize that God has a plan for me, even if I don’t understand or know all of the plan.

I wouldn’t be the same person I am today if I hadn’t been to a Gathering.

– Allison Tice

As I walked through the streets of Detroit to Ford Field one evening, I witnessed disciples that covered the streets with hope, grace, and love. That evening, I saw a man that was part of the Gathering give his leftovers to a homeless man. It was one of the most moving moments I saw unfold. I witnessed the tears and love shared between the two. Witnessing the simple gesture of sharing a meal and being Christ-like to one another showed me that even the smallest of gifts to others made the biggest impact. I quickly realized that the Gathering needed me, and needed us to show that we aren’t there to “fix” them or “fix” their city, but to walk in servanthood together.

It was then I could answer, “Why the Youth Gathering?” In that moment, I realized why we were there: to build bridges, to show love, and to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

It was hard for me to grasp the idea that the service projects we would be doing were not monumental, yet they made the greatest impact in Detroit. Through my service project, I helped a local community garden begin planting for the upcoming season. I knew that even through pulling weeds and shoveling dirt, this meant the world to the community in which we were helping. While we were working, it began to rain. In that moment, I could choose to be angry that it was raining… or I could rejoice. I simply chose to remember that I am a called and baptized Child of God. I saw this as God “showering” us with grace and never-ending love.

Why the Youth Gathering? To simply be. Be the church, be the light, and be like Jesus with and among God’s people.

– Theodore Kooistra

After a long day of working, I refilled my water bottle but was forced to empty it at the door of the stadium. This was one of the many things I vividly remember from my trip to Detroit.  That day, my group worked in a neighborhood to clean up trash. Countless areas in Detroit didn’t have city garbage disposal. So few people occupied spaces per block, that along with the cost of gas, waste companies would lose money driving out to pick up trash. Small and isolated neighborhoods also meant that sending police units to patrol the streets wasn’t efficient either. This set the stage for disorderly and dirty neighborhoods.

Each inhabited house had bags upon bags of garbage just sitting at the curb. All of the bags were in various stages of decay, with some bags even housing bees. Residing under the garbage were jungles of grasses, with weeds sprouting from the cracked sidewalks. Glass was all over the place.

When we learned that many people didn’t have running water because they couldn’t afford the bill, we immediately opened our bottles to share.

We learned later that day that often it was much easier to just leave a house abandoned than to file for bankruptcy. Those abandoned and unoccupied houses were falling apart. Often, houses were missing copper pipes as they were sold for money. These were only some of the looming complications that the people in our neighborhood explained.

Everyone tirelessly worked so we were exhausted, but enthused with what was accomplished.  Now you can imagine why my breath got caught in my throat while my water washed over the pavement.

However, being at the Gathering filled up the cups of those living in Detroit.

This is one of the transformational stories that overflowed me with love, reminding me of why I attended the Gathering.

– Chiane Hill

My name is Chiane Hill and my message will be about Proclaim Community, one of the themes of the 2015 Detroit Gathering.  Proclaim Community was centered on the good news of Jesus on the cross. Through a variety of activities, Proclaim Community called us to believe in and respond to the good news of Jesus Christ.

I learned a lot during the trip to Detroit.  I learned more about my faith and what I can do with what God has planned for me in my life. I learned how to break chains, build bridges, bear burdens, and bring hope.

God’s work called us to listen, be vulnerable, and depend on each other.

How am I different than before I left? Before the trip to Detroit, I would never have considered wearing a shirt that said “Free Hugs” on it. I received more than 50 hugs from people I have never even met before and I received more than 1,000 high fives. I would not have felt comfortable with all these hugs from perfect strangers before the Gathering.  I feel that since the Gathering, I am much more sociable now than before I left. I have learned to listen to a person’s story before I respond or judge the person telling the story.

Where did I see Jesus? Proclaim Community was my favorite day during the Gathering. We spent the entire day at the Cobo Center. On the bottom floor, there were multiple prayer rooms. My favorite prayer room was the Labyrinth Room. The Labyrinth Room was a dark, candlelit room where you took off your shoes and wrote a prayer on a white school lunch bag. After we finished writing our prayers, we opened the bag and inserted a candle in them. We placed our bags along a pre-established maze. We weaved our way through this path and meditated as we walked. As we walked to the center of the maze, we released any sorrows we might have had. We contemplated what we were able to give and share with others as we walked outwards.  Another prayer room that I felt inspired by was the Need Prayer/ Receive a Prayer/ Write a Prayer Room. We could go to this room and share what was on our minds and hearts confidentially and someone would pray with us.

The Gospel of Matthew in chapter 28 verse 19 states, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the God, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,”

I feel that we need to break chains, bear burdens, and build bridges so that we can bring hope to our community.

To do this, we need to ask ourselves many questions. How can we forgive and reconcile with one another? What is our community hungry for and how can we bring that to the community? How can we recognize and break the chains that bind us? Can we carry our burdens together as sisters and brothers in Christ?

– Rev. Priscilla Paris-Austin

I traveled by train halfway across the country to attend the Youth Gathering in New Orleans with four youth. Months of preparation and anticipation were finally being made manifest as we rose early that first full day for our Justice Day. Our task was to pick up trash in a neighborhood still recovering after Hurricane Katrina, but the dumpsters from the city had not yet arrived. We met with leaders of the partner organization who explained that it was not unusual for folks to say they were coming to help in this area… and then not show up. The city then developed a habit of waiting to provide resources until the evidence proved they could be useful. Our presence, despite the planning, was a surprise!

After surveying the area and spending some time with leaders, our Servant Companion gathered us back on the bus for reflection. When faced with the decision of calling it a day or walking the neighborhood, I completely understood the massive number of hands on the bus that rose to end the day… until I turned to look at my youth. All of them were opting to stay. They wanted to meet the people, or at least try. It was a moment that made this veteran youth leader weep with pride. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

While the majority vote meant that our day was done, my youth were transformed in that moment. They recognized that while they didn’t get their hands dirty, the difference they made was not of their own doing, but it was a gift of God. They were a gift of God just by showing up.  This knowledge, it changes EVERYTHING.  

Rev. Priscilla Paris-Austin serves as the pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seattle, WA.

– Tom Hoegel

My name is Tom Hoegel and I have the privilege and honor of serving youth and families at Bethel Lutheran Church in Cupertino, CA.  Over 30 years ago, I took my Bethel youth to the Denver National Youth Gathering and began my journey serving on the Mass Gathering Team. In St. Louis in 2000, I formed the Tech & Talent Team to coordinate talent for the event, as well as to act as the connector between volunteers and hired techs.  It has been a delight serving God through this work at the Gatherings

One of my greatest passions has always been to lift up youth musicians.  In 2009, we saw that seed begin to germinate with two talented college age bands that help launch our Immersion Day events.  In 2012 and 2015, that desire blossomed into over 60 youth bands leading Synod Day events throughout the Gathering.

Houston promises to build on this great momentum as youth really are the church of today!

When I’m not serving the Gathering, I enjoy spending time with my grown daughters, attending concerts, working out, playing bass, tearing down and building stuff, and motorcycle and convertible rides in the California hills.  I look forward to seeing you in Houston. 🙂