– Chris Clay

Hello, I’m Chris Clay. I’m a lifelong Lutheran, born in Chicago. I grew up and spent most of my life in Atlanta.

I served at five of the last six Gatherings. In 2000, I “Danced at the Crossroads” in St. Louis, performing concerts with my band. In 2003, I was in my hometown of Atlanta to “Do Life” or “Ubuntu.” I was a member of the House Band in 2009 for “Jesus, Justice, Jazz” in New Orleans.  I was back in N’awlins in 2012 where we celebrated being “Citizens With the Saints.” I also served as a member of the House Band and as worship leader for “Practice Peacemaking” Day. In 2015, I served as the House Band Music Director in Detroit guiding the community to “Rise Up, Together.” Creating music for the Gatherings has been one of the greatest joys and honors in my life.

Each Gathering has been a beautiful place where I’ve created friendships and relationships with SO MANY people… people from different places, all walks of life, all colors, all generations. But here’s the BEST thing—even though there are vast differences and delightful diversity—there is an overwhelming sameness and oneness that I feel… and I hope YOU feel it, too.

We come together and share a common faith.
We come together and serve an AWESOME God by serving others.
We come together to listen and learn.
We come together to sing and dance.
We come together to WORSHIP and PRAISE!

One of my favorite praise songs I’m listening to right now is called “Spirit, Break Out” by William McDowell. A lyric in the chorus describes what I see, feel, and hear at the nightly mass gatherings:

Our Father, all of heaven roars your name,
Sing louder—let this place erupt in PRAISE …
Can you hear it?
The sound of HEAVEN TOUCHING EARTH!
The sound of HEAVEN TOUCHING EARTH!

THAT IS IT!  That’s what the Gathering has been for me—the sound of Heaven Touching Earth.

– Ben Remmert

I am Ben Remmert and I am serving on the Community Life Team for the 2018 Youth Gathering in Houston. This is my first time serving on a leadership team for a Gathering, but I have brought youth to the previous two in Detroit (2015) and in New Orleans (2012). As a Houstonian, I am very excited for all of y’all as you begin your journey and also discovering the rich history and diversity of Houston.

I believe that the Gathering is an integral place for faith development for our youth. I also believe that the 2018 Youth Gathering will change lives in a way that will make the church grow in new and dynamic ways.

I first experienced the Gathering as a youth ministry intern for the Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod in New Orleans. Working alongside the Service Life Team (with only nine hours of sleep for the week), I had the privilege of accompanying youth and adults. They encountered the local community in new ways and discovered their calls as servant leaders in the church. I discovered my call as a minister of Word and Service from the Gathering.

I am passionate about raising youth as leaders of the church and the community. I live out this passion where I currently serve as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries at Christ the King Lutheran in Rice Village. I’ve lived in Houston for 26 years and I am always discovering new restaurants and events. I am celebrating my first year of marriage with my wife, Lindsay, and our two dogs Lou and Blue. On my days of Sabbath, I enjoy mountain biking trails, collecting comic books, catching up on movies, and finding new hole in the wall places for the best chicken fried steak.

I am excited to see y’all in 2018!

– Julie Stecker

As our world worried about what would happen when the calendar changed from 1999 to 2000, I was smack dab in the middle of my junior high experience, worrying about what role I’d get in the school play, whether my outfit was cute enough, and if I’d accumulated enough gel pens for the popular girls to deem me a valuable asset to their friend group. I was always worried about what I could do to make people like me more, to have greater worth in the eyes of my peers.

This deeply affected the way I viewed my relationship with God. It must be transactional, I thought, since this was how I understood relationships. If I was “good,” then God would bless me with friends, good grades, and the cool stuff I wanted. If I was “bad,” God would take all of that away as punishment. I tried to be the best at everything, just so I wouldn’t chance falling out of God’s favor. This was exhausting. And, I learned along the way, that’s not how God’s love works.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” You have been saved. This is not your own doing. This is the good news that changes everything, friends. Long, long ago, before we were even thought of, God saved us. We didn’t (and still don’t!) have to do anything to earn it. Yes, we “do” things like serving our neighbors and trying to live a compassionate, grace-filled life in response to this great gift. But just as surely as we will mess up, God will be there with grace, love, and mercy, reminding us that Jesus has already done the work of saving us. Nothing can change that, but God’s love can absolutely change us – from people who work to earn God’s love to people who work to show God’s love. I can’t wait to see how we show God’s love in Houston in 2018!

Julie Stecker is currently the Director of Communications at the Delaware-Maryland Synod.

– Jennifer Schultz

I’m Jennifer Schultz, and I’m thrilled to serve as Team Leader for Volunteers for the 2018 Gathering. I currently serve as an ELCA pastor in Los Alamitos, California.  As a student, I didn’t have the opportunity to participate in a Gathering, but I’ve served as an adult leader at two Gatherings. For the 2015 Gathering, I served as Co-Leader for the Volunteers Team. There are so many volunteers that serve throughout the Gathering. The Volunteers Team includes Gathering Volunteer Corps (GVC), Servant Companions, and local volunteers. 
 
The Gathering is an incredible ministry. It provides a dedicated space, time, and ample opportunities to live out our Christian faith in new and different settings with so many siblings in Christ. The experience of the Gathering is not only life-changing for students and adult leaders, but also for the myriads of people who serve in preparation for, during, and after the Gathering. I had no idea how many people were involved until I served on the leadership side of the 2015 Gathering. There are so many dedicated people who come together from a variety of settings, backgrounds, ages, and experiences. This variety actually unites us for the common goals for the Gathering: to bring the love of God through Jesus to life for all participants, to be of service to neighbor, and to experience faith in unexpected, new, and renewed forms.     
 
As you prepare for the Gathering, please know there are so many dedicated people working towards the common goal of everyone of having a faith-filled experience! 

– Jake Putala

As a rural Michigander, the Detroit ELCA Youth Gathering was an eye-opener. Yes, I live in Michigan, but I didn’t understand what the people of Motor City were going through. I never saw how we can do God’s work with our very own hands until I went on this trip—and I am forever grateful that I did.

What started with a eight hour bus ride (without air conditioning, I might add) turned out to be one of the best times of my life. Our synod took two busses, transporting about 120 Lutheran youth and chaperones. I only knew a few of them, so meeting many other youth who all share a passion for Christ was so inspiring.

However, it wasn’t meeting people that was the best part. It was seeing God’s work in action that gave me a feeling of awe and spiritual revival. When we were helping the less fortunate get a meal or building a house for a low income family, it wasn’t us who were doing this work. It was God. God brought all of us together for fellowship, service, and worship. Being in a sports stadium with 30,000 other Lutherans was quite possibly the most incredible experience of my life. Singing hymns, listening to inspiring speakers, and seeing how energetic the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America could be created a whole new appreciation for my faith, and, more importantly, for Jesus Christ.

I would recommend to any young Lutheran to attend the Gathering. What seems to be a short week turns into a lifetime of love, passion, and enthusiasm for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Always remember: Jesus is GOOD news!

– Vanessa Young

Hey Gathering blog readers. My name is Vanessa Young, and I’m excited to serve as the Team Leader for Gathering Synod Coordinators (GSCs) for the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston.

Do you know your Gathering Synod Coordinator? You will soon be able to search for their name on the Gathering website, and then get connected to the good work they’re doing in your area. Our team is comprised of 65 faithful leaders from across the ELCA. They will serve in this role on behalf of their respective synods for the 18 months preceding the 2018 Gathering. They will gather for training and resource-sharing in January 2017 and in January 2018 before the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza.

The GSCs will be supported throughout their service by an amazing leadership team of equally faithful creators and curators, who will provide information and logistical details to the GSCs that help promote the Gathering within their synods. The GSCs will then provide support to primary congregational leaders as they prepare for the Gathering. They are your go-to resource people for finding answers to your Gathering questions, supporting you in your Gathering planning, and building community among the ELCA congregations and ministry partners in your synod participating in this great triennial event.

I’m also excited about a new resource created this year called, “The Official Gathering Handbook: Tips & Tricks for Adult Leaders.”  Whether you’ve never been to a Gathering before or you’ve attended several times, this handbook will help adult leaders of all experience levels get ready to serve their young people, lead their group to the Gathering, and help youth get the most out of this awesome, faith-changing opportunity.  Check it out, and stay tuned for highlights and extracts from this resource to be shared across various Gathering platforms in the months leading up to the event.

In addition to working with the Gathering, I serve as the full-time Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry at St. Paul Lutheran in Wheaton, IL.  I attended Augustana Rock Island and Luther Seminary. I also served with ELCA Global Mission through the Young Adults in Global Mission program and the Churchwide Offices in Chicago. I’ve been a Gathering participant, MYLE staff person, primary congregational leader, and a hair and blood donor at several Gatherings since 2000 in St. Louis. I’ve been in youth work for 16 years, and I’m grateful to serve young people from all over the country and the world by helping youth workers, parents, and pastors be the best adult leaders they can be when bringing youth to the Gathering.

Pack a few snacks, fill up your water bottle, apply some sunscreen, and get ready to encounter God’s good work in Houston in 2018!