New Orleans welcomes JJJ09
In a variety of ways, the people of New Orleans are truly excited to see the youth of the ELCA arrive and prepare for their ServantLife events. The presence of 37,000 participants sets the stage for much-needed service work to...
4:20 p.m.; Marriott lobby
Music starts at the Super Dome at 6:30 p.m. Will we make it? At my hotel, it’s pure Lutheran madness (in a good sense). Lots of teens still arriving. Four busses are parked outside and more are lined up down...
Gathering Shirts
Groups at the Youth Gathering tend to bring really cool shirts. You can check out some of the early-bird entries at the Gathering Shirts gallery, which will be updated throughout the week.
Emma’s surprise
Meet Emma Sieling. She’s 17 years old and from Alexander, Minn. She’s attending the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans with about 30 other teens from her town. They’re hoping to do volunteer work on Saturday at a health...
N’awlins nosh
It’s time for lunch, so let’s talk food. New Orleans is famous for its restaurants. Yesterday, I enjoyed an yummy and affordable meal at Lil Dizzy’s. It’s in the Treme neighborhood, a culturally rich area — one of the seedbeds of the African American...
Willie returns home
Willie Franklin hadn’t been home for four years. He fled to Texas the day before Hurricane Katrina struck. Franklin’s small house is on a patch of land not far from the Clairborne levee. The levee was high enough to handle...