Skip to content
ELCA Blogs

ELCA Youth Gathering Blog

ELCA Blogs / ELCA Youth Gathering Blog

Who Belongs With You? Day Four at the tAble

“Who Belongs With You?” was the transition from the closing day of the tAble to prepare for the Gathering. That transition took place in closing worship focused on the faithful community that gathered and formed over four days focused on the theme “You Belong.” Reminders of the days together were interspersed in the worship space: grace bags that were part of Service Learning, the prayers of the people written on pieces of cloth and woven together, and the paper chain of gifts draped on the wall behind the altar.

The worship service opened with music from James Kocian and Judi Tyler, the writers of the Gathering theme song. James wrote a song specifically for the tAble titled “You Belong” that he shared with the participants. Rev. Leslie Welton, chaplain for the pre-event (lovingly known as “Chappie” by participants) reminded everyone in worship to be present in the space as the heart leads. Many of the tAble participants had leading roles in worship, which communicated a full embodiment of the priesthood of all believers.

Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod Bishop Michael Rinehart preached on the fourth chapter of Exodus, reminding those gathered at worship that even when answering God’s call is difficult, we are never alone. In preaching on the challenges and questions that Moses addressed to God, Bishop Rinehart said, “Show me a place in the Bible where God called someone to do something easy.” Steven, 17, from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Habsburg Heights, NJ, responded, “God saw Moses’ résumé and thought it was perfect.”

“Who belongs with you?” the tAble closing worship showed that as baptized children of God, we all belong to one another. Knowing that we are part of the same family joined together in Christ, the time transitioned to knowing that belonging can change everything.

Follow the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering on social media:

Don’t forget to follow the hashtag #ELCAYG2018!

Follow instructions to download the ELCA Youth Gathering app here.

One Household, Many Rooms: Day Three of MYLE

– Megan Brandsrud

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2). On the last full day of MYLE, participants gathered under the daily theme of “One household, many rooms” and talked about how there is a place for everyone in God’s house.

Part of the discussion took place in affinity groups (African descent, Latino/a, European American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Multiracial/Multiethnic, American Indian/Alaska Native) where participants shared reflections, joys and struggles with each other.

During Discovery Worship, MYLE participants went through a series of stations designed to help them build their personal faith life and learn how they are all connected through their relationship with God. Some of the stations included writing a letter of encouragement to a modern-day social justice activist and walking a labyrinth to focus on personal reflection and centering oneself.

Beyonnie, a MYLE participant from St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C., walked the labyrinth during the Discovery Worship time. “We walked in a circle and reflected on life and getting rid of negativity,” she said. “When you hit the middle, you release negativity and stress, and I only felt filled with positive thoughts and feelings.”

In the afternoon, MYLE participants also chose different skill shops to attend that focused on finding and understanding their place and their path. Workshops ranged from social justice theater, which focused on activities to help break down walls and build bridges, to a simulation where participants pretended aliens came to earth to learn how to help see themselves from the outside and see what values shape their behavior.

Ciara, a MYLE participant from Christ Lutheran Church in Upper Darby, Pa., attended a session called “Preparing for college.”

“I’m going to be a senior and I want to go to college, so I thought it would be good to hear what they had to say,” she said. “It was really helpful in explaining some things I need to know in preparing to apply to schools.”

Many participants said that the music during worship and the morning Jumpstart has been their favorite part of MYLE so far, and that they’re connecting with the theme of “ONE” and feeling like it’s an important message for today.

“It’s very encouraging,” said Joshua, a MYLE participant from Toledo, Ohio. “It’s all about bringing in all different groups and seeing that together we are strong. Today’s theme is all about that, I think. There’s one household and many rooms—just like there’s God’s kingdom and we are all God’s children. It doesn’t matter what ethnicity you are.”

Today Changes Everything

When the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering met for the last time in Detroit’s Ford Field, there was anticipation in the air waiting for the reveal. Where would the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering be held? Where would over 30,000 ELCA youth meet in three years to be engaged in intense faith formation? When Houston was announced as the home for the 2018 Gathering, three years felt like a long time away.

In those three years, there has been a lot of preparation. Faith communities and youth groups had car washes, bake sales, flockings of flamingos, talent shows, spaghetti dinners, and a number of additional creative fundraisers. There was also preparation in faith and community building; getting to know youth and chaperones who would be journeying in this formative experience together, checking travel arrangements, taking a deep breath, saying a prayer, then journeying onward to Houston.

The city of Houston with Gathering teams and staff have also spent the last three years in intensive preparation. The theme, “This Changes Everything,” was born out of evaluations and conversations following the 2015 Gathering. NRG Park, where many of the events are being held, hosted many of the teams to understand the space for Bible studies, ELCA carpool karaoke, zip lining, Synod Day, framing homes, donating hair, Mass Gathering, and more. Throughout the city of Houston, there are a number of Service Learning partners working with the Gathering. The youth and Service Learning partners will be forming relationships on what it means to embody learning, community building, and accompaniment.

The next five days will be filled with a number of experiences and emotions rooted in faith in Christ and in one another.

Welcome to Houston, y’all! Let’s get this party started today!

Follow the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering on social media:

Don’t forget to follow the hashtag #ELCAYG2018!

Follow instructions to download the ELCA Youth Gathering app here.

One Mission, Many Gifts: Day Two of MYLE

What does it mean to be one in community, but to have a variety of gifts expressed in a group of people? On the second day of MYLE, the theme was “One mission, many gifts,” which explored how to be unified as a people of faith that come a diversity of talent and skill.

The day’s theme was embodied as MYLE participants traveled around Houston for Service Learning projects. Ten sites were selected around the Houston area where participants could not only offer the city their gifts as people of faith, but could also learn about accompaniment and service.

Stephen, 18, of All Peoples Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI, felt energized by Jumpstart (the opening worship service at MYLE). He said it wasn’t just fun and a chance to feel hyped up in the morning, but it was also a wake-up call to start his day of service, which was at The Life Center. MYLE participants at The Life Center worked with residents of the homeless shelter to paint, landscape, and beautify the facility. Stephen was looking forward to what he could do to help the community. His hope for his time at MYLE is to “show equality for what this nation could be and that no matter what race or color, we are as one.”

The day was also filled with intense conversations. Over dinner in the University of Houston dining hall, participants from the East Bay Lutheran Youth Program in Oakland, CA, had very honest conversations on identity, who we are as created in God’s image, and defying stereotypes. They reflected on their Service Learning experience that took place at the Star of Hope, a non-profit organization that works with people experiencing homelessness in Houston. They were joined at dinner from new friends they made from Christ Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C.

After sharing a meal, participants went to worship. Worship was filled with songs of love, justice, prayer, and liberation. Jennifer and Noah from Mediator Lutheran Church in Philadelphia shared their experiences at their Service Learning site, Spring High School. Jennifer talked about making the school’s campus look beautiful through gardening. Noah expressed that it was God’s work through their hands to bring hope to the school’s campus. Rev. Patrick Gahagen spoke at worship, taking about gifts and passions in a life rooted in faith.

The overall theme of ONE continues to resonate strongly at MYLE. The second day was filled with a multitude of gifts and unified as one community.

Follow the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering on social media:

Don’t forget to follow the hashtag #ELCAYG2018!

Follow instructions to download the ELCA Youth Gathering app here.

Why Do You Belong? Day Two at the tAble

– Megan Brandsrud

“You belong!” shouted Sarah Mayer-Flatt, team leader of the tAble. “I belong!” responded the tAble participants, shouting as loud as they could. Today the tAble further explored its theme, “You Belong,” as it focused on today’s theme question, “Why do you belong?”

Joey Baar, a participant of the tAble and member of Living Lord Lutheran Church in Bradenton, Fla., responded to today’s theme question by writing, “I belong because Jesus loves me,” on a strip of paper, which he then added to a paper chain. The paper chain, which is quickly growing, lists participants’ responses to the questions of why they belong and how they belong.

During their service learning time today, the tAble participants put together “Grace Bags.” The bags, which contained items such as water bottles, tissues, socks and non-perishable food, will be distributed to people who are experiencing homelessness. As participants worked on compiling 200 Grace Bags, they were reminded that everyone is called to serve, and everyone has gifts and talents to contribute.

the tAble participants practiced their artistic talents by painting “Kindness Rocks”—rocks that they decorated with fun pictures and inspirational messages. the tAble participants will hide the rocks during their tour of the NRG Complex tomorrow for ELCA Youth Gathering participants to find throughout the week.

Anna Lynch, a participant of the tAble from St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, Ill., painted a rock with a smiley face and a heart because she thought they were happy messages for people to find. She also filled a Grace Bag, saying she’d done something similar before with her home church.

Sarah Mayer-Flatt said these two service learning activities helped connect the tAble participants to the Houston community, to the Gathering and further.

Some Gathering participants might have never heard about the tAble but may find one of the Kindness Rocks and will now be able to spread the message of the tAble back to their home church, she said.

Throughout the day, the nearly 80 tAble participants were reminded that they are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” drawing from Psalm 139. They also talked about how God can be revealed through their talents, strengths and gifts.

And the gifts that the tAble participants used today in their filling of Grace Bags and their painting of Kindness Rocks demonstrated just some of the many answers to “Why do you belong?”

Follow the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering on social media:

Don’t forget to follow the hashtag #ELCAYG2018!

Follow instructions to download the ELCA Youth Gathering app here.

Day One of MYLE and the tAble

The overall theme of “ONE” resonated strongly on the first day of MYLE. The theme for the first day, “One body, many parts” was truly embodied as people traveled from across the country to gather as one community at the University of Houston for the Gathering pre-event. On the first day, there was time to begin forming relationships at community life and breaking bread with one another over dinner. Worship began with greetings from Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod Bishop Michael Rinehart. The Assistant to the Bishop for the Metropolitan D.C. Synod, Rev. Leila Ortíz, preached at opening worship, reminding everyone attending MYLE that as being one in the body of Christ, we matter, we are necessary, and we make the body of faith whole.

“You Belong” was the theme for the tAble, held at the Crowne Plaza. Participants traveled from around the country to come together for this pre-event to the Gathering. The theme for the first day, “Who do you belong to?” was asked throughout the day. During registration and afternoon activities, Bishop Eaton stopped by to spend time with participants. The time together began in worship, centering in the space by reflecting on the day’s theme. Rev. Leslie Welton the assistant to the bishop in the Rocky Mountain Synod and pre-event chaplain, presided over worship. She reminded participants to center themselves in their bodies to experience worship however it would be meaningful and comfortable. The first day at the tAble was also a time to establish and build trust with one another in the space, living into a full and embodied experience. At the end of a busy day concluding in evening prayer, participants gathered together.

Follow the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering on social media:

Don’t forget to follow the hashtag #ELCAYG2018!

Follow instructions to download the ELCA Youth Gathering app here.