37,000 Lutherans Heading to ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans

CHICAGO--(Business Wire)--
Tens of thousands of teenagers will converge on New Orleans for the Youth
Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), a triennial
event for the high school-age members of the 4.7 million-member church, and to
work alongside those who build, teach and live in the area still recovering
nearly four years after Hurricane Katrina.

As many as 26,725 teenagers are registered to attend the gathering July 22-26.
They will be accompanied by 8,593 adult leaders and another 1,700 volunteers.

"Jesus Justice Jazz" is the gathering theme. Worship, Bible study and Christian
community will bolster the participants as they work in about 150 community
service projects across the area and engage the unique culture of the region.

Two events will precede the gathering and one will follow. A Definitely Abled
Youth Leadership Event (DAYLE) and a Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE)
will be held July 19-22 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. About 30 young
Lutherans with disabilities and their adult companions will attend DAYLE. MYLE
will attract about 900 youth. A convention of the Lutheran Youth Organization
(LYO) will be held July 26-29 in Hattiesburg, Miss.

The gathering kicks off with a program the evening of July 22 at the Louisiana
Superdome. "Mass gatherings" follow each evening July 23-25.

The three full days of the gathering will include time in the New Orleans Morial
Convention Center, an evening event at the Superdome, music and other evening
activities in the hotels, and a "Final 15" to conclude each day with 15 minutes
of small group devotions.

A third of the participants will board hundreds of buses for nearly 200
community service or "ServantLife" projects each of the three full days; another
third will take part in learning programs along "Krewes Boulevard" in the
Convention Center; and the other third will join in physical activities at the
Interaction Center. Each third will rotate each day to a different servant
learning experience based on the participants' interests.

ELCA Global Mission's international companion program is bringing about 50 young
Lutherans to the gathering from as many as 25 countries in Africa, Asia, Central
America, Europe and South America.

More information is at http://www.elca.org/gathering and
http://tinyurl.com/lbkow5 on the Web.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Frank Imhoff, 773-380-2955 or frank.imhoff@elca.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009