The ELCA Youth Gathering is a national convention held every 3 years in a different American city attended by high-school-age youth of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The years before 2009 the gathering would last two weeks, with certain churches coming one week, the others going the second week. The gathering lasts around 5 days and each day is focused on a form a of service. Each convention has a central theme to it. These themes are focused on a certain scripture from the bible.

2009, New Orleans

During July 37,000 Lutheran Youth and their Chaperons attended a gathering in New Orleans to help with post-katrina problems in the city and surrounding suburbs. "This was the biggest convention since Katrina" says bestofneworleans.com. The theme for this gathering in New Orleans was "Jesus, Justice, Jazz." The bible theme for this convention was Philippians 2: 1-8. Usually, the host city is chosen immediate after the last gathering, but organizers were not able to pick New Orleans three years in advance because the organizers did not know if New Orleans what capable of holding such gathering. Organizers saw the city and decided to use New Orleans after requests to use other cities were denied. Though there was opposition to the gathering taking place in New Orleans due to rising crime rates and its reputation for adult sensuality, organizers came upon the agreement that New Orleans needed them as much as they needed New Orleans.

Interestingly, the 2009 Gathering was scheduled to take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

, but that was decided against as there is such a large number of Lutherans in Minnesota that would go, not leaving enough room for other states to participate.

Unlike the 2006 gathering which was split into two groups, the 2009 Gathering would be one week. The difference in people in 20,000 each week, to 36,000 in one week. This is roughly 1/6 of New Orleans's population. The days were split in two, the mornings were focused on either "Jesus," "Justice," or "Jazz." On the day focused on "Jesus" the youth would search their spiritual lives. On the day focused on "Jazz" the youth learn about the stories and experiences the native New Orleans people had. On the day focused on "Justice" the youth took part in various activities including replanting marsh grasses, restoring Holt Cemetery through weeding, planting and fixing grave stones, hosting community fairs to promote health and literacy, and painting and fixing up broken homes.

Guest Speakers

C. Ray Nagin: Mayor of New Orleans

Marc Kielburger: founder of Free the Children

Free The Children

Free The Children is an international charity and youth movement founded in 1995 by children's rights advocate Craig Kielburger. The organization is largely youth-funded, based on the concept of "children helping children." It specializes in sustainable development in countries of Kenya, Ecuador,...

Pastor Jay Bakker

Viola Vaughn: started the village school for girls in Senegal, West Africa

Becca Stevens, founder of Thistle Farms and Magdalene

Spencer West: overcoming adversity and living life without legs

Michel Chikwanine: child soldier from Uganda

Donald Miller: author of Blue Like Jazz

Blue Like Jazz

Blue Like Jazz is the second book by Donald Miller. This semi-autobiographical work, subtitled "Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality," is a collection of essays and personal reflections chronicling the author's growing understanding of the nature of God and Jesus, and the need and...

Anne Mahlum: founder of Back on My Feet

Back on My Feet

Back on My Feet is an American non-profit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of homeless people by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem...

Venice Williams: worked with community gardens

Musicians

Agape

Group1Crew

Cecila Whitler
Skillet

Lost and Found (Christian rock band)

The Flying Karamazov Brothers

The Flying Karamazov Brothers

The Flying Karamazov Brothers are a juggling and comedy troupe who have been performing since 1973. They learned their trade while performing as street artists in Santa Cruz, California...

The Katinas

The Katinas

The Katinas are a Contemporary Christian music group. The family of five brothers hails from American Samoa, and moved to Washington, USA after the death of their mother in 1988. The group's members sang in church as children, and began playing fairs, soon moving up to nationwide slots opening for...

Guyland Leday: 9 yr old accordion player

Amanda Shaw

Amanda Shaw

Amanda Amaya Shaw is an American cajun fiddler, singer, and actress from Covington, Louisiana.- Musical training :Shaw received some of her early musical training in Southeastern Louisiana University's Community Music School. She studied classical violin starting at age 4, and at 8 began playing...

: 16 yr old violinist

Rachel Kurtz

2012, New Orleans

The ELCA Youth Gathering will take place once again in New Orleans, Louisiana for the 2012 gathering which has been set for July 18–22, 2012. The thousands of anticipated volunteers will spend five days in the city to focus on worship, Bible study, service and learning. Three days of programming are laid out for the youth to take part in. The first day is a day to Practice Peacemaking. Youth and their chaperons will be in the Interaction Center for this day. The second day will be a day to Practice Justice which is the day they will embark on their designated area for various service projects. The third program day planned is a day to Practice Discipleship.

Organizers of this national gathering believe that the youth as well as their chaperons have more to learn from New Orleans and believes that the city has much to offer them.

Locations and themes of the ELCA Youth Gathering (1988–2012)

Year	Location	Theme
1988	San Antonio, TX	"Rejoice in the Lord Always"
1991	Dallas, TX	"Called to Freedom"
1994	Atlanta, GA	"2 Be Alive"
1997	New Orleans, LA	"River of Hope"
2000	St. Louis, MO	"Dancing at the Crossroads"
2003	Atlanta, GA	"Ubuntu" ("Do Life")
2006	San Antonio, TX	"Cruzando" ("Crossing")
2009	New Orleans, LA	"Jesus Justice Jazz"
2012	New Orleans, LA	"citizens with the saints"