Who is eligible to attend? The ELCA Youth Gathering takes place every three years and is for high school-age youth and their adult leaders. Attendance is based on groups from individual ELCA congregations. (Individuals cannot register for the Youth Gathering.)
•Students must be entering 9th grade or have just graduated from 12th grade by July 2022.
•Adult leaders must be at least 21.
•The adult
to youth ratio for each group remains around 1 to 5. This reflects the church’s commitment to passing on faith and leadership development in small groups, as well as providing a safe and meaningful experience for each young person.
•One adult leader from the congregation should be selected as the Primary Adult Leader who serves as the main contact between Gathering staff and your congregation. Youth Gathering information will be communicated electronically to the Primary Adult Leader through email and online resources and forms. Who can volunteer? There is always a need for volunteers to help with programming, logistics, hospitality and other needs during the ELCA Youth Gathering. Students, young adults and adults over the age of 19 and one year out of high school can apply to serve as a volunteer. The volunteer application process will open May 15, 2021. What can we do right now? This is a good time to talk with your youth and congregation, and prayerfully consider attending — then start fundraising! The Youth Gathering registration fee is $375 per person. If you register before Jan. 15, 2022, the early-bird, discounted registration rate is $325. Please note that the ELCA Youth Gathering has funds available for financial assistance for young people who need it to attend this event. Applications for financial assistance will be accepted online from May 15 to July 15, 2021, or until the funds are depleted. You can begin right now to pull together the paperwork and basic information necessary for registration. The ELCA Youth Gathering’s registration process is online and will be live from Sept. 15, 2021, until the May 15, 2022. Congregational accounts remain active and live through the end of the ELCA Youth Gathering. When registration opens, you will need:
•Your congregation’s unique five-digit ID number.
•The Primary Adult Leader’s email address. (Along with the congregational ID, this serves as the user name and password for your congregation’s registration account.) What happens after registration? As we move closer to the actual ELCA Youth Gathering, all the information necessary for your group’s daily schedule and participation will be posted in your online congregational account: your hotel assignment, service experience, transportation information, etc. Your Primary Adult Leader will need to check your congregational account and the ELCA Youth Gathering website regularly for updates, corrections and new information prior to the Gathering. To help keep congregational leaders on track, a timeline of important dates will be posted on this Youth Gathering website and on the page. Getting ready for our experience in Minneapolis involves preparation that we will do together. Along the way, we will make available information about Minneapolis, its history and how God is at work in this great city where we will gather and join in God’s work of justice, reconciliation, healing and serving and loving our neighbors. Monthly Bible studies will be available beginning in January 2021 as part of the “Getting Ready” materials to help prepare your youth and adults. This is just the beginning. God is at work in the world; Christ has set us free and given us the courage to participate with Lutheran youth, adults and those who live in the Twin Cities in what God is up to!
