Youth Sunday and Special Offering

I grew up in a church smaller than Resurrection. Our high school youth group (called “Luther League”) had 6-10 active youth. We had game nights and occasional Bible studies. We went on camping trips and hikes.  But our biggest events was when we went to the special youth gatherings in Seattle where several hundred high school youth would sing, shout and experience God’s love and grace together. At these gathering, I felt connected to something bigger, deeper, and wider than my small Luther League. Jesus came alive for me at these mass gatherings. The seeds for my calling as your pastor were sown at these events. 

This summer the youth of Resurrection will have the opportunity to experience God’s love in such a setting.  Every three years our national church body organizes a national youth gathering where over 35,000 high school youth and adults come together to worship and serve, play and converse. This year’s ELCA Youth Gathering is in Detroit starting July 15. During the day we will participate in various service opportunities; in the evening we will gather at Ford Field for special speakers and music. You can read more about the ELCA Youth Gathering here.  I plan to attend with Hannah Koehler (Director of Family-based Youth Ministry), John Moore, Leslee Donovan and our ten youth. 

On Sunday, March 1^st, the Resurrection’s youth will be a vital part of our worship as they speak to why they feel called to attend the National Youth Gathering. They will share how they hope this will impact their walk with Jesus. They will be asking for your prayers and encouragement as they prepare for the event. They will also be asking that each member of Resurrection contribute to a special offering that will help pay for the trip.

The registration cost for the Gathering is significantly more than the youth’s annual mission trip. Your generosity will help to make this event happen for our youth. As a congregation we make a covenant with each baptism that we will help our children and youth grew in faith in Christ. Their trip is an outreach of our entire congregation as we seek to call our youth to the Vibrant Life of Faith in Christ. It is your opportunity to plant and water God’s seeds of faith in their lives. Who knows?  Someday, one of them may be your pastor! 

 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. Psalm 71:17

Pastor John Keller