Gathering Updates
NYG Update Tuesday (7/16):
Created to Be: Brave
You Are Not Alone
We are here! I was a little late joining our group but I got to catch up with them during their night debrief. I heard a lot of excitement about the first mass gathering. They got to hear several wonderful speakers, including Dr Michael Chan and Bishop Elizabeth Eaton. They also told me they liked the different music they heard tonight. We are excited for our accompaniment day tomorrow!
You Are Not Alone
We are here! I was a little late joining our group but I got to catch up with them during their night debrief. I heard a lot of excitement about the first mass gathering. They got to hear several wonderful speakers, including Dr Michael Chan and Bishop Elizabeth Eaton. They also told me they liked the different music they heard tonight. We are excited for our accompaniment day tomorrow!
NYG Update Wednesday (7/17):
Created to Be: Authentic
You Are Seen
This morning our Accompaniment Day activity was watching "Whole Gritty City", a documentary about marching bands in New Orleans schools. After lunch we spent some downtime in the hotel to rest and recover after traveling yesterday. We finished our day with Mass Gathering where we heard speakers Reverend Emily Harkins and Jacqueline Bussie. We also got to hear singer/songwriter, Blessing Offor, play piano and sing.
You Are Seen
This morning our Accompaniment Day activity was watching "Whole Gritty City", a documentary about marching bands in New Orleans schools. After lunch we spent some downtime in the hotel to rest and recover after traveling yesterday. We finished our day with Mass Gathering where we heard speakers Reverend Emily Harkins and Jacqueline Bussie. We also got to hear singer/songwriter, Blessing Offor, play piano and sing.
NYG Update Thursday (7/18):
Created to Be: Free
You Are Loved
Today is our Synod Day so we gathered together with our synod and the other synods in Region 4 for worship. Our very own Bishop Susan Candea was the one that offered the sermon at worship. For lunch we ate Mother's Cafe, a very popular lunch spot in the NOLA area.
In the afternoon we attempted to do a scavenger hunt in the French Quarter but had to head back to the hotel when some severe weather moved into the area. We walked through some heavy rain to make it to the hotel.
Tonight at Mass Gathering we had the opportunity to hear from a variety of speakers with different backgrounds. Rev. Drew Tucker, Austin Channing Brown, and Rev. Keats Miles-Wallace each discussed the topic of freedom. We were reminded that we are free to live exactly as God made us to be, no matter what. After Mass Gathering our group went to the community life dance for a bit before our final debrief time. For Final 15, we joined with a church from South Dakota and discussed our highs from the day, a moment we saw God, and the question of the day.
You Are Loved
Today is our Synod Day so we gathered together with our synod and the other synods in Region 4 for worship. Our very own Bishop Susan Candea was the one that offered the sermon at worship. For lunch we ate Mother's Cafe, a very popular lunch spot in the NOLA area.
In the afternoon we attempted to do a scavenger hunt in the French Quarter but had to head back to the hotel when some severe weather moved into the area. We walked through some heavy rain to make it to the hotel.
Tonight at Mass Gathering we had the opportunity to hear from a variety of speakers with different backgrounds. Rev. Drew Tucker, Austin Channing Brown, and Rev. Keats Miles-Wallace each discussed the topic of freedom. We were reminded that we are free to live exactly as God made us to be, no matter what. After Mass Gathering our group went to the community life dance for a bit before our final debrief time. For Final 15, we joined with a church from South Dakota and discussed our highs from the day, a moment we saw God, and the question of the day.
NYG Update Friday (7/19):
Created to Be: Disruptive
You Are Called
Our day started at Cafe du Monde with some delicious beignets. After that we walked through the French Quarter to do some shopping and sight seeing.
After lunch we spent the day in the convention center for interactive learning. This is a space set up with games and different engagement opportunities. We tried everything from Uno, to Badminton, to praying for our ministry partners overseas.
During Mass Gathering we heard from Rev Sally Azar, the first female ordained in Palestine, and Rev Lori Fuller, a deaf pastor serving a church in Palm Coast, FL.
You Are Called
Our day started at Cafe du Monde with some delicious beignets. After that we walked through the French Quarter to do some shopping and sight seeing.
After lunch we spent the day in the convention center for interactive learning. This is a space set up with games and different engagement opportunities. We tried everything from Uno, to Badminton, to praying for our ministry partners overseas.
During Mass Gathering we heard from Rev Sally Azar, the first female ordained in Palestine, and Rev Lori Fuller, a deaf pastor serving a church in Palm Coast, FL.
NYG Update Saturday (7/20):
Created to Be: Disciple
We finished the National Youth Gathering with a worship service. It was cool to experience 16,000 people worship together. Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton gave the closing worship sermon and the new Director of ELCA National Youth Gatherings was installed.
After the Gathering concluded we did the Cajun Encounters experience. We saw lots of swamp puppies! Camp Hope will now be our home base until we leave New Orleans.
We finished the National Youth Gathering with a worship service. It was cool to experience 16,000 people worship together. Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton gave the closing worship sermon and the new Director of ELCA National Youth Gatherings was installed.
After the Gathering concluded we did the Cajun Encounters experience. We saw lots of swamp puppies! Camp Hope will now be our home base until we leave New Orleans.
NYG Update Sunday (7/21):
This morning we went to St Luke Assembly of God worship service. Since this is the church we partnered with for work projects, part of Pastor Teresa's sermon was giving us background about the building and the neighborhood it's located in. Even though Hurricane Katrina was almost 20 years ago, there is still a lot of repair work being done. Pastor Teresa is also the founder of Elan Ministries, a group that continually works for rebuild damage done in the storms.
After worship, The Collective (the 5 Lutheran churches we partner with) split up between the two worksites we are working at this week. Atonement went to "The Farm" also known as The Garden on Marais. This garden gives fresh produce to the neighborhood and has a food pantry to give out some canned goods. They even have a few farm animals (chickens, pigs, goats, rabbits) on their 1/4 acre of land. Atonement helped to move mulch, clear hay, scrape paint, pull weeds, turn compost, and harvest some produce. While we had to wait for rain to subside and we got muddy and wet, it was a filling day. In fact, our group is excited to go back to The Farm again tomorrow to finish some of the projects we started.
For supper we ate at Napoleon House, a historic restaurant in the French Quarter. We enjoyed some iconic Creole favorites: red beans & rice, shrimp po-boys, jambalaya, and bread pudding. The restaurant has a balcony overlooking the French Quarter. For a treat once we were done eating, we went to Mister Apple for caramel and candied apples.
After worship, The Collective (the 5 Lutheran churches we partner with) split up between the two worksites we are working at this week. Atonement went to "The Farm" also known as The Garden on Marais. This garden gives fresh produce to the neighborhood and has a food pantry to give out some canned goods. They even have a few farm animals (chickens, pigs, goats, rabbits) on their 1/4 acre of land. Atonement helped to move mulch, clear hay, scrape paint, pull weeds, turn compost, and harvest some produce. While we had to wait for rain to subside and we got muddy and wet, it was a filling day. In fact, our group is excited to go back to The Farm again tomorrow to finish some of the projects we started.
For supper we ate at Napoleon House, a historic restaurant in the French Quarter. We enjoyed some iconic Creole favorites: red beans & rice, shrimp po-boys, jambalaya, and bread pudding. The restaurant has a balcony overlooking the French Quarter. For a treat once we were done eating, we went to Mister Apple for caramel and candied apples.
