Lutheran Youth Have a Church to Run

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Listen up, people.  We have a church to run.  Contribute to it, please," Karris Golden told about 100 youth and their adult advisors who gathered here Feb. 7-9 for the Council of Synod Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) Presidents' meeting.  Golden is president of the LYO, the youth ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  The council consists of 64 representatives of youth organizations in the ELCA's 65 synods across the United States and Caribbean.
     "To build the church of tomorrow you must remember to be leaders in the church today," said Golden.  "We have been leaders in this church, and we continue to play a significant role," she said.
     Through worship, a "Talk Show" with ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson,  and workshops, synod LYO presidents celebrated "how God continues to bless the church with diversity and visionary leaders."
     "It will be the youth that move this church into multiculturalism," said Anderson in response to questions from the group.  "The youth of today are interested in action and participation," he added.
     Workshop topics included AIDS awareness, the basics of communication and publicity, world hunger, persons with disabilities and convention planning.
     The synod LYO presidents passed resolutions asking the LYO  to facilitate contact with all synod bishops encouraging sufficient financial support of youth ministry in synods and congregations.  Groups of synods and regions should create affordable programs and events that would involve all ethnic, socioeconomic classes and persons with disabilities.
     Another resolution calls for the board to continue encouraging an open, non-judgmental discourse with the lesbian/bisexual/gay communities within synods and congregations.
     The president's resolutions will be presented at the fourth triennial LYO convention in New Orleans this summer.
     "Resolutions provide direction for the Lutheran Youth Organization.  Resolutions and recommendations are important in determining our future," said chairperson Norah Bringer, a freshman at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa.  Luther is one of 28 colleges and universities associated with the ELCA.
     "I am always impressed and inspired by the youth of the church.  It is a gift to be with them and experience their many gifts of leadership and compassion.  We are lucky as a church to have this resource," said the Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, bishop of the ELCA's South Dakota Synod.
     DeGroot-Nesdahl will preach for the opening worship service at the LYO convention.  "I am very honored to be asked as an adult and as a bishop to preach at the convention," she said.
     The group elected Jason Schermerhorn, Westerville, Ohio, chair.  Schermerhorn will serve on the LYO board for a 3-year term along with Jill Craps, Lexington, S.C., secretary.  Mary Sima, Solon, Ohio, and Nathan Jackson, Jersey City, N.J., representatives to the ELCA Church Council.
     The Council of Synod LYO Presidents is an advisory group to the board of the ELCA's Lutheran Youth Organization.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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