Update regarding the 2021 ELCA Youth Gathering (July 22, 2020)

After much prayer and consideration, we have decided to postpone next summer’s ELCA Youth Gathering to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering will be held July 24-28, 2022, in Minneapolis, with the two pre-events, the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the tAble, scheduled for July 21-24, 2022.

We give thanks for your prayers and patience as we have worked through the details with our partners in Minneapolis and across the country. We hope that by postponing the Gathering for a year, individuals and congregations will feel more comfortable and prepared to attend the Gathering in 2022.

We will be updating our website and social media as more details become available.

We look forward to seeing you and experiencing the boundlessness of God in Minneapolis in 2022!

#ELCAYG2022

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequestly asked questions about the postponement of the ELCA Youth Gathering until 2022. If you cannot find an answer to your question, please contact gathering@elca.org.

General

What are the new dates?

The Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the tAble are scheduled for July 21-24, 2022. The 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering is scheduled for July 24-28, 2022.

Who is able to attend the 2022 Gathering?

Youth who are in 8th to 12th grade at the time of registration (Fall 2021) are eligible to attend. Adult leaders must be at least 21 at the time of the Gathering. The recommended ratio is one adult for every seven youth.

We encourage our youth that are not eligible to attend the 2022 Gathering as a participant to look into our unique volunteer opportunities for young adults.

Why did the age range for participants not change for the 2022 Gathering?

Please know that this has been a topic that Gathering staff and leadership have talked about extensively. Ultimately, we decided to not change the age range for the 2022 Gathering for several reasons:

2021 graduates would be adults, meaning that they would be developmentally in a different place than 8^th-12^th graders at the time of the Gathering.
These individuals would have likely entered the work force and/or college, making it difficult for them to fully participate in the Getting Ready Materials, bonding with their congregational group and fundraising efforts prior to the event.
As participants who are legally adults and out of high school, it would also present many challenges around housing to follow best practices and safe haven guidelines.

We understand that this is not the ideal situation and hope that those not able to attend as a youth participant will consider participating as a young adult volunteer, an experience they would likely relate to more. We have been told time and time again that volunteering for the Gathering is just as life changing.

Why are we making this decision now?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) names events like the Gathering (large, national participation) as ones that pose the “highest risk.” Additionally, making the decision to postpone now allows congregations more time to fundraise and prepare.

What went into making the decision?

Gathering leadership has looked heavily at research and advice from the CDC, public health officials, meeting planner organizations as well as our host city within the past few months about hosting large events. With current trends still showing an upward spike of COVID-19 cases across the country, we feel it would not be safe to gather in large groups next summer with the risk of spreading the virus.

Why did the dates and the days change?

There are a lot of key venues and partners that need to be on board to change the dates of the Gathering. Our new dates were the only week that both the Minneapolis Convention Center and U.S. Bank Stadium was available in the summer of 2022.

How will things be different?

We are not exactly sure how things will be different at this time, but we do know things will be different for the 2022 Gathering. We continue to monitor trends and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state government, our host city and venues and meeting planner organizations for guidance and best practices moving forward.

Will prices change?

Registration fees will stay the same for the 2022 Gathering. We do anticipate hotel prices increasing approximately $10 per night per room because of moving away from a holiday weekend.

What are the new key dates?

You can find a list of the new key dates under the About tab.

Where can I find updated logos and promotional materials?

All updated logos and promotional materials can be found on our resources tab in the weeks to come.

Will the following Gathering be in 2024 or 2025?

Our next Gathering (after 2022) will be in 2024.

Will registration payment policies be changing?

At this time, we have not decided to change any policies around registration. Registration for the 2022 Gathering will open Fall of 2021. A $150 nonrefundable, per-person deposit is due at time of registration and must be paid within the rate range you expect to pay. More information can be found under the Attend tab.

Isn't the Churchwide Assembly happening in 2022?

As in some cycles before, the Churchwide Assembly will be held in the same year as the 2022 Gathering. The 2022 Churchwide Assembly will be held August 8-13, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio.

When will MYLE and the tAble be held?

MYLE and the tAble will both happen July 21-24, 2022 in the Twin Cities.

Did current events surrounding the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis lead you to postponing the 2021 Gathering to 2022?

No, the Gathering is postponed because of the risk of COVID-19 as well as congregational readiness to attend the Gathering.

The Gathering will continue to work with local law enforcement, the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, private security, and security staff at all our venues to ensure optimal safety for all of our participants at the 2022 Gathering, MYLE and the tAble.