spring 2014 info session upstate new york synod 2015 elca youth gathering rise up together

Spring 2014 Info SessionUpstate New York Synod

2015 ELCA Youth GatheringRise Up Together

• Introduce yourself, sharing your:– Name– Church and city– Have you been to a Gathering before?–What are you most excited about in

2015?

Introductions

2015 ELCA Youth GatheringPromo Video

http://youtu.be/0oEaeoJirgc

2015 ELCA Youth GatheringGathering 101

• A triennial (every 3 years) Gathering of the youth of the ELCA

• Not only the largest youth gathering in the ELCA, but THE LARGEST GATHERING OF ANYONE IN THE ELCA!

ELCA Gathering 101

• Who can go?– Youth currently in grades 7-11– Adult Leaders: must be 21 by July 15, 2015

• Adult Leader note: be aware that you are going as a part of the faith formation of youth, NOT as “vacation” or reliving your past youth experience at past Gatherings!

– 1:10 adult to youth ratio min– 1:5 adult to youth recommended

ELCA Gathering 101

• 33,309 youth and adults were in New Orleans in 2012– Univ. at Buffalo: 32,324 (students &

faculty)– Jamestown, NY: 31,146– Elmira, NY: 29,200–Watertown, NY: 27,023

ELCA Gathering 101

• The Gathering is a 5-day experience, moving from city to city

• It predates the ELCA (there was actually a Gathering in Detroit in the 1960s)

• Service and giving back to host cities has become a priority since the 2009 Gathering

ELCA Gathering 101

• Other cities the Gathering has been in:– Atlanta (1994, 2003)– New Orleans (1997, 2009, 2012)– St. Louis (2000)– San Antonio (2006)– Detroit (2015)

ELCA Gathering 101

• The ELCA Youth Gathering, a unique community by size and scope, exists to accompany young people in their faith journey, to claim their baptismal identity, and articulate their faith in Jesus Christ.

ELCA Gathering 101Gathering Mission

• Our theme is “Rise Up Together”• Based on the Gospel of Mark• Centered on the entire story, life and

mission of Jesus• Similarly, we will experience the

whole story and life of Detroit

ELCA Gathering ThemeRise Up Together

• Not a “destination city” like New Orleans or Orlando

• Very negative picture of Detroit painted by the media of violence, bankruptcy, inadequate services, etc.

• Already hearing of fears about Detroit

Why Detroit?

• Detroit is not unlike some cities in our own Synod

• We only hear about what the media tells us, not the WHOLE story of the city

• ELCA Gathering staff actively working on safety & security

• Would Jesus avoid a place like Detroit?

Why Detroit?

Why Detroit?There’s more to the story

http://youtu.be/_OAf45aVZXE

Why Detroit?There’s more to the story

http://youtu.be/9uKknmoHZqQ

Why Detroit?There’s more to the story

http://youtu.be/APQVpHqEc0k

• Detroit is where Christ is calling this Gathering to serve with and learn from the people in 2015

• Many in Detroit think “that’s really nice, but they won’t come”

• Let’s work to change that!!!

Why Detroit?

Gathering OverviewA day in the life…

• Daily life consists of:– Experiencing your 3-day track rotation (service,

discipleship, learning)– Mass Gathering at Ford Field (evenings)– Community Life (during the day and after Mass

Gathering– Final 15– Eating, sleeping, exploring & playing in between

Gathering OverviewA day in the life..

• Proclaim Community• Proclaim Justice• Proclaim Story• Your wristbands you will receive

determine which days you rotate through these areas

Gathering Overview3-day track rotation

• 2012=Practice Peacemaking• Your day at the Interaction Center at

the Cobo Center downtown

Gathering OverviewProclaim Community

• Learn about and experience hands-on the many ministries and issues the ELCA is active in– Tinkletown, hunger, social justice, healthcare, etc.

• Fun activities too!

Gathering OverviewProclaim Community

• 2012=Practice Justice• A day of service and learning in

Detroit

Gathering OverviewProclaim Justice

• You head to a launch site (2 sites), board a bus for your activity

• Many hands-on service opportunities, you will be asked to bring basic supplies (ex: work gloves) to be ready to work

• You will be assigned an Interest Area at random…

Gathering OverviewProclaim Justice

• 6 Interest Areas:– Care in Communities; Cultural

Immersion/Arts; Education; Environmental Sustainability; Food/Food Justice; Housing

Gathering OverviewProclaim Justice

• Not all service activities may be hands-on, “down and dirty”

• Head into Gathering with open expectations, allow the Spirit to work

Gathering OverviewProclaim Justice

• 2012=Practice Discipleship• This is the day our Synod will gather– Also known as “Synod Day”

Gathering OverviewProclaim Story

• AM=out in the community doing a guided learning experience

• PM=gather together for debrief of experience, worship and interaction

Gathering OverviewProclaim Story

Gathering OverviewMass Gathering

• Happening at Ford Field– Home of Detroit Lions

football– Each evening featuring

music, speakers, worship, and more

– Sunday morning closing worship

Gathering OverviewCommunity Life

• Happens wherever and whenever community happens– Food trucks outside Ford

Field before evening Mass Gatherings

– After-hours parties, dances, concerts and more at various sites

Gathering OverviewCommunity Life

• New daytime happenings in Cobo Center– Food, music, Prayer

chapel, labyrinth, rest area, place to store day supplies you may need*

Gathering OverviewFinal 15

• Final 15 is a day-ending devotion time designed to be done at ~10:45 pm– Designed to be done anywhere you

happen to find yourself (community life, hotel, on the streets, in the van, etc.)

– Very important check-in time, unpacking of the day, re-centering and prayer

• LOTS of great things to discover in Detroit!!!– Urban Parks– Diverse Neighborhoods– Food– Museums, zoo, cultural attractions, etc.– And more!– YES: there is Tim Hortons!!! (WNY reference)

Gathering OverviewOut and About in Detroit

• Resources to Check out:– “Belle Isle to 8 Mile: An Insiders

Guide to Detroit” ($22 + $6 s&h)– www.downtowndetroit.com– www.visitdetroit.com– www.dhivedetroit.com (great

map!)

Gathering OverviewOut and About in Detroit

Gathering OptionsSomething for everyone

• For everyone: ELCA Youth Gathering• Also available:– Multicultural Youth Gathering (MYLE)– Definitely Abled Youth Gathering (DAYLE)

• Both happen July 12-15, additional registration ($175 all inclusive), do not need to move for the Gathering

Gathering OptionsSomething for everyone

• For everyone: ELCA Youth Gathering• Also available:– Interfaith Track: limited openings for a special 3-

day rotation with an interfaith focus (large Muslim community in Detroit)

– “Proclaim Justice through Understanding”– Sign up as a group (315 person max)– No additional cost

Gathering OptionsSomething for everyone

• For everyone: ELCA Youth Gathering• Also available:

– Adult volunteer opportunities:• Gathering Volunteer Corps• Servant Companion• Community Life

– Applications open May 15 online• www.elca.org/youthgathering

– $75 application fee to cover background checks

Gathering OptionsSomething for everyone

Registration DetailsCosts, budgeting & hotels

• What goes into a Gathering budget?:– Registration ($325 until 1/15/15, +$50 after)– Hotel ($70-$155 per room/night range)

• Don’t forget gratuities• Budget for the possibility of king bed rooms for

some of your group• Hotels are assigned by Feb. 2015• Synods not guaranteed same hotel (but they will

try)

Registration DetailsCosts and budgeting

• What goes into a Gathering budget?:– Transportation options (recommended in yellow)

• Airfare + local transportation• Rail + local transportation• Bus + driver accommodations (subcontract???)• Renting 12-pass. van + gas + local parking• Bring your own vehicle + gas + local parking

– No Synod-wide transportation being coordinated

Registration DetailsCosts and budgeting

• What goes into a Gathering budget?:– Food (be sure to budget travel food)

• If coming by bus/van/car, you could bring your own food

• Save $$: bring reusable water bottles!• Don’t forget gratuities

– Local transit (people mover, bus, etc.)– Insurance??? Check with your church agent!– Fun activities???

Registration DetailsCosts and budgeting

• Budget high! You can always save $$ forward to 2018 if you have extra leftover

• Estimated cost: +/- $1,000-1,400 per person–Wide range due to range of hotels,

transportation options

• ***Financial Aid available if needed***

Registration DetailsCosts and budgeting

• ELCA Mission Investment Fund (MIF)– A money market account that earns interest on the

funds you raise for the Gathering– Funds available when needed

• Make deposits at any time• There will be a MIF service center at the Gathering to cash

checks and make withdrawals

– GREAT way to avoid out-of-town check issues and ATM Fees!!!

– Find out more at www.elca.org/mif

Registration DetailsCosts and budgeting

Registration DetailsGeography of Detroit area

• Downtown Detroit is a compact, very walkable area

• Away from downtown is a sprawling, expansive area out into suburbs

• Plenty to explore in suburbs as in the city

Registration DetailsGeography of Detroit area

• Hotels are spread out, not in a walking-scale area like New Orleans

• 1 out of 3 hotel rooms are downtown, the remainder are in suburban, smaller properties

• Commute time from some hotels to downtown could be up to 45 mins.

Registration DetailsGeography of Detroit area

• If you do not come with your own ground transportation, there will be a Gathering shuttle between suburban hotels and downtown– Once inbound in AM, Once outbound in PM

• BEST option to get around will be with your own ground transportation

• There will be parking downtown (unsure of cost)

Registration DetailsGeography of Detroit area

Registration DetailsTimeline

• May 15, 2014– Gathering website goes “live”– Gathering Volunteer applications open

online

Registration DetailsTimeline

• May 15, 2014– Financial Aid applications open online• Open through July 15, 2014• First-come, first-served basis• Limited to helping with registration fee• Needed to apply: Your Church’s ID # (see

your pastor), names of youth in need, age, grade and ethnicity

Registration DetailsTimeline

• September 15, 2014– Soft registration opens– Groups can begin entering their

registration info to be ready to submit when the time comes

– Any financial aid awarded will appear on your group account during registration

Registration DetailsTimeline

• October 15, 2014– Registration goes live– Click “Submit”– $150 pp deposit due

• Mail in with a church check• No credit cards• Can accept MIF transfers

– Synod Coordinator will be live online that day to help with any issues

Registration DetailsTimeline

• January 2015:– “Getting Ready” Bible study and prep

materials to help your group build and prepare for Gathering debuts

– Registration jumps from $325 to $375 (1/15)

Registration DetailsTimeline

• January 2015:– ELCA CYF Network Extravaganza in Detroit

• January 29-February 2, 2015• ELCA Youth Workers “convention” with over 600

participants• Workshops, worship, networking, and…• GREAT opportunity to get a lay of the land!!!• Read Rick MG’s summary of ext14

Registration DetailsTimeline

• February 2015:– By this time, housing assignments

released

• March 15, 2015:– Begin communicating with hotel

assigned• Send in deposits, room lists, etc.

Registration DetailsTimeline

• Hotel things to keep in mind:– Request all rooms on the same floor– Double beds vs. king beds– 4 to a room– Consider arriving a day early to avoid rush (July

14)– Synods NOT guaranteed to be housed together– Sleeping bags?

Registration DetailsTimeline

• Hotel things to keep in mind:– You are responsible to know what is (or is

not) available at your hotel (ex.: any breakfast, amenities, location, etc.) to plan for your group

– Research what is available in proximity to your hotel as well and how to access it

Registration DetailsTimeline

• May 15, 2015:– Registration closes– All remaining registration amounts due– Last day to make modifications to hotel

arrangements

Registration DetailsTimeline

• July 12-15, 2015:–MYLE and DAYLE events

Registration DetailsTimeline

• July 14, 2015 (Day before Gathering):– Groups can begin arriving in Detroit to register– REGISTRATION (different for 2015)!

• Registration and adult orientation will take place IN THE HOTEL you are assigned to (not at convention center)

• Backbacks will be distributed at first Mass Gathering

– Recommended to arrive July 14 to get acclimated and ready to go for the next day

Registration DetailsTimeline

• July 15-19: GATHERING!!!• July 20: Last day Gathering rates will

be honored at hotels

Registration DetailsTimeline

Q & A TimeQuestions and (hopefully) Answers

Gathering Q & A

Gathering Q & A

Gathering Q & A

Other Details”PD”, T-shirts, More info & bling, etc.

• Online webinars providing training resources for congregations in their faith formation work with young people– Great resource to learn more about what

we do as youth workers– www.practicediscipleship.org

Other DetailsPractice Discipleship

• Design a t-shirt our whole Synod can wear at the Gathering on Proclaim Story Day!– Guidelines:

• Incorporate some element common to our Synod• Can include elements of the Gathering (theme,

location, etc.) and Bible connection• Front only, able to be made in one color• MUST be youth-designed!

– Submit to Rick MG at rick@organic-youth.org by February 1, 2015

– Winning design selected by March 1, 2015– Ordering info available by April 1, 2015

Other DetailsT-shirt Design Contest

• www.elca.org/youthgathering– Sign up for “gNews” monthly emails!!!

• www.gatheringleaks.com• Find “ELCA Youth Gathering on

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

Other DetailsStay Connected

• Synod Connections:– www.unytothegathering.wordpress.com

• This PowerPoint is posted there on the “Online Connections and Resources” page

– “Upstate New York Synod Rises Up Together” Facebook group

– Rick Mollenkopf-Grill: Synod Coordinator• (716) 465-1321 (cell)• rick@organic-youth.org

Other DetailsStay Connected

• Old Lutheran (www.oldlutheran.com)

• T-shirts, pins, pens, and water bottles!– See me and I’ll have a free pen for you!!!

Other DetailsGet Swag

• Spring 2014:– Wed. May 7 at 7 pm– Tues. May 13 at 12:30 pm (ok to eat lunch!)– In-Person at Synod Assembly workshop– Others can be arranged upon request

• Fall 2014:– Will be live online Registration Day Oct. 15 to field any

questions or problems registering

• Spring 2015:– Gathering Info Sessions with pre-Gathering things to know

Other DetailsUpcoming Info Sessions…

Closing PrayerGo in peace to love and serve the Lord!