Elca Youth Gathering ELCA Youth Gathering OVER 30

Elca Youth Gathering

ELCA Youth Gathering OVER 30, 000 high school youth and their adult leaders from across the ELCA gather for a week of faith formation. • Community • Interactive learning • Worship • Bible study • Service

Timeline check-in • By now, you should have: – Finalized transportation to and from the Gathering – Started researching food options and free-time options – Started/continued fundraising – Started Getting Ready materials and pre-trip meeting(s) – Created a group covenant

Website • Sign up for g. News • Resources page – All documents to help you get ready – Branding guidelines • Schedule is posted on the website – Individual tracks for SEIA are: Thursday-Interactive Learning, Friday. Synod Day, Saturday- Service Day • Updates coming: – Mass Gathering speakers and artists – Service learning partners – Interactive learning partners • www. seiasynod. org/ministries/youth-young-adults/elca-youthgathering/

Daily Themes • All program areas are focusing on the same theme each day, no matter what your focus is for that day: – Wednesday: God’s call changes everything – Thursday: God’s love changes everything – Friday: God’s grace changes everything – Saturday: God’s hope changes everything – Sunday: Jesus

Houston Downtown NRG Park

NRG Center NRG Stadium NRG Arena

Registration - hotels • Hotel assignments have been posted in your congregation account. • SEIA: Hilton Americas Downtown & Hyatt Regency • What if I want to fill/share a room within our synod? Share your need on this spreadsheet • What if I requested more rooms than I actually need? Email gathering@elca. org! – The Gathering will add it back to their pool of rooms

Registration - General • Rate is currently $440/person • Registration closes on May 15 th, final payments due (checks must be postmarked by this date!) • Any reimbursements will be mailed after The Gathering

Getting Ready • Nine months of curriculum; intended do be done once a month • The young people who have the best experience at the Gathering are the ones who are well-equipped • Perspective: The Gathering is about faith formation in teenagers, not about what hotel you’re staying at or what city you are in.

Five Components Mass Gathering Community Life Interactive Learning (Thursday) Synod Day (Friday) Service Learning (Saturday)

Mass Gathering • ALL bags will be searched and metal detectors are expected • Speakers – Little more personal approach – Discussing mental illness – Bulimia, self-harm • Youth are the church of TODAY – What can they do that will help the rest of us reshape the church • Mass casting letters will be sent out mid-February (anyone receive one yet? ) • Go into MGs with an open mind • Seating: first bowl, second bowl, floor seating • Stage on the 30 yard line

Community Life • Community Life is a one stop shop for youth and adults, these events are happening in the NRG Arena daily starting June 27. It offers a place for youth to play games, inflatables, live stages, with prizes and our own live bible studies that will happen in the afternoons.

Community Life • What does community life cover? – We are a hospitality team in Houston to help welcome you, provide things for your group to do and we also work to help adult leaders to bring youth to the Gathering – 200 volunteers that will help you check in and give you everything you need for the Gathering. – Registration volunteers will be ready and willing to help you starting on Tuesday, June 26 3 -8 pm, Wednesday, June 27 8 am-8 pm

Community Life • The number one thing that community life does, is to create fun and organic places for groups to have fun, enjoy their time being together and really a one-stop shop of fun • 150, 000 sq ft of games, inflatables, food and a place for your group to play together – Live arena stage with giveaways, bands, and lip sync battles – Two trackless trains for the ELCA carpool karaoke – Live bible studies every day with speakers and artists from the main stage -- first day will be Bishop Eaton – Meet and greet with the speakers and bands after the bible studies each day – Hammock village with game room

Community Life • What comes next – Check out our adult leader training videos – Look for the g. News with more information about what is going on in Community Life – Please be fluid, flexible, and most importantly, FUN! When it comes to hotel check-in, this is a make or break moment for youth. – Remember this is an experience that will change everything!

Service Learning • Orange participation shirts will be provided; sent to congregations ahead of time • Launches are from “launch hotels” that groups will travel to (within walking distance) • End of the day “celebration of service” at NRG Arena – DJ music, and a separate space that’s more reflective – Aims to answer the question, “what’s next? ” – Goal to have everyone to the celebration by 1: 00 pm

Service Learning We are an accompaniment for our partners Projects will be kept within the outer loop of Houston Harvey relief will be 10% of projects Projects will be revealed on the bus with your servant companion Lots of work and learning in schools, library book fairs, United Against Human Trafficking (awareness/training) • Partnering with Houston Tool Bank • • • – Providing everything we could possibly need – Do not even pack work gloves! • The attitude of the group will be impacted by the attitude of the adult leaders – it’s not about us

Service Learning - Lunch • Jason’s Deli is partnering with us and making our lunches for service learning day; delivering to project sites • No special lunches (no gluten free options) • Certain number of vegetarian meal options; first come, first serve • No beverages provided; bring a full water bottle. Water will be available to refill onsite.

Synod Day • Synod Day is a unique community of Christ, gathering around word and meal, music, and deep conversation with holy moments. • Theme: Grace Changes Everything-We Belong Together – We come as individuals, from different backgrounds, with our unique story, searching and seeking community – a place to belong – No matter where you are in your life, you are enough. – The Gathering is not complete without you.

Synod Day • All that takes place is integrated in worship: – – Gathering Word Meal Sending • Friday: God’s Grace – Acts 8: 26 -40 (Philip and the Eunuch) • Our Synod Day director is Danny Stone – dbstone@aol. com

Synod Day Schedule • 9: 30 am Synod teams/musicians arrive • EAT SOMETIME BEFORE 11: 30 AM – RESEARCH OPTIONS • 11: 30 am Doors open • 12: 00 pm Synod Day Begins • 3: 00 pm Close… immediately head down to NRG Park

Synod Day • Location: Hilton Americas downtown • There is no plan for parking for your own transportation near Synod Day properties. Do your research! (Note: we’re within walking distance from Hyatt Regency) • Synod T-Shirt can still be ordered from Old Lutheran at the normal Gathering t-shirt ratehttps: //oldlutheran. com/products/southeast-iowasynod-shirt

Interactive Learning NRG Center 700, 000 square feet of interaction. Sports, creative expressions, service projects, hair and blood donations, Ropes course, quiet meditation.

Housing Hilton Americas Downtown & Hyatt Regency Housed with the Southeastern Iowa Synod and several other synods.

Wednesday, June 27 Congregations Register at Hotel Properties 1: 00 pm - Community Life Opens at NRG Park 6: 00 pm - Doors open at NRG Stadium/Concessions 7: 30 pm - 9: 15 pm - Mass Gathering 11: 00 pm – Final 15 12: 00 am - Lights out

Thursday Interactive Learning (Opens at 9: 00 am – Plan the Day) 3: 30 - 5: 30 pm - Bible Study (In Community Life) 6: 00 pm - Doors open at NRG Stadium/Concessions 7: 30 pm - 9: 15 pm - Mass Gathering 11: 00 pm – Final 15 12: 00 am - Lights out

Friday Morning Free - Eat before 11: 30 am! 11: 30 am – Doors open for Synod Day 12: 00 -3: 00 pm – Synod Day 3: 00 pm – Head immediately to NRG Park (Community Life) 6: 00 pm - Doors open at NRG Stadium/Concessions 7: 30 pm - 9: 15 pm - Mass Gathering 12: 00 am - Lights out

Saturday Service Learning (morning launch from downtown) 1: 30 - 3: 30 pm - Celebration of Service at NRG Arena 3: 30 - 5: 30 pm - Bible Study/Community Life 6: 00 pm - Doors open at NRG Stadium/Concessions 7: 30 pm - 9: 15 pm - Mass Gathering 12: 00 am - Lights out

Sunday 8: 00 am - Doors open at NRG Stadium 9: 30 am - 11: 30 am - Closing Worship at NRG Stadium

Hotel check-in • Community Life Volunteers will be ready to check you in – Tuesday, June 26 th 3 -8 pm – Wednesday, June 27 th 8 am-8 pm • No bibles or backpacks will be given out this cycle – Bring your own or download a bible app

Food at NRG Park • Food around NRG Park – Chick-fil-A – Concessions in the stadium • HARD closing time at 7: 00 pm – Allergies/food sensitivities • PLAN AHEAD • Concession list will be made available – Grocery store right across the street – Lots of options within a mile – Food trucks (more info coming soon)

Food Downtown RESEARCH and PLAN! Downtown shuts down after Friday afternoon.

Inside NRG Park • Sensory issues – Designated spaces in each location (Arena, interactive learning, community life, etc. ) – Not soundproof; it is just not possible to do • Catering – Pre-purchase a meal for pickup inside the stadium – $25 -27 person

Branding guidelines • #elcayg 2018 • “ELCA Youth Gathering” or “The Gathering – NOT the National Youth Gathering • Use the logo! – Don’t change it, or lay other things on top of it

Volunteers • Gathering Volunteer Corps – People who will go where they’re needed; not necessarily assigned to one thing • Servant Companions – Young adults who are going out to service project sites and are part of the wrap-up party • New this cycle: Chaplains – Available for participants who need someone to talk to – On-call chaplains available at all times by calling the hotline • BE NICE TO VOLUNTEERS!

Transportation • Airport shuttle from Transportation Management Services – $20 person, per trip – Sign up by April 15 th • Gathering Transportation – Deadline is March 15! – Parking – At NRG • $10/car/day • Free for buses with church imprinted logo

Safety and Security Team • Security team director has 40 years experience working on keeping young people safe in urban settings • Most common injuries – Abrasions, sprains, blisters • Medical conditions – Highest is Gastrointestinal (constipation or dehydration)

S&S – emergency protocols • Every place we’re staying at has plans and policies in place in case of any emergency situation • Listen to directions from professional staff

Safety & Security • Light rail traffic – Be aware of the traffic on the platforms – S&S team will be monitoring the platform near NRG • Curfew – There is a curfew in Houston – 12: 00 -6: 00 am – Weekend is later than the weekdays

Lost & Found • TONS of lost items are always brought back to the churchwide office • If you lost an item, it most likely got turned into lost & found • Missing kids – Make sure you keep track of your youth – Have a designated meeting place if you get separated – Have a cell phone/let kids keep their cell phones/encourage parents to buy prepaid phones if they don’t have a phone • Gathering info line – Can pull up registration information – Has nurses on call 24/7