The youth gathering was a grand success for all who attended. The following note from our Youth Leadership tells it all!
July 8 through July 15 ten Youth and four Adult leaders traveled to Houston, TX for the LCMS Youth Gathering. The theme of the Gathering was “In All Things.” We had a chance to see how God is at work in all things and present in all things. The Gathering started with a Mass Event where nearly 20,000 people gathered to worship and praise God. Throughout the five days of the Gathering we had the chance to experience a lot of different things. Each day, the Youth and Adults attended a variety of sessions. Some of the favorites were “Permission to be on Mission,” “Forged in the Fire ‐ Having a Faith of Iron and a Heart of Gold: Finding Strength for Our Relationships,” and “Anxiety Interrupted.” There were also specific sessions for the Adults to give us guidance on how to reach today’s youth. It seemed like each day it was difficult to pick which sessions to attend. We also had the option of playing in the recreation area or learning more about different ministries of the LCMS as we went from booth to booth. In the evenings, everyone gathered in Minute Maid Stadium for the Mass Events. The first night ended with an amazing fireworks display. Sunday night’s mass event focused on the idea of “Middle Words” versus “End Words.” The “Middle Words” focus on things with which we are currently struggling and may sound impossible to conquer but we are reminded that we can find comfort because we already know the “End Words.” We know that God wins and because He wins, so do we! It was also on Sunday night when they presented a memorial for Youth and Youth Leaders who had passed away since the 2019 Gathering. It was a beautiful symbol of the Heavenly Banquet and brought tears to our eyes as our own Mackenzie Allen was recognized. Monday night’s Mass Event included Rapper Flame and ended with a concert by For King and Country. The messages that they both shared were incredible. The Gathering wrapped up on Wednesday with a closing worship service and the announcement that we will be headed to New Orleans in 2025. After the Gathering was over, we had a chance to relax a bit and then spent Thursday at a beach in Galveston and the Schlitterbahn Waterpark. On Friday, July 15 we traveled back home. We are so grateful to St. James for making this trip possible. Without the generosity of the congregation, the spiritual growth that we all experienced would not have happened.