Tag: gathering

What the Gathering’s Cancellation Means
Hello friends, By now, you have probably seen the notification from the ELCA Youth Gathering, letting the community know that the 2022 Youth Gathering in Minneapolis will not take place. Instead, the Gathering leadership will pivot and begin working on the 2024 event. We want to let you know that the 2022 Extravaganza, scheduled for ...

Giving Thanks for the Life of Heidi Hagstrom
Dear friends, It is with deep sadness that I write to share the news of the death of Rev. Heidi Hagstrom. Heidi died last night around midnight, in the presence of her family members. Heidi had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer last year. Heidi served most recently as the pastor of Fields ...

The Holy Spirit is Apparently “Boundless”
Sometimes you just can’t make this stuff up. When “coincidences” like this happen, my eyes widen a bit, and then I catch my breath and realize that the Holy Spirit is at work. Let me start at the beginning: So 3 years ago, the Extravaganza team leaders were together for their regular March meeting to ...

Why the ELCA Youth Gathering is Worth the Cost
Ok, I’m just going to put it out there and say it: I think every ELCA congregation should participate in the ELCA Youth Gathering. Every three years, the conversation kicks back up: “How can we justify spending (pick a number here…$1000…$1300…even $1600) to send kids to stay in a hotel for a week? What if ...