Allison, adult leader

This was my third time attending an ELCA Youth Gathering and attending as an adult leader is such a different experience than as a teen. Instead of being the 14-year-old who was wandering off meeting people from different states, I was trying to keep track of the 14-year-olds who were eager to make new friends. As different as this experience was, during the Mass Gatherings I was instantly taken back to being a teenager, cheering for the speakers, signing at the top of my lungs during my favorite songs, and letting a few tears shed as I looked around at 16,000 Lutherans gathered in one space. Bishop Elizabeth Eaton shared it is the largest gathering of ELCA Lutherans in the world to take place, and it is truly incredible being in a space where people have so many shared experiences.  

Although we had many fun moments, the times I enjoyed the most included meeting new people or connecting with old friends from all over the country. It’s always wild how at gatherings such as this, the Church becomes so much smaller. Since most congregations wear matching shirts, it became easy to see where people were from so striking up a conversation was organic. Being from Iowa, I was always excited to chat with a group of Iowans and learn where they were from, often gushing over local landmarks, restaurants, or the best gas stations. Seeing the growth many of the teens made was also incredible. Many of them were reserved at the beginning of the trip, unsure of how to approach new people or what to say. As the week progressed, even the shyest youth were trading stickers, Snapchat usernames, and chatting up a storm. 

I am eternally grateful for the generosity of our congregation and the River Falls community for the money given to allow us to go on this trip. As a teenager, attending the Youth Gathering was a mountaintop experience and I’m so glad 17 young people from Ezekiel had the opportunity to make lifelong memories and grow in their faith.