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Have questions about registration? Check out the Registration Frequently Asked Questions. Looking for FAQs about Young Adult Volunteers? Find them here. Q: What is the National Youth Gathering?
A: The National Youth Gathering is an event held every three years for youth of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) to spend time together in worship, God’s Word, prayer, song, and service. The Gathering provides young people an opportunity to learn more about God, Christianity, and their Lutheran identity. This event, which is the single largest LCMS event each year, is organized by LCMS District and Congregational Services—Youth Ministry Office in St. Louis. Q: When and where is the National Youth Gathering?
A: It will be held July 17-21, 2010, primarily at the Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The opening event will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 17, (doors open at 7 p.m.) at the Superdome. The closing event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon (doors open at 8 a.m.) Wednesday, July 21, at the Superdome. Q: How do I pay my registration balance? A: Your registration balance can to be paid with a church check or with an LCEF account. If you do not know your registration balance, you can look it up by logging into online registration. If paying by a check, be sure to write your congregation ID number on it! There are no forms that need to be sent along with the check.
If paying with an LCEF account, bring this completed form with you to registration in New Orleans: LCEF Payment Form. To have express registration at the Gathering, your final payment must be postmarked by June 1st. Payments postmarked after June 1st will be returned to the Primary Adult Leader If you are not able to pay your remaining registration balance by June 1st, bring your payment with you to New Orleans. You will need it to pick up your wristbands and backpacks.
Q: What is the age requirement for the 2010 Gathering? For the past few Gatherings, 15 years old was the minimum age. Each congregation should consider if the addition of 14 year olds to its Gathering Family Groups fits its youth ministry model. Please note that certain Servant Events in the New Orleans area may have additional age requirements. Additional information on Servant Events will come at a later date. back to topQ: Where will my hotel be located? Q: How do I pay my hotel balance? Can I pay it off now?
A:You can pay your hotel balance in New Orleans. You can do this with a check or credit card (the same or a different one that you used for your hotel deposit). The Gathering office does not recommend paying your hotel bill in full prior to arriving in New Orleans. Should something happen that your group must arrive a day late or leave a day early, it can be very difficult to get a refund. If you still desire to pay off your hotel balance, you can contact your hotel after you have received confirmation of your rooms from them. The Gathering office does not handle final balances for hotel reservations.
A: Yes! When we demonstrate to host cities that our participants FILL hotels, we are able to lock in a lower rate. We require participants to stay in Gathering hotels so that we can continue to get these low rates for everyone. Also remember that the Gathering Office will make hotel assignments. Do not book your own housing. There are no exceptions to this important policy.
Q: Why is the Gathering returning to New Orleans? Is it safe?
A: Our ability to create a safe environment for participants of the National Youth Gathering is always a key factor in considering any host city. The LCMS Youth Ministry Office and Gathering planners studied a lot of information, met with New Orleans city officials, and met with local LCMS entities in making the decision to return to New Orleans. A key component in the decision process was that the Central Business District, where most of the Gathering activities will take place, was virtually untouched by the floods. Also, the fringe of the French Quarter where some hotels are located was also left in relatively good condition. These conditions made for a relatively quick recovery and stabilizing of the convention and tourism business. Even since the initial decision, many components of life have continued to improve in the New Orleans area. Thousands of LCMS members have traveled to New Orleans to serve in the area, LCMS New Orleans churches have rebuilt and continue to grow in their faith and community, and residents continue to encounter the service of many Christians.
Here is additional information about the safety and viability of New Orleans as a Gathering city:
Q: We have heard about the Gathering 'tracks.' What are they? Daily large scale Mass Events are scheduled, but throughout each daily schedule, participants will experience the program in three groups of roughly one third of the total registration. The three groups will learn through a series of program tracks based on three themes: LOOK, LISTEN, LIVE. Within these program tracks youth will listen and experience hands-on activities and high-impact speakers and performers. back to topQ: How was the theme selected? About this theme, Rev. Terry Dittmer, Director for Youth Ministry, notes, "Gathering participants always share how much it means to encounter other students who ‘believe like I do’ as part of the National Gathering. WE BELIEVE is a wonderful, corporate expression of our faith in Jesus Christ, especially as we focus on the creed and our confession as we take that faith to the New Orleans community in Word, celebration, service, witness, and fellowship." Theme development planning included the staff of the DCS Youth Ministry Office, the 2010 Gathering Executive Team and invited "creative experts," including Rev. Joel Lehenbauer of the Synod’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations. Dr. Michael Middendorf will serve as advisor for the planning of the 2010 event. back to topQ: When should my group plan to arrive in and depart from New Orleans for the Gathering? For those booking flights to New Orleans on the 17, please keep some things in mind. You will want to leave your group time to round up luggage at the airport, travel from the airport to the hotel, check in at the hotel, go to Gathering registration in the Convention Center (pick up your backpacks), and probably get dinner all before the opening Mass Event. The ending Mass Event will finish around Noon (12 p.m.) on the 21. We would request you not book any flights before 2 or 3 p.m., so you do not have to exit the Superdome during the Mass Event., |
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