For many in the ELCA, the biggest event last summer was the Youth Gathering in New Orleans and not the Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis. Here is a list of earlier blogposts about the 37,000 who gathered in Louisiana in July, 2009:
ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans July 25
ELCA Youth Gathering: the journey to New Orleans July 28
New Orleans Resident Thanks ELCA Youth July 31
The theme of the gathering was “Jesus, Justice, and Jazz.” During the gathering, the youth raised over $150,000 toward world hunger relief, and that effort continues with the “JJJ Music Tour” featuring several of the musicians and the music that pulsated through the New Orleans Superdome.
The “JJJ Music Tour” is an extension of the challenge. It features the hip-hop sound of “Agape” (David Scherer), the singing voice of Rachel Kurtz, and “Lost and Found” — the musical comedy experience of George Baum and Michael Bridges.
A cheap date:
Those who attend the concerts are challenged to raise $20 each. Lutheran congregations, colleges, universities and seminaries are underwriting many of the expenses of the events, so “the money raised can go directly to ELCA World Hunger,” according to the tour’s Web site: http://www.ELCA.org/jjjtour
Coming soon to a venue near you:
Remaining stops for the JJJ Music Tour:
+ Oct. 24 — Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, Texas
+ Oct. 25 — Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C.
+ Nov. 7 — Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn.
+ Nov. 8 — Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.
+ Nov. 14 — Trinity Lutheran College, Everett, Wash.
+ Dec. 5 — St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Lexington, S.C.
+ Feb. 13-14 — Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D.
