Tag: Brave

Tuesday, July 16 – Created to Be Brave Today, the streets of New Orleans were alive with color and energy as over 16,000 youth and their adult leaders filled the city. Excitement buzzed in the air as old friends reunited with joyous screams and new connections began to form among youth and adults arriving at the airport and engaging in Holy Play in Community Life. Community Life was vibrant and full of energy. All five gaga ball pits were filled with not only youth but their leaders as well. Students played inflatable wack-a-mole, hungry-hungry hippo, and ran through giant inflatables….

Dear youth leader, As you prepare for the Gathering, you might be feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. The task of planning and leading a trip for your group can be daunting, especially knowing that thousands of youth and their leaders from various congregations across the ELCA will be converging in New Orleans in just a few short months. The pressure to ensure everything goes smoothly, from travel logistics to group dynamics, can feel overwhelming. Know that these feelings are completely normal, and you are not alone in this journey. We recognize the immense effort you are putting into…

by Erin Brown, Lutheran Office for World Community [about the author] Since October, the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) has participated in weekly prayers for peace at the Church Center for the United Nations. At every service, we lift up prayers for all people impacted by violence and destruction caused by the numerous conflicts happening worldwide. At a recent service, members of an organization called Flame of Hope led the reflection, bringing with them a lantern illuminated with a flame recovered from the aftermath of the atomic bomb drop in Hiroshima in 1945. This flame has traveled across the…