Mayor of New Orleans

Saturday Events...

Service Day Pictures

Take a Trolly

For lunch we got out of down town and went to Camellia Grill. A good greesy dive where we got food topped with chillie. The service was engaging and sothern. Definatly a highlight of the trip, but there have been so many. See you all soon.

Aldin

no sleep and pain

Hey it's Bailey. So with all the crazy stuff we're doing down here we aren't really getting that much sleep. Which is funny because we keep falling asleep during the important stuff. We also walk almost everywhere, which is not good for unfit people like me. My ankles are killing me. Other than that everything is great. The church we're staying at is really creepy too. :))))))))

B=)

VOODOO!!!!

new Orleans just gets better an better every day, like the french market you can see all the different ethnics groups an there belief form voodoo to Chinese dragons just to day i realized that even the smallest thing plays a big part here for instance the train trolley thing. religion an Faith play a part in every day life, it seems to me that if nobody believed then this would not be one of the greatest cities on earth like the churches here there were churches that very in size but are allways have life this town has it all (except AIRCONDISHINING)

-Bradley .D. Richins II

:):):):):)

Hey everybody, It's Dyllan!!! This is my very first blog post ever so bear with me.... so this trip has consisted of collages, friendships, love, planes, firsts, and a VERY VERY VERY long bus ride. I have made allot of friends on this trip, and had allot of experiences. while we were in Minnesota i went on my very first roller coaster, I loved every minuet of it. I also got on my first plane, as we were taking off, i was terrified, so i thought about Jesus and how he is our savior, and was relieved, it was pretty amazing. down in new Orleans i saw some of the devastation of Katrina, i thought my heart just stopped when i saw it. the kids we read to were amazing, they were just so happy to see us. Well, i bet your wondering about the whole love thing? Well... i met a soon to be sophomore named kyle, at first we were just really great friends, but in evolved into so much more. Down here in New Orleans i realized how much i appreciate Montana's weather. Well, thats about it for today. Peace.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~Dyllan~~~~~~~~~~~~

Youth Directors note: by "so much more" what dyllan means is that they are dating. . . and by dating i mean holding hands and that is it.

Sporatic Skillet

Sorry the posts have been sporadic we have been having a great time, can't wait to share all we've done with all of you in person. Highlights include. . .

1. Reading to kids. All the kids wrote about their favorite things. Very eye opening just what kids like and the condition of the schools down here. They all need paint and supplies so badly. the eye opening stat from the teachers is 74% of kids in their parish have never had a book read to them until kindergarten. Crazy right.

2. First English and Peace got on the floor for the Skillet concert. and Bradley got to within 4 rows of the stage.

3. The center we are staying at is quirky and amazing and all of the hospitality.

4. Sunday we get to go along on the centers homeless ministry!! See you all very soon.

God Bless

The Last Couple Days

Hey everyone!!! Its the 3rd day of the gathering and we've been having a spectacular time these last few days. Yesterday was very eventful day full of powerful experiences. In the morning Atonement, Peace and First English churches left in the morning to do their service projects. They went to an elementary school and helped young kids make booklets and read to them. They said they had a fantastic time and that it was really cool to have the opportunity to help the kids. As they were doing their service project Good Shepherd and Christ the King spent the morning at the Interaction Center. We were able to tour around the different booths, make crafts as well as play games and watch presentations and performers. We then ate lunch at the riverwalk and looked around the stores for a little while. In the evening at the mass gathering we listened to the band Group One Crew and the speakers, Pr. Jay Bakker, Viola Vaughn and Pr. Becca Stevens. Pr. Jay Bakker had very rough childhood growing up and talked about his original problems accepting God and how He came to learn that God loves everyone and that there is hope for everyone. He was a incredibley inspirational speaker and it was a great opportunity to be able to listen to him talk about his experiences. Viola Vaughn moved to West Africa in 2000. She explained how the organization she runs called, 10,000 Girls, grew through one little independent 9 year old girl who wanted to just pass the third grade. The organization now helps over 1300 girls gain an education that helps them live successful lives. Pr. Becca Stevens started the organizations and Magdalene and Thistle Farms that help out women who have criminal and drug problems find new lives and hope. She talked about her experiences and the importances of accepting everyone.

This morning Atonement and Christ the King walked over to the Convention Center together. Atonement went to the learning center and did several different workshops and then walked through the French Quater. We took a bus to a high school in the far East for our service project. On the way to the high school we went through the 9th ward and saw all the devistation that is still here and all that work that needs to be done. At the high school we watched a powerful movie on the education system in New Orleans pre-Katrina and then directly after Katrina. We then stuffed school kits for students in New Orleans. We made 902 boxes with 5 kits in each. A total of 13,000 school kits will be put together by tomorrow. All together we will make enough kits this week so that every student in New Orleans from kidergarten to 3rd grade will be able to have one. It felt great to be able to help out. Good Shepherd also had their service project and they also read to little kids. They too said they had a blast. After a quick dinner at the Convention Center we went back to the Superdome for mass gathering. Our speakers tonight were Spencer West and Michel Chikwanine. Spencer West had lost his legs at the age of 5 because of a disease and talked about the importances of hope in everything and for everyone. Michel Chikwanine had been a child soldier in the Congo before he managed to escape and was reunited with his family. He too spoke about the importance of hope and trusting that things will eventually be better. The band tonight was Skillet. They were amazing and an official new favorite. They are a rock band with Christian undertones. We then went dancing at the Sheraton Hotel before returning to our hotel.

Thanks once again for all the support!!
JJ Dynneson (CTK)

Opening Worship

First night in New Orleans-

THERE ARE OVER 37,000 ELCA YOUTH AND ADULTS PRESENT IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS FOR THIS GATHERING. This is the largest gathering that has taken place in this city this Hurrican Katrina. They are saying that with all these people coming to serve, over 3 years of work will be completed by the work of these youth and their chaperones hands in 3 days. How cool is that?!?!?!

The first night was crazy to get into the superdome and find our way around this amazing city. The picture is a way to see how many people were entering the superdome at the same time we were. It is simply amazing.

That night, we heard from Liz McCartney of the St. Bernard Project. this project rebuilds homes from people to get them out of FEMA trailers. She was the CNN 2008 Hero of the Year.

We also heard from Marc Kielburger. He organizes, Free the Children. This organization has buildt an excess of 500 schools in marginalized regions worldwide, providing daily education to more than 50,000 children.

And lastly, we heard from Bishop Hanson. All speakers spoke of service, education and faith. The youth are so so so so so important to the world and we can make a difference no matter who we are! Praise God for that!!!

Worship in Minnesota

Sunday morning worship was in Prior Lake, Minnesota at Shepherd of the Lake. Pr Hal Weldin was so kind and generous. We greatly appreciated his help and kindness to us! The Montana youth were blown away by the size of this church and the worship service. This church is nothing like they have seen before. Thousands of people worship at this church and server together in a unique way- through the YMCA and the assisted living facilitiy next door. All buildings run together and share in service with one another.

Test Post Plus Links

This is Pr. Lindean posting using Steph's log in info. This is also a test to see if the blog is working properly, since there have been no posts since Sunday (of course, the Gathering participants were without internet access for a few days, and now their schedule is crazy full!)

Want to see more about what's going on in New Orleans? Check out the Live Video Stream page to watch the mass gatherings in the Superdome (you need to log on half an hour ahead of time - check the schedule here). Check out other Gathering happenings here.

The Youth Gathering made the front page of The Times-Picayune yesterday. You can find the link on the CtK blog, Rooted.

Today we started the day by attending a great churh service at Shepard of the Lake by Minnapolis Minnesota. We have not seen the lake and its bothering me I think they just call them selves that. After we dropped our stuff off at the church we went to Valley Fair. Valley Fair was amazing. Steph was able to go on some of the rides despite her head injury. JJ was talked into going on three roller coasters by me. I think she actually enjoyed it even though she sayed she hated it and me afterwards. We left the fair at about seven thirty then ate and returned to the church.-lizE

What a wild ride!

dear stock holders of CTK luthern chruch. CTK youth are having fun going around to each of the collages. when you think that going to an amusment park wouldn't be an idea of luthern studies. it actually. you know that sticker that saids wwjd" what would jesus do" we changed it to wwjr" what would jesus ride" haha we all thought that was funny.we have one more collage to go to after today! go us! at least the long bus rides are over!! ya so we'll talk more hope you all are having fun! -love Jesus- and CTK luthern chruch youth going to new Orleans
-Robert

Gustavous and a baboon butler

When we woke up this morning we found a baboon butler. (or so the joke goes) because everyone would want a baboon butler to show up at their front door over a k9 dog. Had a wonderful morning at Concordia and than a final long bus ride to St. Peter minnesota to tour Gustavous. At gustavous we got 46 beach ball hits in a row!! we're amazing. here are a couple pictures of worship at concordia and gustavous respectivly.

It has been nice to see the ninth graders from first english having older role modles to show them what to do and how to be. The ability of upper classmen to pull out the potential that has been simingly locked inside of these kids floors me. We truely are stonger together than we are apart.

Tommarrow Worship at Diamond Lake and than valley fair.

Do justice love kindness and walk humbly with your God.

Aldin

Day one drive

just one of those days.

wow day one finally over!! we spent 12 hrs on the road and 11 of them in the bus. at one point we tried to fly . . . or be thrown.

everyone traveled well slept and played games. Favorites bus karoake (video to come in a future post) and would you rater.

Got to Concordia. Wow did they put out the read carpet, they fed us and put us up and gave us games to play.

tomarrow college tour and off to the cities.

WE MADE IT...

TO MINNESOTA, that is. We made it without any problems and only laughs and a little sweat to Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.

Christ the King Lutheran Church participants got up at 3:30am to be at the church before 4am. We made it all the way to Billings to start our way in the bus with the Billings youth from Atonement LC, First English LC, LC of the Good Shepherd, and Peace LC.

We all arrived in Moorhead at 8:00pm central time.

TOMORROW IS A TOUR OF CONCORDIA!