Western States Youth Gathering 2014
Date TBD
A message from Rev. Arne Bergland, Director of Church Relations
Dear friends in Christ,
In the summer of 2011, California Lutheran University the Western States Youth Gathering. It was the first time that CLU has hosted this event and there were a few glitches but overall it was a very successful event. Successful largely because you were there!
We are planning on hosting this event again in the summer of 2014 and we would like to solicit your advice. I would like to invite your youth group to help us select a theme for 2014 as well as to suggest speakers and musicians. Below I will outline a way for you to do that. We are hoping to have your input by the end of June.
- Gather your students for a meeting to discuss potential theme ideas for the 2014 WSYG. Below is one way to do this work that you might consider.
- As you start have your group sit in a circle.
- Begin with prayer and then briefly re-state the theme of the gathering. Something like, “We are here to think about what themes and Bible verses we would like to see be a part of the next WSYG. We also might think about speakers or musicians we would like to hear.”
- Invite the group to identify any issue or opportunity related to the theme. Participants willing to raise a topic will come to the center of the circle, write it on a sheet of newsprint and announce it to the group and then tape it up on a wall.
- After 20 minutes invite the group to divide into smaller groups based on which idea they would like to spend time discussing or developing. Some members may want to spend time with more than one group.
- At the end or your time select someone to put your ideas into an email and send it our way. As much as possible we want 2014 to reflect your ideas!
- Remember any theme or idea is worth thinking about.
- Please send any ideas and information to me at bergland@callutheran.edu or Linda LeBlanc at leblanc@callutheran.edu
As we gather your input together this summer we will consider what we have collected and have a theme for 2014 ready by September.
Thank you in advance for helping us out with this. God bless your ministry with the youth and families in your care.
