Despite countless challenges, we confess with Job: ‘For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth’ (Job 19:25 ESV).” Because He stands, we stand - now and forever. Jesus comes and ‘stands’ among us as our risen Lord and Redeemer (John 20).
When finalized, the study will be available for download on the Gathering website at .ĭuring the theme-planning meeting, Lehenbauer reminded participants “not to forget about Jesus - as obvious as that sounds. Lehenbauer, who is executive director of the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations, will oversee that work. We look forward to the Gathering connecting to other churchwide initiatives and activities planned for the milestone year of 2017.”Īs is custom following development of the Gathering theme, a thematic and scriptural study will be produced. As we reflect on the great blessing to the church that was the Reformation, we can rejoice that almost 500 years later, we are still gathering together as God’s people. Pointing out the significance of the Synod’s ‘Stand’ theme and the connection the Gathering theme has to it, Kiessling continued, “‘Stand’ certainly points to the Reformation and what we hold on to as Lutheran Christians in our everyday faith. “In a world which makes many statements about what we stand for or against, we hope Gathering participants will hear the clear proclamation that it is in Christ alone that we are able to stand,” said Kiessling. Guiding that work will be a focus on what Gathering participants will learn and take away from the event.
Planning for Gathering programs and activities will begin later this summer.
That’s the only way any Christian can stand.” “After looking at the ‘Stand’ theme, what stood out was how we stand in Christ only because of what He did for us. The theme sets the foundation for the Gathering, Kiessling said. (To read a Reporter story about the Synod’s triennial theme ‘Stand,’ click here.) Joel Lehenbauer, the Gathering’s theological adviser, and reviewed Gathering history and trends in youth culture as we approached the work.” “We also spent time in Scripture around the theme of ‘Stand,’ participated in a Bible study presented by the Rev. Mark Kiessling, associate director of LCMS Youth Ministry and director of the Gathering program. (LCMS Youth Ministry/Amy Gray)Īs the group approached their work, they “took some time to consider the LCMS ‘Stand’ triennial theme first,” said the Rev. He is a pastor at Woodbury Lutheran Church, Woodbury, Minn. Broten, a member of the National LCMS Youth Gathering executive team and co-director of the Gathering’s “Mass Events,” adds a comment to a poster during a creative session at the Gathering theme-development meeting Jan. 20-21 in New Orleans - working in a hotel conference room under the shadow of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome that will host the Gathering’s group events - to begin the creative process that would lead to the development of the theme. When participants converge on New Orleans in July 2016 for the LCMS National Youth Gathering, they will be meeting under the theme “In Christ Alone.”