Dear Partners in Mission:

With the establishment of the Briarwood Legacy Endowment this ministry of our synod now has the opportunity to provide significant support for our youth and youth leaders. One of the opportunities that is a priority for the coming year is the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering to be held in New Orleans, LA July 16-20 (with Myle and the tAble July 14-16).

As there has not been a gathering since 2018 this is a long awaited opportunity for many of our young people. And we want NT-NL to be well represented. It is also a very expensive proposition as registration is $375 and the cost of lodging and travel can be as much as $600. As such the Briarwood Directors have authorized the following funding for congregations to enable all our youth to attend.

Registration for the gathering opens September 15, 2023. The endowment, in conversation with NT-NL youth leaders, has made a commitment to pay the balance ($225/participant) for the first 200 participants (youth and sponsors) registered who have paid the $150 fee to the ELCA Youth Gathering. And for that first 200 the endowment will match up to $300/participant for travel/lodging. This offering of up to $525/participant represents a $105,000 investment in our young people!!! An opportunity that is unprecedented in the ELCA by a synod ministry.

The goal of offering this to the first 200 registered is  to encourage your community to get organized and registered as soon as possible after the Sept 15 opening of registration. This will increase the likelihood of our synod group being able to be housed in proximity to one another. An opportunity that facilitates building of relationship. We will also be offering again a “Bishop’s group” for those with 3 or less youth attending and no adult sponsor. For information about that please speak to Janelle Miller (Calvary-Richland Hills) as soon as possible (janellemiller@yahoo.com)

Also a reminder that for MYLE and the tAble, registration is free for the first 1,000 to do so. So if your young people qualify for those events (see FAQ here) get organized and ready to register.

We give thanks for the stewardship of Briarwood, the hard decisions your elected leaders and board have had to make, and rejoice that this abundance can be shared to make it possible for our youth to gather with young people from around the ELCA and the world. More information to come. But please get organized. Remember, we all have young people in our lives. Children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, neighbors we can invite to this opportunity to learn and serve sharing God’s love poured out in Jesus for the world. Doing this…

#InMissionTogether,

Bishop Gronberg