2025 LCMS Youth Gathering
Held every 3 years since 1980, the LCMS Youth Gathering provides thousands of youth and adults the opportunity to come together as a community of God’s people to be encouraged in their walk with Jesus Christ and learn about the Christian faith and their Lutheran identity.
The Gathering is more than the five days of the event. The preparation process for the Gathering brings together young people and supportive adults to encourage each other in their baptismal identity. The Gathering provides young people a vision for the vastness of Christ’s Church and equips them for vocational service as they continue their walk with Jesus.
Dates
July 17 – 23, 2025
Location
New Orleans, LA
Donation
I want to give towards the cost of the Youth Gathering with a donation.
Participant Age
The Gathering’s focus is on youth participants between the ages of 14 to 19. To register for the 2025 Gathering, youth participants must meet ONE of the two following eligibility requirements: – Must be 14 years old at the time of the Gathering OR – Entering their ninth-grade year at the time of the Gathering.
We suggest that students who are 19 and older, one year out of high school, apply to be a Young Adult Volunteer. I am happy to talk with your young adult if you or they are interested in them going.
Adult Leaders
The Gathering Recommendation Youth-to-Adult Ratio
|
# of Youth |
# of Adults |
|
2-6 |
2-4 |
|
7-13 |
3-4 |
|
14-20 |
4-5 |
|
21-27 |
5-6 |
|
28-34 |
6-7 |
|
35-41 |
7-8 |
|
42-48 |
8-9 |
At POPLC, we value the involvement of parents and other significant adults in the faith life of our youth, and we encourage their participation as Adult Leaders at the Gathering. The number of participants will determine the number of Adult Leaders. We first open the opportunity to the youth ministry staff, then the adult leaders that serve on the youth team, and then to parents who would like to be involved before, during, and after the Gathering. Each Adult Leader will be background-checked and trained according to our Child Protection Policies.
The current list of Chaperones include
Jessica Janscha - Youth Director
Pastor Micah Miller
Lisa Numrich
Amy VItosh
Steve Spalding
If you would like to be considered for the chaperone list, please let Jessica know.
Preliminary Agenda
The agenda laid out will be one that will morph as we can book eating locations and other events. You will receive a full agenda within two weeks of our departure.
July 17 – Departure day (mid-morning)
July 18 – New Orleans Fun Day
July 19 – The Gathering begins
July 20 – The Gathering & Texas District Event
July 21 – The Gathering
July 22 – The Gathering
July 23 – The Gathering Worship Service & Arrival Day (late evening)
Why do we have to stay in their hotel?
PROGRAM
Attending The Gathering is a unique experience. Our group, regardless of how large or small, is part of the “whole”. The time we spend at the hotel is part of the makeup of our overall Gathering experience. Planned activities such as community life activities and Bible studies take place at specific Gathering hotels. These are vital pieces of the Gathering experience that we don’t want to miss!
SAFETY
Beyond programming, the safety and security of all Gathering participants is critical. By having every registered participant in one of the contracted hotels, we are essentially “findable” by Gathering support volunteers. Over the past 35+ years of Gatherings, this has proven to be invaluable.
Gathering planners incorporate safety into planning, setting up, and monitoring safe activities and people movement.
The Gathering Office has also partnered with the New Orleans Police Department, other law enforcement officers, and contracted security companies at the convention center and Superdome.
In addition to security, Gathering volunteers (Gathering Ambassadors and Young Adult Volunteers) also work to create a safe environment for all Gathering participants.
INFORMATION
Community Life Builders (CLB’s) are assigned to each of the Gathering properties. They have been specifically trained to conduct informational meetings there, provide pertinent Gathering information, updates, and schedule changes, and hear any issues or concerns we may have. CLBs serve as our primary informational contact while at the Gathering. If we are outside of our hotel block, we will not have access to this valuable resource.
COMMUNITY
The fun and fellowship of meeting new friends during our time in New Orleans takes place at the hotels. If we were to secure our own accommodations at a condo, timeshare, or hotel outside of the Gathering’s room block, we would miss out on this important piece of our overall Gathering experience.
Can friends come?
Yes! The Gathering is a great event for youth to invite friends who are not part of our church but are longing to learn more about God’s love for them in Jesus. We want to include these friends and their parents in all pre-gathering meetings and events. This allows them to be part of the community and to connect with the other youth attending the Gathering.
What is the cost for The Gathering?
$1635 per participant
$395 Gathering registration
$210 Transportation
$325 hotel
$400 food
$305 Miscellaneous (t-shirts, Texas District Event, Pre-Gathering events, Fun Day)
$650 Total for families to pay youth
$485 Youth Budget per youth
$500 Congregational Commitment per youth
$150 deposit due by October 25
($150 Gathering deposit nonrefundable)
Final Payment due by May 1
Financial Aid is available by emailing Jessica.
Congregational Presence
We are asking for prayers and financial support from our congregation as we are on the journey to The Gathering. In return, we ask the youth and the families to make the following commitments:
- WORSHIP : Worship within our congregation more than you are not.
- CONNECT: We will host pre-gathering events for the group to connect with each other. Once we are registered, we will send out those dates. We ask that you commit to
- The final prep meeting
- 2 of 4 small group opportunities - Set by the small group leaders
- 1 of 3 large group opportunity
- January 17-19 - High School Retreat
- March 30 - Scavenger Hunt
- June - exact date TBD - swim party
- The Gathering Blessing – July 13
- The Gathering Reunit Event – August, just after the event
- SERVE : We are asking our youth to serve the Prince of Peace congregation through opportunities like Advent Youth Meal, Christmas Eve, Lent Youth Service, and other opportunities for the members who have a need.
- Oct 5 & 6—Six youths and two adults are needed daily to help with Bounce Houses for Marshalls BBQ. In return, they will contribute $15 per person.
- December 11 – Youth Advent Meal
- December 24 – Christmas Eve
- Daddy Daughter Dance - March 8
How do I register?
To register, complete the online form below.
DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS OCTOBER 25. A $150 nonrefundable fee is due by October 25. The remaining balance is due by May 1, 2025
Please make checks out to Prince of Peace and write “Youth Gathering” in the memo line. You can mail the checks, place them in Sunday morning’s offering, or hand them to Jessica.
Your youth's place will be secured once we receive your youth’s form and the $150 nonrefundable deposit.