Jan/Feb Chimes

Friends in Christ,  

 In July of this year, three of our young people and I will be traveling to New Orleans for the ELCA Youth Gathering. As you may know, St. Paul’s has had groups attend many previous iterations of this event all over the country.  

 Youth Gatherings are an opportunity for high school-aged Christians to engage with one another on a scale that no other ELCA event can offer, with tens of thousands of people in attendance. Over five days and four nights our group will hear inspiring speakers, participate in mass worship gatherings, engage in service projects across the city of New Orleans, and learn about the myriad ways the ELCA does ministry across the world.  

 This year, our group will join other local youth from Temple and Trinity Lutheran churches, both in Havertown. This larger group will meet several times over the coming months to deepen our relationships with one another and prepare for our time in New Orleans.  

 Here are some thoughts that our young people have about our impending trip:  

 “I’m excited to gather with other youth from around the country and worship God together! I’ve never been to New Orleans, so I can’t wait to experience the city and serve the community.” -Lauren Baxter 

 “I am looking forward to the new experiences I will have on the trip. I have never gone on one of these before and am looking forward to seeing what the main event is like and seeing the city of New Orleans. I also am looking forward to helping the residents of New Orleans while I am there.” -Ryan Baxter  

 As you might imagine, attending an event such has considerable associated costs for air travel, hotels, food, and registration fees. The families of our youth have already contributed to this cost, but we are going to be asking you, the congregation of St. Paul’s, to invest in this opportunity as well, as a sign of our commitment to the faith formation of our young people.  

 To that end, in the coming weeks we will be holding a Youth Gathering “Stock Sale.” You are encouraged to invest in this trip, with shares starting at $50. The total cost for our trip will be around $7,000, and we hope the stock sale will be a great start to our fundraising.  

 As potential investors, you might ask, “What return will I see on my investment?” The biggest return is the knowledge that you have supported three young people on their faith journey. In addition, however, all shareholders will be invited to a thank you dinner, at which our group will give an in-depth presentation about what we experienced and how this event has impacted their lives.  

 More information will be forthcoming about how to participate in our stock sale. In the meantime, please prayerfully consider supporting our Youth Gathering Group, and thank you for all that you do as part of this community.  

Peace,

Pastor Tim

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