What is the ELCA?
The ELCA is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. It formed in 1988 in an attempt to unite as many Lutherans in the United States of America under one denomination. It kind of worked.
The ELCA operates under the hope that it is possible to do more good in the world together rather than separate. Through the ELCA, organizations like Global Refuge, ELCA World Hunger, Young Adults in Global Mission, AMMPARO, and Lutherans Restoring Creation campaign for justice and liberation in all areas of the world. The ELCA allows for the full participation of people of all genders, sexualities, races, ethnicities, classes, and backgrounds. The ELCA is thoroughly imperfect, but it's trying to anticipate God's arc of justice as well as it can.
What is Gather?
Gather began in the Twin Cities as a way to introduce Lutheran-connected young adults to each other. Church leaders in the Twin Cities area noticed that there were many young adults who had experienced a positive relationship with the Church (either in the congregation, through a volunteer organization, through camp ministry, or through campus ministry). But these young adults struggled with isolation. Often they were one of a few (if not the only) young adults in their church. Many didn't even feel comfortable attending church.
Gather sought to bring these young adults together. Initially, these leaders thought that worship was what young adults needed. What they discovered was that young adults actually needed community. They needed a space for their faith to be taken seriously, where they could unpack the complexities of being a faith curious young adults hoping to do justice in the world.
Gather took hold and was redefined by the community of young adults that formed the Twin Cities. In the years since, a number of other cities have developed their own Gather networks. The South Sound of Washington State also has a lot of young adults connected in some way to the Lutheran church—particularly through the proximity to Holden village. And yet the church in this area of the country is no more hospitable to young adults.
Gather South Sound seeks to bring together young adults who see faith as a key part of their lives but don't always see the church institution as a place that reflects their faith. Gather South Sound seeks to build relationships. Gather South Sound seeks to deconstruct and reconstruct faith and community. Gather South Sound seeks to network and form ourselves for liberation-based justice.
Gather South Sound seeks to see what happens when young adults of Lutheran interest gather together.
What is the Agenda?
Fair enough. Everything has an agenda. It's only fair to be open and clear about it.
It's my (Bergen) theory that most young adults who want to explore their faith in a Christian church are going to have to exert a ton of energy to get a fraction of their desired outcome. A lot of it is due the church's reluctance to change. A lot of it is due the church's lack of urgency. A lot of it is due to young adults being outnumbered in every congregation space.
Gather exists, and Gather South Sound aims, to be a community where young adults can expect to receive an equal return to the energy they put in.
If what you need is to show up and receive community, you can do that. If what you'd like to do is invest your energy and help form Gather South Sound into the community it needs to become, you can do that.
We are NOT trying to recreate the church. And we are certainly not trying to convert anyone. We are simply trying to be a place to explore faith and find community without putting up obstacles to change. Gather South Sound's agenda is to be a space for young adults to experience a faith community that is responsive to their needs and hopes for a faith community.
What will the first Gatherings Look Like?
Pretty simple. We're going to gather together and hang out. There will be food.
We're looking to connect and learn what interests are among the young adults here. We believe in encouraging and uplifting the unique interests, needs, and gifts of those gathering.