Young adults needed for Lutheran gathering

Organizers of the 2009 Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are enlisting the help of 800 young adults to be "servant companions" from July 20 to 26.

The gathering will attract 36,000 high school youth and adult leaders to New Orleans around the theme "Jesus Justice Jazz." Each servant companion will welcome, lead, facilitate and care for a group of 45 youth and their adult leaders throughout the gathering.

Servant companions must provide their own transportation to and from New Orleans and must commit to spending the full week at the gathering. The gathering will provide room and board.

Training and orientation will begin July 20.

Lyle M. Griner, national director of peer ministry, The Youth and Family Institute in Bloomington, Minn., will coordinate a team of 27 coaches to lead the servant companions.

All applications are taken online at www.ELCA.org/gathering by following links at "Gathering Volunteers (apply now)." The application includes a mandatory background check and reference check.

Registration for the gathering opens Sept. 15.

Story written by Frank Imhoff and provided by Worldwide Faith News.