Youth

Whoosh – a weekend with the Youth. About 600 of them at an ELCSA rally in a school with the usual energy and teen trauma and a lot more singing. Youth Rallies are always a little on the rugged side – sleeping in a gym and sharing a shower with 70 of your closest parishioners. We were housed out of the melee in a home nearby where we did at least have a heater, a private outhouse, water from an outdoor spigot to heat for a sponge bath. The kids were the whole spectrum of polite to “naughty” with 1000 ways not to sleep the first night and utter exhaustion the second. Food is prepared in huge oil drum sized cans over open fire and the meetings are all in a massive tent. What’s “offal”? Or Palogna? It was on the menu for breakfast. There were several speakers and Bible study and a huge music competition. But the best was the offering! Each church had its own song and dance and they processed in to their dance singing and each placed offering in the plate. Way more energetic and fun than just sitting there! By the second evening many were so tired we were all asleep during even the loud singing in our plastic chairs. Someone pointed out the clergy have the ability to sleep seeing straight up and appearing to be in deep prayer. Must have learned it in seminary – and it is international!