WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING? The National Gathering is one of the major projects of the Youth Ministry Office of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Gathering carries forth the vision of Youth Ministry by providing opportunities for young people and adults to boldly come together in the name of Jesus Christ to proclaim, celebrate, and witness their salvation through Him, rejoice in the fellowship of their church and be affirmed and nurtured in their lives as God’s people through Word and Sacrament. Youth Gatherings provide an arena to raise the visibility of youth ministry within the LC-MS.

What is the Purpose of the National Youth Gathering? The National Gathering is one of the major projects of the Youth Ministry Office of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Gathering carries out the vision of Youth Ministry by providing opportunities for young people and adults to boldly come together in the name of Jesus Christ to proclaim, celebrate, and witness their salvation through Him, rejoice in the fellowship of their church and be affirmed and nurtured in their lives as God’s people through Word and Sacrament. Youth Gatherings provide an arena to raise the visibility of youth ministry within The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING? The National Gathering is one of the major projects of the Youth Ministry Office of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Gathering carries forth the vision of Youth Ministry by providing opportunities for young people and adults to boldly come together in the name of Jesus Christ to proclaim, celebrate, and witness their salvation through Him, rejoice in the fellowship of their church and be affirmed and nurtured in their lives as God’s people through Word and Sacrament. Youth Gatherings provide an arena to raise the visibility of youth ministry within the LC-MS. CHOSEN ~ A Program with Purpose The Gathering program is designed to engage students in an exploration of the theme CHOSEN through a variety of learning, listening, fellowshipping and nurturing experiences. Throughout the Gathering, six LCMS teens: Caitlin, Blake, Julie, Gustavo, Eric, and Nikki will broadcast the Gathering program to participants. These program personalities serve as a “real-life” guidebook to the Gathering.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING? The National Gathering is one of the major projects of the Youth Ministry Office of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Gathering carries forth the vision of Youth Ministry by providing opportunities for young people and adults to boldly come together in the name of Jesus Christ to proclaim, celebrate, and witness their salvation through Him, rejoice in the fellowship of their church and be affirmed and nurtured in their lives as God’s people through Word and Sacrament. Youth Gatherings provide an arena to raise the visibility of youth ministry within the LC-MS. Meet Your Guides for the Gathering Which personality* will YOU follow at the Gathering? Caitlin?Blake?Julie? Caitlin, Blake, and Julie will guide up to 12,000 Gathering participants throughout the Gathering. Personality shared in housing assignment mailing received in March (If not received by April 1, check with Gathering office) May – Daily track schedule will be on web site

TRACK Example On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday participants will be guided by Caitlin, Blake, and Julie to a different track each day. CHOSEN in Christ, groups will go to the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) West Building for Bible Study, LIVE IT and HEAR IT options. CHOSEN with Others, groups will go to a different part of the West Building for their LIVE IT and HEAR IT options. CHOSEN to the World, groups will go to the North/South Building for their LIVE IT and HEAR IT options. (Servant Events take place in this track.)

TRACKS Include HEAR IT & LIVE IT Experiences HEAR IT experiences involve youth in settings from 50 to 5,000 where they will hear and interact with speakers who connect the theme to our Lutheran faith and daily living. In the past, these were called “Interest Centers,” and are comprised of speakers who will discuss a variety of topics and host Bible studies based on the track themes. LIVE IT experiences are hands on opportunities for youth to learn by doing. These activities are similar to what were in the “Experiential Center” in years past. Each track will have its own LIVE IT area. LIVE IT experiences also include Servant Event opportunities for all Gathering participants.

TRACK-Themed NightLife! After the opening night, NightLife activities at the hotels will be customized to the track you experienced that day. CHOSEN in Christ NightLife ~ It's all about Christ in you - and your body is a temple. The activities for this NightLife are all about activity and having fun. The idea is to celebrate Christian stewardship of the body and the individual gifts and talents you have been given by God. CHOSEN with Others NightLife ~ Being CHOSEN with Others is about being part of the fellowship of the Church! So tonight, celebrate your Christian friends by playing, laughing, and hanging out together. CHOSEN with Others NightLife activities involve group effort. CHOSEN to the World NightLife ~ Maybe you are from urban New York, or the cornfields of Nebraska... whatever your context, experience other cultural “flava” as part of CHOSEN to the World NightLife options.

Bible Study Gathering participants will experience God’s Word at the start of the day on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday through Bible Studies led in each track as well as HEAR IT sessions. Late April - 3 Pre-Gathering Bible studies will be available on the Gathering web site (reflecting CHOSEN themes). June - A CHOSEN themed Bible study will be available for entire congregations to use the Sunday of the Gathering.

Mass Events - Gustovo Participants will have an opportunity to gather once a day in a Mass Event celebrate the grace of God in Christ and to reflect what they learned and experienced throughout the day. Mass Events are meant to encourage and challenge youth and continue discussion in family groups and back home. Mass Events will be held in the OCCC North/South Building and will open the Gathering at 8pm on Saturday, July 28 and a Mass Event will close the Gathering at 9am on Wednesday, August 1.

Worship Life Opportunities - Eric In most hotels, Prayer and Praise time will close each day based on the theme you followed that day. Youth can apply/audition to be part of symphony, choir, or dance performance during the Gathering worship service on Tuesday evening*. April 1 – Applications/audition tapes must be sent and postmarked by this date

Servant Events Servant Events will be a part of the CHOSEN to the World track. All Servant Events at the Gathering will be part of this track's LIVE IT area. All Gathering participants will take part in serving as they experience this track! (At OCCC or in community) Every day approximately participants will be connected to off-site Servant Events. (Must register.) April 6 – Servant Event forms due by this date!

Join Nikki in The COMMONS The Commons area will be in the West Building. Activities there will include Recreation, District Booths, Exhibitors, Concordia Booths, Youth Ministry Booth, and Food venues. Chill out, play, groove, surf and browse in the ChoZone. Regardless of what track you are in each day, The Commons is a place where everyone can come together for a variety of activities based on the CHOSEN theme. Be part of the action! Sign up to work the Nebraska District Booth and meet other from around the country!

Check out the CHOSEN Bands Fusebox – Bible study House band The Katinas - Christian/R & B/Pop Bethany Dillon - Christian/Acoustic/Pop Leeland - Alternative/Pop/Rock Stellar Kart - Pop punk/Pop/Christian LOST and FOUND Echelon After Edmund - Rock/Pop/Alternative Parallax View - Rock / Christian / Indie Remedy Drive - Indie/Rock/Alternative Rough Draft Future of Forestry

Family Groups A Family Group is the core unit at the Gathering. It’s the primary place for learning, growing, sharing, and fellowship before, during, and after the four-day on site experience. CHOSEN will bring tens of thousands of LCMS youth and adults together for four days of exciting, mass group activity... but it’s the individual participant's experience within a Family Group that forms the core of a youth’s Gathering experience. Family Groups provide the smaller setting necessary for the Gathering to have a lasting impact in the lives of participants. Family Group time provides youth the opportunity to talk things through and make new discoveries about life in Christ and life in the Church.

Schedule Highlights Saturday - July 28 8:00AM - Registration at the Orange County Convention CenterRegistration (early registration available Friday, July 27) 8:00PM - Opening Mass Event: The Community Orange County Convention CenterMass Event 9:30PM - Mass Event Concludes, Shuttling to Gathering Hotels 10:00PM - Hotel NightLife Activities (select hotels)Hotel NightLife Activities 12:00AM - Conclusion of Programmed Events

Schedule Highlights Sunday, July 29 - Tuesday, July 31 6:30AM (Sunday Only) - 5K Run at the Orange County Convention Center 8:00AM - Adult Leader Meetings at Gathering Hotels / Shuttling Begins 9:00AM - Doors Open for Morning Bible Study (Track Specific) 10:00AM - Bible Study at the OCCC (Track Specific)Bible Study 11:00AM - 6:00PM - OCCC Activities: The Commons “CHOZone”The Commons Hear It and Live It (Track Specific)Hear It and Live It Servant Events (during CHOSEN to the World track)Servant Events Limited Shuttling to outlying hotel properties. 8:00PM - Evening Mass Event (Tuesday: Gathering Worship with Holy Communion)Mass Event 9:30PM - Mass Event Concludes, Shuttling to Gathering Hotels 10:00PM - Hotel NightLife Activities (select hotels)Hotel NightLife Activities 12:00AM - Conclusion of Programmed Events

Schedule Highlights Wednesday, August 1 8:00AM - Adult Leader Meetings at Gathering Hotels / Shuttling Begins 9:00AM - Closing Mass Event: The Challenge Orange County Convention CenterMass Event 11:00AM - Conclusion of the 2007 National LCMS Youth Gathering Shuttles return to HOTELS only! Check the Gathering website for schedule updates – many more details (track schedules, speakers, concerts) expected in May.

Gathering Website is your Resource Check out the website often Anyone can set up an individual profile (leader & youth) to get to more detailed Gathering information June – Set up OurSpace for your group - You can build your own site for parents to see pictures you download and read journals on what your group is doing at the Gathering National LCMS Youth Gathering Web site

Nebraska District T-Shirts Order cool Nebraska District T-Shirt for $10 (Designed by CU student, Jake Cooper) April 13 – order/payment due

Nebraska District Charter Buses Contact Julie to confirm your spot on charter buses Departs Wed, July 25 - arrives Thurs July 26 Returns Wed, Aug 1 - arrives Thurs Aug 2 $250 per person April 13 – deposit due June 1 – balance due

Nebraska District Event Join the District Event Monday, July 30 at the Rosen Centre’ Hotel ~ 8am-10am (come anytime before 9:30am) ~ Breakfast, photo, freebie, music ~ Music provided by NYG feature band “ROUGH DRAFT” April 13 – deposit due June 1 – balance due

Nebraska District Booth “Let’s Make a Deal” activity Someone from “audience” is chosen to play – they can chose what’s behind “the curtain, what’s behind “the door”, or what’s in “the box” – prizes given away Sign up for District Booth staffing opportunities Sunday / Monday / Tuesday between 11am-6pm April 13 – let us know your interest and we’ll contact you to schedule a specific time

Countdown to the start of the National LCMS Youth Gathering on Saturday, July months, 5 days (127 days)