I’ve just returned from the National Gathering in NOLA and therefore a little behind on reading blogs. Generally your comments are right on regarding mega gatherings, I would just point out a few things that I experienced at the ELCA Gathering that proved to be different than your statements.
-The gathering in NOLA and San Antonio were both very contextual to their location. In San Antonio the Mexican culture and the issue of immigration were a large part of the program. In New Orleans justice issues, both related to Katrina not, permeated every part of the Gathering.
-Big name speakers were not the focus of the mass gatherings. In fact, the nationally known speakers seemed to have just as much time on stage as non-professional speakers telling their own stories of justice (our kids related much more to the second group).
-Every participant at the gathering did one day of service. For many, this is a taste of what they can do and may change how they can see their world once they return home. The same cannot be said for listening to a speaker or doing wacky song motions.
-The gathering was expensive, good point. I didn’t get the sense that anyone was making money except the hotels and restaurants, but I could be wrong.
-The ELCA gathering specifically is an extension of communities that exist all over the country. Our kids hung out with kids they had met at other camps, etc. Our adults met old friends for coffee. A new community was fostered and developed over the week. The young Lutherans spread the joy of Christ into every shop, restaurant, and hotel in NOLA. Community was fostered, I’m not sure if that happens as every large event.
-You’re writing from the perspective of an experienced, educated youth minister. Others value the “outsourcing” of the program (not the relationships) here much more than you and I, and others feel they cannot offer a similarly transformational week on their own (volunteers, solo pastors, etc).
-The ELCA gathering made significant changes this year to better suite their context. The program was not identical.
-I did not feel that any of the speakers were emotionally manipulative. Sure, they were having fun and getting the kids to sing and dance. Our kids ate up the energy.

Good thoughts, just wanted to point out how my week was different.

AMEN

The problem arose in these congregations that we could not afford to spend $1000 a kid on Gathering, and most of our families couldn’t find that cash either. My question becomes, “Who gets left out?” due to socio-economic pressures. Especially at this time of recession. At the same time, the last two Gatherings have emphasized Earthkeeping practices. What is sustainable about the amount of resources required to make Gathering happen? (travel resources, paper products, energy for the buildings, etc.)

NOLA is a good place for service as so much is needed. However, one day of service may not be as effective as a week. I also don’t know much about how they are contextualizing the service. It is being billed as service-learning. However, service-learning practice is based on mutuality and partnership with one’s community – hence the community partners as teachers. I’m not sure even NOLA can provide that kind of partnership on a one-day basis.

There has to be a better, more sustainable solution.

Perhaps the fact that the Gathering happens only every three years dulls the normative affect that I talked about, which is good. As I said, when I was a teen, we had a yearly event that really did become the cornerstone of our faith life, and I’m not sure how helpful that was. I have seen the impact of such events, and I’m not so sure I like it.

I’m all for people who are talented speakers and have a level of wisdom unmatched my most. My problem is with making these people into celebrities. This is something that, from what little I can tell, the ELCA Youth Gathering has less of a problem with than our evangelical counterparts.

Just so you know, we’re a pretty tiny church with a small youth group. We don’t have big budgets or do anything fancy. And I don’t think we need to.