Crescent City Adventures

There were 6 of us from Luther Seminary who traveled together to the ELCA National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, Louisiana (there were countless Luther students, interns, and alumni in that place). Two professors, two residential students, one staff member, and one distance learning student - became our team. All of us are tied strongly to the Children, Youth, and Family Ministry program.


This gathering offered many volunteer options through the servant companion program for young adult volunteers. Though we all found ourselves positively outside their definition of young adult, we were attached to this group. We knew we were helping with the servant companion portion of the gathering, but that is pretty much it. When we arrived we finally figured out we would be working in the Krewes Learning Center. We were divided between Bible, Church and Society, and Spiritual Formation groups. We were asked to teach workshops, lead self-guided learning rooms, set up prayer labyrinths, deliver supplies, pray, anoint volunteers, and be strong leaders.


When we weren't working in the New Orleans Convention Center, we attended sessions at the Superdome, road the trolley back and forth to Tulane (where we stayed), explored the French Quarter and the neighborhood around Tulane, and enjoyed a variety of specialty foods you just don't find in Minnesota. We even got to listen to live jazz for a couple of hours one night! Really, though, I think we spent most of our free time sleeping and searching for coffee!