Time and Space to be Together with Other ELCA Young Adults

Elizabeth Gilbert
First, Cincinnati & Gather Cincinnati

 

My name is Elizabeth Gilbert, and I’m an ELCA young adult, member at First Lutheran Church in downtown Cincinnati, and co-organizer of Gather Cincinnati, a faith community for young adults.  I had the opportunity to attend the Young Adult Gathering in New Orleans with 400 other young adults, where I served as a small group leader.  I’m glad the ELCA Young Adult team had a Young Adult Gathering, because being a young adult in a traditional church can be lonely; international community is wonderful and life giving, but it’s so energizing to be in faith community with others in the same stage of life as you, as well.  Meeting, worshiping alongside, and reflecting with ELCA Young Adults from across the country, and getting to hear their stories and what being an ELCA young adult looks like in their area connected me to a community of intentional, engaged, caring young adults of faith across the country.

 

As a young adult leader of other young adults, creating and leading Gather Cincinnati, and previously the Gather Network, it can be hard to also be a participant in the young adult faith spaces I help to create and lead.  For me, this week included getting to just be present in and participate in young-adult-only large group worship and workshops, which gave me space to reflect, relax, and be present with God and with others.  Having not attended a Youth Gathering as a youth, seeing even 16,000 ELCA young people together at Mass Gatherings was amazing (and so was having seating at Mass Gathering specifically for young adults to be together!).  Receiving the time and space to be together with other ELCA young adults for the week made me feel cared for as a young adult of the ELCA.  I’m already looking forward to the next one and reflecting on how we can invite even more young adults to participate.