NEW ORLEANS – The Lutherans are coming! Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s National Youth Gathering Convenes in New Orleans, Saturday, July 16, through Wednesday, July 20, 2016.
Throughout the next five days, more than 25,000 young adults and adult leaders of the Lutheran faith, in matching T-shirts, will gather at both the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (MCCNO), Halls A-F, and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) National Youth Gathering, walk through the downtown area, volunteer at more than 90 sites and package 500,000 meals to feed the hungry both locally and nationally.
During the Gathering, members join together with other believers from across the Synod for five days of service, worship and fellowship. Groups of 4,000-5,000 will depart from Convention Center Blvd. each morning to volunteer in surrounding neighborhoods. Throughout the week, attendees will touch more than 90 sites throughout various parts of the New Orleans area. Approaching this year’s Gathering, the group successfully raised $25,000 to feed the hungry. Attendees of the gathering will use this to reach a goal of packing 500,000 meals during their time in New Orleans.
Held every three years since 1980, the LCMS Youth Gathering is organized by the St. Louis-based LCMS, the second-largest U.S. Lutheran church body, welcoming young adults to serve the local community where they convene through volunteer projects and packing meals for the hungry. The core mission of the LCMS is to plant, sustain and revitalize distinctly Lutheran churches, to support and expand theological education, to perform human care in close proximity to Word and Sacrament ministry, to collaborate with the Synod’s members and partners to enhance mission effectiveness, to nurture pastors, missionaries and professional church workers to promote spiritual, emotional and physical well-being, to enhance early childhood, elementary, secondary education and youth ministry.
LCMS last hosted their National Youth Gathering in New Orleans in 2010, welcoming 23,000 attendees who participated in more than 90 volunteer projects. This year’s event is expected to welcome 25,000 attendees, with an economic impact of more than $29 million.
TRAFFIC ADVISORIES
Sunday, July 17: 5:30-7:30 a.m.; Gathering 5K Run/Walk; Starting and ending at Lafayette Square, 601 S Maestri Pl.; Route
Morning, Sunday, July 17-Tuesday, July 19: Heavy traffic on Convention Center Blvd. daily for the launch of the buses to volunteer projects. Several waves of groups will be leaving between 8-9 a.m. and will impact downtown traffic on Convention Center Blvd. Buses will return between Noon-1 p.m. There will also be heavy foot traffic on Poydras St. towards MCCNO.
Evenings, Saturday, July 16-Tuesday, July 19: Starting around 4:30 p.m. daily, Poydras St. will be crowded with the groups walking to Champions Square and Superdome for the evening event. There will be heavy foot traffic from the Central Business District and MCCNO towards the Superdome. Expect very heavy foot traffic around 10 p.m. daily when events at the Superdome end. All will be walking back to the hotels.
Wednesday, July 20: 7:30-8:30 a.m.; Groups walk down Poydras St. to Superdome for closing event
Wednesday, July 20: Noon; Departures
