Youth Gathering

Youth Gathering will be held in Minneapolis June 28-July 2, 2027. Visit the ELCA's Youth Gathering webpage for details and information about preparation for the Gathering.

The most recent gNews was transmitted by email on August 7 with this information

Get ready with the Getting Ready Materials

Ten lessons, all designed to get your group ready to experience Minneapolis and the 2027 Gathering. Flexible enough for you to tweak to your context and even use with young people who won’t be able to make it to the Gathering next summer.

The first two lessons around the daily theme, Imagine More Love, launch on Aug. 15 on the Academy. The Imagine More journal and user guide will also be available on that date. To ensure that the curriculum is up-to-date with information about the Gathering and what’s happening in our world, we’ll continue to drop lessons on the first of the month until all 10 lessons have been shared.

Pre-enroll in these courses today—the curriculum is free!

Take a tour of our resource hub

Gathering Resources

We have a ton of resources to help you prepare for the 2027 Gathering, the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the tAble. From posters to promotional videos to postcards you can print out and send to your young people, there is a wealth of information and resources on our website. Be sure to take a look, because new resources are shared often.

The Academy

We have a few courses in the Handbook Series already available at the Academy. These courses are designed for you (yes, you, seasoned youth leader or first-time primary adult leader or volunteer) to help you prepare for a successful time in Minneapolis.

Financial Assistance

The window to apply for financial assistance to the 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering opens Thursday, Oct. 1, and the window for priority registration opens Wednesday, Oct. 21. These dates will be here before you know it, and getting a head start means more time to fundraise, prepare and get excited. Future you will be grateful! The window for financial assistance applications will close Friday, Oct. 16 (before registration even opens!), so prepare now.

Registration 101

Join Gathering staff in a webinar on Thursday, Sept. 24, to talk about all things registration. We’ll cover how to get ready, what to know when registration opens and why it’s important to register early (hint: registering early will increase your chances of getting rooms downtown!). We’ll also review the Gathering Registration Workbook, a resource that walks you through the registration process, required forms and more. To sign up for this webinar or see the rest of our webinar series lineup, visit our Key Dates page.

A Back-To-School Blessing

O Holy One, we give you thanks for the memories made this summer. Bless the minds that prepare and gather for another school year. Bless the hands that take notes and experiment with chemicals and colors. Bless the voices in song and shouts of excitement. Bless those whose learning is clouded by anxiety and for whom school is a place of fear and harm. Bless the caregivers, the helpers, the teachers, the staff, the administrators, the students. May your Spirit bring joy, grace, forgiveness and understanding to the lives of those who gather. Amen.

Mark Your Calendars

• Aug. 19, 2026 Gathering Volunteer Corps applications close
• Oct. 1, 2026 Financial assistance opens
• Oct. 14, 2026 Gathering Volunteer Corps applicants notified
• Oct. 16, 2026 Financial assistance closes
• Oct. 20, 2026 Financial assistance notification
• Oct. 21, 2026 Priority registration opens

Click here for key dates (where you will find links to various events and registration interfaces)

Check Out the Camping Ministry Page

Camping ministry opportunities come in different shapes, ranging from traditional summer one-week camps to themed camps to tutoring programs to year-round camping and retreats. To explore what three different camps (Caroline Furnace, Camp Luther, and Camp Agapé) offer, visit our Camping Ministry page.

Keep in mind, all camps are taking registration for the summer season for campers, and some are still recruiting staff. Check it out.

Scouting

Our Camping Ministry page also includes information about the National Association on Lutheran Scouting as well as information on how to get involved in the Jamborees held at the Summit facility.