already-scheduled events.
Holden Lutheran Church, Kenyon, Minn., had a corn roast stand at the local Rose Fest Days and held a 5K Run/Walk during the Wanamingo Syttende Mai celebra- tion. A network of youth leaders in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod screened the movie Trouble the Waters. While in New Orleans, they’ll travel to sites featured in the documentary.
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Youth, Deerfield, Ill., made an ordinary car wash into a show by putting Corvettes, a Cadillac, a Bel Air and a ’56 Chevy on dis- play. They raised $3,500 washing and vacuuming cars, serving lunch and ice cream, and playing music. And if cars didn’t need cleaning, maybe members had some items they needed to “clean out.” Youth groups solicited and sold treasures at rummage sales or silent auctions.
Members of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Aurora, Ill., brought gold chains, earrings, class rings and even a tooth filling to a “Gold Rush” party. They received a check for their items and the youth
Members of Our Sav- ior Lutheran Church, Aurora, Ill., were invited to “light a luminaire” in honor of or in memory of a loved one. The luminaires (paid for by donations) were blessed at worship and burned outside church through- out Saturday night prior to All Saints’ Day.
group got a percentage.
At St. Paul Lutheran Church, Richmond, Ind., fund- raising starts early. “As soon as they finish fifth grade … any activity designated as a Gathering fundraiser is divided and credited to each person working,” Sally Riley said. “Some kids have been saving for five years.” In St. Paul’s most popular fundraiser, flocks of plastic flamingos “land” in members’ yards. Those who are “flocked” pay to have them removed and choose the next recipient. “But you can always buy insurance to avoid the birds,” Riley said. Tina Levorse, St. Andrew Lutheran, Parsippany, N.J., said her congregation “understands that these fundrais- ing events not only help reduce the burden of the expense on families, [they help] the youth to be invested in their trip and bond them together.”
Of their flamingo fundraiser Levorse said, “It’s all done in fun and is a great opportunity to talk to their neighbors about St. Andrew [and] our y outh group. My daughter went [to the Gathering] in 2009 and will be there as a volunteer this summer. I can’t wait to hear what my son will tell me about his experience this time.” Levorse’s son might tell her about the pastor with the mohawk. When Matt Staniz arrived at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Devon, Pa., he challenged the youth to raise $5,000 in two weeks. If they succeeded he’d get a mohawk haircut at the annual meeting. As Staniz was seated and the clippers were humming, an additional unexpected gift of $5,000 saved his hair. The group was thrilled to double their earnings, but a promise is a promise, so Staniz will still receive a mohawk before the group leaves this month.
Eric (left) and Alex Schoenberg-Carton and Mara and Kyler Roteliuk baked more than 200 cheesecakes (turtle was the most popular of the four varieties), with the help of their parents, to help them travel the 1,719 miles from Bread of Life Lutheran Church, Minot, N.D., to New Orleans. The cheesecakes were made in a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer because the Schoenberg-Carton family lost their home in last year’s flood.
Download a study guide for this article at
www.thelutheran.org. July 2012 33
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