Welcome

       We welcome you and your child to the youth minitries at Trinity Lutheran Church and pray that our Lord and Savior may bless our efforts as we work together for the spiritual training of our young people.

Goals

       Our goal at Trinity is to provide a means for youth to get together to form friendships and have fun while learning more about their Christian faith. Through love, God gave us children to love and raise up in his Word. Because of that love, youth ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church exists to:

•      Ignite our youth to be disciples of Christ
•      To live God's love
•      To know God's Word
•      and to share God's love with others. 

Ministry Philosophy

     We care for our youth at Trinity Lutheran Church and we want to share with them God's love and word.(1 Thes 2:8) It is our intention to help young people at Trinity become disiples of Christ; to learn, to live and to share God's loving Word.(Matt 28:18-20; Matt 22) We believe that Christ is the foundation of this ministry .(Col 2:6-7) We believe that we are examples of God's love at work in families, in this congregation and in the world.(1 Tim 4:11-15) and that, as parents(Eph 3:20) and members of God's intergenerational family, we all share in the responsibility of raising Christ-centered youth. We believe that we are called to make a difference in our own lives, in the lives of our youth and the world,(Heb 10:24-25) because our God endures forever.(Isaiah 40:8)

 
Youth Event 2000

Reflections on St. Louis

      It's always amazing to see how effectively the national youth gatherings are put together.  This was the 5th one I have attended.  The morning and evening large group gatherings were each 2 - 2 1/2 hours long, but they were filled with singing, media presentations,speakers and lots of movement and dancing to keep the attention of 25,000 teenagers and adults; and it worked well.
       The high point for many of us was to see and hear Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  He was the 1994 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the dismantling of the Apartheid Government in South Africa which was set up to keep black South Africans in submission to whites. 
        In several comments, he said the dismantling was a miracle.  To think that Nelson Mandela who served 27 years in prison would go on to become president is a miracle.  Mandela has now retired, but he appointed Tutu to serve on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa.  His appointment was to listen to the tragic stories of victims of the apartheid system.  The perpetrators who came forward were given the opportunity to admit their part in it.  If they told the truth, they were granted amnesty and not punished for the part they played.
       Tutu followed the theme of his book, No Future Without Forgiveness.  He went on to remind us that there really is not a future for any of us without forgiveness.  That is true in all of our relationships with God and with others.  He challenged us to be the agents of God's love and forgiveness in this world.  The crowd interrupted his talk many times with clapping and standing ovations.  It was an experience we will never forget!
       There were so many other speakers and experiences.  We will share more about the trip on Sunday, July 9th at our service.  Please take a look at the pictures here and some of the comments from others who attended.  Thank you to all who supported this trip.  It involves a lot of money, but I always come away from these thinking it's an experience that you can only get at a National Youth Gathering.  The next one is in 2003 in Atlanta.

Photos from St. Louis Youth Event 2000

  Once you start the Photo Slide Show, each photograph will continue with the next when you click on the photo.  There is an option at the bottom left of each photo to return to this page.

For the complete slide show photo #1 - #94 click here.

Photo Slide Show from Dancing at the Crossroads

      You may also start the slide show at photos #25 ,  #48 ,  and  #74.