The Lutheran Church-Canada National Youth Gathering (NYG) is an event that focuses on building up and encouraging Lutheran young people. Our 12th gathering will be in Winnipeg from July 15 to 19, 2022, and each day will be filled with worship, activities, music and more.
Our mission statement is: “providing opportunities for Lutheran youth to grow in faith and relationship with others as the body of Christ.”
The main speaker for 2022 is Pastor Eric Moffett, Associate Pastor at Foothills Lutheran Church in Calgary, and the theme is “In Not Of,” based on “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). It can be hard to see the differences between being IN the world but not OF the world, but imagine having one foot standing in this world and one in heaven. Your citizenship is in heaven through faith in Christ, but while we are living in this world we don’t turn our backs on it; rather, we reach out and share the love of Christ with all those around us.
The Gathering provides various opportunities in which people of all ages can attend or serve. Although the NYG sessions are planned for Lutheran youth, we encourage your group to reach out and bring friends, because all youth are welcome to attend. We will provide pastoral support for questions about the teachings of the Lutheran church. Youth who are between grades 7 to 12 in June 2022 (ages 13-18) are welcome to attend the Gathering as youth participants.
Anyone who has been out of high school (finished grade 12) for a period of one year prior to the NYG is able to serve as an iBod (aka volunteer). These volunteers are vital to helping the Gathering run smoothly. iBods help where needed and are provided with some group-specific programming.
Not only are adults 21+ able to serve as iBods, but they are also able to serve as 7+1 youth leaders. Lutherans from all countries are welcome. Youth groups from across Canada, the United States, and Australia have attended the Gathering in the past.
The first NYG was held in 1989 in Thunder Bay, ON, and one has been held every three years since then, alternating between the Regions. The last time the NYG was held in Winnipeg was in 2013, when the song accompanying the new NYG video was written. The theme was Stand Firm, based on Exodus 14:13-14. The most recent NYG was held in Langley, BC, in 2019.
The 2022 planning committee is co-chaired by Deacon Lisa Olding and Pastor Glenn Worcester, and the chaplain is Regional Pastor David Haberstock. The other committee members are Madison Bouwman, Josh Gajdos, Erika Schroth-Gajdos, Phil Guebert, Michelle Heumann, Rhonda Kelman, Deacon Stephanie Mayer, Pastor Eric Moffett, Nathan Vaughan, and Bill Wardekker.
NYG Committee FAQs
There are thirteen people on the planning committee
- Five are Crew Ministries alumni
- Five are rostered church workers
- One is the Executive Director of the BC Mission Boat Society
- Two met their future wives at NYGs
- One is a member of the West Region Mission and Ministry Council
- Five have served on previous NYG committees
- Three are also on the IMPACT Youth Gathering committee
- Between them, someone from the committee has been involved in each of the eleven LCC NYGs
- One has been to ten of the eleven NYGs
- The committee represents every province between BC and Ontario
Previous NYGs
- 1989: Look Up, Thunder Bay, 1 Timothy 4:12
- 1992: 3-2-Won, Saskatoon, Hebrews 12:1
- 1995: No Mistakin’, Three Hills, Romans 1:16
- 1998: Yörkin Börkin Tü: Undivided Hearts, Waterloo, Ezekiel 11:19
- 2001: While We Wait for Jesus to Come…Again, Vancouver, Ephesians 4:16
- 2004: Eye of the Storm, Brandon, Matthew 7:24
- 2007: I AM, Ottawa, John 8:58
- 2010: belong&believe>>believe&belong, Edmonton, 1 Peter 2:9-10
- 2013: Stand Firm, Winnipeg, Exodus 14:13-14
- 2016: Living H20, St. Catharines, John 4:13-14
- 2019: Worthless, Langley, Romans 5:8
- 2022: In Not Of, Winnipeg, Philippians 3:20