LCMS Youth Gathering College Music Volunteer Experience

My name is Michaela Gibbs, and I’m from Belleville, Illinois, and I am currently a sophomore at Concordia University, Nebraska studying music and journalism and public relations from Belleville, Illinois. I recently had the opportunity to attend The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Youth Gathering in New Orleans, Louisiana as a College Music Volunteer (CMV). This was a very exciting experience, especially since I was able to contrast it with my experience of attending the gathering as a high school student in Houston in 2022.

The CMV group was made up of students from Concordia University, Nebraska, Concordia University, St. Paul, Concordia University Chicago, and Concordia University Irvine. The Chicago and Irvine volunteers assisted Dr. Richard Fischer, Distinguished Professor of Music at Concordia Chicago, and Dr. Jeff Held, Director of Arts Activities at Concordia Irvine, with the wind symphony, and the Nebraska and St. Paul volunteers assisted Dr. Kurt von Kampen, Music Department Chair at Concordia Nebraska and Dr. Paul von Kampen, Director of Choral Activities at Concordia St. Paul, with the choir. 

As a CMV, I was responsible for being a section leader in the choir, helping with rehearsal set up and tear down and helping with various behind the scenes tasks in the Caesars Superdome. I loved being able to serve in this position as I was able to encourage the students around me in praising God through our voices. 

While I was a volunteer, I was also able to attend the mass events every night with the other CMVs. This was probably my favorite part of the experience. Being able to experience the messages and the community and the music with people who value Christ and music in the same ways that I do was a unique experience. 

It’s very easy to get swept up in the excitement of the Youth Gathering. There are thousands of people in your age demographic who believe the same things you do. I think that especially coming from a rural area, this can be so overwhelming in a good way. The first time I attended the youth gathering was really the first time that I realized how alive the LCMS is and how many students there are who take their faith seriously. And while this on its own can be a faith-strengthening factor, there are so many events that the Holy Spirit is evidently working through. Opening my heart and mind to the words that were spoken and the music that we sung was such a moving experience, and I would love the opportunity to attend again.

Held every three years since 1980, the LCMS Youth Gathering provides thousands of youth and adults the opportunity to come together as a community of God’s people to be encouraged in their walk with Jesus Christ and learn about the Christian faith and their Lutheran identity. The Gathering provides young people a vision for the vastness of Christ’s Church and equips them for vocational service as they continue their walk with Jesus. This event is organized by LCMS Youth Ministry .