By Chad Hershberger

When I was a youth, I never went to an ELCA Youth Gathering. My high school days were during the transition to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and these gatherings took a hiatus the whole time I was eligible (I did get to go to New Orleans in 1997 as a chaperone, which was exciting).

Large youth gatherings certainly have their merit, the most important thing probably being for youth to be with their peers and express their faith. But I find there is greater value in smaller, more local events. Going to Winterfest in Lancaster in January was more my style. Sure, it’s bigger than your average Sunday afternoon youth group gathering, but it’s still small enough that participants could probably get to know most participants over the course of the weekend; and local-enough that virtually all participants come from central Pennsylvania.

I attended as a bit of a reconnaissance mission. We here in the Upper Susquehanna Synod are interested in getting a group of youth to attend in 2025. Our associate director, Jim Vitale, served as chaplain of last year’s event and so I tagged along to experience Winterfest. I had heard about it frequently over the years, but I left feeling even more impressed than when I arrived.

There was energy in the auditorium with a few hundred youth and their advisors. There was time to be with those you came with and time to get to know others. It was amazing to me how many people in our neighboring synod I knew. I got to get reacquainted with them and catch up. The accommodations were fantastic, the food was good, but the fellowship was most impressive to me.

I enjoyed the speakers and the workshops under their theme, “The Way.” The worship experiences were enriching, and I know my faith grew in those two short days. I came away excited about the prospects of sharing this experience with others.

If you are in high school or are a young adult, consider coming with our synod group this year! We’d like to get a small contingent to be part of Winterfest. If you are interested in attending, please contact us at cml@campmountluther.org. Registration closes in early December.

And please reach out if you have any questions. I’d be happy to tell you more stories about my time at Winterfest.