Clad in candy-colored shirts, some 30,000 Lutherans met July 15-19 in Detroit for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering under the theme, “Rise Up Together.” The triennial event aims to enrich youth in their faith journeys through worship, music, presentations, recreation and community service. Youth and their leaders worked with Detroiters to paint 1,847 mural boards for vacant buildings, board up 319 vacant homes, clear 3,200 vacant lots of debris, distribute 1,425 backpacks and build 99 picnic tables. They also experienced Detroit’s restaurants and culture, spent time learning and playing in the Cobo Center, and dancing and worshiping at Ford Field. (Photos/Chris Ocken for The Lutheran)

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