Coram Deo 2011

This was the first year that Redeemer Lutheran Church in Los Alamos attended a Higher Things youth conference.  We were able to tag along with the youth group from Grace Lutheran Church in Albuquerque.  We traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada in order to gather on the campus of UNLV.  This was a five day long event.

What an amazing conference.  The theme was Coram Deo which is Latin for "before God."  Because of the life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, we can stand before God as forgiven and holy.  The youth were taught about the wonder gift that we receive from the Lord in the gospel and the sacraments.  They listened to Lutheran pastors who emphasized the importance of our identity in Christ.  It is through Christ alone that we have access to the Father in the Spirit.  Salvation is not a process by which we draw closer to God; instead, in Christ we stand before God now.  We live Coram Deo. 

  Not only were there large group presentations, there were also smaller sectionals that went into depth on a variety of topics.  To tie all the teaching together, the conference opened with the Divine Service and closed with the Divine Service in which participants particiapted in Holy Communion.  We received the very body and blood of our Savior who makes us holy before God.  In addition, each day we began with the liturgy of Matins.  In the afternoon we gathered for the liturgy of Vespers.  After dinner, we gathered for the liturgy of Evening Prayer.  Then before we went to bed, we gathered together in the dorms for Prayer at the Close of the day.

Each year Higher Things youth conferences are scheduled throughout the United States.  In the summer of 2011, conferences were held in Las Vegas, NV, in Atlanta, GA and in Bloomington, IL.  Next summer, there will be four conferences including one in Canada.

Higher Things is a Recognized Service Organization of the Lutheran Churh--Missouri Synod.  Its goal is to encourage Lutheran youth in their identity as Lutherans.