Gathering Registration

Primary Adult Leaders may begin entering data into the Gathering registration program beginning October 15, 2024. Gathering registration officially opens on November 1. Materials may NOT be sent to the Gathering Office prior to November 1.

Gathering Registrations postmarked November 1, 2024 receive a registration fee of $395. Registrations postmarked November 2–March 3, 2025 receive a registration fee of $425. Registrations postmarked after March 3, 2025 until registration closes will received a registration fee of $475.

The Youth Gathering promotes a ratio comparing youth to adults in order to provide sufficient space for youth to attend the event. An official ratio for the 2025 Gathering will be released at a later date. Below, the 2022 ratio is provided as a guideline for planning. The youth-to-adult ratio allows congregations flexibility in determining the number of Adult Leaders they select to attend the Gathering. The Gathering values the involvement of parents, pastors, church workers, and other supportive adults in the faith life of young people and encourages their participation as Adult Leaders at the Gathering.

Youth-to-Adult Ratio Recommended:

# of Youth     # of Adults

   2-6                    2-4

   7-13                 3-4

   14-20           4-5

   21-27             5-6

   28-34              6-7

   35-41              7-8

   42-48            8-9

Beyond 48 youth participants, it is recommended that groups continue to add one adult for every 5 youth.

It is strongly recommended that:

-All groups have at least two adults and that each Community Group include at least two youth.

-LCMS Youth Ministry recommends Congregations secure criminal background checks for its Adult Leaders: www.protectmyministry.com or www.aaimea.org.

Congregations with only one youth attending the Gathering can be connected to other LCMS congregations by their District Coordinator (beginning Spring 2024).

Congregation ID numbers are required for all communication with the Gathering Office. All LCMS congregations were sent a registration mailer which includes the Congregation ID number.

Congregation ID numbers can also be found online by accessing the LCMS Church Locator. Simply search for your congregation's profile. Your Congregation ID number can be found in the address bar at the end of the URL.

To qualify for express registration on-site at the Gathering, a full payment must be sent to the Gathering Office on or before May 1, 2025. After May 1, no payments will be accepted in the Gathering Office and remaining payments must be paid on-site in New Orleans.

Before online data entry for Gathering registration becomes available, NATIONAL24 attendees will receive communication at the email account used to register for NATIONAL24 regarding how to redeem their free Gathering registration.

Adult Leaders are allowed and encouraged to continue adding youth to your account after submitting your initial registration. Adding a youth is the same process as adding the others in your group. After entering the new participant's information, you will need to mail in an updated Pastoral Affirmation Form and Registration Account Form, along with your payment for the additional participant(s).

For a refresher on how to add youth participants, watch the "Adding Youth Participants" Step-by-Step Registration video.

We recommend you work to find a substitute before you cancel a participant.  If a substitute cannot be found, a $150 charge per person will be retained for cancellations made on or before May 28, 2025. This fee goes into effect once the initial congregational group has been accepted into the Gathering. The remaining funds will be refunded to the congregation through the Primary Adult Leader.

Watch the Substitution and Cancellation Step-by-Step Registration Video.

Participant substitutions may be made with the Gathering Office until May 28, 2025. Following May 28, 2025, substitutions will not be accepted. Substitutions will not be accepted on-site at the Gathering.

Watch the Substitution and Cancellation Step-by-Step Registration Video.

The Gathering has contracted with hotels in New Orleans to ensure sufficient space for all participants. All Gathering participants will be assigned to Gathering hotels. Congregations DO NOT book their own housing; the Gathering assigns all participants to a hotel.

Special housing rates of $180 + tax (~17%) per night, per room have been arranged for participants.

Hotel properties for the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering include Downtown New Orleans. All hotels are considered walkable to Gathering venues. Primary Adult Leaders were notified of their housing assignment on March 20, 2025.

Shuttling is available through ETS and can be reserved online at https://zfrmz.com/7z6IkybG9c6tZTds2Xzo

• Each leg (to downtown and to the airport) are purchased separately for $18/person one way.

• Reservations are made from now until June 17. ETS will send your invoice and link to pay after June 17. You must pay withing 14 days of service.

• The shuttle ride on the trip from the airport to your hotel may not drop you directly at your hotel. Your drop may be at another nearby property or location.

• Pick-up for outbound shuttle to the airport, will happen at three locations. One location is at the Hyatt (closer to the Superdome), one near the convention center, and one near Canal Street at the Sheraton.

• Reminder for Wednesday departures: Groups are expected to return to their hotel after closing Worship to get their luggage and meet their shuttle. Please utilize the provided bag check option at the hotel, or place all luggage in one guest room so hotel staff can begin to clean rooms. Do NOT plan to bring luggage to the Superdome.

ETS will not provide a shuttle from the train station to hotels. We suggest you take ride share to your hotels.

Each congregation must complete its own registration, print the necessary online forms, include its own (separate) payment, and must (separately) follow the Youth-to-Adult Ratio. All forms from ALL congregations must be mailed to the Gathering Office in the SAME envelope. ONE person must be identified as the contact person for the ENTIRE group (each group is still allowed to have its own Primary Adult Leader). If you are looking for a congregation to attend with yours, please contact your District Coordinator.

LCMS congregations are not tax exempt in the state of Louisiana.

Groups can begin online data entry on October 15, 2024. Beginning November 1, groups can begin mailing their registration to the Gathering Office. The registration program will prompt you to print the appropriate forms. Groups are expected to mail their Pastoral Affirmation form, Registration Account form, LCEF Account Form (if applicable), and payment (if selecting to pay by check, cashier’s check, or money order).

Groups do not need to overnight or expedite their registration envelope, but are encouraged to utilize tracking through the postal service.

Please send forms and registration payments to:
LCMS Youth Ministry
1333 South Kirkwood Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63122.

Registration envelopes do not need to be expedited or overnighted, but groups may want to utilize tracking by the postal service.

If you have read the registration book and still have questions, please email the Gathering Office at nygregistration@lcms.org or call at 314-996-1155.