Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why has the GloryBound Texas District Youth Gathering been replaced by GloryBound YouthServe Grants?
A: Glorybound participation has gone from a high of 2,054 youth and adults in 1999 to a low of 800 youth and adults in 2018. While that is still a significant number, only 56 of our congregations participated. The number of youth and congregations participating has been in continual decline. As a result, a Texas District Youth Ministry Survey was sent twice to all pastors, DCE's and lay youth counselors during January and February of 2019. The 95 responses (50 from pastors, 34 from DCE's and 11 from Lay youth counselors) indicate that Glorybound was valued at a 2.5 on a 5-point scale. There are a variety of reasons indicated for this:
Q: Why is it necessary that two or more churches collaborate in order to receive a grant?
A: GloryBound always had a goal to get youth from various congregations together. GloryBound YouthServe preserves that value by requiring that churches work together.
Q: Who decides if a grant application is accepted?
A: Each grant will be evaluated by a team of three people: The Associate for Youth Ministry, Texas District, the Director of the DCE Program at Concordia University Texas and the Texas District Area Vice-President from the area in which the collaborating congregations are located.
Q: How far in advance must a Grant Application be submitted?
A: Grant Applications must be submitted at least 45 days prior to the start of your Witness-Mission-Service project.
A: Glorybound participation has gone from a high of 2,054 youth and adults in 1999 to a low of 800 youth and adults in 2018. While that is still a significant number, only 56 of our congregations participated. The number of youth and congregations participating has been in continual decline. As a result, a Texas District Youth Ministry Survey was sent twice to all pastors, DCE's and lay youth counselors during January and February of 2019. The 95 responses (50 from pastors, 34 from DCE's and 11 from Lay youth counselors) indicate that Glorybound was valued at a 2.5 on a 5-point scale. There are a variety of reasons indicated for this:
- With LCMS National Youth Gatherings every three years, having a District Youth Gathering in the year preceding the NYG means only one year of every three without a Youth Gathering.
- Mission Trips have become more integral to local congregational Youth Ministry. They are more important than a District Youth Gathering to most active youth ministries.
- Youth Gatherings have become very expensive
- Churches desire more local control and more regional participation.
Q: Why is it necessary that two or more churches collaborate in order to receive a grant?
A: GloryBound always had a goal to get youth from various congregations together. GloryBound YouthServe preserves that value by requiring that churches work together.
Q: Who decides if a grant application is accepted?
A: Each grant will be evaluated by a team of three people: The Associate for Youth Ministry, Texas District, the Director of the DCE Program at Concordia University Texas and the Texas District Area Vice-President from the area in which the collaborating congregations are located.
Q: How far in advance must a Grant Application be submitted?
A: Grant Applications must be submitted at least 45 days prior to the start of your Witness-Mission-Service project.