High School Gathering Celebrates Decades of Impact on Teens
One pastor, one dream, millions of memories
After attending an LCMS youth gathering, Pastor Bob Allmann was determined to bring the concept to the Michigan District. After lots of work, plenty of miles logged in his car, and even more conversations, the first Michigan District High School Gathering took place on Mackinac Island in 1981.
“It’s just amazing to me that we pulled off the first one. I really had to twist some arms and do some talking and traveling,” Pastor Bob said. “But it was all worth it. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Finding a Home on Mackinac Island
As a young pastor, Pastor Bob was called to a church in Michigan and he also served on the district youth board. He was frustrated that the LCMS gathering was only available to students once every three years. He wanted to bring that excitement and experience to youth more frequently, so he went to work looking for a venue, creating posters and marketing materials, and paving a path to make it happen in Michigan.
“We left early one Friday afternoon and we got back home late Sunday night. We went 1,700-1,800 miles to visit places as far away as Indian Head Resort in the Western UP. We just drove all over the place in Northern Michigan,” said Pastor Bob. He said his wife was a trooper, riding with him to all of the resorts that could accommodate such a thing, taking pictures and listening to him bargain for a good price.
Mackinac Island was always Pastor Bob’s first choice, and after negotiating, he was able to find a way to make it the home of the Michigan High School Gathering.
“Mackinac Island by itself is obviously a treasure of Michigan. And having the Youth Gathering there, it’s an opportunity maybe a little closer to home, maybe a little less costly, but quality-wise an awesome, excellent opportunity to get together with other Christians who you may meet later on in college or who knows,” said Pastor Bob.
Small Experience, Big Impact
“The experience is just amazing. The Bible is full of times when God takes an individual or a group of people on a retreat—takes them out in the wilderness, takes them out in the desert, just away from their normal life to just spend some time with Jesus. That, to me, is the great draw of the youth gathering. You’re going to be there with hundreds of other young people your age; that alone is tremendous,” said Pastor Bob.
According to Pastor Bob, the youth gatherings are a testimony to God at work in the lives of young people.
“I can’t even find the words to tell how special it is. That an idea really came true. And not just the first one, but all these years since. I just think of all the thousands and thousands and thousands of young people that have gone there. We’re blessed,” said Pastor Bob. “We will never know until we get to Heaven exactly how God used things like that.”
He said he knows one thing for sure: There is no shortage of faith among teenagers.
“When the devil comes along saying, ‘Hey, you know, nobody believes in Jesus anymore,’ you can say, ‘No, no, wait a minute. I have firsthand knowledge and personal experience. I have sat with hundreds, and if you include the adults, over a thousand people that just took the time off to get away from home and just spend some time with Jesus,’” said Pastor Bob.
Living the Gathering at Home
Pastor Bob has attended a lot of youth gatherings and so have his children. He said they are approaching retirement age and yet they still talk about the youth gatherings they attended. The gatherings are moving and powerful experiences for many attendees, but Pastor Bob said it’s important to incorporate that feeling into everyday life.
“We’re all busy and we all have schedules and so we can all use that excuse. But I think at some point in the day, every day, you need to carve out a time and put it on your schedule, just like a job, a class, whatever it is that’s on your daily schedule—just to find some quiet time with Jesus to reflect and remember and to continue to grow.”
For Pastor Bob, that’s first thing in the morning and again before going to bed at night.
“I can’t think of a better way to start or end the day.”