East Dundee youth group sees their pastor's impact on a national level

Youth group members from Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee have grown up knowing Pastor Bill Yonker, but most didn't know their PBY was a PBD, a "pretty big deal" until they gathered with 25,000 other high school students in New Orleans for the National Youth Gathering of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

There, as they filled the Mercedes-Benz Super Dome and the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, Immanuel's youth group saw Yonker's likeness in the crowds of people, as youth leaders from around the country who know Yonker used his face on the huge signs they held up above the crowds to keep their groups together.

They saw scores of young people sporting stickers proclaiming "Bill Yonker is a Rock Star" and saw their pastor's name on the program for the massive gathering. Many snapped pictures of the stickers and posted them on social media.

Associate Pastor of Immanuel, Rev. Phillip Baerwolf saw the images on Facebook and circulated them to the church staff too. "I just love the stickers. We think Pastor Yonker is a rock star so it's fun to see others agree" he said.

Despite the heat in New Orleans, the group from Immanuel had rave reviews about the July 11-15 gathering. Sarah Thompson of Gilberts said "The mass events were really powerful. When you see 25,000 other teens there, joined together in worship, you really feel you are in a safe place." Thompson's sister Cassie attended the event for the first time this year and agreed. "It was awesome. Every one of the speakers had a different style and there was something for everyone."

With four days of programming including small breakout session addressing topics of interest to teens as well as huge mass events held in New Orleans' Superdome, the Dundee area teens enjoyed the variety but were a bit surprised by their Pastor Yonker's impact on so many young people. Maggie Heinz of East Dundee said Yonker "was really in his element talking with teens and relating to them. He got a standing ovation each time he spoke."

The group relayed a story about a young woman who sat behind the Immanuel group who was so excited because she got a hug from Bill, as many of the teens who have hear him speak call him. Samuel Gade of East Dundee praised Yonker's speaking, saying "I love how he used stories to explain what he was talking about" with his sessions coming back to the message to love one another.

Cassie Thompson reminisced that hearing Yonker speak was like being back in Immanuel school chapel services when they were all young grade school students. "It's so cool to see the effect he has on others who don't interact with him weekly like we do."

After nearly a week of traveling, waiting in security lines and eating meals on the go, it would be understandable if the teens were ready to leave and put this experience behind them, but after an afternoon of exploring the French Quarter and enjoying some down time, the group agreed they would do it again.

Rachel Goodwin of Carpentersville is even looking down the road to the next triennial NYG in 2019, saying "I want to come back as a YAV (Young Adult Volunteer) because the whole experience was so inspiring. We all want to come back and help the next group of teens experience the NYG."