John Angotti to speak at youth rally: Youth event slated for Nov. 13

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
September 29, 2005

LE MARS - The 2005 Youth Rally for the Diocese of Sioux City is planned for Nov. 13 and will bring in John Angotti as the keynote speaker for the day.

The rally will be held at Gehlen Catholic in Le Mars from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The gathering will consist of the speaker, different workshops, a Mass, a dance and diocesan youth getting to know one another.

Jessica La Fleur, director of youth and young adult ministries for the diocese, noted that Angotti is a musician who does keynote presentations for different groups across the United States.

"Not only is he a musician, he is also a composer and a writer," said La Fleur. "The message that he is going to be sending at the youth rally in particular is, 'I send you out.' That is one of his songs. It is very much about evangelization - sending kids out, inspiring them to share the message of our Gospel and empowering them to do something about their faith."

Angotti was raised in Clarksburg, West Virginia, a small community in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. He began studying piano at the age of seven. In 1995 Angotti signed a distribution deal with World Library Publications in Chicago, Ill.

According to his Web site, www.commongroundllc.com, his collection of experiences as director of children's choirs, young adult, adult and contemporary music choirs, as well as his experiences in the secular world, have prepared him for his current ministry as director of music at St. Ann Catholic Church in Memphis, Tenn. where he lives with his wife Tracy and two children, Dominica Marie and John III (Tre).

He has performed at the National Catholic Youth Conference, National Conference for Youth Ministers, National Pastoral Musicians Conference, Los Angeles Religious Education Conference, The East Coast Religious Education Conference, The NCCA Conference, The Hofinger Religious Education Conference in New Orleans, as well as many churches around the United States.

Since the youth rally is being held at Gehlen this year, there is a cap of 1,000 participants for the day. The facilities are smaller than in the past so there is not as much room for people, explained La Fleur.

Registrations for the rally are due by Nov. 1 to La Fleur. Due to the cap at 1,000, she suggested that groups get their information in as soon as possible to secure a spot.

"It will be first come, first served," said La Fleur. "Therefore this time the deadlines are more important than ever before. You need to get everything in soon - don't wait until the deadline."

In the past, the youth rally has gathered about 1,400 to 1,600 participants from the diocese. La Fleur commented that is a lot to cut, but "that (Gehlen) is where we wanted to go this year."

"There will be awaiting list in case people back out, but there will be absolutely no walk-in registrations, no substitutions after a certain date," said La Fleur.

For more information or to request a registration form, contact La Fleur at (712) 233-7561 or email her at jessical@scdiocese.org.