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SYNOD NEWS AND EVENTS - JULY 11, 2017
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Synod Office Summer Hours: Monday-Thursday 8am - 5pm and Friday 8am - 3pm.
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All Anew
+Pr. Linda Pedersen
"All Anew" is the theme of the 10th Triennial Women of the ELCA Gathering taking place in Minneapolis this week July 13-16. More than 200 women from Southwestern Minnesota Synod plan to participate all or part of the four day gathering, giving SW MN Women the honor of being the largest participating synod unit. The gathering will include lots of conversation, prayer, laughter, worship, praise and service projects. Overall, there are more than 3,000 women of all ages coming from across the ELCA
, one third of which are first time attendees.
One of our own, Sara Larson from Balaton, has been nominated for an at-large board member for the churchwide Women of the ELCA.
Everyone will have the opportunity to experience the inspiration of women's ministries from all the corners of our church. In-kind gifts of gift cards and other needed items will leave the witness of generosity in the host city of Minneapolis.
Our SW MN Minnesota women will gather with their sister synod of Virginia for ice cream treats from SW MN locally owned Schwans
and cookies from board member Maria Lokensgard's new St. Peter Coffee Shop and Bakery.
Please pray for the gathering and its influence on nurturing local women and their ministries of learning, serving and praying.
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Grant Opportunities
- Ministerial Excellence Fund (MEF) Grants are available for rostered ministers. Please read guidelines for each MEF grant.
- Wellness Dollar Grants are available for persons rostered in the SW MN Synod and who as serve as a non-retired, rostered minster in a part-time or full-time call. Paid, non-rostered staff members who serve in a congregation or synodical office setting in the synod AND who have Portico Benefit Services health insurance are also eligible.
- Equip Grants are available for congregations and lay leaders. Equip Grants will change periodically and offer a variety of learning opportunities in our three main areas of the Funding Initiative, Deepen Congregational Vitality, Enhance Local and Global Mission, and Develop Servant Leaders.
Click here for all grant applications. (see tab menu for each grant)
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Embrace God's Mission + Equip God's People Funding Initiative
"Being one of the recipients of the grant has opened up my world a little bit to be able to live more generously in my everyday life and through the congregation as well."
The Lilly Endowment Inc. grant of $500,000 was our first lead gift to the Funding Initiative. It launched the Ministerial Excellence Fund, a fund we have within the Funding Initiative's focus, called Develop Servant Leaders.
One part of our Ministerial Excellence Fund has been used to address the educational debt of pastors. Another part of our
Ministerial Excellence Fund is to address the financial literacy challenges of our pastors and to support our lay leaders that are managing congregations.
We have five short NEW videos about the Embrace God's Mission + Equip God's People Funding Initiative. Each video features an initiative focus. These videos are short enough to show during worship! You can download each video from our synod's Vimeo page by
clicking here.
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Help Grow Leaders in Rural Ministry
During 2016-17, the synod's Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM) provided $9,345.95 for seminary tuition scholarships; $13,435.73 is available for 2017-18. Recipients will have an openness and commitment to future service in rural settings.
The profit from the LMM golf tournament goes into the LMM's Fund for Leaders Endowment to help grow leaders. Fund for Leaders Endowment which generates investment income for the scholarships. Since its inception, this
endowment has awarded scholarships of $96,300 for seminary tuition.
Donations to the LMM Scholarship Endowment Fund are appreciated even if you are not able to participate in the Golf Tournament.
23rd Annual LMM Golf Tournament
Friday, July 21, 2017
Redwood Falls Golf Course, Redwood Falls at 2:30pm
Click here for more information and to register.
Registration Deadline: Monday, July 17!
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Synod Events
Below is a list of all the upcoming synod events. Visit the synod events webpage for more information.
July 21, 2017
Redwood Falls Golf Course
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AUGUST
"Brats and Beverages with the Bishop"
August 1, 2017
Talking Waters Brewery, Montevideo
Equipping Men for Ministry
August 12, 2017
Grace Lutheran, Westbrook
Equipping Men for Ministry
August 19, 2017
Paynesville Lutheran, Paynesville
SEPTEMBER
Church Staff Workers Retreat
September 19, 2017
Gloria Dei Lutheran, Redwood Falls
Fall Theological Conference
September 24-26, 2017
Arrowwood Resort, Okoboji, IA
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Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
PO Box 499, Redwood Falls, MN 56283
Phone: 507-637-3904
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