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SYNOD NEWS AND EVENTS - AUGUST 31, 2017
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Synod Office Summer Hours: Monday-Thursday 8am - 5pm and Friday 8am - 3pm.
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Gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response, designated for "Hurricane Response - United States" will be used entirely (100 percent) for this disaster until the response is complete. Together, we can help provide immediate and long-lasting support. Give today to support the needs in this response and others like it, Click here to give.
What you can do:
Pray
Please pray for the people who have been affected and are in the path of Hurricane Harvey. May God's healing presence give them peace and hope in their time of need.
Give
Gifts to "US Hurricane Relief" will be used to assist those affected by the hurricane until the response is complete.
Connect:
To learn more about the situation and the ELCA's response:
Share this bulletin insert with your congregation.
Sign up to receive Lutheran Disaster Response alerts.
Check the Lutheran Disaster Response blog.
Like Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook and follow @ELCALDR on Twitter.
News from the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod:
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Click here for the Weekly Announcements, August 29, 2017
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Click here for the Gulf Coast Synod Disaster Relief Facebook page
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Click here for the Gulf Coast Synod Facebook page
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Click here for Bp. Michael Rinehart Blog
Posted August 28 from the Gulf Coast Synod, ELCA:
The number one question we hear: "How can I help?"
As followers of Jesus, we seek to love our neighbor and serve those in need.
So first, thank you. Here on the Gulf Coast, we have heard and felt your love and support during this disaster.
Second, as people of faith, join us in prayer. For first responders and those who had to evacuate flooded homes, for people worried about family and those who trying to pick up the pieces.
Third, financial gifts are more helpful than gifts of goods right now. Financial resources are portable and used for many different purposes. Consider donating to the Gulf Coast Synod Disaster Fund (to help congregations and their people get back on their feet and serve their neighborhoods http://gulfcoastsynod.org/Hurricane-Harvey) and to Lutheran Disaster Response (for case management).
Finally, wait and listen. The disaster isn't over. It is still raining. Once the rain stops and the water recedes, then the work begins. Then we will begin to assess what the needs are and begin to clean up.
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Generosity Stories - We Are Thankful - Our Savior's
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson
Gifts small and large will make a difference in the lives of people and congregations. Today we want to highlight two gifts a congregation has given.
We give thanks for two gifts from Our Savior's at Montevideo. They gave earlier from a donor and then waited to give the gift that would complete the matching dollars for our Lilly Project. The initial gift was $15,000 and was directed to our Embrace God's Mission + Equip God's People Funding Initiative. The second gift was $10,000 and was directed to the Ministerial Excellence Fund within the Funding Initiative.
The gifts will change people's lives and move forward our shared work. The impact of their gifts doubles when we release money from the Ministerial Excellence Fund. It will take the form of educational cost reimbursement, medical emergency support, and pension equity for pastors. The larger Funding Initiative is making it possible for us to support congregations, equip people, and deepen mission across our synod. Both funds are allowing us to do synod together in new ways and deepen the impact of our shared work together.
We remember and give thanks for the vision of Ethel Lukken, the donor of the bequest to Our Savior's that made the second gift possible. Pr. Don Mckee shares this about Ethel. "[S]he just had a heart for helping. She had a tough outer shell, but her heart was purely focused on God's work and what she might be able to do to help. She gave to beautify the church, she was a strong supporter of our missionary. At 92, she knew that we needed help with Sunday School teachers and she was ready to come and teach a class. She loved kids and education not just here at the church but in the community. I remember we did a drive to help kids at school with school supplies and she gave a donation to that as well. She knew her God well and they walked together. She knew that God had truly blessed her. She knew with those blessings came a great responsibility to help others in many and various ways."
The second gift was given from Our Savior's 135th Anniversary fundraising campaign a couple of years ago. This gift came from many people and is also deeply appreciated.
Pictured are Congregation President Ed Delf (left) and Pr. Don McKee (right) presenting the gift that completed our matching dollar portion of the Lilly Endowment Equipping Faithful Stewards: Financial Strategies for Pastors in All Seasons to Bishop Jon. We continue to receive gifts to sustain this work beyond the end of this three-year period.
We are grateful for this generous gift and all the others, large and small. We will keep highlighting them in the days to come. If you want to visit with Pr. Larry Strenge, he would love to help you personally or your congregation to share a gift. Contact Pr. Larry by phone, 320-249-1135 or by email, [email protected]. |
Rural and Urban Connections - What I Learned
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson
A couple of weeks ago I was able to visit two inner city congregations and their communities (Minnesota and the Dakota Synods). This was part of an annual retreat for Region 3 bishops and spouses. I decided we have a lot in common. As rural people we can to learn from and share with our metro neighbors.
The first visit was to the communities of North Minneapolis and particularly we learned about their Redeemer Lutheran's ministry and mission with Pr. Kelly Chatman. I have several ideas about how we might learn from this congregation to better engage our local communities in rural Minnesota. I loved the community garden, coffee and bike shop ministry, and the bread baking project which complements their proclamation of the Good News we know in Christ Jesus.
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| Pictured is the coffee and bike shop that are part of Redeemer's ministry in North Minneapolis. Pr. Kelly is in the Hawaiian shirt. Bp. David Zellmer (an avid biker) and Bp. Steve and Donita Delzer. |
I found myself thinking about how they care about their neighborhood and community. Many of you do that in your many callings in small towns and rural Minnesota. I also was intrigued by their work at economic development. Sometimes I think we should be inviting people to imagine developing businesses and coming to our communities. Redeemer believes in their community and its future.
We could learn from this church. We already have received many gifts from this congregation. They have been and are pastors in this synod. This congregation has produced a stream of pastors and has hosted several interns who now serve in Southwestern Minnesota. We are grateful.
Click here to read more!
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Evangelical Lutheran Parish Nurse Association Fall Gathering
October 13-14, 2017
Featuring Professors Kathryn Schiffendecker and Carla Dahl
Luther Seminary - St. Paul, MN
Participants will deepen their caring skills by using the book of Job as a lens through which to view loss and pastoral responses to loss. Team-taught by a biblical scholar and a pastoral care practitioner and teacher, this workshop will explore biblical, theological, and pastoral responses to suffering, loss, and grief. What can we say about God, the world, and human beings in the face of inexplicable suffering? How can we walk alongside those in grief in a way that leads them back to life? Participants are asked to read the whole book of Job before the workshop.
For more information, click here.
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Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Conference Southwest Crisis Center
Two Opportunities - Two Communities!
Redwood Falls, MN
September 26-27, 2017 |
Worthington, MN
October 11-12, 2017 |
Each session is woven together with experiences and perspectives from youth in our communities reflecting a victim-centered approach to discovery and knowledge of sexual exploitation.
Professionals who work with young people are well placed to spot the signs a child may be at risk of, or is being sexually exploited.
Register today for CSEC Training to learn how service providers, child advocates, medical and mental health providers, law enforcement, probation officers, educators, youth organizations, faith-based organizations, and community members can best protect our young people from commercial sexual exploitation.
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is a two-day training developed by GEMS (Girls Educational Mentor Services) in New York and is provided by the Southwest Crisis Center serving as the Minnesota Safe Harbor Regional Navigator Agency in southwest Minnesota.
Participants will learn how communities and service providers can best meet the needs of sexually exploited and trafficked youth by understanding the prevalence of CSEC and work to increase sensitivity and awareness to develop a victim centered response: including investigation, medical and mental health treatment, housing/shelter, counseling, job skill training and youth programming.
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Event Reminder! The Church Staff Workers' Association Retreat e
arly registration ends next week, September 5! Click here to register!
Synod Events
Below is a list of all the upcoming synod events. Visit the synod events webpage for more information.
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OCTOBER
October 14, 2017
Peace Lutheran, New London
NOVEMBER
Luther Crest Bible Camp
Willmar Conference Center, Willmar
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Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
PO Box 499, Redwood Falls, MN 56283
Phone: 507-637-3904
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