Synod Assembly Updates!

• If you missed the synod assembly e-mail last week, click here for all the assembly information.
   
• This Friday, May 17, is the last day for the Early Bird Registration!
  The registration link is posted on the Synod Assembly webpage - swmnelca.org/synod-assembly and is only available online. 
   
• The Food packing sign up link is posted! Click here to help with a shift!
  "Better Together" Redwood Falls Food Packing Event
  This event is a service project held at the SW MN Synod Assembly and is open to the community and surrounding areas.
  Location: Civic Arena
  Times: 7:30-9am Set-up; 9-11am Food Packing Shift; 11am-1pm Food Packing Shift; 1-3pm packing/Cleanup.
  
  The "Better Together" Food Packing Event has two missional goals:
  Goal #1- Provide opportunities for cross-cultural relationship building
  Goal #2- Provide nutritious food for local communities
  
  What will happen: Prior to each shift, people from various culture(s) present some educational aspect about their culture (5-10 minutes) and provide orientation for packaging. The participants will package meals of different types that include a nutritional scoop of vitamins. All are designed for American food shelf tastes. For more information, please see outreachprogram.org. Up to 150 persons pack for 2 hours. All food goes to local food shelves, backpack programs, and disabled/homeless veterans.
  
  Sign up to participate: https://bit.ly/2Q4HSoh
  Make a Donation: All donations matched!
  Goal = $10,000 (matched $20,000) for 70,000 meals!

Highlighting Staff Reports to the Synod

Pre-Assembly Book

 

Synod Bishop, Rev. Jon Anderson

Every day. Every day God is with you and me as we live out the gift of our lives.

Every day we go out into our daily mission trip of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving our neighbors as ourselves in our many callings.

Click here to read more.

Synod Minister, Rev. Dr. Kathryn Skoglund

As I look back at all the areas of synod life in which I've been involved in my role as synod minister, I realize it has been a year filled with acronyms. Some of these acronyms may already be familiar to you, but others will be new, so this report will serve as a kind of glossary of terms as I describe what I've been up to this year, click here to read, pg. 5.

 

Synod Minister, Rev. Stephen Cook

"An unchanging Christ for a changing world"

This was a theme for a while in the church of my youth and has come back into my mind in recent weeks. Jesus Christ - crucified, risen, ascended, and present in the world today - is the hope of the world.  Click here to read more, pg. 7.

Notes of Gratitude

As we anticipate Pastor Larry Strenge's "Re-fire-ment," we invite you to share a note of gratitude, a memory, or a fun story, which we will assemble into a booklet for him. Please send your emails to maggie.berggren@swmnelca.org or handwritten notes to Attn: Maggie Berggren, SW MN Synod, PO Box 499, Redwood Falls, MN 56283. 

World Hunger Domestic Hunger Grants

Applications are being accepted for 2020 ELCA World Hunger Domestic Hunger Grants. Visit www.elca.org/domestichungergrants to learn more about the grants and how to apply. Organizations applying for an ELCA grant for the first time should set up an account in ELCA GrantMaker in advance to access the application form immediately once the window opens. If you're organization has already registered for a grant, now is a good time to log back in and confirmation that your account is up to date.

Job Opening

Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar, MN  is seeking to hire a part time Director of Music. They are looking for someone with great organizational skills, a team player, a good listener, a gifted musician, someone who works well with a variety of ages, and someone who cares for the entire life of the congregation.  Interested individuals should review the job description and submit a resume with references to Pastor Justin Ask at pastorjustin@vinjechurch.com.