January 21, 2020
Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews
Event Spotlight: Conference Assemblies
The Minneapolis Area Synod will hold the annual Conferenece Assemblies following the Tool Kit for Congregational Leaders on Saturday, February 22, at Saint Andrew Lutheran, Eden Prairie. Learn more  
Workshop descriptions one by one
The Minneapolis Area Synod offers an annual Tool Kit for congregational leaders. It's a great opportunity for teams of church leaders to come together and expand skills and knowledge about congregational leadership. Each week we are introducing one of the workshops to pique your interest. This week:

Title:   Parents as Faith Formers
Presenters:  Deacon Stephanie Luedtke
Brief Description:   Research shows that parents are the most important influence on their children’s spirituality. We will discuss how we, as church leadership and staff, can support parents in their roles as the primary faith formers in their children’s lives. Participants will come away with specific tools for how to help parents and congregations keep the promises they made at their children’s baptisms.
‘No other gods’
“Listening to Drew Hart, religion professor at Messiah College, I was challenged to think in a way I’d never done before. And I was grateful for this experience on the cusp of celebrations of Martin Luther King, Jr.Both King and Hart call the Christian church to address racism in response to God’s call to love the neighbor . We work to dismantle racism because of the tragic evil and suffering racism has caused neighbors today and throughout history.”
Power Up Your Environmental Efforts!
Exciting Update : Ruth Ivory-Moore , the ELCA’s Director of Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility, will be joining us as the keynote speaker for the Power Up. She will share how the ELCA is working in partnership to create a more sustainable world.



Saturday, February 8
10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
1701 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington

Join the EcoFaith Network as leaders gather for a few powerful hours to discuss and dream about how the Minneapolis Area Synod can impact wider systems change for environmental sustainability and justice as we care for God's creation.
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton speaks out on impending war
" Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God " (Matthew 5:9). 

"The current crisis between the United States and Iran is worrisome for many of us in our church, in our nation, and in the world. Our country and Iran need urgently to find ways to resolve our differences through a de-escalation of the current crisis, using diplomacy and other peaceful means."
First Presiding Bishop Herbert Chilstrom Dies
Herbert W. Chilstrom, 88, the first presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), died January 19 at his home in Green Valley, Arizona. He was born in Litchfield, Minnesota, on October 18, 1931. Chilstrom was the first ELCA bishop, elected to this post at the church's constituting convention in April 1987. He was re-elected to a four-year term at the 1991   Churchwide Assembly.
Telling the (old) New Story
Monday, January 27-Tuesday, January 28
13600 Technology Drive, Eden Prairie

Story is at the center of our world, from the relational stories told on social media to the carefully crafted advertisement narratives and immersive stories on television, streaming services, and on the big screen. The church has a rich story to tell, but we don’t always do the best job sharing this story in media that are constantly changing. For two days you will be immersed in story work, with keynotes that will inspire you to develop your own story and learn the stories of others, workshops that will help you build skills for storytelling in a digital age, and time to connect with other storytellers to hone your craft.
 
Keynote Speakers:
  • Marlon Hall – visual anthropologist, filmmaker, artist
  • David Hansen – digital pastor, ministry coach, church redeveloper
  • Nora McInerny – author, TED speaker, host of "Terrible Thanks for Asking"
  • Natalia Terfa – pastor, author of "Daily Uplift," cohost of Cafeteria Christian
 
Cost: $199, with group rates for three or more also available.

Empowering Youth:
Safe and Healthy Relationships
Cherish All Children, a service of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, will host an event designed to equip community members to support youth in making safe and healthy choices in relationships to prevent potentially-exploitative situations.

Empowering Youth: Safe & Healthy Relationships will address topics such as online safety, red flags in relationships, vulnerabilities, and disability-focused curriculum. Cherish All Children is a service that educates, equips, and engages churches and communities to prevent child sexual exploitation and trafficking.

10:00 a.m.-Noon
Saturday, January 25
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
1605 Eustis Street, Saint Paul
Resolution Writing for the Synod Assembly
The Reference and Counsel Committee of the Minneapolis Area Synod provides oversight of business activities for each assembly. Its responsibilities include working with authors on proposed resolutions that will go before the assembly on April 25.

Committee members are offering to meet with resolution authors prior to the February 22 conference assemblies, where resolutions can be considered by voting members to the synod assembly. Authors of resolutions can receive immediate feedback from committee members during this time. Please RSVP.

4:00-6:00 p.m.; Thursday, February 6
Minneapolis Area Synod office
122 West Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis
Where is the synod staff in upcoming weeks?
Upcoming Events
Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA www.mpls-synod.org