June 7-8, 2019

Redwood Area Community Center (RACC), Redwood Falls, MN

This is my command-be strong and courageous! 

Do not be afraid or discouraged. 

For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

We will be opening our assembly on Friday morning with learning opportunities and a chance for us to do several service projects together as a community. Everyone is welcome!

Registration Information

The registration link is posted on the Synod Assembly webpage - swmnelca.org/synod-assembly  and is only available online. Click here for assembly r egistration information.

Click here to register!

Below is a brief draft schedule to help you plan.

Closer to the assembly we will be posting a full detailed schedule.

Helpful Note!
Lunch for $9 per person will be available on-site from 12:00-1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 7. Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, coffee and snacks are included in your assembly registration price. Assembly voting members have the option to purchase a lunch ticket on their assembly registration. There will be a limited number of tickets available for purchase on-site.

Friday, June 7
8:00 a.m.	Registration: located in the Field House
10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.	Service Projects: Gymnasium
10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.	Workshops #1: various locations
11:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m.	Workshops #2: various locations
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.	Lunch (on-site if reserved)
12:45 p.m.	Orientation: Field House
1:30 p.m.	Opening Worship: Performing Arts Center (PAC)
2:45 p.m.	Sliding into Plenary: Field House
6:00 p.m.	Dinner: Field House
7:30 p.m.	Praise Band Concert
Saturday, June 8
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.	Taize Worship
8:30 a.m.	Sliding into Plenary: Field House
12:30 - 2:00 p.m.	Lunch Banquet & Recognitions: Field House
2:30 p.m.	Closing Worship: Field House

Service Projects

Visitation Bags

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Visitation Ministry is a part of every community and we do it in a variety of ways. Come and help assemble small bags of goodies to distribute at a visit. This will let members know they are loved and prayed for. Assembled bags will be available to any voting member/congregation that will use them in their community.

This service project will be a collaboration! We ask that voting members and communities help provide items needed to assemble these bags. We have a good start of bulk items to pack but still need help collecting items.

If your congregation wishes to help provide bulk items, please contact the synod office at 507-637-3904.

This would also make a great Thrivent Action Team project!

Things to bring:
-Prayer cards
-Prayer beads
-Travel size lotion
-Candy (mints, sugar free)
-Any small new item that will bring someone joy

Roll bandages with the Women of the ELCA at this year's Synod Assembly! The bandages that you help roll will be sent abroad by the Global Health Ministries and distributed to mission hospitals and clinics that are in need of this basic but critical medical supply. For more information about the Rolled Bandages service project and the work of Global Health Ministries, go to https://www.ghm.org/hands-on-projects.

Lutheran Men in Mission presenters will discuss why and how they build Faith Chests. You will see a demonstration and participants will have the opportunity to help assemble one. The instruction handout is complete with what materials to buy, measurements, and how much it costs to make a chest. If your congregation already builds Faith Chests, come and collaborate with others on different ways to build or use these special crafted chests.

Location: Civic Arena
Times: 

7:30-9am Set-up 

9-11am Food Packing Shift

Sign-up link coming soon! 

A "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.

Make a Donation: All donations matched! Goal = $10,000 (matched $20,000) for 70,000 meals!
All money for this event should be sent to:
SW MN Synod, ELCA
PO Box 499
Redwood Falls, MN 56283
In "memo" line please write: "Better Together Redwood Falls"

Workshops

Rural Hunger / Backpack Programs

Come and go: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

With the increasing awareness of rural hunger, many churches and communities are starting or growing their backpack programs. Come and collaborate with others! You will hear some examples of what communities are doing for food assistance programs. Bring an idea or description to share during this workshop. We hope by connecting with one another this will inspire people to spread and refine this nourishing ministry.

The two following workshops will be presented twice:

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Workshops Session #1

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Workshops Session #2

Living Our Faith In Daily Life

Presenter: Rev. Brenda Smith

Participants in this workshop will learn about a group of resources called, "The Five Gifts of Discipleship." These

resources can be used in a ministry setting to focus on how to grow in our ability to live out our faith in daily life. The resource "Story Matters" will also be discussed, and this resource connects study of scripture, discipleship, and mission.

Being the Church in the Digital Age

Presenter: Deanna Thompson

Before her diagnosis of stage IV cancer, Deanna Thompson was skeptical that digital technology could enhance our connections to one another. Then she got sick. Really sick. And through the worst of her illness Thompson became aware of the potential of digital technology to help us better support one another during the most awful times of our lives. In this forum we will explore some of the ways technology is changing us, and consider how the digital revolution presents us with new tools to better be the (virtual) body of Christ in a suffering world.

Pre-Assembly Materials

The pre-assembly book is available to download by clicking here.

(see tab menu on the synod assembly web page.) 

Printed pre-assembly books are available to purchase for $25 during your online registration. If you  Purchased a pre-assembly book, we will be mailing those to your congregation the week of May 20th, after the early bird registration date of May 17. 

The pre-assembly book is also available on the Synod Assembly App!

 

Synod Assembly App

We're excited to announce we have a brand NEW mobile guide for you to use at the synod assembly! Get the App/Guide to access the most up-to-date information for the synod assembly. This guide is easy to use, has all the pre-assembly materials, plus fun photos about our assembly prep. Get the app and start interacting with other voting members. Anyone can download this guide, even if your not coming to the synod assembly. 

Set-Up Instructions

1. Click this link- guidebook.com/g/swmn2019/
   Scroll down to GET THE ELCA ORGANIZATION & EVENTS APP. Click a button to download on the App Store or insert your cell number to get a text link to your phone.
2. Download the ELCA Organization & Events App and open.
3. Search Southwestern Minnesota Synod. Click Get to download the guide for the 2019 Southwestern Minnesota Synod Assembly.

If you would like to have a display at the assembly, you must complete the online display request form by clicking here.

The early bird rate ends May 17. All requests must be in by May 31.

The RACC offers more space for displays. This is a great opportunity for vendors who share and support our work of the church.

NEW LOCATION this year - The Link!

The SW MN Synod Assembly encourages openness and freedom of expressing varying ideas that relate to the purpose and mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as set forth in the constitution and bylaws of the SW MN Synod.

Guidelines to secure display space are as follows:

1.  Priority display space is available to all synod boards, committees, task forces, agencies of the ELCA based on the number of spaces available on a policy of first serve/paid request.
2.  Other religious agencies that support the work of the ELCA and ecumenical agencies are accepted next if space is available.
3.  Third priority will be given to for-profit displays. However, no commercial displays or for-profit booths are permitted without approval from the Synod Assembly Planning Committee. Additionally, all items that are sold must have prior approval from the Synod Assembly Planning Committee.
4.  A display that does not relate to the mission and purpose of the synod or is considered offensive will be removed. The decision of the Synod Assembly Planning Chair and Bishop will be final.
5.  The SW MN Synod and the Redwood Area Community Center will not be responsible for loss, theft, or damage to display items. All shipping costs related to a display are the responsibility of the display host.