The public is invited to attend a July 4 musical tribute and bell ringing at the Minnesota Liberty Bell (20 W. 12th St., St. Paul) at noon. Music will be provided by Philip Brunelle, Maria Jette and other musicians from Plymouth Congregational Church and there will be a blessing of the bell. Community members are invited to join in ringing the 2,000+ pound Liberty Bell. Learn more.

One of the delights of serving as the bishop of the Saint Paul Area Synod is the opportunity I am given to know and work with the more than 250 retired pastors and deacons, who are rostered in this synod. Many have remained here after the close of their active service; others have relocated here to be nearer to family in retirement.

These women and men do not sit idle. They care for family members, take up new pursuits in the community, lead Bible studies, organize synod work groups for advocacy and learning, pray for many, and sometimes serve in interim or part-time roles in a congregation. We are blessed to have such an engaged corps of retired rostered ministers.

As we experience a generational wave of retirements, I am often asked what a retired minister may or may not do. I invited several of our interim pastors to draft a brief guide to answer those questions. I am grateful for the time pastors Laurie Weis, Rebecca Thurman, Sarah Friesen-Carper, Dave Mesaros and Scott Simmons invested in this project. Their work is reflected in a document called Leaving Well, which you can find here.

Let me say, 98% of our retired ministers do not need this document to guide their behavior. They have found ways to leave their last call, join another congregation, and bless the work of those who have succeeded them by tending healthy boundaries with those they once served. Yet, every year I need to address a small number of pastors and deacons, who fail to leave well. I hope this guide will lessen the need for those corrective conversations.

If you belong to a congregation that includes a retired deacon or pastor, will you join me in thanking them for finding fresh ways to live out their baptism? I also encourage you to take time to listen to their stories of ministry and church life over the last decades. You will easily see why I count such relationships as a delightful gift from God.

Yours in Christ’s service,

Bishop Patricia Lull

The Saint Paul Area Synod is seeking a videography project intern for the summer to preserve the voices and stories of some of the rostered ministers who have served the church for 50+ years. This is a great paid opportunity for someone to use their video projection skills and to gain experience with other communications projects. View the full job description.

We tend to think of pollinators as being important for making the beauty of flowers possible. Perhaps we think about their importance for fruit trees when we see bees busy around apple blossoms in the spring as we sniff the blooms very carefully. But we seldom remember that pollinators are crucial for not only flowers and fruit trees but also for vegetables to reproduce. Many of our food crops could not exist without pollinators.

The annual ELCA Youth Leadership Summit is coming to Minneapolis Nov. 4‐7. The synod is able to send two high schoolers and an adult advisor to this event for which all expenses are paid. Applications from a three person team from your congregation (two youth and one adult) can be submitted to Bishop Lull via email at patricia.lull@spas-elca.org by Aug. 15. To apply, provide the names of three participants, the contact information for the adult advisor, and a 40-word essay expressing why your team should be the one to represent the Saint Paul Area Synod. Learn more.

In 2019, our synod was awarded a grant through the Thriving in Ministry Initiative of the Lilly Endowment. Applications for the Second Act Cohort (Round Two) will be accepted until Aug. 1! If you are a rostered minister in this synod with between 4-10 years of public ministry experience, you are eligible to apply! You can read more about our Lilly grant, including the Executive Summary of our grant proposal here. With questions, contact Program Director Anna Marsh at anna.marsh@spas-elca.org.

In some places, the word “stewardship” has become a way to say “we want your money.” But in Living Lutheran’s June/July lead feature, Robert C. Blezard explores the meaning of stewardship and how being a good steward is “the disciple’s path.” He writes, “The offering prayers we say every week in worship help us understand afresh that stewardship is more than whether we give our money to God’s mission in the world. It’s how we use every good blessing that God has entrusted to us on our journey of faith.” After all, Clarence Stoughton defined stewardship as “everything we do after we say, ‘I believe.’”

An accompanying study guide is also available. The document provides permission for individuals, small groups and congregations to reproduce the guide for local use and includes the Living Lutheran article. Download the study guide.

This is a great way to gather information, ask questions in real time, and learn about all things related to the ELCA Youth Gathering, which will be held July 24-28 right here in the Twin Cities. This training session is also a great way meet other youth ministry leaders in your area and hear their questions and excitements around the Gathering. Register to receive the Zoom link and so planners know to expect you! Questions? Contact SPAS Gathering Coordinator Tashina Good at sistertashina@shepherdshoreview.org.

Getting Ready Materials for the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering have been released! The curriculum is designed to help leaders and young people ponder the theme of the Gathering as they build relationships with one another. The materials are flexible enough to use once or twice a month leading up to the Gathering, once a week as part of a retreat or online.

The curriculum includes five units, each with two sessions, that correlate with the five daily themes of the Gathering: boundless love, boundless creation, boundless forgiveness and boundless invitation. Click here to download the materials.

Summer is upon us and COVID is easing. We want to get out and enjoy life. Freely! Safely! Yet, we are most vulnerable to gun violence during these summer-fall times. As of mid-June there have been 272 mass shootings in the U.S. when four or more people have been wounded or killed. How can we do what we can to be safe? When and where are we most vulnerable and safe? The ENGAGE work group of the synod will present data and recommendations for gun safety. Watch for more details soon. Questions? Contact: Rev. Dr. Ron Letnes at letnesron@gmail.com or call 763-291-4003.

Join your fellow Lutherans in cheering on the Minnesota Twins against the Detroit Tigers! Lutheran Night at Target Field is great for congregations and youth groups! A variety of seating options are available with tickets ranging from $17 to $37. Click here to order individual tickets; for group reservations of 20 or more, contact Brian Bessler at 612-659-4083 or brianbessler@twinsbaseball.com. Groups receive discounted tickets, a welcome message on the scoreboard and the opportunity to participate in the Lutheran Night National Anthem choir.

Hello Friends of LCM in Congregations!  

I'm praying rest, renewal and more for each of you as we sit in this liminal time between pandemic and post pandemic, understanding how intense this year has been for all of you. ❤

At LCM, we are resting, in an anticipatory way. Beginning in early July, LCM will embark on an intensive listening project that we trust will be at the heart of who God is calling us to be as we anticipate returning to in person ministry on campus in the Fall. Because we don't receive a "membership directory" of students on campus, WE NEED YOU to help us connect with students (you can do that here).

As we talk to your people, we will be listening to what the Spirit has been up to in their lives over the last 18 months particularly, and how that is shaping what the Spirit might be up to in their individual lives, and in our shared life together as a Christian community. We'll use what we hear, from the lives of these young adults, to give shape and form to our ministry on campus.  

We have the blessing and challenge of reestablishing community at the beginning of each academic year, so have some experience in this kind of discernment work. And~~the disruption over the last year has been so distinct that we are especially excited to get to know these young adults, and how they understand God to be at work in their lives. I look forward to reporting back what we're learning to you all!

Your referrals don't necessarily have to be people who want to be involved in LCM (so if they're involved somewhere else, or taking a church break, it's fine), because we're trying to get a broad snap shot of the campus. We'll report back to you all on the results in early August when we gather all the data.* Again, you can refer your people here! 

Thanks everyone! We are grateful for you. What a joy it is to get to be church together!!

Pastor Kate Reuer Welton

Lutheran Campus Pastor, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Volunteer applications are now being accepted for the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering in Minneapolis! There are three categories of volunteers:

For a detailed list of responsibilities and requirements or to apply, visit https://elca.org/Gathering/Volunteer. Applications close when they’ve hit capacity—so don’t wait!

St. Olaf College in Northfield annually hosts a Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts (CWTA), but postponed its 2020 gathering until 2022. However, CWTA is offering a virtual mini-conference to preview next year's event. This mini-conference invites participants to explore the ways we have been scattered in body, mind and spirit by COVID-19 and structural racism and how we might be brought back together as people of God for the good of the world. There will be ideas and practices to readily incorporate into worship and it's a great opportunity for rostered leaders at all stages of ministry to continue their learning.

Presentations include:

The event concludes with a social hour at 8:30 p.m. Registration is free and open to all. Learn more.

ELCA leaders are invited to explore the topic of courageous leadership. Bring a spirit of curiosity and childlike play as you discern how and where the Spirit might be calling you forward as a leader in your life, work, ministry, community and the world. The gatherings will include time for small groups in breakout rooms so that leaders across the church can continue to learn from each other. Learn more.

The Community Video Hymn Sing has been a virtual ministry offered by Elizabeth and Paul Damico-Carper since the start of the pandemic. Many of us have been comforted, encouraged and entertained by Elizabeth and Paul and their occasional guest musicians and we thank them for their online ministry over these many months. The daily livestream on Facebook helped people sing together when the COVID-19 pandemic kept us from physically singing together. To celebrate our society's collective emergence from the depths of the crisis and the return of some measure of communal singing, they are gathering outside to sing hymns and songs together on Raspberry Island in St. Paul.

Bring a blanket and a lawn chair, a hat, and some sunscreen. They'll provide a hymn-sing booklet, a dessert made by Shobi's Table and an afternoon of vibrant singing, prayer, and sharing. Donations can be made through the Eventbrite site or in person at the event (recommended donation of $10/person). Once administrative costs are met, all proceeds will benefit the ongoing food ministry of Shobi's Table. Register and/or make your donation. 

This retreat for women clergy and women working on staff in churches around the theme, "Women's Leadership in the Church: Ongoing Challenges and Unspoken Joys." Based on her books, SHE: Five Keys to Unlock the Power of Ministry and EMBODY: Five Keys to Leading With Integrity, the Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis will guide participants in discussing the opportunities and obstacles faced by women church leaders. How can we navigate lingering sexism and patriarchy as we return to a new normal? How can we be replenished and empowered for ministry? This retreat will focus on theological issues and practical strategies to embolden authentic and embodied leadership in the church today.

Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis is the Marbury E. Anderson chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary and an ELCA pastor. An accomplished author and widely-sought-after preacher and teacher, she also is the host of Working Preacher. Single occupancy cost: $500, double occupancy cost: $450, dorm room cost: $375. Fee includes two overnight stays, six meals, programming and activities, complimentary book, EMBODY: Five Keys to Leading with Integrity, use of amenities, and tax. Register here.

Adult Lutherans Organized for Action (ALOA) exists to help congregations strengthen their ministry with and for older adults; and to encourage older adults to affirm their gifts and use those gifts in service to family, church, community and the world.

This retreat is a time for reflection, refreshment and connect with others. Enjoy dynamic presenters, inspiring music and devotions surrounded by the beautiful nature of southern Minnesota. Ben & Jennifer Freudenburg will discuss how to better pass on our faith to future generations with their study of Life in the Later Years. Pastor Frank and Deaconess Jan Janzow will lead music and devotions on the topic of "Kingdom Living: A Fresh Look at the Lord’s Prayer." Participants will also enjoy presentations on topics of local interest, evening entertainment and outdoor activities that include a zip line, cornhole tournament, hiking and more. The cost is $575 per person (double occupancy) or $635 per person (single occupancy, limited availability). Campground and commuter accommodations are also available. Learn more.

www.spas-elca.org | 651-224-4313