June 30, 2020
Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews
Synod office update
The synod office will continue to remain closed, with limited staff presence, through July 31. Staff have prepared a plan for slow re-entry to the office by September 30. Staff continue to work remotely and can still be reached by email or phone.
Did anything big in Lutheran history happen, say, 50 years ago?
Yesterday, June 29, 2020, Facebook was filled with stories and pictures and videos reminding viewers that the path was cleared for the ordination of women 50 years ago when the bylaws were amended to say "person" in place of "man" for ordination requirements. In celebration of this change, enjoy this video from the 2019 Churchwide Assembly when female and femme rostered leaders processed into the assembly worship service together. And just try to imagine the church in 2020 without this giftedness.
Heirs of a promise 
“The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., called the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence the ‘ great wells of democracy. ’ Calling the Boston Tea Party an act of civil disobedience akin to the sit-ins and boycotts of the civil rights movement, King noted that such nonviolent direct action was in the spirit of the American story.

It was in 1963, in front of 250,000 people on the Mall in Washington, that King said that the ‘ magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence ’ are a ‘ promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. ’ ” 
Synod Staff Features
Join us over the next few months as we highlight different members of our staff. The Minneapolis Area Synod staff is comprised of 17 people who live in the city, suburbs, and rural areas. We are fairly racially and age diverse for a Lutheran office. We hope you get to know us better through these fun interviews! This week's featured staff member is Meghan Olsen Biebighauser, congregational organizer for economic justice.
Meghan Olsen Biebighauser

What has been the best or most surprising part about the staying at home?
  • I thought I would get more done around my house, but I failed to take into account that there are three other people also here all the time.
Do you have any pets or wish you did?
  • We have a Catahoula Leopard dog named Toby Elizabeth Howard Olsen Biebighauser.
What book are you currently reading or show are you binge-watching?
  • I'm reading Boxcar Children with my kids and watching Schitt's Creek.
What is your favorite restaurant to order take-out from?
  • Ghandi Mahal [Meghan answered this question before Ghandi Mahal was burned down during the uprising.]
What summer activity are you most looking forward to?
  • My husband is a teacher, so he's home all summer. I'm looking forward to familyl time and a more relaxed pace.
What is giving you hope right now?
  • Seeing the resiliency of my kids. [The COVID pandemic] is trauma for all of us (and they certainly have their moments), but they're stil the same kids and are happy.
Has your congregation received a threatening message?
Calvary Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, in the midst of the social unrest following the murder of George Floyd, received a threatening note that stated the church would be burned down if members didn't take down the Black Lives Matter banner on the church's steeple. Because congregations in St. Paul had received similar notes, it was determined to be a credible threat.

In response to this threat, the FBI has begun an investigation into other hate speech addressed at churches with materials supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. The FBI requested that any congregations that received such threatening notes or phone messages be in touch with the special investigator looking into hate crimes in the Twin Cities.

Promoting Diversity, Creating Inclusion
Interested in creating a community of equity and justice? Whether you’re looking to understand your own blind spots, foster conversation in your congregation, or build a culture where all can belong, a new Being Academy course Promoting Diversity, Creating Inclusion , featuring educator Aparna Rae, offers practical exercises and thought-provoking questions that can help. Though some of the course is directed at developing a diverse workplace, Portico believes the tools and topics are of value for church leaders in this important time.

Portico members with ELCA-Primary health coverage can access the course here or via myPortico. If you waive health coverage or have ELCA Medicare-Primary coverage, The Big Know (Portico’s partner and Being content developer) has made the course available at no charge to everyone for a limited time to support learning and promote equity. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page – you will be asked to sign up before you can begin the courses.
Where is the synod staff in upcoming weeks?
  • Rev. Kelly Chatman will be preaching for the pre-recorded synodical worship service for the weekend of July 5. (The recording of the service will be available a week before the services for that weekend.)
Upcoming Events
Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA www.mpls-synod.org