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SYNOD NEWS AND EVENTS - August 28, 2019
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Sacramental Everyday Spirituality
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson
In my current call I don't get to baptize people frequently. Sunday I was at Faith in Madison and had the privilege of baptizing two new children of God. It was a reminder of God's gifts of grace. It was also a reminder of the gift of a family and a community of faith as young couples and their families gathered to celebrate this milestone.
At our assembly in June I spoke about my concern that we nurture a God and grace centered life giving piety or faith personally and in our communities. The cross is the center. God's gifts of grace come to us in a variety of ways.
In the coming weeks I will lift up a series of web posts that are related to this work of a grace centered discipleship that focus on God's gift of love that justifies us and makes us part of God's family.
I also want to lift up the second pillar of the Lutheran Movement, vocation. God cares not only what you were doing Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. God also cares and is working through our many callings at 10:35 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
May God continue to bless you as we live into the busy and beautiful days of fall.
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The churchwide web site lifts up the promises of baptism and our callings.
"As we live among God's faithful people we:
- Read and study God's Word
- Celebrate God's presence in our lives through regular participation in worship
- Receive gratefully God's blessings and return a portion of God's abundance through our giving
- Live a new life in Christ by caring for and encouraging others
- Pray daily for each other, our communities and all of creation as we move into God's future
- Renew daily a connection with baptism by making the sign of the cross on your forehead"
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Your synod has three pastor interns:
JoHanna Buschholz - Grace Lutheran, Dawson
Anna Wolf - Redwood Central Parish, Milroy, Lucan, Wabasso, Springfield
Miranda Joebgen - First Lutheran, St Peter
 Meet JoHanna Buschholz!
My name is JoHanna (Jo-Ha-na) and I am excited to be your pastoral intern beginning in September. I will be coming to Dawson with my husband, Scott, and three-year-old daughter, Lydia. Both Scott and I were raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. I am a graduate of Wartburg College and alumna of the ELCA's Young Adults in Global Mission program. After Scott and I married, he served ten years in the U.S. Navy as a photojournalist. His work took us to Maryland, Virginia, and Hawai'i. Most recently, we have lived in Denver, Colorado, where Scott has been working for a local photography retailer and I have split my time between coordinating children and family ministries and working towards my Master's of Divinity through Luther Seminary's distributed learning program. God willing, I will graduate in 2020 and be approved by my candidacy committee following internship.
I have loved working in children and family ministry as it has allowed me to explore my passion for faith formation and equipping families to connect church, home, and the daily life. During my internship year, I hope to be more attentive to the practice of preaching and to grow my administrative skills.
As a family, we enjoy hiking together and exploring the outdoors. Scott enjoys nature photography and I like to scrapbook when time permits. This week, Lydia is into riding her "bike," doing puzzles, and putting on musical performances. But, stay tuned, as her interests change frequently!
We look forward to connecting with each of you and getting to know the community of Dawson. |
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Thank You!
+Bishop Jon Anderson
We are thankful to be able send pastors to the "Leading Multi-Staff Ministries" sponsored by United Lutheran Seminary, at the Gettysburg Campus. This and other work is being made possible by the Embrace God's Mission + Equip God's People Funding Initiative. Your gifts are equipping people to serve across our synod and for the sake of God's world. Our new Directors for Evangelical Mission, Pr. Dee Pedersen serves on the board of this program.
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| Photo: Pr. Chad Peterson, Pr. Tim Routh, Pr. Jennifer Thul, Pr. Dee Pederson |
"Thank you for this phenomenal opportunity. Your gifts are definitely making a difference in my life through being equipped with tools to do ministry in an ever changing world." - Pr. Jennifer Thul
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Thank You!
Because of your financial support through the Embrace God's Mission + Equip God's People Funding Initiative, Gifts of Grace, and a grant from the Lilly Endowment over 30 people from our synod got the opportunity to attend the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF) event from the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving.
Participants from the ECRF event share some thoughts on what they have learned by attending this event and what will help them in their ministry.
Share this video with your congregation. Your gifts are making a difference.
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| ECRF Reflections, Click here view and download video. |
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Faith+Lead Blog
The latest research, resources, and reflections from Faith+Leaders like you.
Check out the Faith+Lead Blog from Luther Seminary. Both of these articles are helpful and interesting. Click the links below to read the blog article.
What the Spiritual Life Inventory Reveals about the Health of Our Churches
"Seven of our congregations are inside this data. As you plan for the fall and coming year, this survey gives helpful hints about where you might invest energy." -Bp. Jon Anderson
Personal Finance and the Church
Bp. Jon Anderson adds: It's time to knock down the silence around money in our congregations. Pr. Greg Meyer follows up on last weeks article with a strong second argument about the way our finances are part of our spiritual life. Here is how Greg concludes.
"We help people move from drowning (as money and debt make all the decisions in their lives), to getting their heads above water (where money begins to serve them), to soaring (so that every dollar and decision can be an expression of the hopes and values they hold and reflect in their entire lives-including at church).
Should churches teach personal finance? I think the question really is, "Dare we not?"" |
Important Message!
If you plan on registering for the CGC seminar, register now. We will be ordering event materials early September.
Click here to register.
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Cultivating Generous Congregations
in smaller member settings
The Southwestern Minnesota Synod invites you and your ministry team to participate in a three-part seminar experience that will enrich the way you and your congregation approach generosity and giving. Cultivating Generous Congregations (CGC) is an interactive seminar of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving. CGC demonstrates how pastors, deacons, and ministry leaders can energize congregational generosity.
This is a great opportunity! Your congregation or parish will have personal guidance and coaching throughout and following the CGC seminars.
First gathering:
Saturday, September 28, 2019
9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
St. Stephen Lutheran, Marshall, MN
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Synod Events
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AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
September 16-17, 2019
Green Lake Bible Camp, Spicer and the
New London/Spicer area
New London/Spicer area
September 28, 2019
St. Stephen Lutheran, Marshall, MN
OCTOBER
October 6-8, 2019
College of Saint Benedict. St. Joseph MN
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NOVEMBER
November 2, 2019
First Lutheran, Marshall MN
November 5, 2019
Faith Lutheran, Spicer
DECEMBER
JANUARY
January 11, 2020
St. Stephen Lutheran, Marshall MN
FEBRUARY
2020 Equipping Congregations Day
February 29, 2020
Willmar, MN
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Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
PO Box 499, Redwood Falls, MN 56283
Phone: 507-637-3904
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