Resources and Announcements September 24, 2020

Fall Theological Conference Monday, September 28, 2020 DEEPLY ROOTED: God in the Midst of Change Presenter: ​The Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher that I might sustain the weary with a word.” - Isaiah 50:4a Register Here Come, and let this be a word for you! Join us digitally as Dr. Lewis leads us through digging deeply into the roots of the upcoming Advent texts. How can/do we proclaim a word of hope and the promise of Immanuel in the midst of big changes - a Bishop Election, a Presidential Election and a Pandemic? Come, and have your souls fed as well as an opportunity for some wonderful preparation work for anyone who preaches, teaches, and is involved in faith formation. You have all been working extra hard to provide care, worship, and faith formation for your people! It’s your turn to be on the receiving end. Join us for this no-cost event. Come, gather together digitally or in small group watch parties. Explore these texts with a dynamic teacher along with wonderful colleagues to hear anew - “God’s promise to be with us” - for you. This is a one day event. Portions of the Fall Theological Conference will be recorded and available for use later in worship services or faith formation studies. Watch for the schedule to be posted on the synod website. Register today! A special thank you to Portico Benefit Services for their generous donation to assist in making this a no-cost event for your well-being.

Now Available!  Synod Journey Session Two: Created by an Ever-Present, Loving God Visit www.nemnsynod.org/SJResources to download! Middle School Gathering Shirts! The order form for Middle School Gathering shirts is now available! Shirts cost $12 each, including shipping and credit card fees. To keep these costs low, we ask that orders are made in bulk through one congregational leader. Orders need to be submitted by October 15 and will be shipped November 2. For more information and the order form link, visit: www.nemnsynod.org/MSG.

Quilts for Hunger 2020 The Online Quilt Auction raised $5,685 for World Hunger! Thank you so much to everyone who donated and participated in this event!

Announcements

Stay Informed. Be Safe. Wash your hands! Use the links provided below for the most reliable information on COVID-19: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Minnesota Department of Health World Health Organization

Portico Benefits Information Updates! Click Here!

Portico Letter to Congregations!

EcoFaith Moments of Arising Series NEWEST VIDEO IS NOW AVAILABLE! Slumber ‘Love by hatred slain’ Now the Green Blade Rises Stanza 3 (stanza 2 of original hymn)   In the grave they laid Him, love by hatred slain, Thinking that He never would awake again. Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen, Love will come again like wheat arising green. Love by hatred slain is happening all around us now.  Are we waking up?  Click here to view the video and go to the EcoFaith webpage!

NE MN Synod, ELCA - LAY LEADER NETWORK UPDATES Announcing our Yearly Intensive Series 2020-2021 WHAT: The LLN Yearly Intensive Series is a four-session educational program for adult learners, lay leaders and potential lay leaders of all ages. It seeks to balance head and heart in a life-long learning program and to build up the Body of Christ in both congregational settings and the community beyond and around us, ESPECIALLY HERE, ESPECIALLY NOW, EVEN through COVID and other challenges surround us. The series invites learners to experience heart transformation through dynamic engagement with God’s Word and Missional expression through contextual engagement. Each year, the Yearly Intensive Series’ biblical study content aligns with the ELCA lectionary, inviting new lay students to enter the ever-evolving, ongoing three year program cycle at any given year. The 2020/2021 year will engage the Gospels of Mark and John.  Each yearly series has a fourfold focus: Biblical Study/Lutheran Theology(35%), Leadership and Spiritual Development (30%), Engaging Missional Context (20%), and Specific Ministry Focus (15%) This year’s four session series’ main presenters will be the Rev. Dr. Mark Skinner and the Rev. Dr. David Mesner with possible additional guest presenters in selected topic areas tbd in response to the deep needs around us, eg. dismantling racism, addressing creation care, caring for those most vulnerable, understanding and grappling with increasing secularization in North America, etc. WHERE, WHEN and HOW…  (In person programming IF COVID allows, otherwise we will be setting up Zoom presentations, gatherings, and study groups, etc. We are planning to have at least one Zoom option per session.) Duluth site: Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd 10/10/2020, 11/14/2020, 2/6/2021 and 4/10/2021. Each session runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (subject to adaptations for use of Zoom) Brainerd site:  Bethlehem Lutheran Church 10/3/2020, 11/21/2020, 2/20/2021, and 4/24/2021. Each session runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (subject to adaptations for use of Zoom) Cost: $220 fee to attend (does not include books, materials or student travel expense); check to see if your congregation can help subsidize  Registration: If you wish to join the Yearly Intensive Series for this next season, please CHECK FIRST with your congregation to see if they are able to subsidize your registration fee. If they ARE, then follow the link below and when you register, select the Promo Code which best reflects your congregation’s subsidy. You will need to know this information BEFORE registering through Eventbrite so that you can enter the correct code and not be billed full rate. Registration Link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/117179070755 For More Information: Contact Sue Lyback, Coordinator at 320-333-1894 (leave message) or email to susilyback@gmail.com.

Churchwide News!

Bishop Eaton and Rick Steves host ELCA World Hunger virtual fundraiser   CHICAGO (Sept. 21, 2020) — The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), along with Rick Steves, guidebook author and travel television host, and the Rev. Shelley Bryan Wee, bishop of the ELCA Northwest Washington Synod, will host “Hunger in the Time of COVID-19: Life for Today, Hope for Tomorrow” to benefit ELCA World Hunger.   This virtual fundraising event — the first of its kind — is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. Central time.   During this pandemic we are witnessing an alarming increase in hunger around the world, and ELCA congregations are hard at work responding to the needs in their communities. The United Nations World Food Programme warns that acute food insecurity could almost double due to COVID-19. In the coming months, as many as 265 million people could face hunger extreme enough to put their livelihoods or lives at risk. “Hunger in the Time of COVID-19: Life for Today, Hope for Tomorrow” is an opportunity for the church to come together to respond to this global crisis. ELCA World Hunger is uniquely positioned to reach communities in need to help people secure long-term, sustainable change. This is accomplished by connecting people with resources to produce food and gain access to clean water, education, health care and sources of income.   “Hunger in the Time of COVID-19: Life for Today, Hope for Tomorrow” will feature messages from ELCA World Hunger partners on the front lines of the hunger crisis and discussions about the root causes of hunger and poverty addressed in Steves’ recent TV special Hunger and Hope: Lessons From Ethiopia and Guatemala.    ELCA World Hunger has received a fundraising match of up to $250, 000.   Register for the event.   https://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/8065

Dear colleagues in ministry, Greetings from the ELCA Fund for Leaders! The Fund for Leaders, a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), provides scholarships for future ELCA pastors and deacons who attend ELCA seminaries. In 2021, the Fund for Leaders will once again be offering scholarships to seminary students — and we need your help to spread the word! The Fund for Leaders has an open application process that allows all eligible candidates to apply online directly to Fund for Leaders to be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. These scholarships will cover the full cost of seminary tuition for the duration of coursework. Eligible candidates must have an offer of admission from one or more ELCA seminaries, be planning to enroll full time in fall 2021 and be in good standing in the ELCA candidacy process. Recipients of Fund for Leaders scholarships may apply their full-tuition scholarship to any ELCA seminary that has offered them admission. The application period will be open from November 2020 to February 2021.If you know of promising and gifted people discerning a call to rostered ministry in the ELCA, please forward this email to them and encourage them to visit ELCA.org/FundForLeaders today to learn more. Check our website for specific dates and eligibility criteria.  FAQs    POSTER   By spreading the word, you will help ensure that future church leaders will be able to serve as the church needs and the Holy Spirit leads. Thank you. God's peace, The Rev. Mark W. Olsen Director, ELCA Fund for Leaders Director, Mission Funding

Contact us!

Bishop Thomas Aitken - Ext. 121 Bishop Pastor Amy Odgren - Ext. 125 Director for Evangelical Mission Assistant to the Bishop Deacon Brenda Tibbetts - Ext. 122 Call Process Assistant to the Bishop Catherine Anderson - Ext. 124 Coordinator of Youth Ministry Kathy Wimer - Ext. 126 Office Administrator Sarah Roe - Ext. 127 Executive Administrative Assistant

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