I am so excited to introduce the partnership project with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, which rounds out the synod’s Planting Hope campaign. The video below introduces Families Together: East Side, which is the $1 million investment we are making in transformational work on the East Side of St. Paul. I know you will appreciate meeting Alexis Oberdorfer, Vice President and Chief Officer of Community Engagement & Partnerships, who is leading this effort. While we will impact the lives of young children and their families, we can expect our own lives to be transformed by this work with our neighbors. Thank you for finding ways to make the whole Planting Hope Campaign part of your congregation’s life. Follow-up questions can be sent to me at patricia.lull@spas-elca.org. 

If you were not registered for the ELCA Youth Gathering and/or are not on social media, you might not have heard the news that the 2022 Gathering has been cancelled. Here is the message from the Gathering Leadership that went out Feb. 1:

Registered congregations can visit their registration accounts starting Monday, Feb. 7, to select their desired refund option. For more information and FAQs, please visit elca.org/Gathering.

This was truly a difficult decision and although I do not have more information beyond that which is stated above, I would be happy to have a conversation and to listen if anyone is struggling or has wonderings. Do not hesitate to reach out.

With this you might be wondering what is next. And I invite you to take a moment to breathe and wonder. Even Jesus paused and took naps amid the chaos of his ministry (Luke 8:22-25). There may be opportunities for talking about summer youth ministry possibilities and looking forward soon. Please, be on the look out for communications to come. If you had registered for The Gathering, now is the time to log in and access your accounts for potential refunds. Though if you have the means to donate some of your registration funds to The Gathering, I encourage you to prayerfully consider that. Here is the message from The Gathering Leadership about registration refunds:

Thanks for your patience as we experienced a few issues this morning with our system. If you are still experiencing issues, please email gathering@elca.org with your congregational ID.

In the midst of all of this, please, know you are not alone. You and your ministry are important and being prayed for by The Gathering Leadership and myself.

Blessings dear friends,

Sister Tashina Good - Saint Paul Area Synod 2022 Gathering Synod Coordinator

sistertashina@shepherdshoreview.org

Tool Kit is a wonderful opportunity for lay leaders, ministry volunteers and church staff to hear from experts in a variety of areas related to congregational life. It's also a great place to hear experiences and perspectives from people in other congregations!

This year's Tool Kit features two rounds of workshops that cover a variety of areas related to congregational life: gift-oriented ministry; young adult ministry, leadership skills; storytelling, online worship production and much more. View the full list of workshops and presenters. There's no cost to attend so encourage all of your leaders to join us. Full vaccinated, mask-wearing participants are welcome!

We'll talk budgets, expenditures, cash flow, and balancing the books! Learn how to keep good stewardship of your congregations’ financial resources in mind. Congregational treasurers and financial administrators are strongly encouraged to attend.

David Laden is the comptroller at Como Park Lutheran in St. Paul, serves as synod council treasurer, and serves on the synod finance committee.

The synod's Advocates for Racial Equity (ARE) will host a Zoom panel discussion examining the Saint Paul Industrial School, which operated at one time as an Indian Boarding School in Clontarf, Minn. This will be a chance to get a closer look into what led this small town to build and operate such a program. We'll examine the ongoing impact of Indian Boarding Schools and discuss the ways in which suppression keeps us from rumbling with our past. Register here to receive the Zoom link.

Just think of the lives your congregation could impact if your members grew their giving by 10%-15% next year! This is exactly the goal of Stewardship for All Seasons, a two-year, comprehensive process. SAS congregations embrace an impactful annual appeal and move into other vital realms of a culture of generosity:

The Saint Paul Area Synod invites you to an informational session to meet SAS Facilitator Pete Reuss and learn more about the process! Watch a short video message from Pete here:

Contact the Rev. Justin Grimm at justin.grimm@elca.org to confirm your attendance or with any questions. NOTE: Congregations will sign up for SAS by the end of April with the first cohort session to be held in May.

This event is for all Women of the ELCA! For the last several years, A Day for Making Comfort has been held on the fourth Saturday of January. This year, it will be held on Saturday, March 19, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Stillwater (1616 W. Olive St.).

Women from throughout the Saint Paul Area Synod are invited to gather to complete comforters for those in need, both locally and internationally. No experience is needed. Come for the whole time, for just an hour or for whatever amount of time works for you. Bring a lunch if you will be there around noon! Bring a friend and enjoy the fellowship while making a difference in the world.

The ELCA has introduced “Now Is the Time: A Study Guide for ELCA Declaration to People of African Descent” to help congregations wrestle with the meaning of the declaration, adopted at the 2019 Churchwide Assembly, and its accompanying explanation.

“Now Is the Time” stresses realism, self-examination and accountability as the church acknowledges and apologizes for the history and impact of slavery and systemic racism. The study guide focuses on deepening our understanding of this history as participants engage in often-difficult conversation and reflection to move the church toward racial healing and justice. The five-part study resource, with a guide and participant materials, is available at elca.org/resources/racial-justice.

Questions? Reach out to the Customer Care Center at 800-352-2876 or your Portico Regional Representative, Deacon Terri Endres, at tendres@porticobenefits.org or 952-221-2000.

Get out for a walk or your own favorite winter activity anytime during February and March while sporting a new Cherish All Children beanie. Donate now and your beanie will be on its way to you!

Join Cherish All Children for the return to live musical performances by Caritas! This year’s theme is Inspiring Harmony. “When we sing, we build community. When you join us, you strengthen community.”

A free-will offering benefits Cherish All Children.

The importance of caring for mental health—especially after two years of a global pandemic—has never been more evident. Many of us are worn out. How do we understand experiences of mental illness within the context of Christian faith, and how do we practice patience, compassion, and boundaries for those who struggle? Join Pastor Emmy Kegler as she shares from her new book, All Who Are Weary: Easing the Burden on the Walk with Mental Illness. The book offers a pastoral and scriptural accompaniment to those facing symptoms and diagnoses of mental illness along with the families, friends, communities, pastors, and therapists who care for them.

Emmy is a pastor, author and speaker called to ministry at the margins of the church, especially among LGBTQIA+ Christians. She serves as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Northeast Minneapolis. Her first book, One Coin Found: How God’s Love Stretches to the Margins, tells her story as a queer Christian called to ordained ministry and how it formed her relationship with scripture. All are welcome to this community event! The cost is $10 per person. Learn more and register.

Join the National Lutheran Choir in a program of music and hymns for choir and congregation celebrating creation and the call to be stewards of the earth. The concert will feature guest conductors Tom Trenney and NLC’s Tenor Section Leader Shaun Halland, alongside Artistic Director David Cherwien at the organ.Tickets are $28 for adults/seniors; ages 18 and under are free. Masks and proof of vaccination are required. Learn more.

The Christian Education Network is offering another Faith Formation webinar led by facilitators from Lifelong Faith Associates. "Formation for Christian Learning" will be held online on March 10. The cost is $12 per webinar ($10 for CENetwork members). Learn more at www.faithfulteaching.org.

This is a free, practical preaching workshop by Backstory Preaching. As preachers begin their sermon prep and open the text, the first question they often ask is "What am I going to say?" It's a question fueled by anxiety that they won't find something worthwhile to say—or worse, won't have anything to say—especially when they've seen the text a thousand times before. But what if they never had to ask that question again? This one-hour workshop will guide lay and ordained preachers through the simple process that lets them see the text with fresh eyes, allows the message to reveal itself, and draw them closer to God at the same time. This session is offered by the Rev. Dr. Lisa Cressman, founding steward of Backstory Preaching. Register here for the Zoom link.

The Joint Religious Legislative Coalition invites you to the online, evening "Day on the Hill" to learn about legislative advocacy to help struggling Minnesotans. Be inspired by the keynote Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, an Orthodox religious leader and Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, St. Louis. Learn about the 2022 legislative priorities, and be equipped to meet with your state legislators. Make a difference – and make connections between charity and justice – for your neighbors! Trainings available prior to Day on the Hill. Click here for a flier.

Questions? Contact Statewide Organizer Joan Miltenberger at jmiltenberger@jrlc.org or 612-230-3232. Learn more and register.

Bread for the World regional organizers hold quarterly regional online meetings to update and equip our members and to introduce Bread to those who are new. In these meetings, you will learn about the status of Offering of Letters and current legislative priorities, hear from and connect with Bread members in your region, and consider timely action steps you and your group can take to advocate for an end to hunger. Register here.

Augsburg University Campus Ministry invites you to participate in its 6th annual Fosdick Lecture on Preaching. "Preaching in a Time of Crisis" features Pastors Ingrid Rasmussen and Angela Khabeb from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. This webinar will be live streamed from Hoversten Chapel in the Foss Center at Augsburg University.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, located just off of Lake Street in the 3rd Precinct, found itself at the heart of the explosive response to the brutal killing of George Floyd and the centuries of trauma that preceded his death. During the months that followed the uprising, the church responded by distributing donated food, diapers, toiletries, plywood for boarding up broken windows, cleaning supplies, and tools to the community. This remained a primary part of Holy Trinity’s work throughout the summer and fall of 2020. Pastors Rasmussen and Khabeb share their insights on preaching during this time of crisis and reflect on how these experiences continue to shape their understanding of theology and ministry. Register here.

The Faith Community Nurse Network of the Greater Twin Cities (FCNN) is an interfaith

nonprofit organization serving faith community nurses (also called "parish nurses") across Minnesota. It is offering the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Course again in spring 2022 and is required for RNs seeking to practice as Faith Community Nurses (FCNs). While only RNs will receive Continuing Education Units, others such as chaplains, health ministers, faith community nursing coordinators may also enroll.

The course will be held via Zoom and includes several self-learning modules. The curriculum has been updated to include trauma-informed care to help nurses care for persons who have experienced psychological and/or spiritual trauma. Students will learn:

The course provides 38 contact hours taught by a diverse faculty of advanced degreed nurses with experience in education and faith community nursing. The cost is $425. Learn more here or contact the FCNNTC office at contact@fcnntc.org or 651-204-0904.

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