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Epiphany Service with Presiding Bishop Eaton
Friday, Jan. 6 - 7 p.m. | Gloria Dei,
St. Paul
I am excited that many members of the Conference of Bishops will be attending a meeting in the Twin Cities in early January. You are invited to join members of the Conference of Bishops and others for a Celebration of the Epiphany on Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul. ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will preach at this special service of candlelight and Holy Communion. A reception will follow the service.
Bishop Lull
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Journi - A New Digital Tool
From the ELCA
When someone feels God is calling them to make a difference in the world, the sheer number of questions and options can be overwhelming. The ELCA has a new digital tool tool called Journi for everyone who feels called to leadership in this church. Journi will equip leaders with tools for them to discover their gifts, practical resources for them to learn more about opportunities within the church and next steps for them to move forward in their leadership journey.
For the full experience, create a profile and complete your Spiritual Personality Quiz, which will help Journi recommend content to you based on your interests and strengths. Your Journi will start when you visit www.journi.faith.
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Registration is open!
Innovative Practice, Design Thinking & Experimentation
Saturday, January 21 - 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Gustavus Adolphus, St. Paul
Have you ever felt stuck in your ministry? Does it feel that you are running into roadblocks as you try to proclaim the Gospel to your community? Do you have the pressure of the past haunting you as you live into this present reality as church? Are you ready to try something new?
The synod’s Vitality Team is offering its next Tools for the Church event to address these questions and more. We will explore design thinking and spend time together dreaming and thinking of the innovative places God is calling your congregation specifically in this time. After some conversation and work together around risk taking and failure, you and your team will be given tools to plan some experiments for your setting. The cost is $10 per person and includes lunch and snacks. Register here.
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Internship Program Coordinator
We are still accepting applications for the coordinator of a new program of summer internships to take place for four years beginning in 2023. The program coordinator will work to recruit placement sites, design and implement an application process, and oversee the placement process for up to 10 summer internships each year. We hope to have someone in place in early January to prepare for internships beginning in June 2023. The position and the internship program are largely funded by the synod’s Planting Hope capital campaign.
The primary aim of the program is to raise up a new generation of leaders in the church by providing opportunities for vocational exploration. The project will include a learning component for the cohort of interns, for which the program coordinator will provide organizational support. Flexible hours and remote work make it an easy complement to existing employment. This contract position works closely with a senior member of the synod staff and reports to the Bishop. Download the job description.
Interested persons may send a cover letter and resume to rachel.holsten@spas-elca.org. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Please share this opportunity with anyone you feel might be qualified and interested!
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ELCA Young Adult Steering Committee
The ELCA Young Adult Ministry team is seeking seven representatives for its 15-member Young Adult Steering Committee. This is a year-long term with quarterly meetings. At least eight members of the team will be young adults of color, and they are looking for diverse representation in queer identity, disability status, socioeconomic status, family makeup, life experience, age and other factors. The application deadline is Dec. 31. Learn more and apply.
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ELCA Disability Ministry Grants
Applications are being accepting for grants through ELCA's Disability Ministry for congregations, synods or other ELCA organizations that are committed to inclusion and accessibility. Eligible projects and proposals must reflect at least two of the three commitments of ELCA Disability Ministry:
- Preparing leaders for serving people with disabilities, raising up people with disabilities for leadership positions, and encouraging the participation of those with disabilities in the wider church.
- Equipping our synods, congregations and members with relevant and practical information that enables them to welcome and support individuals with disabilities so that they might participate fully in the life of the congregation and that, together, all might experience being the body of Christ.
- Gathering and connecting those with disabilities and various groups within the church so that they might help us become an inclusive, supportive and whole community of faith.
The first 30 grant applications received through the GrantMaker application process will be considered. Of those 30 received, the review team will approve up to five grants of up to $10,000. Learn more.
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PAYING BY CHECK: If you are giving to the synod via check for support to our ministries (such as our partnerships in Tanzania and Guatemala), please write your check payable to the Saint Paul Area Synod and then in the memo line indicate the detail of where your gift should go. Our bank may start returning checks if they aren't made out to the synod. | |
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Courageous Leadership Series
Wednesdays - 1 p.m. | Online
ELCA Coaching offers a weekly online gathering for ministry leaders. Each week this series features a new topic and presenters. On Dec. 14, we will hear from a surprise guest who has over 2 million YouTube subscribers and has learned a thing or two about public failures, ways to recover and even how to thrive. Recordings of these conversations are posted by the next day. Learn more.
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Addiction, Faith, Science & Public Policy
Tuesday, Dec. 13 - 11:30 a.m. | Online
Faith communities play a vital role in recovery and prevention. This webinar will explore the reasons why faith and spirituality can be integral to recovery and the critical importance of faith-based groups adopting evidence-based practices. Joining the discussion is Regina LaBelle, former interim director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and current director of the Addiction and Public Policy Initiative at the O'Neill Institute of Georgetown University. You’ll learn about important policy initiatives at the federal level, how faith and science can work together, and this country’s first addiction focused public policy masters degree program. The hour-long presentation will be followed by a 30-minute Q&A discussion. Register here.
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Bowen Systems Series
Thursday, Dec. 15 - 1-3 p.m. | St. Stephen, Bloomington, & Online
Rostered ministers and interns with an interest in Bowen Systems theory are invited to join the learning and conversation. In December, the topic is Triangles as we continue to work through the eight concepts of Bowen Family Systems theory. This group meets on the fourth Thursdays of each month. (December is the exception.) The agenda is one hour of teaching and one hour of a shared case study. The leaders are the Rev. Wendy Vie Trittin and the Rev. Dr. Jules Erickson. The cost is $30 per session at the time of class. The dates into 2023 include Jan. 26, Feb. 23, March 23, April 27 and May 25. Questions? Contact Pastor Tom Olson at tolson@ststephen.net. Learn more about Bowen Theory.
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The Saint Paul Area Synod, which includes 107 congregations and new mission starts,
is one of 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
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