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Now accepting applications for sites and interns!
Paid Summer Internships
Our synod is launching a paid summer internship program for young adults focused on vocational discernment! Interns will serve at placement sites four days a week mid-June through mid-August. Each week, they’ll also spend time together as a cohort for worship, learning and discussion. Interns will receive a $4,000 stipend, funded by the synod’s Planting Hope Campaign. Applications are being accepted for sites AND interns!
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Sites - Ideal internship sites are synod congregations or nonprofits that can provide a supportive, knowledgeable supervisor willing to oversee the intern’s work and mentor their vocational development. Sites must be able to provide an opportunity for 23-26 hours of work per week.
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Interns - Interns will embrace the opportunity to learn, serve and reflect in their roles in a variety of areas such as administration, communications, ministry, or social services.
Learn more about this new internship program.
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Spring Ministerium
Thursday, March 30 - 9 a.m. | St. Paul- Reformation, St. Paul
Bishop Lull invites rostered ministers to join her for the synod's Spring Ministerium. The morning will include:
- time for fellowship
- a service of Blessing of Vocation
- a conversation led by Bishop Lull on the importance of and current challenges to in-person gatherings as the church
Rostered pastors and deacons, retired clergy, interns serving in the synod, and seminary candidates from the synod are all invited to attend. Lunch will be offered for those who sign up in advance at the cost of $20 per person. (Please sign up by March 27 if you want the lunch.) There is no charge to attend the ministerium unless you wish to stay for lunch, but please register either way so we know how many to plan for. Register here.
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Join the choir! Rostered ministers who would like to share their singing talents in the ministerium choir are invited to arrive at 8:30 a.m. for a rehearsal with Sister Stacie Lightner. If you plan to participate, please email music@stpaulref.org so we're sure to have music ready for you.
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Mental Health Grants
There are funds remaining in a grant the synod received from the ELCA to promote mental health learning events in the synod. Click here for full grant details. We know that youth and their families are struggling with many concerns. How could your congregation use a small grant to share tools for navigating life in these unsettled times?
Elim in Scandia received one of the mini-grants for a campaign this Lenten season that explores how faith communities and mental health issues intersect. Pastor Seth Perry has shared several videos about his experiences as a pastor with Bipolar disorder as he seeks to create a constructive and supportive dialogue about mental health and church life. The congregation invites all who are interested to attend its event next Sunday:
Creating Caring Faith Communities | Sunday, March 26 - 12:30-2 p.m.
Learn about mental illnesses, the impact of negative attitudes and five things each of us can do to make Minnesota a better place for people who experience mental illness. We will discuss multiple ideas for beginning or enhancing a mental health ministry in your faith community. Learn more.
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Loaves and Fishes in Abundance
In this month's "Addressing Hunger" blog, Vernita Kennen writes of looking through a worn and tattered children's cookbook:
Imagine my surprise to find that it included a retelling of the feeding of the five thousand. That retelling included an emphasis on the tired and hungry people who had traveled far to wait to hear Jesus..…The miracle was so great that “One little lunch grew and grew so that all who were there were able to eat as much as they wanted until they were full.” And then the retelling reminded readers that there were even leftovers. Jesus told the disciples to collect the food that was left so nothing would be wasted.
Stay alert — even an out-of-date cookbook can retell an old story in a way that helps remind us of God’s care for all who hunger. I doubt I will hear the story of the feeding of the five thousand again without focusing on the leftovers! What do you hear when the familiar story is read again?
Read Vernita's full blog post.
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Synod Assembly
Registration is open for voting members, retired ministers, advisors and guests for our 2023 Synod Assembly, which is scheduled for May 12-13 at St. Andrew's in Mahtomedi.
Friday, May 12 - Activities are free and open to everyone in the synod. At 5 p.m., we'll hold a mission fair that features displays by a number of organizations related to the mission of the synod. At 7 p.m., we'll enjoy a hymn sing and a synod-wide worship service. All are welcome to stay for fellowship and a reception. There is no registration needed for Friday!
Saturday, May 13 - This day is the business meeting of the synod and is for voting members, retired ministers, advisors and guests, all of whom need to be registered and credentialed. The cost is $55 per person for advance registration through April 28; on-site registration is $65. Saturday's session will include a keynote address by the Rev. Dr. Barbara Rossing, as well as reports, elections, resolutions and more.
Learn more about synod assembly.
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First Third/CYF Wellness Gathering
Thursday, March 23 - 2-3:30 p.m. | Westwood, St. Louis Park
What does well-being look like for First Third leaders? How do calling, identity and relationships influence well-being? What are some best practices to foster well-being? Presenter Matt Bloom, PhD, the director of WorkWell, will help you understand how prioritizing your well-being is a key to effective ministry. This event is free, but please register for hospitality purposes.
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Empowering Congregational Anti-Racist Ministries
Sunday, March 26 - 2:30-4 p.m. | Gustavus Adolphus, St. Paul
The synod's Advocates for Racial Equity (ARE) work group invites you to join in conversation with other individuals and congregations around the Twin Cities as we consider together what antiracist ministry might look like in various congregational settings. Some of our faith communities may already have active racial justice teams, some may not have much of anything at all, and many of us are found between those two poles. Wherever you find yourself, you are invited to come, share, learn, and grow.
Our first of these conversations will feature the work of Kevin Dragseth, a member of Saint Anthony Park Lutheran Church. Please register so we know how many to plan for. Register here. Questions? Contact Pastor Tim Maybee of Amazing Grace, Inver Grove Heights, at tmaybee@aglcigh.org.
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Children's Ministry Gathering
Monday, April 17 - 1 p.m. | Online
Children's ministry staff and key volunteers are invited to gather on Zoom to discuss ideas for summer! Our hosts are Rachelle Gill (Easter, Eagan) and Julie Vagle (Trinity, Long Lake). Questions? Contact Rachelle Gill at rgill@easter.org.
NOTE: this month's gathering is a week later than normal due to schedule conflicts around Easter.
Join the Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85076129637?pwd=dEQvV1hyM0ZuTVl1OVd0bHVWTHlwZz09
Meeting ID: 850 7612 9637
Passcode: 473439
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Synodical Women's Organization Convention
Saturday, April 22 | Gloria Dei, St. Paul
Join us for a day of worship, bible study, learning sessions and business meetings! This year's convention features Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who recently earned her Ph.D. from Luther Seminary; an update from our Guatemala and Tanzania partners; and we'll hear from Pastor Bradley Schmeling, who spent three months walking 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. There will be opportunities for worship and fellowship, as well as a Bible study with Bishop Lull. Visitor registrations are due April 1. Download the convention packet and registration information.
Image drawn by Sue Wehrenberg, Trinity Lutheran in Lindstrom, inspired by a continuous line drawing of mother and child credited to Tetiana Garkusha.
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Bridges Newsletter
Our synodical women's organization affiliated with the ELCA has a new edition of its quarterly newsletter! The Bridges spring edition includes a goodbye from outgoing co-president Dawn Sargent and a preview of next month's convention (see details above), as well as articles about scholarships for the triennial gathering, embracing equity, a devotion about "Fika" breaks and more. Read the full edition here. To receive future editions in your inbox, email kathyafrost@gmail.com.
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A Deeper Dive: Leadership Conversations for Congregation Presidents & VPs
Thursday, April 27 - 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Online
NOTE: Change in date! Due to scheduling challenges, we've had to move the final gathering of leadership conversations for congregation presidents and vice presidents. The conversationis hosted by Rolf Lowenberg-DeBoer (assistant to the bishop for lay leadership) and Dr. Dave Webb (retired school superintendent and council president at Shepherd of the Hills). Register here.
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EcoFaith Summit
Saturday, April 15 - 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Gloria Dei, Duluth & Online
In a moment of deep ecological crisis, this year’s EcoFaith Summit calls us to become part of the Holy Spirit’s subversive plot to pollinate an alternative way of being human for the sake of life. In this plot, we find our model and hope from pollinator species. These tiny, apparently powerless, often overlooked and disregarded creatures, whose drastic decline endangers so much we depend upon, are a key to the regeneration of life itself.
In this great plot, faith communities of every size and place can be demonstration plots, pollinating alternative ways of living. We all steward plots of land, even tiny ones, which can become pollinator habitat. In this critical and decisive time, a ‘Kairos’ moment, what we do with our specific plots wherever we are, matters. How we live the Gospel paradox that God’s power is shown in weakness can engage us in active hope amid the growing crisis we face.
Through worship, keynote presentation from Margot Monson (entomologist and beekeeper), diverse storytellers, conversations, and engagement sessions, together we will be empowered to be participants in this unfolding plot. This event is presented by the EcoFaith Nework of the NE MN Synod, the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin Creation Care and our own synod's Care of Creation work group. Learn more and register.
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The Vine Conference
Sunday, April 16 - 3:15-8:30 p.m. | Prince of Peace, Burnsville
High school juniors and seniors and young adults are invited to this event to meet others, connect with young adult ministries from across the country and to celebrate God's presence in worship. The day includes a ministry fair for Lutheran Outdoor ministries, Lutheran Campus Ministries, Camp Wapo, ELCA Young Adults, Augsburg, regional young adult ministries and more. There will be a sing-along with Rachel Kurtz, Russ Parrish and the Message Community Band. Download the event flyer. Congregations are invited to promote the event. Click here for complete details in the event FAQ.
The cost is $10 per student, participant or adult volunteer. Register here. Pass the word to the young people in your life who are searching for ways to stay connected to their faith after high school!
The Vine is a congregational partnership of Prince of Peace, Shepherd of the Valley, Shepherd of the Lake and Easter Lutheran churches. Vine gathers the faith formation resources and activities of these congregations, then shares them in a seasonal catalog and social media channel. Vine receives financial support from a Saint Paul Area Synod ministry grant and the churchwide organization. Learn more about Vine.
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Lutheran Campus Ministry Preachers
Lutheran Campus Ministry-Twin Cities bears witness to the love and mercy of Christ in the midst of 55,000 young adults at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. We often talk about young adults as the "future" of the church and fail to understand the ways they are shaping it in the present. As we move into a new chapter of life together after the last few years of disruption, young adults seem to realize that uncertainty will be a part of their world for some time. And still, or maybe because of this uncertainty, students are actively engaged with their faith. At LCM, we see first-hand the incredible work of the Holy Spirit, who animates these young adults and our ministry among them.
On March 26, 11 students will be preaching across the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Area Synods for LCM Sunday, proclaiming the Gospel, and sharing stories about their life as a young adult. Special thanks to the congregations in our synod who are welcoming students this year: All Saints, Cottage Grove; Arlington Hills, St. Paul; Gustavus Adolphus, St. Paul; and St. Anthony Park, St. Paul. If your congregation is interested in hosting a student preacher in 2024, please contact Pastor Kate Reuer Welton (kate@umnlutheran.org) for more information.
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Augsburg Corporation Delegates
The Saint Paul Area Synod has room for eight delegates to be named to the Augsburg Corporation this year. If you are interested, please email leslie.ortiz@spas-elca.org by April 3. Delegates serve for two years and can serve two consecutive terms. The Augsburg Corporation represents the ELCA's constitutional support to the University from Augsburg’s four designated synods: Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Southeastern Minnesota, and the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin. The Governing Board of the corporation includes representatives from the four synods, Augsburg’s Board of Regents, faculty, university administrators and students. The corporation's primary task is to represent the ELCA for the purpose of electing Augsburg’s Board of Regents. The Augsburg Corporation Governing Board meets annually to elect regents, as well as to keep current about the University in order to lend ongoing spiritual and other support. The 2023 Corporation Meeting is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 8 (11 a.m.-12 noon) via Zoom. More details will be provided to synod delegates by early July.
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ELCA Rostered Ministers Gathering
July 17-20 | Phoenix, Ariz.
For rostered ministers in the ELCA. Remember, reclaim, rekindle, and revive yourself at the 2023 Rostered Ministers Gathering. Colleagues from across the church will gather for fellowship, renewal, continuing education, worship, Bible study, and refreshment of spirit. A variety of caucuses are offered for deacons and retirement, Lutheran leader moms, justice ministries, commission for a renewed church and more. Early bird registration pricing of $245 ends March 31. Learn more.
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Proposals for Family Life Education Summit
The National Council on Family Relations, a multidisciplinary and nonpartisan association dedicated to understanding and strengthening families, seeks proposals for its 2023 Family Life Education Virtual Summit on June 23. Topics may address any and all aspects of Family Life Education. Of special interest are presentations on diversity, equity and inclusion; adverse childhood experiences; trauma-informed practices; fatherhood; immigrant and refugee families; high-risk youth and more. Proposals are accepted until March 30. Learn more.
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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 March 22, the presenter is the Rev. Jeff Linman, a 30+-year pastor and founder/coordinator of the Ignite the Church Conference, held annually in Orlando. This presentation will encourage and challenge leaders while also offering a free resource designed to inspire renewed faith and help congregations guard against moving back to the way things used to be and instead to move forward to the impactful church God is calling us to become. We invite you to bring a spirit of curiosity to these gatherings and to all aspects of your life. What are you noticing? Where is Spirit moving? How are you being invited to participate? Learn more.
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Ministry Pathways Beyond Traditional Pastoral Ministry
Saturday, March 25 - 11 a.m. | Online
"I'm interested in seminary, but I'm not sure I feel called to be a pastor. What can I do?" Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary is holding an online vocational panel discussion about ministry pathways beyond traditional pastoral ministry. Four faith ELCA faith leaders will share their experiences in different ministry settings:
- Deacon Nick Bates, J.D. - director of the Hunger Network in Ohio
- Kinnon Falk - operations manager at Kindred Montrose, an ELCA mission restart congregation in Houston
- Deacon Ross Murray - vice president of the GLAAD Media Institute
- Deacon Erin Power - director for evangelical mission in the Eastern North Dakota Synod
Learn more and register.
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Taking Heart Ramadan Iftars
Late March - Mid-April | Numerous Locations
For 18 years the Muslim American Society of Minnesota and Minnesota Council of Churches have built relationships, reduced Islamophobia, and fostered conversations between people of different faiths through Taking Heart Ramadan Iftars. During Ramadan you are invited to an open house at a mosque where you can witness prayer, learn about your neighbors and enjoy a fast-breaking meal. A variety of host sites and dates are available from late March to mid-April. Learn more.
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National Lutheran Choir Gala
Saturday, May 6 - 2:30-5:30 p.m. | The Westin Galleria, Edina
You are invited to join the National Lutheran Choir's board, singers and staff for its 2023 gala, celebrating the legacy of the choir and its retiring director, David Cherwien. The gala also supports the future of the NLC's mission to invigorate and expand sacred choral music. The event includes a performance by the choir, complimentary drinks and lots of cheer. Registration is "pay-what-you-will" (approximate value of the event experience is $75 per person). The registration deadline is April 21. Register here. A free livestream of the event will be available that day at nlca.com.
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Small But Mighty: How Our Relationship With Bugs Can Change the World
June 17-23 - Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter
The Gustavus Academy of Faith, Science, and Ethics brings high school students from across the country to learn alongside top scientists, theologians, and activists. At the intersection of faith and science, we work together to find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. While we have a lot of fun, we most value creating an open and nonjudgmental space for questions and community. Think bible camp for teens who are excited about science and justice!
This summer, we’re excited to explore insects, climate change, and the interconnectedness of creation. Academy fellows will be invited to dive deep into the growing impact of bugs on the environment, the land we live on, the food we eat and more. We’ll experience hands-on learning in ecology and theology, discovering how faith and science can work hand-in-hand to create a more beautiful future for our planet. Travel and registration scholarships are available. Learn more and register.
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SYNOD STAFF IN CONGREGATIONS | |
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Bishop Patricia Lull
- March 30 - Spring Ministerium at St. Paul Reformation, St. Paul (preaching)
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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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