Enews: Do church staff love Advent?; do you have a congregation to nominate?; and more

December 12, 2023

Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews

Servant of Christ Award: Nominate a Remarkable Congregation

In the long history of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS), faith communities have been some of its most important partners. Congregations have hosted office space, provided meals, sewn quilts, welcomed refugees, and contributed in so many unseen ways to their communities.

Each year, LSS recognizes partnering congregations that lead the movement to change lives in their community. Which faith community has been invaluable in your work? Nominate a single congregation – or congregations in partnership – that demonstrate leadership in love and service to our neighbors.

To nominate a congregation

Synod staff this week

Pastor Craig Pederson will be on sabbatical through the end of 2023. Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be out later in the week.

Advent behind the curtain (or church desk)

“I’ve been working at the synod office for more than ten years and I’ve been on staff at my home congregation for two-and-a-half years. While I worked only at the synod office, I understood that it was quiet around the office in the summer and around Christmastime and Lent because church staff persons were busy at church and not looking for support from the synod at those times. But my brain didn’t make the connection that when I joined a church staff, I would also be busy at those times.”

Read Jeni's blog

Give a gift that changes lives (and still get a card!)

Searching for the perfect gift? Shop ELCA Good Gifts and choose from more than 50 life-changing charitable gifts to give in lieu of traditional Christmas presents.

Give online and you can personalize free printed cards to be sent directly to you or your loved ones. You can generate e-cards or download PDF cards to print and send to the giftees.

Shop for Good Gifts

Luther Sem to host discernment retreat

Community Organizing for Climate Justice Program

Are you experiencing a call to be a Deacon or a Pastor? Do you know someone might be? All are invited for a three-day retreat to explore God’s call.

February 28 – March 1, 2024

Arrowwood Resort

Alexandria, Minnesota

The cost of the retreat including two nights lodging, two breakfasts, three lunches, and one dinner will be $125 for double occupancy or $250 for single.

Registration will be open until mid-January.

For more information

Applications are accepted until Dec. 15 for the Community Organizing for Climate Justice Program, which will be held online February 7-May 9. The program is offered through Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and seeks to equip leaders with a climate justice framework and tools to implement team-based climate resiliency projects in their communities. It consists of a three-day online training followed by 12 weeks of weekly coaching and leadership development.

The program is a good fit for community leaders who wish to equip themselves better for climate justice work. Staff, leaders, or board members from faith-based organizations, recent seminary graduates, faith leaders, and representatives of congregations are good candidates for this program.

Learn more

Faith Community Nurse Network Symposium Series

How much do you know about trauma and its impact on a person’s spiritual and emotional well-being? Did you know that persons who experience many traumas in their lives are more vulnerable to illness and shorter life spans? This four-part series is designed for faith community nurses, faith community leaders, RNs, and other professionals who want to learn more about trauma, trauma-informed care, and mental health.

Thursdays, January 18, March 14, June 13, and October 10; 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.

Online or Hybrid

The 2024 topics include:

January 18 -- "Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care: The Basics"
March 14 -- "Trauma-Informed Care: Why and How"
June 13 -- "Mental Health and Trauma in Children and Youth"
October 10 -- "Trauma - Help and Hope"

Learn more

LWF offers Advent calendar with greetings from around the world

During the Advent season, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) will be sharing short and inspiring messages of hope across its social media channels. This year’s Advent calendar builds on the theme of the Thirteenth Assembly which was “One Body, One Spirit, One Hope.”

“Advent is a time of hope, and we will prepare for Christmas together by listening to and sharing these inspiring messages,” said Rev. Arni Danielsson, LWF’s Head of Communication. “We are grateful to our messengers of hope and invite the whole communion to follow.”

Hope is the affirmation that God is faithful, that God will complete what God has begun. Hope is, therefore, the confident expectation and active waiting for God’s purposes to be fulfilled and the capacity to strive for what must be altered, amended, and rectified to realize that promise “on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10).

— Assembly Study Guide

The calendar features 24 messengers of hope from LWF member churches and country programs. Representing all regions of the LWF, they will share insights from their local contexts which can inspire globally.

Over the past five years, the LWF has shared hymns during advent. They have been received with great appreciation. This year’s advent calendar builds on that tradition.

Follow the Messages of Hope this Advent on LWF’s social media channels Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube December 1-24. They will also be available on the LWF website.

Lutheran Summer Music provides a musical Advent calendar for the 2024 Advent season

Since the nineteenth century, households and congregations have marked the days before Christmastide with many kinds of Advent calendars. The season of waiting and longing for the “already-but-not-yet” incarnation of Jesus unfolds amidst waning daylight in the Northern Hemisphere, a time of yearning for hope, joy, and peace.

Join Lutheran Summer Music (LSM), December 3-24, for its third annual Musical Advent Calendar – a daily moment of music and reflection on the LSM Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages, as well as archived on its website.

LSM Advent calendar

LWF Advent hymns

The Lutheran World Federation in previous years has offered an Advent hymnody of Lutheran bodies from around the world. Check out the LWF YouTube channel to listen to familiar and new hymns from Denmark, Germany, Nigeria, Guatemala, Japan, Argentina, and many more places where Lutherans live.

Professor Levine to deliver 2024 Fretheim Lecture

Renowned biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine will deliver the 2024 Fretheim Lecture in Biblical Theology. She is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace as well as the University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies Emerita and the Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies Emerita at Vanderbilt University. The annual public lecture honors the legacy of the late Professor Terry Fretheim in making biblical-theological scholarship available to Luther Seminary students and surrounding communities.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Chapel of the Incarnation, Olson Campus Center

Luther Seminary, St. Paul

Professor Levine will offer a free workshop at 3:30 p.m., for area clergy and seminary students that discusses why anti-Jewish preaching and teaching continue, details the popular misconceptions about the Jewish context of Jesus and Paul found in sermons and church-based curricula, and offers alternatives for reading the texts on which they are based.

During the public lecture at 7:00 p.m., Professor Levine will present “The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Why Knowledge of Jewish History Matters for Christian Preaching and Teaching.” Both events are free; no registration is required. The lecture will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.

For more information

Rolling deadline for Young Adults in Global Mission

Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) is a one-year, international service-learning and faith-formation opportunity in churches and social service ministries for young adults, ages 21-35.

Priority deadline for the 2024-2025 year is January 15 with a final deadline of February 1. Those who apply before the priority deadline will have their placements considered first.

To apply

Tapestry Congregation responds to Latin American immigrants

Tapestry, a bilingual congregation based in Richfield, has welcomed immigrants into the congregation's life. It is now offering an opportunity to discuss a faithful response at an event titled "Latin American Immigration to Minnesota: Our Faithful Response."

Wednesday, December 13

9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Tapestry

7045 Lyndale Avenue South, Richfield

The event is co-sponsored by Rev. Julie Luna, Casa Maria, a ministry of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, Richfield, and Rev. Ana Laura Becerra, Cristo Rey Iglesia Luterana, New Brighton. RSVP by December 12 to Pastor Melissa Melnick Gonzalez.

Reading of new poetry book about Uprising

Retired Pastor Patrick Cabello Hansel will be offering a reading of his newest book of poetry, "Breathing in Minneapolis." This book chronicles the challenging events of 2020-2022 in Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd.

Thursday, February 1, 7:00 p.m.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

2730 East 31st Street, Minneapolis

Poets Joyce Sutphen, Walter Cannon, and Dralandra Larkins will join Pastor Patrick. Chilean group Ina Yukka will provide music. Books will be available.

For more information

Where is the synod staff in upcoming weeks?

Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be leading a Ministry Site Profile review at Faith Lutheran, Isanti, on Sunday, December 17.
Pastor John Hulden will be leading an adult forum at Oak Grove Lutheran, RIchfield, on Sunday, December 17.
Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be leading a Ministry Site Profile review at Messiah Lutheran, Minneapolis, on Sunday, January 7.

Upcoming Events

Courageous Leadership Webinars , Wednesdays
Youth Ministry Leaders Social, December 12
Children's Ministry Gathering, January 8, 2024
JUSTmove! A justice-centered lock in for youth, January 14-15
2024 Youth Ministry Extravaganza, January 17-24
Ministerium, January 25
Youth Group Confirmation Night at Luther Seminary, January 31
Refresher Course for Faith Community Nurses, February 1
Conference Assemblies, February 10
Children's Ministry Gathering, February 12
Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly, May 2 - 4, 2024
Ascension Day Breakfast, May 16

Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA www.mpls-synod.org