Elijah wants to call it quits and with that confession on his heart he falls asleep. A friend on Facebook recently referred to this Biblical passage in terms of the restorative power of “a nap and a snack.” The author of I Kings put it more elegantly, writing – “Suddenly an angel touched Elijah and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” (19:5b-7)

Have you tasted holy cake, baked on hot stones, this summer? Have you taken time to get away from your work and worries, so that the natural rhythms of Sabbath rest can restore your body, mind and spirit? Have you reached out to colleagues to spell you so that vacation days are enjoyed even in the midst of a pandemic? I have and pray that you have, too.

These current months are as fertile a context for strong, wise and loving leadership as any I have experienced in four decades as a pastor. Whether you serve as a deacon, a pastor or an elected lay leader, you have already done many things well. Give yourself some credit. Thank the people around you – including your family. Thank God for keeping you healthy and giving you so many privileges in a time when life is difficult and precarious for many in the global community. And then, get ready. Your call to ministry is not at an end.

We are grateful for the enthusiastic support with which our congregations have responded to the synod's Food Shelf Challenge. Last week, we surpassed our initial goal of $50,000 and are watching the contributions continue to add up in support for local food shelves and food banks. Keep it going! Learn more at www.spas-elca.org/a-food-shelf-challenge.

St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Roseville is known as a "food church." It is an important way for the congregation to gather…from celebrating communion, to the annual community BBQ, to the congregational progressive dinner, to making meals for people in the congregation. It is also one way the congregation views itself as being in ministry to the world.

There is so much uncertainty about what the Fall will look like for our congregations. Will we be together for worship or continuing to meet virtually? Will there be any Sunday School or Confirmation or other education opportunities? Many of our churches also use the Fall season as a time to carry out stewardship campaigns and education. During this pandemic we have an opportunity to try new ways of reaching people and continuing to teach and preach generosity.

The Saint Paul Area Synod Stewardship Committee invites pastors and deacons to join a discussion about stewardship leadership and practices during this pandemic. This discussion will be a time of sharing and listening. If you have great ideas of how to reach people with a message of sharing during COVID-19, please share them with the group. If you are not yet sure what approach to take to stewardship this Fall, you are invited to come and listen, ask questions, and learn. We are all a part of God’s church, and right now we need each other. We need to share creativity, we need to listen and help one another through the isolation, and we need to continue to remind our people of the deep connection between faith and generosity.

This Zoom call is not a lecture or a sales pitch, it is a time for church leaders to gather, share, discuss,

offer ideas, provide hope, and lift one another up as we look toward what stewardship campaigns

and education will look like in the coming months. This discussion will also move us further down the

road of offering great stewardship practices in our congregations during these unusual

circumstances. Your voice is needed and valued!

Join this Zoom meeting via computer or call +1 312 626 6799.

Meeting ID: 868 5755 0428

Passcode: 487066

Join the action; get informed! The Advocates for Racial Equity (ARE) work group is hosting TWO Zoom opportunities on Aug. 26 for individuals, congregations and communities:

Attend one or both! Please register by noon on Aug. 26 to receive the Zoom link and further details.

The annual ELCA Youth Leadership Summit will occur over the weekend of Nov. 6-7 with all sessions occurring online during this pandemic season. The Summit brings together two youth and an adult leader from each synod for conversations about the life of the church. The theme verse this year is Proverbs 27:19 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.

Bishop Lull will be naming the youth, who will represent the Saint Paul Area Synod. Pairs of youth along with an adult leader can submit a 40-word essay by Oct. 1, 2020, to Bishop Lull (patricia.lull@spas-elca.org) on why they would make the best team to represent this synod in 2020. The team selected to participate in the 2020 Youth Leadership Summit will be announced by Oct. 8. The synod will take care of registration and there is no cost for those chosen to participate. Questions? Please contact Bishop Lull.

What happens after the initial relief efforts of a crisis? Last week, the synod's Peter Harrits hosted a Zoom call with Pastor Kirsten Fryer to discuss how Bethlehem Lutheran in the Midway unexpectedly became a pop-up distribution center following the death of George Floyd and subsequent civil unrest. Click below to view a recording of the discussion and click here to download the accompanying materials.

Looking for a way to connect with other leaders in engaging conversation and fulfill your boundaries requirement at the same time? Join this book group! Pre-reading and attendance at both meetings are expected to meet the requirement. This book group is only open to rostered ministers; please no lay leaders or interns. Hosted by Deacon Krista Lind.

We will be reading The Integrity of the Body of Christ: Boundary Keeping as Shared Responsibility by Arden Mahlberg and Craig Nessan. Pre-reading and attendance at both meetings is necessary to meet the requirement. There is no cost, but participants are expected to purchase the book themselves. NOTE: Boundaries education is required for all rostered ministers in the Saint Paul Area Synod every three years.

On Sunday, Sept. 13, many ELCA congregations will observe “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday. As church, we are guided by our life in Christ to share the love of Jesus and serve our neighbors — even if such acts of service look different this year. Physical distancing has changed the way we worship and serve. But the need is great, and God’s church is at work. We encourage you to plan your day of service in compliance with local health guidelines. The safety and well-being of your volunteers and those you serve is a top priority. Follow all local guidance regarding physical distancing, mask-wearing, maximum gathering size and building capacity limits.

Acts of service can happen anywhere: you might contribute to an online project from your home or volunteer in person keeping a safe physical distance and wearing a mask. To help you plan for “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, we invite you to visit ELCA.org/DayofService for resources. If your congregation cannot participate on Sept. 13, please consider another day for your service activities.

P.S. Share your congregation’s participation with the ELCA! Send your stories and photos to livingLutheran@elca.org. And don't forget to tag your activities on social media using #GodsWorkOurHands. 

Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM)-Twin Cities invites you to help spread the LCM love by sponsoring a student's LCM t-shirt or mask. During their first-ever "Give One Get One" campaign, they'll send you one, too! Prayers for these college students are also welcome, especially for first-year students who are leaving home during turbulent times of political divisiveness, skyrocketing mental illness, uncertainty of how college life will unfold during a pandemic and other concerns. Help them know that they aren't alone! By sponsoring a shirt or mask for a student - and wearing or share one - you become one of many who are accompanying these young adults through a tumultuous time. Learn more.

The synod office is open this summer from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. A limited number of staff will be on-site each day. You may continue to reach all staff members by phone (651-224-4313) or by email.

Rostered and lay leaders alike are invited to a weekly gathering of topical presentations designed to provide encouragement and support for ELCA leaders. This is an opportunity to be in small group discussions with an ELCA group coach facilitating the conversation. On Aug. 26, Vicar Michelle Knight will lead a discussion on "The Role of Community in Addiction Prevention and Recovery." She will share her stories of addiction, recovery and community, as well as ways faith leaders and churches can respond. These "Being Church" sessions are now being recorded and are available at www.elcacoaching.org/.

or by phone: +1 312 626 6799

During this pandemic, clergy have been faced with numerous challenges impacting pastoral care, worship, community and justice work and finances, among others. The folks at LeaderWise want to support you by offering clergy consultation groups to share wisdom, exchange ideas, and process experiences of ministry during the pandemic. Groups will be facilitated by experienced LeaderWise staff and will meet for eight sessions either weekly, every other week, or monthly.

Participants are encouraged to bring forward their challenges to get input from the group and facilitators. Discussion topics will also be provided by LeaderWise facilitators. The groups will begin as soon as four participants are registered. No more than six participants will be in each group. Each session will last 90 minutes and be conducted via Zoom. The cost for eight sessions is $600. Learn more.

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services' Partnership Center released a new resource called "Compassion in Action: A Guide for Faith Communities Serving People Experiencing Mental Illness and Their Caregivers." The guide includes action items, practical exercises and resources. Click here to download the PDF.

A free "Compassion in Action" webinar series continues to introduce faith leaders to the seven principles of addressing mental illness. Part IV of the series ("Treating the Whole Person: Faith and Mental Health Professionals Partner to Address Mental Illness") will be offered on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 11 a.m. Register here. The final webinar in the series will be Sept. 15 - "A Proven Lifeline: Keeping Hope in Mind While Addressing the Complexities of Mental Illness." Register here. Recordings of the first three webinars are available for viewing on YouTube.

The Minnesota Department of Health is offering a webinar for faith-based communities to hear the latest updates on COVID-19, including guidance materials; links between the coronavirus and faith-based activities like funerals, weddings and services; as well as helpful resources. This webinar is free. Register.

Incarnation Lutheran Church in Shoreview raises funds all year long in support of MobilePack events for Feed My Starving Children. Due to COVID, the MobilePack events are postponed, but Incarnation isn't about to let a pandemic stop them from raising money to pay for life-saving meals! Teams of up to six people are welcome to participate in an online trivia competition (no connection to the church required). Just pay the $10 per person registration fee and you're in! Learn more and register. Donations are also accepted without participation in the trivia contest.

How can we have meaningful, transformative dialogue across sociopolitical and ideological divides? How can we treat others with respect and uphold their humanity even when we vehemently disagree? How can we persist in advocating for social change especially racial equity and justice in our current context? In this four-part online course, participants will explore these questions and more from the perspective of compassionate (or, nonviolent) communication. This four-part series is facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini, executive director of Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center. The cost is $35 per person (maximum of $50 per family). Learn more.

www.spas-elca.org | 651.224.4313