Thank you to all of the congregations and individuals who have supported the Saint Paul Area Synod's Food Shelf Challenge! We are thrilled to share that we've met our initial goal of $50,000 donated to local food shelves. But let's keep it going through the end of August to stretch our goal above and beyond! Watch the short video below to learn more or visit www.spas-elca.org/a-food-shelf-challenge.

Pastor Kirsten Fryer had been just nine months into her new call at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in the Midway when the neighborhood that she serves was upended in the days following the death of George Floyd. Almost overnight her church building became a pop-up aid distribution center filled with hundreds of volunteers, thousands of pounds of food and supplies and tens of thousands of donations. The relief that came was immediate and temporary.

So what's next? Join a live conversation with Pastor Kirsten as she discusses:

Participants will be asked to reflect with one another on their own responses to the clear and present needs of the day in the context of COVID-19 impacts on global relationships, record numbers facing hunger and public reckonings about systemic racism. Please register by noon on Aug. 18 to receive log-in instructions. Learn more and register.

In times of crisis and instability our community’s youth need your support more than ever. All year long, LSS is committed to supporting youth to gain stability through early intervention and prevention services, supportive shelters and housing options, and services to restore and strengthen families. But they need your help as well.

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Metro Homeless Youth program at LSS has created an online registry that allows you to view the current needs of our youth and support with things like groceries, hygiene products, clothes, and other things that youth need without having to go to a store or drop anything off. Just click on one of the links below and you’ll be able to see the specific items our youth programs are asking for.

Don’t want to buy from the seller that is linked to the item? No worries, you can also buy them from another store and send them in. For more information, email metrohomelessyouth@lssmn.org or call 651-470-8801 to reach Ev Pugh.

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.

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 and view the video below for a message from President Bishop Elizabeth Eaton. 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. 

The synod is renovating its conference room and is looking to find a good home for conference room tables and chairs we no longer need. There are six 60”x28”rectangle tables, two trapezoid shaped tables, and 12 chairs available. All are in very good condition. View more photos here. If your church is interested, email alicia.rodriguez@spas-elca.org by Thursday, Aug. 20. Please specify what furniture you are interested in, and when someone could come to the synod office to pick it up. Priority will be given to interested parties who can take the whole set AND pick it up the week of August 24.

We will make a decision by August 21 and will be in touch with all interested parties at that time. In exchange for the furniture, we encourage you to make a donation to your local food shelf!

The synod no longer has use for a variety of office chairs, all in fair condition. View photos here. They are free to a good home! If you’re interested, please email alicia.rodriguez@spas-elca.org and let her know which chair(s) you are interested in. You must be able to pick them up from the synod office.

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. 19, the topic is "Holy Three-Ring Circus: Faith, Parenting, and Work in a Pandemic" with presenters Jessica Harris Daum (parent, coach, DEM) and Kendra Mohn (parent, pastor, spouse of a Bishop). These "Being Church" sessions are now being recorded and are available at www.elcacoaching.org/.

or by phone: +1 312 626 6799

Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center in Farmington is offering complimentary retreat offerings for persons leading communities of faith and non-profits whose mission focuses on dismantling racism and other forms of systemic injustice. It's also offering free meeting space and use of all amenities for daytime retreats for churches that identify as black, brown, indigenous, or immigrant and for other communities of faith and non-profit organizations whose mission centers on racial equity, justice, and reconciliation. Learn more.

The retreat center, an affiliate ministry of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, also offers this online opportunity:

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, Mount Olivet's executive director. The cost is $35 per person (maximum of $50 per family). Learn more.

www.spas-elca.org | 651.224.4313