December 15, 2020 Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews

No synod enews next week As we make that transition from Advent Season to Christmas, synod staff are taking vacations at a variety of times. There will be no enews next week. But, staff members will cover the entire holiday break, in case you have problems. Please contact staff by cell phone or email. Synod to search for Director of Faith and Neighboring Practices Funded through a Lilly Foundation grant, the Director of Faith and Neighboring Practices will coach three cohorts of five congregations for two two-year cycles on faith and neighboring practices for the Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA. The goal is to increase the vitality of the congregation through deeper connection to God and better understanding how God is already at work in the communities surrounding the congregation. This person will be grounded in both spiritually-centered faith practices and faith-based community organizing methodology. Resumes due by January 4, 2021.   View full position description Angels calling “Following this summer's Uprising, I met a man who needed to get home from work, but public transit had been shut down to the area. A couple of clicks in a Facebook mutual aid group and five minutes later a neighbor arrived to give him a ride home. The next day, a woman explained that she was leaving an abusive partner and needed a place to stay. After trying all of the typical pathways into the systems that exist for these situations, we were at a dead end. Another few clicks on my phone and she had an offer of a place to stay with two women. It was magical. ” Meghan's blog

Leading with Love by getting real about debt Student loan debt, medical debt, credit card debt, predatory lending debt. If we’re going to transform the systems that financially enslave us, we’re going to have to start telling our stories and getting specific, even when we’d rather present like everything’s fine. Our debt impacts our health, our choices, and our ability to participate in financial stewardship the way we’d like to. The Church needs to be having this conversation.  Tuesday, December 15 9:30-10:30 a.m. The Church is well-positioned to be having this conversation. In this presentation we’ll practice sharing stories and hear from church leaders who have facilitated honest conversations about personal finances in their congregational ministry. Register for Leading with Love by getting real about debt

Leading with Love toward energy democracy

When we flip on the light switch, we don’t usually think about the complex webs of our energy use – from the actual crisscrossing wires of the grid to the choices we make individually and collectively that shape our energy systems. Beginning with demystifying this electrical web, we will learn how we can take our power back – literally. Thursday, January 7, 2021 2:00-3:00 p.m. Come to learn about what energy democracy looks like, and how you can be a part of building local solutions.

Register for Leading with Love toward energy democracy

New start congregations create Christmas cards Cristo Obrero, Amazing Grace Hmong Church, and Tapestry are three of the synod's multicultural, new start congregations. The youth of these three congregations worked together to create Christmas cards, available for purchase, as a fundraiser for their churches. Cards are six for $12 or a dozen for $22. (There are six different designs.) Payment can be made via Venmo @Cristo-Obrero; or a check can be made out to Christo Obrero and sent to: c/o Cross of Peace Lutheran 1506 Wood Duck Trail Shakopee, MN 55379 All proceeds from the sale of these cards support these three ministries. A hospital miracle Recharge is a one-day, multicultural, multi-denominational conference created to inspire and equip church staff and their volunteers serving in children and youth ministry. Regional participation means people from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota -- from 30+ denominations -- will attend. Saturday, January 9 - 9:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Online Keynote speakers include: Bob Goff, author of the New York Times bestselling Love Does and Everybody, Always and his latest book, Dream Big. Dr. Virginia Ward, dean of the Boston Campus and executive director of the Northeast Region of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Participants may attend up to three workshops on digital ministry, personal growth, or age-specific ministry. Register for Recharge

We are never alone "The room was spare and dimly lit. We sat on folding chairs in a circle—young Honduran women and some of us from the ELCA. We had come to Honduras to observe the work of AMMPARO (Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities). This is the ELCA’s strategy to help youth who have been forced to flee their home countries because of violence, abuse, extortion by gangs and extreme poverty. Amparo is the Spanish word for shelter or refuge. In this case, AMMPARO partnered with the Lutheran World Federation and the Mennonites to resettle returned migrants—those who had tried to seek asylum in the United States but had failed or had been denied and deported back to Honduras." The Christmas message in Spanish The Christmas message in English Empathy, young people, and being church Being Church is a weekly online gathering designed to provide encouragement and support for ELCA leaders across the church. This week, "Kate" and her pastor, Rev. John Gosswein of Family of Christ Lutheran, Kearney, Nebraska, will share about their congregation and the way members take young people and empathy seriously.  Wednesday, December 16 1:00-2:00 p.m. Empathy is simply listening and feeling what someone else is feeling. Young people today often simply want to be heard, they want to share what is happening in their lives with no judgement or critique, and they want a safe place to ask the tough questions like: Who am I? Where do I fit? What difference do I make? Why is this happening? Zoom link to join

It's not too late to send a "Good Gift"

Make a difference with your giving this holiday season. Support ELCA Good Gifts! During this year of global pandemic, consider giving a gift to people you don't even know in the name of people you love. Give a goat or piglet, pay school fees and a school uniform for a girl, or make a microloan to an entreprenuerial woman.

Support ELCA Good Gifts

YAGM applications now being accepted Applications are now being accepted for the ELCA's Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program for the 2021-2022 program year. Young adults ages 21 to 29 can apply for an international service year that will certainly shape your faith, career, identity, and understanding of how you fit into God's work in the world. A spirit of accompaniment drives this work with global companions. Apply for YAGM position Center for Addiction The Center of Addiction and Faith and the Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy (FRLC) are hosting a weekly 12-Step recovery gathering, offered at 7 p.m. , Central Time. All are welcome.  Zoom link to join

Where is the synod staff in upcoming weeks?

Meghan Olsen Biebighauser will be speaking virtually about the role faith communities can play in fighting predatory lending at the Consumer Federation of American's High Cost Lending Summit on January 7, 2021.

Upcoming Events

Leading with Love by Getting Real about Debt, December 15 Next Faithful Move LCM Winter Racial Justice Retreat, January 4-6, 2021 Leading with Love on Energy Democracy, January 7, 2021 Children's Ministry, 2020 is over, now what?, January 12, 2021 Empowering Communications Workshops for Clergy, January 18 or 22, 2021 Region 3 Discernment Event, March 9 and 16, 2021 Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly, April 23-24, 2021

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

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌