World Food Day is annually celebrated in honor of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. FAO was founded in 1945 and this year's observance on Oct. 16 marks the 75th anniversary. People from 150 countries celebrate World Food Day to spread awareness and promote action for those who live with hunger and show support for ending hunger worldwide. World Food Day programming encourages better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life.

The theme for World Food Day 2021 is “Grow, nourish, sustain. Together. Our actions are our future.” A 16-page brochure giving an overview of FAO’s work with countries and other partners to make our agricultural and food systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. Download it here.

Global Minnesota is sponsoring a World Food Day virtual symposium on Friday, Oct. 15, beginning at 9 a.m. The event is free and is described as: “The day will include presentations from leading international, national, and local experts on the impacts of climate change, global conflict, and COVID-19 on the world’s agri-food system and the transformation needed to create a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food future for the world.” Learn more and register.

Vernita Kennen

Incarnation, Shoreview

You may also observe World Food Day by participating in an ELCA World Hunger benefit featuring Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and guidebook author/travel TV host Rick Steves. Special guests include the Rev. David Beckmann, who is being honored for his lifelong service to end hunger; the Rev. Rebel Hurd; Willie and Anne Langdji; and the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla. There will also be performances by Rachel Kurtz, Peter Mayer and the St. Olaf Choir. As a church, we remain focused on supporting our neighbors near and far as the pandemic continues disrupting and impacting lives. At this event, you will learn about the ways ELCA World Hunger is responding. Register today.

Active rostered ministers are invited to attend our 2021 Bishop's Theological Conference, currently planned as an in-person event with a multitude of safe practices. Our keynote speaker is Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of The United Methodist Church, who will help us set our sights on the future for clergy vitality and resilience. Registrations are due by the end of the week if you plan to attend!

Next summer about 30,000 high school youth and their leaders will converge on the Twin Cities for the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering! The planners are seeking congregations and other organizations to partner with for service learning (volunteer) opportunities on July 25, 26 and 27, 2022.

These short volunteer opportunities could be indoor or out...think of projects such as painting, creating a rain garden or canvassing the neighborhood. It could be solely for your congregation or a project shared with community partners!

Click here for more details and be sure to complete the Church Project Interest Form by Oct. 1. Submission of the form doesn't obligate your congregation to participate but allows for the start of a conversation. Questions? Email Service Learning Project Manager Kris Bjorke or The Church Project Manager Jenny Aleckson.

In the September issue of Living Lutheran, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on the early church, which brought together two distinct peoples. She reminds us that we can’t dissolve our bond as the body of Christ, despite our differences.

Read Bishop Eaton's full message in English or Spanish. 

Through interactive learning, the Saint Paul Area Synod will help your congregation's leadership team:

Congregations should send a pastor and a small group of lay leaders from outreach/evangelism committees or church council (max of 6-8 people). Vaccinated, mask-wearing participants are welcome! There’s no cost to attend, but please register so we know who to expect! Click here to download a PDF to share.

Studies indicate that between 3-5% of all firearm homicides are the result of mental illness. In Minnesota, 79% of gun deaths are suicide by gun. A typical mass murderer is described as isolated, lacking in social support, bears a grudge, is angry and externalizes blame. Yet the vast majority of people diagnosed with psychiatric disorders do not commit violent acts. How are we to understand the relationship between mental health and gun violence that can help us create a more gun safe environment?

This Zoom conversation is offered by ENGAGE: Lutherans for Gun Violence Prevention, a public witness work group of the Saint Paul Area Synod, in partnership with Protect Minnesota. Our event hosts are Pastors Rolf Olson and Ron Letnes.

For rostered ministers in the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Area Synods. Near the end of 2020, Martin Luther’s words on how to respond to a pandemic as a person of faith went viral. His “Whether One May Flee From a Deadly Plague” didn’t feel nearly 500 years old. Just as he spoke to his community during an outbreak of the bubonic plague in Wittenburg in 1527, his writing hits close to home today as we attempt to serve the church faithfully during this COVID-19 pandemic.

While much uncertainty still colors our daily lives and our comings and goings, we are grateful for the gifts of vaccination and public health guidance that provide opportunities for us to come together for a ministerium this fall, to learn more deeply about what our tradition and its founder have to offer us as leaders. We will gather for worship and learning. The Rev. Dr. Anthony Bateza, a theologian with a deep knowledge of Martin Luther and Associate Professor of Religion at St. Olaf College, will be our guide.

Our synod's Women of the ELCA is gathering for a soup luncheon and panel discussion. Members of the Advocates for Racial Equity (ARE) work group will help facilitate ways for the group and our congregations to engage in the critical task of becoming more anti-racist. Click here to download the flyer. A freewill offering will support the efforts of ARE. Register by emailing tricia.niesche@gmail.com.

After providing "Worship in the Home" resources since the spring of 2020, ELCA Worship is offering a new weekly online resource, "Prompts for Prayers of Intercession." These brief posts will suggest national and world events and concerns that prayer writers might consider as they prepare for worship. These prompts will be posted on the ELCA Worship Blog each Wednesday in preparation for the upcoming Sunday.

The apostle Paul calls us to pray without ceasing. The intercessions are one way to pray that looks to the needs of the whole world. The hope in these new prompts is that we are open to those needs, perhaps ones you’ve not thought of. Of course, worship leaders know the local needs that need to be expressed in their worshiping community. While these “prompts” can be very contextual in terms of time, local leaders can contextualize as needed for place. Wherever you worship, these prompts can be a springboard for the important question: “For what else shall we pray?”

We love sharing stories of the synod! Send a brief description and any photos to communications@spas-elca.org!

Stephen Ministries St. Louis is now training ministry leaders through a live, interactive online training experience. The Bridge Leader's Training Course (BLTC) fully trains pastors, staff and volunteers to lead Stephen Ministry in their own congregations. The training is delivered on Zoom to cohorts of 20 people, led by two instructors. Each session uses a variety of teaching methods (presentation, small- and whole-group discussions, skill practice, videos, etc.). The course consists of 10 sessions held twice weekly for five weeks or once weekly for 10 weeks.

Since the initial cohort in July of 2020, more than 1,000 individuals have completed the training from the convenience of their home or office and are now serving as Stephen Leaders. Stephen Ministry is a lay caring ministry used by thousands of congregations in more than 30 countries. Stephen Ministers are matched with hurting people in the congregation and community, providing one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people experiencing a wide range of life difficulties. Learn more.

Iringa Hope, an affiliate of our Bega Kwa Bega partnership with the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania, seeks to improve the local economy and living conditions for families in Tanzania, Africa. We gather to celebrate that its Microfinance Institute has provided training and support for 10+ years to improve the lives of smallholder farmers and business owners! Social time begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by a buffet dinner at 6:15 and a program at 7:30. The program includes a performance by the Minnesota Swahili Christian Congregation Choir. Tickets are $40 per person or $320 for a table of eight. Registration closes on Oct. 15. Learn more and register.

For the past 26 years, Valparaiso University has selected two Lutheran students from among the best high school leaders in the country to enter a unique program. The Lutheran Leader program offers a full-tuition scholarship and membership in a select cohort of up to eight interns who gain experience and mentoring in leadership throughout their college years. Church leaders are invited to make nominations until Dec. 15, 2021. Nominated students will then receive an invitation to apply to the university and submit their application material for the scholarship. Click here to submit a nomination. For more information, download the brochure.

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