May 16, 2023

Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews

ELCA to launch domestic service program for young adults

BREAKING ANNOUNCEMENT -- The ELCA is excited to announce a new program for Young Adults! The ELCA Young Adult Vocational Fellowship is an exciting program that offers young adults an amazing opportunity to discover their calling while gaining valuable professional experience. In partnership with new and existing year-long opportunities at ELCA affiliated ministries, participants are equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to explore their faith and vocational aspirations, all while receiving support from a network of peers and experienced ELCA coaches. The program is designed to prepare communities and ministry organizations to welcome new, young, and diverse leaders, paving the way for a more inclusive and dynamic future. Additionally, fellows receive competitive compensation and benefits, including access to mental health resources, relocation assistance, coaching, and a small group cohort.

The program has partnered with several sites for the 2023-2024 year, including The Dwelling, All Places Together, National Lutheran Communities & Services, Together Lab, Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp, The Hunger Advocacy Fellow Program, Building Resilient Communities with the ELCA Churchwide Organization, Pine Ridge Reconciliation Center, the Minneapolis Area Synod, and Capital University. This program truly embodies the ELCA's commitment to empowering young adults and building a brighter tomorrow.

For more information about the program and these partner sites, please visit http://www.elca.org/Vocational-Fellowship.

Convergencia/Convergence at St. Paul-San Pablo Lutheran

Join the members of St. Paul’s-San Pablo Lutheran Church for a community celebration and the big reveal of their exterior installation of community portraits from the series on “belonging” by photojournalist John Noltner. Over the past six months, congregants have been gathering portraits from members of our community and neighbors while asking: “Tell me about a time you felt a sense of belonging?” They have compiled 54 portraits and 13 will become 12-foot-high banners that will be installed on the exterior of the building facing 28th Street.

Sunday, June 4; 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.

St. Paul’s-San Pablo Lutheran Church



There will be free pizza and s’mores from Northern Fires, live music by Alma Andina, and more! The members at St. Paul’s-San Pablo look forward to celebrating with you and others!

ELCA Domestic Hunger Grants changes application process

The ELCA World Hunger program recently announced the application process for 2024 Domestic Hunger Grants. New to this year's process, the Churchwide Hunger staff request a Letter of Inquiry (LoI) by May 31 for congregations or organizations considering an application for a Domestic Hunger Grant. The LoI is a much simpler process, giving Churchwide staff the opportunity to offer feedback to applicants.

Here is the timeline:

• Letter of inquiry form open: May 1-31
• Letter of inquiry review period: June – July
• Response to the letter of inquiry (decline or accept): July 31
• Invited applicants to complete grant application in ELCA GrantMaker: Aug. 1-31
• Review and correspondence between ELCA World Hunger staff and grant applicants on proposal: August – November
• Award notifications shared to applicants: November
• Grant agreements signed and publicly announced: February 2024
• 2024 Domestic Hunger new grants start date: March 1

ELCA Domestic Hunger Grants are awarded to ELCA congregations or organizations, or to other nonprofits with significant connections to ELCA congrgations. These are three-year grants up to $10,000 per year. In 2023, 53 groups across the 65 synods were awarded Domestic Hunger Grants. No applicants for the Minneapolis Area Synod received grants for the 2023 award year.

Cherish All Children Hybrid 5K

Join this fun event to support Cherish All Children’s mission to prevent child sexual exploitation. Walk or run at a time and location that works for you, or meet up with church and community partners Sunday, June 11, 11:30 a.m., at Victory Memorial Parkway (4499 Victory Memorial Drive, Minneapolis).

Friday- Sunday, June 9-11

Location of your choice,

or Victory Memorial Parkway

If you have questions, contact Joy McElroy.

Groundswell: Learning from the faith and neighorboring practioners

The MAS Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices and Augsburg’s Riverside Innovation Hub have been on a parallel learning journey these past two years, and on June 3, learning communities and congregants are coming together to share in the learnings from their time with these programs. And we’d love for you to join us!  

Groundswell is intended to remind us that across the church there is a movement back into the neighborhood, trusting that God is up to something and inviting us to participate. This event will be hosted at Augsburg University.

Saturday, June 3  

8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.  

Registration is open until May 17 at the link below. Leadership in both of these programs is looking forward to celebrating our time together and the Groundswell that is emerging in churches across the country. 

ELCA Young Adult Ministries focuses on Farm Bill

The ELCA Advocacy Team and the ELCA Young Adult Ministries teams are partnering to host two young adult-focused Farm Bill Listening Sessions. The farm bill is an expansive piece of legislation that has implications on conservation, poverty, race, education, the economy, and far beyond. These are things that many young adults care deeply about. Further, young adults are the future inheritors and stewards of this land and their stake in this bill must not be overlooked.

Tuesday, May 23; Noon, CST

Thursday, May 25; 7:00 p.m., CST

Online

These sessions will be an opportunity to engage with and to equip young adults to use their voices to advocate for themselves and communities they care about. 

Learn more and register

• Pastor Norma Malfatti will be preaching at Christ Memorial Lutheran, Plymouth, on Sunday, May 21.
• Pastor John Hulden will be participating in the Thanksgiving for the Conclusion of a Call for Pastor Brice Eichlersmith at Oak Grove Lutheran, Richfield, on Sunday, May 21.
• Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be ordaining Leif Johnson at Mount Olive Lutheran, Minneapolis, on Wednesday, March 24. Once ordained, Leif Johnson will be serving Bethany Lutheran, Howard, South Dakota.
• Pastor Craig Pederson will be attending the farewell worship for Pastor Shawna Day at Minnehaha Communion Lutheran, Minneapolis, on Sunday, May 28.
• Pastor Norma Malfatti will be installing Pastor Foy Christopherson at Mt. Carmel Lutheran, Minneapolis, on Sunday, June 4.
• Pastor Craig Pederson will be preaching and leading worship at Grace Lutheran, Bloomington, on Sunday, June 4.
• Pastor John Hulden will participate in the dedication of the remodeled sanctuary at Elk River Lutheran, Elk River, on Sunday, June 4.
• Pastor Craig Pederson will be preaching and leading worship at Spirit of Christ Lutheran, St. Louis Park, on Sunday, June 4.
• Pastor John Hulden will be installing Pastor Karen Wight Hoogheem and Pastor LisaMarie Doermann at Lord of Life Lutheran, Maple Grove, on Sunday, June 11.

• Courageous Leadership Webinars, Wednesdays
• Festival of Homiletics 2023, May 15-18
• Building for Today, Building for the Future, May 16
• Holding onto Hope, May 16
• Synod Organizing Celebration Event, May 20
• Convergencia/Convergence, June 4
• Cherish All Children Hybrid 5K, June 9-11
• Western States Youth Gathering, July 4-6
• Rostered Ministers Gathering, July 17-20
• The Naming Project Summer Camp for LGBTQ youth, July 23-28
• Reclaim Gathering, September 14-17
• Bishop's Theological Conference, September 24-26