These webinars are open to anyone passionate about ending hunger and eager to learn more. In each session, we will dive deeply into the topic, with presentations from ELCA World Hunger staff and partners with time for questions and conversation.
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We Are Invited into Silence
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminds us that spending time in silence is a spiritual discipline, a way of being in God’s presence. Read her October column from Living Lutheran in English at https://bit.ly/3jfr8dL and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/3n5x8ab.
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Check in with your Portico Regional Rep, Jennifer Prinz
Getting ready for Annual Enrollment, curious about Portico's new voluntary vision care benefit, or want to find out more about Target Date Funds or mental health resources? I can help! Sign up at the link below. Let me know if you'd prefer to videochat or talk over the phone, and I'll email you the day before with a quick reminder. Please take note: all times below are Central Standard Time. The sign up link can be found here with more dates and times to be added: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040b4ba4a722a02-check
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Faith Partners Leadership Training
The opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone struggling with addiction is often no farther away than the person who sits near us in the pew on Sunday morning—someone whose life is silently unraveling and who desperately needs us to reach out with an open heart. The faith community can be one of the principal healers of addiction and mental health issues.
Faith Partners has established a national presence resulting in over 1,000 trained congregational teams in 29 states from 23 different faith traditions.
What: Faith Partners Leadership Training provides an overview of this proven model and the opportunity to gain tools and strategies to build congregational support for this lay team ministry.
Who: 2-4 Congregational leaders including a pastor, staff, and laity. We suggest at least a pastor and lay person who can help initiate this ministry in their congregation attend.
When: Saturday, November 13th from 9:00-4:00 p.m. (central time).
Where: In-person participation will be held at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, 3611 N. Berens Road NW, Prior Lake, MN. Those out of state participate online.
Costs: The Leadership Training fee is $250/congregation and includes the training, toolkit including consultation ($75 value), set of three ministry guides, and workshop handouts.
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Fund A Investor Call — Quarter 3, 2021
Presented by the ELCA Foundation
Friday, Oct. 29 | 11:15 a.m. Central time
Zoom webinar
You will hear representatives from Graystone Consulting, the ELCA Foundation’s investment consultant, and from Grosvenor, investment manager for absolute-return funds within Fund A. A question-and-answer session will follow.
This invitation is open to all participants in Fund A and can be attended by one or more individuals representing your organization. Registration for this event is required.
Registration closes October 27.
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Promoting Planned Giving
Thursday, Nov. 11 | 12 p.m. Central time
Zoom webinar
A planned gift, or legacy gift, can be the most significant gift a donor makes to your congregation or organization — if you actually ask them to consider making the gift. But who might be a good planned-giving donor, and how should you invite them to consider this type of gift? Join the ELCA Foundation planned-giving team for this webinar and learn more about the common characteristics of planned-giving donors and about simple ways to promote planned giving within your congregation or organization.
Registration closes November 9.
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Advent Pilgrimage in Palestine is a four-week virtual pilgrimage from the ELCA’s Peace Not Walls and Young Adult Ministry teams featuring young adult voices from the ELCA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.
Join us this Advent Season on the WAY to Bethlehem: Prepare, Journey, Arrive, Witness
What is “the way to Bethlehem,” as Advent practice, and as Christian engagement in Palestine? What does it mean for us as Christians, and for the church, to be called to resist the injustice of “the way things are” in favor of following the disruptive and transformative way of the Lord? What does it mean for us to be “on the way”?
This resource is available to everyone, regardless of age. You can use this resource as an individual or as a leader for a group gathering during Advent.
Webinar on Nov 1: Interested in leading a group through this resource? Get tips and tricks and a sneak peek at the resource.
Opening Webinar on Nov 22: Join us as we kick-off the series.
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Join us for our 2021 Annual Meeting
Featuring Guest Speaker Jessica Kantrowitz
Starting Tuesday, December 7th
What happens at WCC's Annual Meeting?
The Annual Meeting includes our business meeting (hear updates on the Council's operations, vote for new members, etc), our plenary speaker, and workshops. This year, material typically covered in workshops will be spread throughout the week to allow for more participation and most events will be recorded so if you aren't able to attend them live, you can still listen and learn at a time better suited to you.
Where will the Annual Meeting be Held this year?
We will once again hold our Annual Meeting on Zoom, so you can access it from your home or office. A unique link will be sent for each session.
Who is invited to WCC's Annual Meeting?
Everyone is invited and there are two ways to attend.
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New Gifts Added!
Even in a year when the needs can seem overwhelming, ELCA Good Gifts provide an easy way to make a real impact. Your gifts share the love of Christ one goat, water well or school uniform at a time.
One of the best ways you can help is by sharing ELCA Good Gifts with your members.
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Let the Youth of Your Congregation Know about the Lutheran Summer Music Program
Lutheran Summer Music is a month-long music academy for high school students.
During our program, they
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participate in large ensembles (band, choir, orchestra) and chamber music;
- receive lessons on primary and secondary instruments; and
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enroll in electives such as chapel choir, church music, handbells, composition, jazz band, conducting, musical theatre, and more.
The daily schedule includes morning and evening prayer, classes, recreation
activities, and concerts by faculty and guest artists. It is a fantastic month of music-making and worship!
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Keep up with the latest news from the ELCA!
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Resource for congregations about the Boy Scouts of America. Find here.
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Endowment Team
- Jane Cahill Wolfgram, Synod Vice-President, Christ (DeForest, WI)
- Rev. Kristin Mueller, Christ Lutheran (Spring Green, WI)
Pastors and Congregations in our Synod
- Pastor Dan Bohlman and Members of Argyle-Apple Grove (Argyle, WI)
- Pastor Erich Hartenberger and Members of Barneveld Lutheran (Barneveld, WI)
Neighboring Synod
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Bishop Yehiel Curry - Metropolitan Chicago Synod
Members Elected to Churchwide Assembly
- Rev. Dan Gerrietts - Northeastern Iowa Synod
- Rev. Emily C. Hartner - North Carolina Synod
We give thanks at this time for the ministry of those who celebrate their anniversary of Ordination during this coming week:
- Duane Lokken, October 26, 1975 - Retired Pastor living in Prairie du Sac, WI dalokken@hotmail.com
- Paul Markquart, October 27, 1991 - On Leave From Call Pastor living in Oregon, WI pastorpaul@sjlserve.org
May these leaders continue to be blessed for service!
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Congregations In Transition |
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As always we would love for you to continue to share your news. If you have something you would like considered for publication in What Matters, send it to us via email to Stephanie Bill, Communications Manager at
stephanieb@scsw-elca.org. The deadline for consideration of inclusion in the current weeks e-newsletter is 12:00 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday.
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