June 21, 2021
Videography Project Intern
Please help us share the news! The Saint Paul Area Synod is hiring a videography project intern for the summer to preserve the voices and stories of some of the rostered ministers who have served the church for 50+ years. This is a great opportunity for someone to use their video projection skills and to gain experience with other communications projects. View the full job description. The anticipated starting date is July 1.
ELCA Youth Leadership Summit
The annual ELCA Youth Leadership Summit is coming to the Twin Cities this fall with a Nov. 4‐7 event in Minneapolis. The synod is able to send two high schoolers and an adult advisor to this event for which all expenses are paid. Applications from a three person team from your congregation (two youth and one adult) can be submitted to Bishop Lull via email at patricia.lull@spas-elca.org by Aug. 15, 2021. Application is very simple – names of three participants, contact information for adult advisor, and a 40-word essay expressing why your team should be the one to represent the Saint Paul Area Synod. Learn more. If you want to be an insider to some of the planning for the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering, spend a great weekend in Minneapolis, and meet youth leaders from across the country don’t let the Aug. 15 deadline slip by!

- Bishop Patricia Lull
Second Act Cohort Applications
In 2019, our synod was awarded a grant through the Thriving in Ministry Initiative of the Lilly Endowment. Applications for the Second Act Cohort (Round Two) will be accepted until Aug. 1! If you are a rostered minister in this synod with between 4-10 years of public ministry experience, you are eligible to apply! You can read more about our Lilly grant, including the Executive Summary of our grant proposal here. With questions, contact Program Director Anna Marsh at anna.marsh@spas-elca.org.

A Message from the Presiding Bishop:
A Deeply Spiritual Act
In her June/July column for Living Lutheran, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on what we’ve learned from the Apostle Paul about the deeply spiritual act of stewardship.

By the time Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, self-sufficiency meant not just having enough for oneself but having enough to give away to others. One could have all the wealth and power and status in the world, but if one didn’t share with others, that person was not self-sufficient. Contrast the rich young man who could give nothing away with the poor widow who gave everything. The rich young man went away grieving. The widow gave freely.…Stewardship is a deeply spiritual act. It moves us out of ourselves and toward the neighbor in need.

Read Bishop Eaton's full message in English or Spanish.
ELCA Youth Gathering Adult Leader Training
Tuesday, July 13 OR Thursday, July 15 | Online
If you're the main youth ministry leader at an ELCA congregation in the Minneapolis or Saint Paul Area Synods, you are invited to the first joint training session on the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering! Two sessions are available (attend just one):
  • Tuesday, July 13 - 2:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, July 15 - 7:00 p.m.

This is a great way to gather information, ask questions in real time, and learn about all things related to the ELCA Youth Gathering, which will be held July 24-28 right here in the Twin Cities. This training session is also a great way meet other youth ministry leaders in your area and hear their questions and excitements around the Gathering. Register to receive the Zoom link and so planners know to expect you! Questions? Contact SPAS Gathering Coordinator Tashina Good at sistertashina@shepherdshoreview.org.
World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe. It is observed annually on June 20 and honors the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

We invite you to read a joint letter that marks this observance from the ELCA and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS). You may also wish to view a new video update from the ELCA's strategy to Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities (AMMPARO).
Lutheran Night at Target Field
Monday, July 26 - 7:10 p.m. | Target Field, Minneapolis
Join your fellow Lutherans in cheering on the Minnesota Twins against the Detroit Tigers! Lutheran Night at Target Field is great for congregations and youth groups! A variety of seating options are available with tickets ranging from $17 to $37. Click here to order individual tickets; for group reservations of 20 or more, contact Brian Bessler at 612-659-4083 or brianbessler@twinsbaseball.com. Groups receive discounted tickets, a welcome message on the scoreboard and the opportunity to participate in the Lutheran Night National Anthem choir.
Connecting U of M Students to Lutheran Campus Ministry
Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) at the University of Minnesota is seeking help in connecting with students who will be arriving on campus in the fall. Under the leadership of Pastor Kate Reuer Welton, LCM wants to hear students' hopes and fears for returning to campus and how they imagine God might be part of their college experience. These conversations will shape and form ministry on campus in the coming months. To help, please complete a brief Gopher Referral Form. NOTE: a different request for referral of graduates to LCMs across the country will be coming later; this one is specific to the U of M for this summer.
Updated Guidance on Pandemic Protocols
Care-filled Worship and Sacramental Life in a Lingering Pandemic is a comprehensive update from the Ecumenical Protocols for Worship, Fellowship, and Sacramental Practices consultation. Incorporating the latest CDC guidance, this update informs decision making and basic practices of Christian worship and congregational life at this stage in the pandemic. The ELCA has been an ongoing partner in this consultation since the early days of the pandemic. The consultation included an ecumenical group of theologians, scientists, physicians, pastors, bishops and practitioners from seven church bodies. Download the guide here.
ELCA Youth Gathering Music Video
There's a fun and special opportunity for youth and young adults in the Minneapolis and St. Paul Area Synodsplease share with your young people!

The ELCA Youth Gathering is looking for a diverse group of youth and young adults (ages 14-22) to be part of the music video being produced for the 2022 Gathering theme song. Participants will be needed on Monday, July 19, 2021, for one to two hours in downtown Minneapolis in the late afternoon or early evening. All participants need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by July 19. Further details will be provided in the week leading up to the video shoot. A t-shirt will be provided to all who participate. Participants will also need to sign a media waiver and a COVID-19 travel waiver which will be provided in early July. Those interested and available should indicate their interest by filling out this form by June 30. Gathering staff will select individuals in early July and send notifications to all. 
ELCA Youth Gathering Volunteers
Volunteer applications are now being accepted for the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering in Minneapolis! There are three categories of volunteers:
  1. Gathering Volunteer Corps - may include ushering or assisting at mass gatherings, helping with interactive learning activities, directing foot traffic at the convention center, staffing the info booth or moving equipment. GVCs must be at least 19 years old or have been out of high school for one year and be able to commit for one week.
  2. Servant Companions - accompany congregational groups during their Service Learning day. Must be comfortable leading a group, thinking on their feet and speaking about their faith. Servant companions must be 19-30 years old at the time of the Gathering and commit for one week.
  3. Local Volunteers - for those in the Twin Cities area who want to be involved but can't commit to the full week. These volunteers must be at least 19 years old or out of high school for a year by the time of the Gathering.
For a detailed list of responsibilities and requirements or to apply, visit https://elca.org/Gathering/Volunteer. Applications close when they’ve hit capacity—so don’t wait!
EVENTS OF INTEREST
Reimagining Public Safety: Confronting the Problem of Policing
Tuesday, June 22 - 7 p.m. | Online
As we continue to confront patterns of police brutality and their impact on Black and African immigrant communities in the Twin Cities, what role should faith communities and their leaders play in ongoing efforts to ensure public safety for the most vulnerable? Presenters for this virtual dialogue include:
  • Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis, lead minister of Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis
  • Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN)
  • Rev. Nekima Levy Armstrong, JD, civil rights attorney-activist, scholar, and former Minneapolis mayoral candidate
  • Moderator: Rev. Dr. Gary F. Green II, assistant professor of pastoral theology and social transformation at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities

This event is sponsored by Plymouth Congregational Church of Minneapolis and United Theological Seminary in partnership with the Minnesota Council of Churches and the Hennepin History Museum. The suggested ticket price is $10, but donations of all sizes or none are accepted to ensure the event is accessible to everyone. Learn more and register.
Addiction, Grief & Loss Webinar
Thursday, June 24 - 11 a.m. | Online
So many of us have lost a friend, family member, or other loved one to addiction. That loss may have been slow or sudden but no matter how it happened, the sense of grief and loss is always deep. The ongoing stigma around addiction and overdose can make a difficult grieving process even harder and lonelier. Join Zoom for a panel discussion with those who have lost loved ones and learn how to support others who are grieving. Presenters are Kelli Nielsen, founder of The Grief Guru, and Gloria Englund, founder of Recovering U. The webinar is hosted by the Center of Addiction & Faith. Register.
Cherish All Children 2021 Virtual 5K
Friday, June 25-Sunday, June 27
Join us for the Cherish All Children 2021 Virtual 5K! In 2020, Cherish All Children reached more than 1,000 individuals, including 200 youth, to engage in prevention strategies that keep children and youth safe from sexual exploitation and trafficking. You can make a significant difference in supporting youth!
 
Head out solo or with friends and family to run or walk at a location you choose, enlisting others to sponsor your 5K. Learn more and sign up for this free event at cherishallchildren.org/race. You'll receive a Cherish All Children 5K race t-shirt as an important member of the fundraising team. If you’re unable to participate and would like to make a gift to support the work, visit donate.lssmn.org/Cherish5K. Thank you! Questions? Contact Joy McElroy at joy.mcelroy@cherishallchildren.org.
Community Video Hymn Sing Celebration
Saturday, July 24 - 2-4 p.m. | Raspberry Island, St. Paul
The Community Video Hymn Sing has been a virtual ministry offered by Elizabeth and Paul Damico-Carper since the start of the pandemic. Many of us have been comforted, encouraged and entertained by Elizabeth and Paul and their occasional guest musicians and we thank them for their online ministry over these many months. The daily livestream on Facebook helped people sing together when the COVID-19 pandemic kept us from physically singing together. To celebrate our society's collective emergence from the depths of the crisis and the return of some measure of communal singing, they are gathering outside to sing hymns and songs together on Raspberry Island in St. Paul.
 
Bring a blanket and a lawn chair, a hat, and some sunscreen. They'll provide a hymn-sing booklet, a dessert made by Shobi's Table and an afternoon of vibrant singing, prayer, and sharing. Donations can be made through the Eventbrite site or in person at the event (recommended donation of $10/person). Once administrative costs are met, all proceeds will benefit the ongoing food ministry of Shobi's Table. Register and/or make your donation. 
Women Church Leaders' Retreat
Monday, Aug. 16-Wednesday, Aug. 18 | Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center, Farmington
This retreat for women clergy and women working on staff in churches around the theme, "Women's Leadership in the Church: Ongoing Challenges and Unspoken Joys." Based on her books, SHE: Five Keys to Unlock the Power of Ministry and EMBODY: Five Keys to Leading With Integrity, the Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis will guide participants in discussing the opportunities and obstacles faced by women church leaders. How can we navigate lingering sexism and patriarchy as we return to a new normal? How can we be replenished and empowered for ministry? This retreat will focus on theological issues and practical strategies to embolden authentic and embodied leadership in the church today.

Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis is the Marbury E. Anderson chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary and an ELCA pastor. An accomplished author and widely-sought-after preacher and teacher, she also is the host of Working Preacher. Single occupancy cost: $500, double occupancy cost: $450, dorm room cost: $375. Fee includes two overnight stays, six meals, programming and activities, complimentary book, EMBODY: Five Keys to Leading with Integrity, use of amenities, and tax. Register here.
SYNOD STAFF PREACHING SCHEDULE
The Rev. Justin Grimm
  • June 27 - Elim, Scandia

Deacon Krista Lind
  • June 27 - Lakeview, Maplewood

Rolf Lowenberg-DeBoer
  • June 27 - Arlington Hills, St. Paul
The Saint Paul Area Synod, which includes 110 congregations and new mission starts,
is one of 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
www.spas-elca.org | 651-224-4313