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October 11, 2022
Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews
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“Voices United, Embracing the Future” | |
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The Minnesota Council of Churches has served the faith communities of this state for 75 years. To mark this important time, a special celebration will be held laster this month, with African Methodist Episcopal Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie was the preacher. In addition to being the first woman elected bishop in the AMEChurch, she is the President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches.
Saturday, October 15
1:00-3:30 p.m. (light reception to follow)
Shiloh Temple International Ministries
1201 West Broadway Avenue North, Minneapolis
For more information or to RSVP
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Meet your new Portico regional representative | |
After nearly a decade serving the ELCA as a Portico Regional Representative, Deacon Terri Endres put into practice much of what she’s been teaching and entered retirement. Starting October 3, our synod’s new Regional Rep will be Pastor Tim Schroeder. Tim most recently served at Peace Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and as a senior admissions counselor at Luther Seminary.
While the Portico Customer Care Center (800-352-2628) remains the primary point of contact for benefit questions and processes, Portico’s Regional Reps provide education, encouragement, and a personal connection.
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Recent survey finds cautious optimism in
synod congregations
| “At the 2022 Bishop’s Theological Conference recently held near Brainerd, attendees were invited to participate in a brief survey to ‘take the temperature’ of synod congregations. After three years of pandemic, social unrest in response to systemic racism, and economic disruptions, congregations and their leaders continue to adapt to evolving challenges. Now, most churches are returning to ‘normal’ fall ministry programming, providing an opportunity to gauge how leaders are feeling about the months ahead.” | | |
Join in the World Food Day celebration | |
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Join ELCA World Hunger for a celebration of World Food Day, hosted by Rick Steves and special guest Mark Jansen, CEO of Blue Diamond Almonds. This special event will be streamed online so you can celebrate with ELCA World Hunger wherever you are!
When: Sunday, October 16, 4:00 p.m., Central time
Where: ELCA Facebook page and ELCA YouTube channel
RSVP is not required; simply visit the Facebook or YouTube page to attend. Facebook and YouTube accounts are not required. And, if you can’t stream it live, the recording will be available on Facebook and YouTube after the event is over.
Questions? Contact hunger@elca.org.
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Plan online fundraiser using ELCA Good Gifts catalog | |
Augsburg Fortress offers Advent, Christmas resources | |
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ELCA World Hunger is once again offering its Good Gifts catalog ... because people demand it! Congregational members are finding that replacing oppulent Christmas spending with more meaningful gifts that save lives is becoming ever more popular.
WHether you organize a special informational event or simply promote the program with members, ELCA World Hunger provides all needed materials and digital tools. Can ELCA World Hunger count on your participation?
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Families Celebrate Advent & Christmas is a colorful deck of cards that is full of rituals, prayers and reflections. Endlessly flexible for busy schedules, you can create a new after-meal ritual, use them as decorations, or carry them on the go. Explore the entire season from Advent to Christmas through Epiphany. These make a great gift for families in congregations.
A free promotional pack is available to help congregational leaders best use Families Celebrate Advent & Christmas in congregations or small groups. This pack includes postcards, labels to edit and put on card packs, and more.
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White church truths conference | |
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In order to work for racial justice, there are truths that must be faced, even about the faith practiced in most Minnesota churches. At the White Church Truths conference, attendees will face the truths hidden in their own beliefs and open their eyes more clearly to the future – and their role in it.
Dr. Michael Emerson, professor and department head of sociology at the University of Illinois Chicago, will be keynote speaker. He is the author of 15 books, including his latest The Grand Betrayal: The Agonizing Story of Religion, Race, and Rejection in American Life, which will be published next year.
Saturday, November 5: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis
In the U.S. today, an entire religion has developed around the worship of the dominance, centrality, privilege, and assumed universality of being white, offers Dr. Michael O. Emerson. Panelists Felicia Boone, DEI consultant for Hennepin County; Rev. Kelly Sherman-Conroy (Lakota), Native theologian; and Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis, lead pastor at Plymouth Congregational Church, will offer panel responses.
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New resource for
young people on
healthy relationships
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Cherish All Children’s Safe & Healthy Relationships Youth Guide resource is being used with Confirmation classes and High School youth groups across the state, engaging youth in lively and important conversations to keep themselves safe.
New Family Follow-up Resources aid parents and caregivers in continuing these conversations at home, offering support for raising children into safe and healthy friendships and dating relationships. Youth and families will better understand:
- Healthy relationship qualities and how God intends for us to love one another
- Signs of unhealthy or unsafe relationships, whether in person or online
- How sharing of sexual photos can easily spread and where to go for support if needed
- How vulnerabilities can lead to exploitation and how youth’s strengths and a support network can help protect them
Youth leaders, pastors, church leaders, and other supportive adults can bring these important conversations into their faith community this education season!
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Support hurricane relief efforts | |
"For we are what [God] has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God Prepared beforehand to be our way of life." (Ephesians 2:10)
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida yesterday with near Category 5-strength winds, dumping record amounts of rain and causing catastrophic flooding. Hurricane Ian bore down through Florida today and is expected to make landfall again in the Carolinas. Early reports indicate the potential for a substantial loss of life. Ian, as predicted, is one of the worst hurricanes to hit the United States in decades.
Gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response make it possible for the ELCA to act quickly after disasters, whenever and wherever they strike. Can disaster survivors count on your support?
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Architecture and its effect
on faith interactivity
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ELCA shares new guides
for inter-religious ministry
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On October 20, 2022, at 12:00 p.m., Dr. Marilyn J. Chiat and Dr. Jeanne Halgren Kilde will speak on “Remembering and Restoring the Past to Ensure the Future: Religious Sites of Minneapolis and St. Paul.”
The speakers will consider the question: “What do the histories of, and the continued research on, various local congregations and houses of worship in Minneapolis-St. Paul teach us about how communities are created, relationships are built, and how inter- and intra-congregational interactions are lived out?”
This program centers around Chiat and Kidle’s partnerships with historic North Minneapolis congregations and will show how historical and architectural research can bring leaders across lines of religious and ethnic differences to revitalize historic religious houses in our region.
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At the end of September, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminded constituents that it is the duty of the ELCA to “live out our baptismal vocation among people of different religions and worldviews.”
In 2019, Churchwide Assembly declared to extend “God’s love, grace, mercy, and justice to all those who are made in the image of God and to the whole of creation.” In light of this, Presiding Bishop Eaton shared two new guides with the Church that will provide guidance and explore challenging topics to continue to fulfill that declaration.
Linked below are the new guides, as well as other ELCA inter-religious resources to help constituents live into their commitments.
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National Lutheran Choir's
All Saints Concert
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Leaders of the National Lutheran Choir (NLC) believe that sacred choral music should be available to everyone, everywhere. That’s why it offers a virtual subscription! Join the NLC this year as a Virtual Subscriber no matter where you live to enjoy periodic content delivered directly to your email inbox all season long. Videos you can expect as a Subscriber include performance sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes glimpses, interviews with musical experts, reflections from its director, and more!
Do you know somene else who may also like a virtual subscription? You can gift them one! You can give anyone, anywhere the gift of the NLC for the entire season, a great birthday or Christmas gift for the sacred music lovers in your life.
To see a Virtual Installment sample, learn more about the subscription, purchase yours, or learn how to gift one, visit NLCA.com/Virtual-Subscriptions.
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Beacon Interfaith Housing on stage | |
A Prairie Homeless Companion is a parody of the well-known radio show A Prairie Home Companion. In zAmya’s version, local residents challenge the show’s idyllic portrayal of life in greater Minnesota with real stories of hardship and resilience around affording rent.
Friday, October 14; 7:00 p.m.
Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran
3611 North Berens Road NW
Prior Lake
This performance is hosted by Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. Beacon brings diverse faith communities together around a shared commitment to the vision that all people have a home. Together all can work toward solutions that are as big as the problem.
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As Reformation Day approaches, look to Augsburg Fortress | |
Where is the synod staff in upcoming weeks? | |
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Pastor Norma Malfatti will be conducting a ministry review, along with the Mission Table, of St. Olaf Lutheran, Minneapolis, on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16.
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Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be installing Pastor Jen Collins at Redeemer Lutheran, Minneapolis, on Sunday, October 16.
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Pastor Craig Pederson will be attending the farewell for Pastor Sara Moat at Gethsemane Lutheran, Hopkins, on Sunday, October 16.
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Pastor Norma Malfatti will be preaching at Messiah Lutheran, Minneapolis, on Sunday, October 16.
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Pastor Norma Malfatti will be attending the farewell for Pastor Marissa Sotos at Tree of Life, Minneapolis, on Sunday, October 23.
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Ms. Emilie Bouvier will be preaching and leading an adult forum at Woodlake Lutheran, Richfield, on Sunday, October 23.
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Courageous Leadership Webinars, Wednesdays
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Youth Ministry Gathering, October 11
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A Celebration of Community: Lutheran Campus Ministry, October 13
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Joint Fall Ministerium, October 27
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Boundaries Training, November 3
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Growing Through Grief, November 5
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Youth Ministry Gathering, November 8
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Southwestern Minnesota Synod Boundaries Training, November 9
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Southwestern Minnesota Synod Boundaries Training, November 10
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Annual Johnson Symposium, November 11-12
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Youth Ministry Gathering, December 13
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2023 Synod Assembly, April 28-29, 2023
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