May 30, 2023

Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews

'God's Work. Our Hands.' to celebrate tenth anniversary

On Sunday, September 10, congregations of the ELCA will join together for an annual day of service. “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday began in 2013 in connection with the ELCA’s 25th anniversary. It continues to be an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the ELCA — one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.

As you explore opportunities to participate in your community, ELCA.org/DayofService has the resources you need to plan and promote your day:

• Planning tool kit
• Worship resources
• [NEW] Slides for projection screens or online worship
• Posters, postcards, and social media graphics
• Spanish-language resources
• Promotional banners
• Videos
• Special hymn text, sheet music, and recording

Old Lutheran has T-shirts and other items available for purchase. The deadline for ordering your congregation’s personalized T-shirts is August 18.

Don’t forget to share your congregation’s participation! Send stories and photos to LivingLutheran@elca.org so that together we can celebrate what God accomplishes through you.

Participate on social media using #GodsWorkOurHands. 

If your congregation cannot participate on September 10, you are welcome and encouraged to pick an alternate date that suits your schedule.

“God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday is an extension of the work congregations do every day to make their communities a better place. 

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!

Redeemer Center for Life to host community cookouts

Redeemer Lutheran Church and the Redeemer Center for Life will once again be hosting weekly community cookouts on Wednesdays from June 7 to August 2. In addition to food cooked on the spot, different community engagement opportunities will be available each week.

Wednesday, June 7 - August 2

6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Redeemer Lutheran Church

1800 Glenwood Avenue, Minneapolis

Also, save the date for the Redeemer Block Party on Saturday, August 12, from Noon to 6:00 p.m.

International Women Leaders scholars named

The fifth full class of International Women Leaders (IWL) scholars is graduating! The IWL program provides full-tuition scholarships to ELCA colleges and universities, as well as scholarships for advanced graduate studies and gender justice seminars. In the International Women Leaders Class of 2023, five scholars will earn their degrees.

The Class of 2023:

• Naomi Mbise, California Lutheran University; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
• Marta Ndimulunde, Lenoir-Rhyne University; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia
• Satta Sheriff, Wittenberg University; Lutheran Church in Liberia
• Asi Sitinjak, St. Olaf College; Huria Kristen Batak Protestan
• Mercy Zou, Augsburg University; Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church

Learn more about IWL

June as an intercultural month of learning truths

Over the next months, ELCA Churchwide will provide opportunities to learn the history and current realities of Indigenous people. This increased awareness carries the possibility of healing for both Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people. Some of these opportunities will be calls to individual action, and some will be activities that congregations and small groups can coordinate and participate in together.

• Consider reading a book written by a Native author and then hosting a discussion
• June 1 -- "Indian 101," by Vance Blackfox (online)
• June 7 -- "Native Nations: Standing Together for Civil Rights" (one-hour documentary)
• June 21 -- Panel presentation with the National Indian Lutheran Board
• June 23 -- Intro to the "Truth and Healing Movement," by Vance Blackfox

Participants in any of these activities are encouraged to post in social media, using the hashtags #TruthAndHealing and #ELCA.

For more information

• Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be leading a Ministry Site Profile review at Fabric, Minneapolis, on Sunday, June 4.
• Pastor Norma Malfatti will be installing Pastor Foy Christopherson at Mt. Carmel Lutheran, Minneapolis, 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 Grace Lutheran, Bloomington, on Sunday, June 4.
• Pastor Craig Pederson will also 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.
• Pastor Craig Pederson will be attending the farewll worship for Nikoli Falenschek at Redeemer Lutheran, Henderson, on Sunday, June 25.

• Courageous Leadership Webinars, Wednesdays
• Weekly Community Cookout, Wednesdays
• Convergencia/Convergence, June 4
• Cherish All Children Hybrid 5K, June 9-11
• Conversations With Friends, June 10
• Minneapolis Synod Senior Band, June 15
• Western States Youth Gathering, July 4-6
• Rostered Ministers Gathering, July 17-20
• The Naming Project Summer Camp for LGBTQ youth, July 23-28
• Redeemer Block Party, August 12
• Hearts * Hands * Voices, August 19
• Reclaim Gathering, September 14-17
• Bishop's Theological Conference, September 24-26
• Fall Joint Ministerium, October 26