• Pastor R. Brooks Anderson, retired in Duluth
• Oak Lake Lutheran, Kerrick, Trinity Lutheran, Bruno, and Mr. Nathan Anderson, SAM
• Hope Lutheran, Toivola and Mr. Michael Anderson, SAM
• St. Peter's Lutheran, Canyon, St. John's Lutheran, Saginaw, and Mr. Larry Anderson, SAM

Online Evangelical Mission

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I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. - John 6:51

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Last week I was able to attend the ELCA Worship Jubilee in Atlanta, Georgia. Aside from being held in the deep south in the middle of the summer, it was a very enjoyable and encouraging event. During the Jubilee, we participated in daily worship in a variety of styles and formats and we heard from a great mix of speakers, including our Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Southwest California Synod's Bishop Guy Erwin, and Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. Here's a link to her sermon from Thursday's Holy Communion: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nadiabolzweber/2015/07/sermon-on-the-feeding-of-the-5000-preached-for-pastors-musicians-and-church-leaders/

A recurring theme of this event was the Lutheran Reformation and its upcoming 500 year  commemoration. We were reminded how Luther and the other reformers were rather "wordy" people. Not only were they focused on the Word, but on words ... lots and lots of words. If you have a set of Luther's Works taking up a few levels of a bookcase somewhere in your library, you understand. This emphasis on words is especially noted in our attention to preaching and teaching.

Many of our presenters, all of whom were no stranger to wordiness themselves, made an important observation: in our focus on sermons and lectures and studies and forums, we must realize that what people are longing for is an experience with the mystery of God in sacred space, liturgical action, beautiful music and sacramental participation. In one presentation, Pr Maggi Dawn talked about our modern desire for "magic," noting the popularity of the Harry Potter phenomenon. "Magic," she meant - not in the hocus-pocus of spells and flying broomsticks - but in the communal and liturgical experience of grace that is undefinable yet really "real."

I love John chapter 6 because Jesus is talking about this very thing - difficult to understand, or perhaps impossible to understand - and yet, it connects us to him - and to one another. The miracle of the real presence, never fully explained, is what draws so many people to worship.

How do we as presiders and worship planners and council members make sure that our Holy Communion is just that - a holy communion - and not simply a hurried recitation of the words of institution? How might we help people experience the liturgy of the meal as more than an occasional addition to the liturgy of the word? Can we leave room in our worship for the mystery of the Bread of Life to feed us?

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Pastor John Dietz

Assistant to the Bishop

Director for Evangelical Mission

john.dietz@nemnsynod.org

From our Presiding Bishop

No secrets here. In her August column for The Lutheran, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton says rumors and politics on three issues before the ELCA are at odds with true discernment. There are no schemes, she says, just time and space for a process of talking together, praying together and listening together as a church-time for discernment.

Read her column at http://www.thelutheran.org/article/article.cfm?article_id=12681

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The hard but undeniable fact of deeply embedded racism in American society has come to the fore in painful ways this past year through high-profile occurrences of racial discrimination, hatred and violence - including racially motivated killings. As Lutheran Christians, what should be our response and witness? As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, how are we called to confront the sin of racism?

Through our church's social statement - "Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture" - the ELCA collectively has expressed its calling to confront racism and advocate for justice and fairness for all people. You can read this social statement here. In addition, I have made several public statements on behalf of the church recently on this subject. Those statements are available here.

God's intention for all humanity is that we see the intrinsic worth, dignity and value of all people. Racism undermines the promise of community and fractures authentic relationships with one another. As Christians, though, we live in the conviction that the church has been gathered together in the joyful freedom of the reign of God announced by and embodied in Jesus. That reign has not come in its fullness, but the message of God's "yes" to the world breaks down all dividing walls as we live into that promise

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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WEBCAST EVENT - AUGUST 6

CHICAGO (ELCA) - In an effort to continue understanding the complexity and implications of racism, the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), invites the 3.8 million member church to participate in a live webcast Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. (CDT).

William B. Horne II, a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Clearwater, Fla., and a member of the ELCA Church Council, will serve as host. Eaton and Horne will have an on-camera conversation about the church's efforts in defining and confronting racism, advancing racial justice and more.

"Talking about race and racism is hard work for most of us," said Horne. "Our Christian witness compels us to confront our sinfulness in all forms from within and outside of ourselves. It is more beneficial if we do it together."

Eaton said the webcast conversation serves in part as "a call to action" to guide members' efforts to address "the sin of racism."  "We are part of the body of Christ, and we belong to each other. As part of the body of Christ, we need to examine how we live in relationship with one another," said Eaton.

In several public statements, the ELCA presiding bishop has called for deep conversations about racism and racial justice, particularly in response to several events across the United States, including Charleston, S.C; Baltimore; and Ferguson, Mo.

"God's intention for all humanity is that we see the intrinsic worth, dignity and value of all people. Racism undermines the promise of community and fractures authentic relationships with one another. We need to talk and we need to listen, but we also need to act," Eaton said in a June 24 statement.

"Each of us and all of us need to examine ourselves, our church and our communities. We need to be honest about the reality of racism within us and around us," said Eaton in a June 18 statement in response to the shooting in Charleston that killed nine people. Local authorities called the killings racially motivated.

Information about the webcast is available at www.ELCA.org/webcast, where a link to the live webcast will be embedded. A live stream also will be available at www.Facebook.com/Lutherans. Twitter handle is #ELCAConfrontRacism. ELCA members are invited to submit a question to be considered during the live webcast at livinglutheran@elca.org.  

PV for Phebe - Solar August

Solar August has arrived, so consider having a conversation with your friends and family about how you will be joining in the celebration of this life-giving and life-saving ministry next month! Are you a Thrivent Financial customer? You can direct your Thrivent Choice dollars to RREAL to support Phebe! Check out  https://www.thrivent.com/making-a-difference/living-generously/thrivent-choice/ for more information on this giving opportunity. Have you downloaded the Solar August Giving Calendar yet? Find this fun way to give (and think) a little every day of August and raise up to $50 for renewable energy at Phebe on the Resources page at www.SkipTheGrid.org. Or take the Killowatt Challenge! Powering Phebe costs roughly $0.66 per kW/hr. The PV for Phebe project aims to reduce that by 1/3. Consider challenging others to donate $66 to power for Phebe for 100 hours - or match their August electric bill! 

P.S. Let your pastor know that additional texts and hymns are now available online on the Resources page at www.SkipTheGrid.org to help with worship service planning for the entire month of August!

Taylor Stevenson

RREAL Program Development Specialist

Marriage Retreat

August 30 - September 1

Clearwater Forest, Brainerd Lakes Area

Cost: $200/couple rostered in NE MN Synod; $300/couple for non-rostered participants

Presenter: Pastor Ron Hunt

brochure available on synod website: www.nemnsynod.org/events.html

Jesus' Teachings on Love

August 22 - 9:00 am - 7:00 p.m.

Click here for more information

Congregational Learning Event: 

September 15

Equip a team from your congregation to use Discipleship Challenge and Practice Discipleship resources in your congregation's ministries. These resources are useful for your entire congregation - not just youth ministry! Contact Catherine Anderson at catherine.anderson@nemnsynod.org or 218-724-4424

Fall Theological Conference

"Living in the Promise of the Holy Spirit"

September 27-29, 2015

Ruttger's Sugar Lake Lodge

Registration materials will be mailed to rostered leaders and posted on the synod website this summer: www.nemnsynod.org

Speaker: Lois Malcolm, Professor of Systematic Theology at Luther Seminary

Youth Ministry Events

Middle School Gathering:

November 20-21 OR 21-22, 2015

Grades 6-9: Cragun's Resort, Brainerd

Cardia Deo: March 4-6, 2016

Grades 9-12: Big Sandy Camp, McGregor

Registration packets will be mailed in August and posted online at www.nemnsynod.org/youth

Important Tax Rules

Some sponsoring employers reimburse their employees for the cost of health care coverage purchased outside an employer-sponsored group health plan, or for out-of-pocket health care expenses. If the reimbursements are not part of a group health plan as defined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), such as a health reimbursement account (HRA) or health flexible spending account (FSA) plan, these employers are subject to tax penalties if they continue these reimbursements.

Portico recommends that sponsoring organizations take advantage of our bundled benefits plan, which includes tax-advantaged health accounts such as an FSA, HRA, or health savings account (HSA).

• We offer a bundled benefits plan, which includes health, retirement, disability, and life insurance, in accordance with the ELCA Philosophy of Benefits. https://myportico.porticobenefits.org/AboutUs/OrganizationalInformation/ELCAPhilosophyOfBenefits
• When you provide ELCA benefits through Portico, you can be assured that the benefits you're providing are in compliance with the ACA.
• When you sponsor your employees in ELCA benefits, you must sponsor them in all of the benefits as part of the bundled plan.
• Your sponsored employees must enroll in ELCA health benefits, unless they're eligible to waive health coverage. If sponsored employees don't have a valid waiver and do not enroll in ELCA health benefits, their participation in the entire bundled plan will end.

 Considerations

• This rule applies to reimbursements, whether for insurance premiums or for out-of-pocket medical expenses, which must also must be reported to the IRS as taxable income for the employee.
• This rule also applies to reimbursement for premiums for Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D.

 Potential Penalties

• If you don't meet the exceptions and continue with reimbursements, the IRS may assess your organization $100 per employee, per day, per violation.

 Exceptions

• Employers contributing to coverage for only one employee are exempt from the penalty.
• Employers reimbursing employees for only stand-alone accident, dental-only, and vision-only plans are exempt from the penalty.
• Contributions to your employees' ELCA health savings accounts (HSA) are exempt from the penalty, because it is part of the ELCA health plan.

View IRS Notice 2013-54 LINK http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-13-54.pdf for more details about the exceptions and penalties.

Note: Portico Benefit Services cannot give tax advice. If you have specific questions, please consult your tax advisor or payroll vendor.