Oct. 26,
2016


Synod E-News

FEATURED NEWS & EVENTS FeaturedNews
A Letter from Bishop Narum related to events at Standing Rock
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and others including 4 synodical bishops, rostered leaders, and lay people traveled to Western North Dakota earlier this week to listen to voices in our communities related to the situation on Standing Rock.  Attached is a letter from Bishop Narum, who joined them for their time with us.  You are invited to read his letter and join in prayer.
A Letter from Bishop Narum
Dishin' with the Bish
It's the last Dishin' with the Bish of the Season! Synod Staff are getting ready to hit the road. Join us for Morning Coffee featuring Grandma's Kuchen from Ashley, ND and  traditional Lutheran hotdishes at our evening stop.  Join us for good food, Bible study, a short presentation, and conversation.   
 
Oct. 27
    10:00 AM  Morning Coffee @ Calvary Lutheran Church, Lemmon
      5:30 PM   Dinner @ St. John Lutheran Church, Killdeer
Small Town and Rural Ministry Event, Oct. 29
Western North Dakota Synod will be teaming up with Eastern North Dakota Synod to sponsor and event with Rev. Dr. Mark Yackel-Juleen, the Director for Small Town and Rural Ministry at Wartburg Seminary.  If you are part of ministry in a Small Town, rural or multipoint setting this event is for you!  Join us for a day of exploring what might be needed for leaders as we anticipate changes in multipoint/rural parish ministry.
Location: English Lutheran Church, Medina, ND
Cost: $30 per person if registered by Oct. 20, $40 per person after Oct. 20
Learn More 

Join Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and ELCA Lutherans from across the country for Ecumenical and Interreligious Witness on the Eve of the Reformation Anniversary this week,
Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. CDT. As Lutherans, we have 499 years of history, but on this day we will explore:
  • What was the Reformation, and what does it mean for Lutherans and ecumenical partners?
  • What is "Declaration on the Way," and why is it significant for Lutheran-Catholic relations?
  • What might ecumenical and interreligious relationships look like in the future, and what does this mean for our faith community? 
Tune in to this live webcast by visiting ELCA.org/webcast, where a link to the recorded video will be made available after the broadcast. A live stream also will be available at Facebook.com/Lutherans. If you would like to submit a question to be considered during the live webcast, please send it to [email protected] and provide your name and your congregation's name, city and state.  Check our website for future information concerning our participants and selected resources. We also invite you to participate and join the conversation by using #ELCAwebcast on social media.
ELCA Webinar on Changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
 
If you missed the live presentation on October 18, here's a link to view a recording of the presentation. Please note: In order to maintain the integrity of the information shared in the presentation, we are only providing this video recording and not the slides without narration. 
 
 The case-sensitive password to view the recording is  FLSAWebinar2016*

Additional questions? Comments?
We're here to help. Please contact Thomas Cunniff, ELCA associate general counsel, at [email protected].

A Year with Martin Luther, Teacher for Today
Join members of ELCA congregations from across our synod for these day-long faith formation events.  Registration for events will be available online and the cost is $15.00 per event.  Event schedule.  Click here for schedule.

Preaching through the Lutheran Lens with Dr. David Lose,
November 5th

Christ Lutheran Church, Minot
Click Here for Event Information and Online Registration 
 
Become a Supporting Member of the WND Synod G.I.F.T.S. program!
Your membership gift helps cover the costs associated with hosting G.I.F.T.S. events in our synod. Congregations are encouraged to cover the membership (formerly tuition) for participants from their congregation.  Click Here to become a Supporting Member   

More Events and Notices MoreNews
"A Witness: The Haiti Earthquake, a Song, Death, and Resurrection"
Book Signing Events with Rev. Renee Splichal Larson
Sunday, Nov. 6th @ 3:30pm, Faith Lutheran Church, Bismarck
Sunday, Nov. 20th @ 3:00 pm, St. Paul Lutheran Chuch, Garrison

    Witness Cover The 2010 earthquake in Haiti buried Renee Splichal Larson in concrete rubble, killing her husband and leaving her a widow at age 27.  Surviving only to be overwhelmed by loss and trauma, she wondered it life was still possible for her.  Even as she trained to become a pastor, her faith in a loving God was shaken and battered by the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince and took the lives of many thousands.

   This is Pastor Renee's moving story of love, grief, survival, and new life.  It is an account of the lives of three young people, their experience of the challenges, beauty, and hospitality of Haiti, and the tumult that overthrew all they held dear.

   After years of struggle and healing, aided by remarkable signs of the love and presence of God, Pastor Renee offers us an intimate look at her young romance, her experience of the earthquake, and the journey that followed.  Most of all, she proclaims her hard-won witness: that in Christ, love and life conquer death. 
Upcoming Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations (EQ-HR) Workshop
This core EQ-HR Center workshop is an intensive session designed to enable participants to learn about, build and practice emotional intelligence skills in a small group setting.  Skilled facilitators provide tools and feedback to enable participants to learn about them selves and to immediately practice emerging skills.
The event will be held January 9-13, 2017 at Joy Ranch, Florence, SD.  Register today at http://www.eqhrcenter.org.  More information
In Mission Together 

Ministry Continues in the Central African Republic
 
  Former missionary Jim Noss, recently returned from a visit to the Central African Republic, which is the international companion synod partner for the Western North Dakota Synod.  Among his stops was the Emmanuel Health Center at Gallo, a ministry that has been strongly supported by congregations across our synod. 
Click on the Link below to read a summary of his visit:
 
The items highlighted below are available for preview from the Synod's Resource Library. 
To request to borrow a copy, e-mail your request to [email protected] or call 701-223-5312. Resources

Preaching Stewardship: A Resource for Rostered and Lay Leaders
 
 Preaching Stewardship is a 2-disc DVD resource that is meant to be a companion to Bishop Craig Satterlee's book Preaching and Stewardship, Proclaiming God's Invitation to Grow (Alban, 2011).
 
Bishop Satterlee (North/West Lower Michigan Synod) developed a two part workshop to teach leaders how to preach on stewardship.  Positive response to that workshop prompted the production of this DVD resource in order to share this resource with others throughout the church.
 
The DVDs are to be used along with Bishop Satterlee's book, which we also have available to check out from the synod office.  Notes are provided as a guide to each video segment.  The workshop is designed for large or small groups, but may also be used by individuals, who can follow the workshop outline at their own pace using the brief video clips.  
 
This resource challenges congregational norms about money, giving and what the Bible has to say about a financial response to the Gospel.  The focus is on presenting basic skills to help leaders develop and preach sermons that can inspire and invite members to support the ministries of the congregation and the wider church.
 
Maybe your text study or other study group would like to do this together!
 
Blessings,
Lisa Ahlness
serving as Assistant to the Bishop, Stewardship



I Am a Church Member
By:  Thom S. Rainer
Description: 

Best-selling author and ministry leader Thom S. Rainer drew an exceptional response when he posted a 500-word declaration about church membership to his daily blog. "I Am a Church Member" started a conversation about the attitudes and responsibilities of church members -- rather than the functional and theological issues -- that previous new member primers all but ignored.

Thoughtfully expanded to book form, 
I Am a Church Member begins to remedy the outbreak of inactive or barely committed church members, addressing without apology what is expected of those who join a body of believers. When a person's attitude is consistently biblical and healthy, matters of giving, serving, and so forth will fall into place more naturally.

Six intentional chapters with study questions guide this rising discussion:

1. I Will Be a Unifying Church Member 
2. I Will Not Let the Church Be About My       Preferences and Desires 
3. I Will Pray for My Church Leaders 
4. I Will Lead My Family to Be Healthy ChurchMembers 
5. I Will Be a Functioning Member 
6. I Will Treasure Church Membership as a Gift
 
  
Format:  Book
Target Groups:  Adult
Publication Year: 2013
Publisher:  B & H Books

*Rev. Marty Mock (First Lutheran, Williston) recently used this book with his entire congregation.  Contact him for ideas on how to utilize this book in your congregation.

praying.jpg
 In Our PrayersPrayers
We will pray together through the synod's roster of congregations and rostered leaders.  Please keep the ministries and ministers below in your prayers this week.
 
Congregations
Faith Lutheran, Williston
First Lutheran, Williston
Gloria Dei Lutheran, Williston
Good Shepherd Lutheran, Williston

Rostered Leaders
Rev. Derek Harkins
Rev. Martha HarriSon
Rev. Anna Haugen

For Healing & Comfort
Rev. Jeff Giles
Marcella Nelson
LuAnn Holter

Our Ministry Partners
Synodical Women's Organization and board 
 Upcoming Events

  

  • October 29                        
    Rural and Multipoint Ministry
    event hosted by EaND and WND Synods (Medina)
  • November 5                        "Preaching through the Lutheran Lens" with David Lose (Christ, Minot)
Synod TransitionsTransitions
  
Congregations in the 
Call Process  
  • Faith Lutheran Church, Bismarck (Associate)
  • Lutheran Church of the Cross, Bismarck
  • Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Bismarck (Associate)
  • Dakota Prairie Parish, Bowman, Amidon and Rhame (Associate)
  • English Lutheran, Hazen
  • McClusky Goodrich Parish, McClusky and Goodrich
  • Prairie Hope Parish, Newburg, Maxbass, Westhope
  • Prairie Rose Parish, Roseglen, Ryder & Makoti
  • Zion Lutheran Church, Minot (Associate)
  • Noonan Lutheran Parish, Noonan and rural Crosby
  • Reeder Lutheran Parish, Reeder, Ralph & Bucyrus
  • Prairie Lutheran Parish,
    Stanley, Ross, & Palermo
  • Bethany Lutheran, Rugby and Wolford Lutheran, Wolford
  • First Lutheran, Williston
  • Gloria Dei Lutheran, Williston (Associate)
  • Shepherd of the Prairie Parish, Williston


SAVE the DATES  
Western ND Synod Assembly
June 2-3, 2017 @ Grand Hotel, Minot, ND
May 31-June 2, 2018 @ Ramkota Hotel, Bismarck, ND
June 6-8, 2019 @ Grand Hotel, Minot, ND
 
Western ND Fall Rostered Leaders Gathering - Medora, ND
September 10 - 12, 2017
September 9 - 11, 2018
September 8 - 10, 2019
 
Western North Dakota Women of the ELCA Gathering
June 16-17, 2017 at the Grand Hotel, Minot, ND  
 The Synod E-News is sent to rostered leaders and congregations of the Western North Dakota Synod, and subscribers each week.  If you would like to submit an item for publication in E-News or on the synod website please send to  [email protected]