News from the Northwest Conference

Registration still open

Oct. 5-7, Chase on the Lake, Walker, MN

The NWC Ministerial Association Retreat for pastors, church ministry staff and spouses, is fast approaching. If you haven't already registered, the official deadline has passed, but you can still sign up. Chase on the Lake will be releasing rooms to the public, so if you plan to attend, now's the time to register.

This year Keith Meyer will lead us through a retreat experience centered on the theme of "Transformation: Becoming the Change Your Church Needs." The retreat will also include a Ministry Spouse Support Breakout Session on Thursday morning.

Registration materials are available for download on our Ministerial Association Retreat event page.

Less than 2 weeks left to register for Imagine 2015!

Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015

Crossroads Church, Forest Lake MN

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cost: FREE

With more behavior-challenged children in our churches, kids often find overwhelmed teachers and youth workers that unintentionally communicate, "you are a problem in my group." In this workshop you'll learn how to interact with kids and equip others to communicate four grace-filled, powerful messages to their students.

Jim and Lynne Jackson, parent educators, authors and founders of Connected Families, will teach a new "lens" and practical tools for communicating messages of grace and truth in the midst of classroom challenges.

Click here for downloads, including bulletin insert, flier and logo.

Please RSVP to Jessa Anderson by Monday morning, Oct. 5.

ECC update on financial resources available to Covenant churches

The Department of Finance of the Evangelical Covenant Church has provided an update on denominational financial resources available to churches. The memo includes (1) an announcement and information on the new 403(b) retirement plan vendor (GuideStone), (2) a revised approach to the pastoral compensation resources, and (3) good news about online giving for churches.

Download the Memo

Jonna Fantz to speak at new Mini-Retreat Nov. 2-3 at Lake Beauty Bible Camp

TITLE: Minding Christ

PARTICIPANTS: Credentialed Clergywomen

Confirm your reservation with Judy Swanberg by Monday, Oct. 19 - judy@northwestconference.org or find more information online.

New one-day Connection event for NWC chaplains

DATE: Friday, Nov. 6
TIME: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
LOCATION: Restoration Ministries, 7975 Stone Creek Drive, Suite 130, Chanhassen, MN

FACILITATOR: Rev. Judy Swanberg, Associate Director of Pastoral Care and Development
GOALS: Connect - Listen - Encourage - Plan
FEE: $10 per participant. Beverages, snacks, and lunch will be provided. The cost of this event is being supplemented by the NWC Ministerial Association.

REGISTER: RSVP by Friday, Oct. 23, to Judy Swanberg or find more information online

BRING: Bible, journal, and shoes suitable for walking (paved trail)

The Sanctuary Covenant Church will host Dr. Soong Chan Rah of North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago as featured speaker to their upcoming Conversations in Reconciliation Series. The event, titled "Lamentations in Justice," will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis, MN.

All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this great event as Dr. Rah discusses the theme of his latest book, "Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times," and opens up the discussion for questions. This event will also feature music from the local artist Jayanthi Kyle and Gospel Machine.

Click here for more information.

Trinity Covenant Church reunion draws over 200

By Mary Johnson

Over 200 people attended a reunion of members and friends of the former Trinity Covenant Church (Crystal, MN) on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015. The site of Trinity is now a Christian school for K-12 (RiverTree School) and has been remodeled and improved to for school use. The school's principal, Rodney Nelson, is a Minnehaha Academy graduate.

It has been 13 years since the church closed, and 125 years since it was founded. Members came from as far back as the 1960s to join the celebration of our time as a church family. Some who were youth at the time of closing returned with their spouses and children, introducing them to the place where they grew up. Everyone was pleased to see the building being well cared for and being used for Christian education.

During the program, we welcomed three former pastors, Rev. Tom Anderson, Rev. Greg Bodin, and Rev. Jeff Burton, who all gave greetings and shared some special memories. Our long time musicians, Dick and Jane Schirmacher, gave piano and organ selections. The "Men of Note," a male ensemble that performed many times in the last several years of the church ministry, was brought back together to do their "Heaven Medley."

Old friends were thrilled with this opportunity to get together. Of course, we relied heavily on name tags to identify them. Many left the afternoon saying it was wonderful and wanting to do it again. When the family of faith does ministry together, those ties are very strong, no matter where we are led in the future.

Visit the reunion's Facebook page to see more pictures from the event.

To enhance connections among those serving in NWC churches and other types of ministry, we are initiating this Life Events feature. Pastors and ministry staff are encouraged to send news of births, adoptions, weddings, and deaths (immediate family only) to Judy Swanberg, Associate Director of Pastoral Care & Development.

Births

Esther Eileen League

Born: Sept 6, 2015

Parents: Andy and Shannon League (Andy is Children, Youth and Family Pastor at Salem Covenant Church in Pennock, MN.)

Big brother: Josiah (22 months)

SAVE THE DATE - Nov. 14, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Maple Grove Covenant Church

An all-day learning opportunity for pastors, ministry staff, and key lay leaders w/Bill Henson

This is part of our ongoing effort to resource our pastors and churches in living faithfully and graciously into our Covenant position on human sexuality. Henson presented to 140 of our pastors in May and his presentation was well-received by those attending the event. He is founder of Lead Them Home, an organization that consults church leaders on building a biblically orthodox, missiological framework for church mission and ministry with LGBTQ persons, with a specialization in sharing Christ with non-heterosexual persons.

Henson has developed a framework for conversation and learning called Posture Shift, a national model reaching over 5,000 church leaders in recent years. His work has been featured in Leadership Journal and it has been incorporated as teaching curricula at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Gordon College. The board of trustees of Lead Them Home is chaired by Dr. Raymond Pendleton, professor of pastoral psychology, at Gordon-Conwell.

Henson is now coming back for training of both pastors and lay leaders. More details coming soon.

In addition:

Pastors,

We have scheduled two small group sessions at the Fall Retreat (one Monday afternoon, one Tuesday morning) with Dr. Gary Strauss around this same topic. These sessions are for those who have not already had the opportunity to sit in a group like this.

Recharge 2016 super early bird registration opens Oct. 1 for some locations, including Twin Cities

Recharge is a one-day multi-denominational conference aimed to inspire and equip church staff and their volunteers in children, youth and family ministry. The Northwest Conference will once again sponsor Recharge in 2016.

www.Ministryrecharge.org

Twin Cities, MN	Jan. 9
Duluth, MN	Jan. 16
Fargo, ND	Jan. 23

September 21, 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

2015 Ministerial Association Retreat

Imagine: A day for Children & Family Ministry leaders

ECC update on financial resources available to Covenant churches

NWC Mini-Retreats

Chaplains Connection

The Sanctuary to host Lamentations in Justice with Dr. Soong Chan Rah

Trinity Covenant Church reunion draws over 200

Life Events

SAVE THE DATE - Nov. 14, 2015

Recharge 2016 super early bird registration opens Oct. 1

October 5-7

Ministerial Association Retreat - Chase on the Lake, Walker, MN

October 10

Imagine - Crossroads Church, Forest Lake, MN

October 20-21

Faith Community Nurse Retreat - Covenant Pines Bible Camp, McGregor, MN

October 26-27

Spiritual Directors Retreat

- St John's Abbey, Collegeville, MN

November 2-3

Mini-Retreat for Clergywomen

- Lake Beauty Bible Camp

November 6

Chaplains Connection

- Restoration Ministries, Chanhassen, MN

Nov. 14, 2015

Postureshift workshop w/Bill Henson - Maple Grove, MN

Jan. 9, 2016

Recharge - Twin Cities, MN

Jan. 16, 2016

Recharge - Duluth, MN

Jan. 23, 2016

Recharge - Fargo, ND

Feb. 27, 2016

Dr. Mark Yarhouse workshop - Location TBD

NWC Job Postings Page

Pastors and ministry leaders, if you have people in your congregation who are exploring ministry, on a part- or full-time basis, please refer them to our job postings page.