News from the Northwest Conference

Runners from NWC churches join others from Team World Vision to raise $525,000 during TC Marathon

Crossview Covenant runners with TWV will participate in Mankato Marathon Oct. 17-18

Participants from 10 NWC churches are running marathons to support the work of Covenant Kids Congo. Runners from nine Covenant churches participated in the Twin Cities Marathon and 10-mile race on Oct. 4; Crossview Covenant in North Mankato will run in Mankato Marathon events Oct. 17-18. Covenant runners were part of a larger group of 370 local Team World Vision runners who collectively raised $525,000, breaking fundraising records for the organization. Funds raised will provide water to 10,500 people.

See pictures from Team World Vision Twin Cities on Facebook.

Churches that ran for Team World Vision in the Twin Cites marathon included: Crossroads Church (Woodbury), Faith Covenant, First Covenant (Minneapolis), First Covenant (St. Paul), Genesis Covenant, Awaken Community, The Gallery, Roots Covenant and Maple Grove Covenant Church.

Funds raised by Covenant runners supports the development of clean water projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, through Covenant Kids Congo. See impact video here.

Fossum

Covenanter Roger Fossum's marathon story was covered by KARE 11 News. Fossum (pictured above) got his start running on the same day he found out he had prostate cancer 2 years ago. He has since finished two half marathons, had successful prostate surgery, and participated in the full Twin Cities Marathon this year.

See the full story online

If you're interested in participating next year ...

Recruiting for the 2016 Twin Cities Marathon starts in November. For info on how to launch a team at your church, contact:

Sinéad Barry-Lukas

Team World Vision - Twin Cities Area Director
651-263-9904 or sblukas@worldvision.org

2015 Ministerial Association Retreat attendees consider how formation, community and mission relate

Special offering raises $2,100 to support missionary Soudinh Penhkay

By Jeff Burton, Director of Pastoral Care & Development

The 2015 Ministerial Association Retreat in Walker, MN, concluded on Oct. 7. The 120 participants were led in musical worship by a gifted team comprised primarily of NWC church planters.

Keith Meyer-author, conference speaker and Pastor of Hope Covenant Church in St. Cloud, MN-helped pastors look at the reality that their personal lives in Christ are the core of their ministry. A pastor's formation in Christ (the kind of life you have), community (how that life is shared), and mission (the impact of that shared life) are woven together. On Tuesday, as part of the communion service, we received an offering of $2,100 to support Soudinh Penhkay in his efforts to join the Covenant mission team in Thailand.

Over 35 pastors took advantage of two opportunities to be in a discussion group led by Dr. Gary Strauss on the topic of human sexuality. This was more than we expected given that we already had seven such groups this summer and fall. Spiritual direction was offered during the retreat and also was fully utilized.

Last call to register for Clergywomen's Mini-Retreat

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)

New Life Covenant Church dedicates new, larger building

By Stan Friedman

Members of New Life Covenant Church gathered on Sunday to dedicate their new building, one that was paid for in part by pastor Brad Shannon's 2,000-mile snowmobile journey to raise funds.

The previous building was far too small for the congregation. It was in an old one-room schoolhouse that added indoor plumbing in the mid-1970s and a sanctuary in the 1980s. The church has an average attendance of 100 people.

Jeff Burton, Director of Pastoral Care & Development for the Northwest Conference, spoke at the dedication and said the people represented a "building within a building." The physical building was just a symbol of the people brought together and built up, he said, referencing Ephesians 2:22: "And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

Shannon spoke about the mission he envisions.

"I don't want to be known as the rich church or the poor church, or the liberal church or the conservative church, or the smart church or the gifted church. We want to be known as a church that believes God can do immeasurably more, and we want to ask God for the power to do not only what's possible for us, but what's impossible."

It was a seemingly impossible mission that Shannon undertook when he decided to snowmobile across 2,000 miles of frozen ground to raise funds in February 2014. The three-week trip started in Twig, MN, and ended in Churchill, Manitoba.

National Covenant Properties provided a construction loan.

This article originally appeared on covenantcompanion.com. Reused with permission.

Nordenson essay noted as one of America's best

By Stan Friedman

An essay by Covenanter Nancy Nordenson was listed as one of the "notable" entrants in the book Best Essays of 2015. She is a member of Bethlehem Covenant Church in Minneapolis.

Although her essay is not published in the book, Nordenson was thrilled to be included among the notables, especially because her name appeared immediately above that of writing luminary Joyce Carol Oates.

The essay "Two-Part Invention" initially appeared in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin and is part of her book "Finding Livelihood: A Progress of Work and Vocation," which was released last year. An edited excerpt from another chapter in the book, "Back Where We Started," appeared in the June 2015 issue of the Companion. An interview with Nordenson, "Finding Livelihood Beyond a 'Deep Gladness' " appeared in the online Companion.

This article originally appeared on covenantcompanion.com. Reused with permission.

Important info regarding Covenant Orientation during Midwinter

Please use this link Covenant Orientation Registration to sign up for your CO course(s). You will be asked to pay for your CO course at the time of registration. You may pay with a credit card or check. These classes fill up quickly, so do not delay. If you are taking a class during Midwinter, no further registration is required. (Please do not register for Midwinter.)

Please note: if you are only taking Vocational Excellence prior to Midwinter and plan to stay for Midwinter and attend workshops, special events, etc. you will need to register and pay for Midwinter in order to select your agenda items.

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. Registration details coming soon.

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

October 9, 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

Team World Vision

Ministerial Association Retreat Recap

NWC Mini-Retreats

Chaplains Connection

New Life Covenant Church dedicates new, larger building

Nordenson essay noted as one of America's best

Covenant Orientation during Midwinter

SAVE THE DATE - Nov. 14, 2015

Recharge 2016 super early bird registration opens Oct. 1

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.