Our Southwestern Minnesota Synod Advent Appeal started on December 1 and we are now approaching the third Sunday in Advent. The candles on our Advent wreaths shed more and more light to focus our attention toward God's generous gift of Christ for the world. We can reflect on the many ministries that we share like training pastors and lay leaders, supporting congregations in the call process, guiding congregations in re-vitalizing their ministry and walking with pastors and congregations through challenging times. You or your congregation may have benefited in a particular way from one of these ministries in Christ's name.

As you reflect on God's promises and count your many blessings, you are invited to share an Advent financial gift in support of our shared ministry in the Southwestern Minnesota Synod. Our goal is to raise $13,000 in this 2013 Advent Appeal. As of December 10 we have already received $2,455 toward this goal. Thank you!

Giving can be done through our synod website, just click here. 

If you prefer, you may also send a check. Please mark in the memo line Advent Appeal. You may also want to set up a monthly gift for 2014 through our online electronic giving. Visit our website or contact the synod office for more information on how to set this up.

Thank you in advance for your Advent Appeal Gift.

+Bishop Jon V. Anderson

I want to share these words from our companion synod, Bp. Phemba Buthelezi, South Eastern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Southern Africa.

One of the richest blessings of my call to serve as bishop has been to learn more deeply about our sisters and brothers in Christ and all people in South Africa. Our Companion Synod is the South Eastern Diocese of the Evangelical Church in Southern Africa. It has the major city of Durban in it, but is primarily rural. I have had the privilege to travel to South Africa three times. On one visit I went to the prison on Robbins Island where Mandela and so many others in the resistance to apartheid were held for years. Through the years I have talked with people who were tortured to protect this sinful idea that races of people should be separated from one another in apartheid. I have visited communities torn apart because they violated this racist ideology and where neighbors were separated into new neighborhoods based on their own racial origins. In Kwa-Zulu Natal where most of our companion synod is located, you notice how black people were always placed outside of town in townships, behind hills, in meager housing that required walking miles to get to town.

Through the years I want to repress from my memory what the people suffered in South Africa. Our primarily Zulu companions in Christ were not allowed to have bank accounts, own property, receive quality education or have jobs that allowed them to develop and use all the gifts God has given them. As the apartheid system was breaking down, different tribes of people were set against one another by the government and through human sinfulness that we all carry. Every time I travel there and remember the depth of this broken system and the violence it took to keep it going, I am struck by what a miracle it was that when apartheid was broken and free elections for all people ended this broken structural form of sin. It was an equal miracle that there wasn't a firestorm of retribution and genocidal behavior by people, based on their fear and pain about what had happened.

Nelson Mandela was part of this miracle moment and led with great courage and strategic wisdom. He becomes an icon for tens of thousands of wise, courageous people who worked to end the violence of apartheid...click here to read more.

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We want you to know that your generous support for the ministries of our synod is very much appreciated. God's work is truly possible because of our many hands working together.

For more upcoming synod events please click here. 

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