Could you imagine moving or even sharing your congregation's art with a sister congregation?

Art is moving. I also wonder if it should not keep moving. The staff here at the synod mission station (office) know that I like to move art around. It reminds me that God is alive and moving. The art is also different in different contexts and lights. I see the art because it is moving. It reminds me to watch for God at work in our midst moving us and moving forward God's work.

Sometimes I think congregations should share their art so that they would start to see the art they have and the art of other congregations. I know this is not practical with large installations or expensive pieces, but moving art around is not hard. It gets you thinking about and seeing art. If you try it let me know what you learn.

It is also not hard to just move some art pieces around in your own building. People will see the art
when it moves.

A couple of Sundays back I attended worship at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in New Ulm. I noticed that their sanctuary looked very different than when I had been there the week after Christmas. I was thankful. I appreciate it when things are moving in our worship spaces.

They had some new Paul Oman paintings up in the front. They had commissioned him to paint the paintings to capture their vision statement. Nice. Click here to read their mission statement to help you see the paintings with new eyes.

Here is another interesting piece of art I saw. Vinje Lutheran in Willmar has a stained glass window in the sanctuary that you notice when you are there. When you go past the Welcome Station on the way into the church there is a piece of ceramic art that mirrors the stain glass with one small change.

Can you find it?
God is moving in our midst.

For a couple of hundred dollars in cost, your records can be scanned preserving them permanently. The scanning program is one of the archives main services to both open and closing congregations for solid records care.

Paul is also open to helping with questions around photographic, electronic and other non-paper materials that will need care.

Here is his contact information.
Paul A. Daniels
Archivist and Curator
Luther Seminary Archives
pdaniels@luthersem.edu
651-641-3238

Part of what a synod is called to do is to develop the skills and gifts of leaders for the sake of the local congregation(s) they serve and the larger Church. Pr. Larry Strenge recently created this list of people who have received training in a number of ways in recent years. If you would like further information on renewal in your congregation or support for ministry personally through a coach feel free to contact one of these persons.

Coaches Training:
The following were trained by Jonathan Reitz in "Basic Training." We intentionally sought to deepen the capacity of our Deans.

• Pr. Keith Ainsley
• Pr. Steve Cook
• Pr. Steve Carmany
• Pr. Paul Lutter
• Pr. Dell Sanderson
• Pr. Larry Strenge

More people were trained in coaching practices at an earlier time but I am sharing the most recent ones here.

Growing Congregational Vitality
The following were trained by the - Southwestern California Synod Vice President and Corporate Consultant Dr. Joyce Thompsen. She led the following leaders in a 100 minute introduction to our Growing Congregational Vitality model based on the workbook she created for our synod's work of renewal:

• Pr. Salim Kaderbhai
• Pr. Tim Wrenn
• Pr. Rachel Wrenn
• Pr. Mike Pancoast
• Pr. Deb Bergstrand
• Pr. John Gabrielson
• Pr. Tim Anderson
• Pr. Stephanie Christoffels
• Pr. Seth Novak
• Pr. Ian Graue
• Pr. Dee Pederson
• Pr. Don McKee

Transformational Ministry:
Our churchwide "Transformational Ministry Team" has done training in two different stages for leaders of our Region 3. The following people from our SW MN Synod have invested time in thinking about and preparing for renewal of their congregations and being available to extend that ministry to others when called upon.
Pt 1 training Nov 2011:

• Pr. John Ragan
• Pr. Joyce and Ian Graue
• Pr. Chad Peterson
• Pr. Jeff Engholm
• Pr. Ron Hanson
• Karen Koeder
• Pr. Dee Pederson
• Pr. Randy Chrissis
• Pr. Larry Strenge

Transformational Ministry: Pt 1 and/or Pt 2: November 2013:

• Pr. Keith Long (Pt 1)
• Pr. Seth Novak and Stephanie McCarthy; Pt and Pt 2
• Pr. Jeff Engholm (Pt 2)
• Pr. Dee Pederson (Pt 2)
• Pr. Randy Chrissis (Pt 2)
• Karen Koeder (attended Pt 2 but had to excuse herself for illness)

Ventures in Growing Stewards:

• Pr. Dwaine Bruns
• Pr. Todd Nelsen

(Note: We have an additional training opportunity coming in May 2014 at Joy Ranch)

Mission Interpreters

• Karen Ackman
• Dorothy Stenberg

Let us know if you long to deepen your capacity in particular areas of your ministry and your calling to be one who builds up the body of Christ.

Check out the SW MN Synod Blog for upcoming events that are happening in our synod.

175 East Bridge St. PO Box 499

 507-637-3904