SYNOD NEWS AND EVENTS - November 5, 2015

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Synod Events
Below is a list of all the upcoming synod events. Visit the synod events webpage for more information.

NOVEMBER
November 5
Faith Lutheran, Spicer

November 6-8
Luther Crest Bible Camp, Alexandria

Region 3 Gathering of Rostered and Lay Leaders - CANCELED
November 12-14
Ramada Plaza Suites, Fargo, ND

November 20-21
November 21-22
Willmar Conference Center, Willmar
Other News, Events & Resources


Give MN has become a popular way to give to your favorite charity or organization. We would welcome your gifts to your Southwestern Minnesota Synod. But we want you to know, because of the fees charged for these credit card gifts, the way for us to receive the greatest percentage of your gift is with a check or direct withdrawal from a checking or savings account, earmarked for your synod. 

Click here for the Synod's online giving webpage. We believe the future of our synod's financial strength will depend on multiple streams of support, but continue to be based primarily on congregational mission support. 
We will be offering you a chance to give through our annual Advent Appeal. Watch for more details soon.

But if you would like to give 
through Give MN on November 12 click here, we would be happy to receive your gift and the hope of receiving additional prize rewards for gifts given on that day.

Either way your personal gift will be used to move forward the work of your synod in our mission field.

The Center for Worship & Music Studies is offering Leading Congregational Singing on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College on Saturday, November 21st. This one-day intensive class will be taught by Mary Preus, Jay Beech, and Chad Winterfeldt, Cantor of Christ Chapel at Gustavus. They will present on leading with the voice, with a band, and from the piano or organ, and will describe values common to all. Cost for the class is $150 and includes lunch. The course will count towards The Center's Certificate in Worship Leadership, and can also be used by ELCA rostered leaders for continuing education contact hours. For more information click here. 
20th Annual Lutheran Men in Mission Lutefisk &
Meatball Supper
Thursday, November 19
4:30-6:30pm
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Redwood Falls. MN
Cost:
-Adults $13
-Under 12 $5
-Preschoolers Free
Proceeds to benefit LMM Projects.
Job Opening:

Director of Faith Formation
Peace Lutheran Church,
New London, MN
Directly Supervises: any adults assisting with children and youth ministries.
Full Time, Salaried, With Benefits
Click here for more information
Our Upcoming Synod Minister Transition
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson
We continue to prepare for the handoff of responsibilities from Synod Minister Joyce Piper to our new Synod Minister Kathryn Skoglund. Pr. Kathryn will begin on Nov. 15th. Pr. Joyce will be here full time the first two weeks of November. Since she is half time the remaining weeks she will be not working the second half of the month. The same will be true of December.

We will divide our work as a team up in what we are calling a 1-5-5-1 strategy. Pr. Larry Strenge as our Director for Evangelical Mission covers our whole synod. Pr. Kathryn and Pr. Linda will each carry five conferences as the map shows below. Our Conference Ministers will be assisting in several conferences. I will continue to work across the synod but will not carry any particular conferences going forward. 

Rev. Kathryn Skoglund
Rev. Linda Pedersen
Glacial Ridge
Lac Qui Parle
Prairie
Scenic Valley
Shetek
Crow River
Great River
Lakeland
Minnesota Valley
Watonwan River
Narrative budget:
Telling God's Story
By Pastor Larry Strenge, Director for Evangelical Mission
In August 2015, former synod treasurer and CPA, David Anfinson, challenged our synod leaders-as well as others throughout our ELCA-to use a "Narrative Budget" to tell God's Story in their context.  The video of David Anfinson doing his presentation on Narrative Budgets at our "Building a Stewardship House: Laying a Foundation of Generosity" is available by clicking here. 

Visual Narrative Budget
Currently I am working as the coach of a team from Calvary Lutheran in Perham, MN. They were part of 12 congregations--including Resurrection, St Joseph-- in an intentional learning process called, "Creating Congregational Cultures of Generosity." The training provided at Luther Seminary-as well as David's work--was a further impetus for lead pastor, Phil Holtan, to work with his team to produce this "Visual and Narrative" budget. Click here to Take a look. They found it to be a key aspect of telling God's Story in their setting.  If you are interested in the narrative budget, Pr. Phil Holtan (philholtan@gmail.com) would be happy to share the publisher and excel files that made this PDF version of their budget possible.  
Ordination of Chris Richards
The ordination of Chris Richards will be on Saturday November 14, at 4:00 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Morris. Clergy are invited to vest and wear red.
We extend our congratulations and pray God's blessings upon Chris Richards, who has been called to serve at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cyrus!  
2015 Youth Worker Retreat
+Sarah Hausken, Youth Ministry Coordinator

"What if we stopped being angry with parents for doing exactly what we've taught them to do and told them not that we could do it better, but that they can do it best?" - Amy Kippen
 
This year's Youth Worker Retreat, "Real Solutions for Involving Parents in Faith Formation at Church and Home" was led by Amy Kippen, Director of Faith Formation and Katie Burrington, Youth Director, both serving at Faith Lutheran and Journey in Faith in West Fargo, ND.  They hit this topic head on and the thirty-two people attending the retreat at Shores of St. Andrew Bible Camp were treated to a day of truth, inspiration, practical tips and hope.
 
First, we discussed the state of affairs;
  • Why do we do faith formation?
  • What is the history of faith formation in the church?
  • What are the best and worst aspects of Sunday School, Confirmation and Youth Group?
We named that we do faith formation for many reasons, but the main reason is to create lifelong followers of Jesus.
 
We learned that faith formation took place in the home until the 1780's in England when gin became available and many hard working parents used the alcohol to numb their lives.  Sunday School was created to teach morality and literacy to unsupervised children.  It was never intended for Christian children. Over time, churches took over Christian education and parents relied on the church to teach what used to be taught in the home. 
Click here to read more. 
Region 3 Lay Preaching Retreat
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson
We are thankful for the Region 3 (the synods of SD, ND and MN) Lay Preaching event that happened last weekend at Joy Ranch. Our synod's participants include Jayme Winter, Janice Zimmerman, Deb Robinson, Dale Schley, Karen Koeder, Pam Tracey, Bob Ossefoort, Mort Meyenburg and Dave Clark. We also had Pr. Scott Fuller and Pr. Rachel Wrenn presenting as our teachers at this gathering. They taught about biblical interpretation and proclaiming the Good News.  They also are a great father/daughter teaching team.
We know proclamation of the Gospel is important. Thanks to our endowment we are helping grow these leaders deeper as preachers, theologians and lay leaders. Thanks Paul Baglyos for being the staff making this happen. We give thanks for the partnership of our sister synods, too. 
 
This retreat is a response to a need as many of our lay preachers who have served grow older and we seek to develop a new generation of preachers and grow our current preachers deeper.  We appreciate our lay preachers who provide vacation coverage and support the work of our ordained pastors. We are thankful for all who are making this possible.
 
In our synod, scholarships from our endowment fund are helping the students attend. I am giving thanks for the generosity of these saints who imagined God could use their gifts into a future beyond their life.