SYNOD NEWS AND EVENTS - November 18, 2015
 

"Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing to my God all my life long. 
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.
When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish. 
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God."   -Psalm 146:1-5

Stay Connected. 
                  Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  Visit our blog
Synod Events
Below is a list of all the upcoming synod events. Visit the synod events webpage for more information.

NOVEMBER
November 20-21
November 21-22
Willmar Conference Center, Willmar

SAVE THE DATE!
Equipping Congregations Day
February 20, 2016
Willmar, MN

ELCA Region 3 Hunger Retreat
February 5-6, 2016
Luther Crest, Alexandria, MN 

SW MN Synod Assembly
June 10-11, 2016
Gustavus, St Peter 

August 10-13, 216
New Orleans

ELCA Churchwide Assembly
August 8-13, 2016
New Orleans  
Other News, Events & Resources

Safeguard Your Vital Congregational Records Now:  New Scanning Service of the ELCA Region 3 Archives

The Region 3 Archives serves congregations in the 9 synods of ELCA Region 3 (Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota).  We are pleased to announce the start of a digitali scanning program for congregational records.  This program replaces the earlier microfilming program that had operated from 1990 - 2013. The costs are roughly the same as the previous program, or approximately .15 per page of scanned material.  We are most concerned that ministerial records (baptisms, confirmations, marriages and funerals) as well as annual meeting material be scanned.

Following the scanning by our vendor in St. Paul, The paper records are returned to the congregation along with a CD of the contents and the invoice.  We anticipate a 3-4 week turnaround with each scanning order.

or 651.641.3205.
Save the Date!
Fifth Annual Advent Appeal
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson

Welcome to the Season of Advent!
We invite you to help us equip youth and those who work closely with youth to hear that same call through this year's Advent Appeal.

In our Southwestern Minnesota Synod we have chosen to equip by putting financial resources into a part time Youth Ministry Coordinator on our Synod Staff. For us this has been an intentional effort to develop strong ministry connections with youth, their leaders and their relationship to God, a decision that comes with both a blessing and a cost.

Sarah Hausken, who has served as our Youth Ministry Coordinator for 15 years, reflects on these blessings:
  • "Over the years I have seen both youth and adults transformed by God's action in their lives.
  • I have seen youth ministers struggle, grow and thrive in their call to serve children, youth and families.
  • I have seen youth gathering participants filled with the love of Christ."
Sarah continues, "I am continually amazed by how God works in and through our synod Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) board. The LYO board is truly a family of faith where youth experience the love of Christ through relationships with their peers and faithful adults. Their gifts and talents are named, affirmed and called into action. Each year they plan and lead two youth gatherings where over 2,000 youth hear and experience God's promise of unconditional love."

The miracles that take place through the youth ministry of our synod are vast and varied. These miracles create lifelong followers of Jesus who live out the legacy of faith wherever God sends them and we are inviting you to be a part of sharing in this vibrant ministry with youth.

The cost is just over $20,000 annually, which provides for a 15-hour a week coordinator and program costs to equip an awesome group of youth leaders who serve on our Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) Board.

This year during our fifth annual Advent Appeal, we are asking you to join both your prayers and financial resources to help keep this ministry strong for this year and into the next.

You can share your financial gift by:
  • Mailing your gift to SW MN Synod, PO Box 499, Redwood Falls, MN 56283
  • Making an online gift using your checking/savings account, debit card or credit card. Click here to give now. 
  • Sign up to make a monthly gift through automatic withdrawal for all of 2016. Click here to start automatic withdrawals.
  • Invite your congregation to take a special offering. You might dedicate all or some of your Christmas offering to this appeal.
You may not remember where or when you first heard this call to trust in God, to praise the Lord and to place your hope in the Lord, it might have been when you were a youth. There may even be some days when none of this sounds true about you. But we believe most days you recognize and give praise to God for the abundance of God's gifts and share generously from your resources.

WE want to say thank you for your prayers, your faithfulness, your passion in giving praise to God and your financial support. WE are called to be Church Together.
Ordination of Courtney Young
The ordination of Courtney Young will be on Sunday November 29, at 3:00 p.m. at Our Saviors Lutheran in Circle Pines, 9185 North Lexington Avenue.
Clergy are invited to vest and wear red.
We extend our congratulations and pray God's blessings upon Courtney, who has been called to serve at Lutheran Campus Ministry/ St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. 
Can you Hear Me?
We join together in praying for our Southwestern Minnesota Synod Junior High Youth Gathering.
Let us pray...
Dear God, Much of life can be confusing and uncertain. We watch and listen as bombs and bullets kill people at concerts, in restaurants and in the streets. We cry out, "Can you hear me?" As close to a thousand Junior High youth and their leaders gather this weekend for the annual Southwestern Minnesota Synod Junior High Youth Gathering, we ask you to be with them. Let everyone know, even as many things in life look and sound confusing, you are there to hear them. Let them know they are heard by the older youth and adults who serve on our Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) board, their youth leader, their peers and especially by you their God. Let the planners be centered in the theme verse, "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior." Let all who gather be safe in their travels and filled with hope, to return to what can be an uncertain world. Hear us oh God as we pray, for we trust you. And all God's people said, AMEN.