SYNOD NEWS AND EVENTS - December 4, 2015

Stir up your power, Lord Jesus, and come. By your merciful protection alert us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and redeem us for your life of justice, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit one God now and forever. 

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.
Click here to give now.
Click here to read Bishop Jon Anderson's Advent letter.


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

DECEMBER 

JANUARY

FEBRUARY
Equipping Congregations Day
February 20, 2016
Willmar

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

MARCH
Sr. High Youth Gathering 
March 4-5, 2016
Mankato

Lutheran Men in Mission
March 11-12, 2016
Green Lake Bible Camp, Spicer 

APRIL
First-Call Retreat
April 4-6, 2016

PSST Retreat
April 14-15, 2016
Green Lake Bible Camp, Spicer

SAVE THE DATE 
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 digital 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.

Taking a Holy Pause With Kids This Advent
Advent is here! That blessed season of waiting with eager anticipation to celebrate Jesus' birth. I grew up in a traditional, liturgical church that followed the rhythms of the church year calendar. Advent was always one of my favorite seasons. I'm no longer in a liturgical church, but I still long for the holy pause that is Advent. The weeks leading up to Christmas tend to be frenetic and stressful if we don't pause once in a while to remember who it is we are gearing up to celebrate. Take away the shopping lists, the holiday parties, the cookie making, and the out-of-town relatives, and what you have left is a baby in a manger. A baby who is God with us.

Advent Is a Kid-Friendly Season
The cool thing about the season of Advent is that it's totally kid-friendly. Advent is a countdown to Christmas. It's exciting to check off the days and weeks before Christmas is here! Advent has a lot of sensory elements that appeal to kids too, such as the warm flames of Advent candles and the blue color of the season. And kids know what it's like to wait for something. And wait. And wait. That's what Advent is all about. Waiting. Waiting to celebrate Jesus' birth. Waiting like the people of Israel waited for a Messiah. Waiting like we continue to do for Jesus to come again.

There are plenty of ways to commemorate Advent as a family. Click here to read from the Spark Family Blog.
When did God stir you up in the past year, last week or days? 
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson

In August, Robyn and I were able to go to visit our son, Sean, who works in Washington, D.C. I was deeply troubled and stirred up by many things there. I found myself wondering if I was doing enough to engage the political issues of our time as I remembered significant challenges in the history of our country and world. I found myself wondering why I was not more involved as a disciple of Jesus in working persistently for justice in our democracy.

Two places where God grabbed my heart and mind were in the National Museum of the American Indian and even more so in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Both are amazing museums that tell the beautiful and horrifying story of human history.  They are both reminders of our broken human nature.  As I learned more about all the different communities of native people and their history, I began to wonder why these histories were not shared more deeply in my education.

While you go down through the layers of the museum of the American Indian, you cannot escape the fact that native people's lives were deeply and negatively impacted by the arrival of my ancestors and most of yours in the great migrations of people from Europe and other parts of the world.  The American Indian Museum helped me better understand the many native peoples or "first nation" people.  As I learned more about the history of what happened across our country in these encounters and eventually clashes I became heartsick at how this mostly sad history unfolded. 

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum tells the haunting story of how a racist political movement could lead to "the final solution" that killed millions for their ethnic identity. It also spawned a war that took millions of lives.   It continues to echo in my mind and memory today.

I have become more and more convinced that how we talk really matters and that racist speech, hate speech and even careless speech about people is dangerous and needs to be challenged.  

After serving in Texas I know how slippery and insidious my own racism can be. Click here to read more. 
Donors changing lives and ministry
Did you know that two-thirds of new pastors enter the ministry with significant educational debt? Only one-third receive enough support from family or congregations to complete their seminary education without debt.  The average debt to repay is about $43,000 for their formation to serve as pastors.
 
Your synod's seminary educational cost debt reduction endowment fund has grown out of gifts, both large and small, and these gifts are helping those called to serve in our synod.
 
This year seminary student debt payments to lending agencies from your SW MN Synod Endowment Fund and additional gifts for 30 of our pastors totaled $16,262.71. Endowment earnings distributions totaled $9,308.21. The additional $6,954.50 was made possible by a 3-year gift distribution, but this is now used up so we will have only the endowment earnings available for 2016.
 
We invite you to consider a gift to this ministry of debt reduction for 2016 or to add to the endowment fund established for that purpose. If you would like to contribute or make a designation from your estate, please let us know.
 
Here are a couple of thank yous we received:
 
"We are deeply grateful for the gift from the seminary student loan debt reduction fund. God bless you for your generosity and support of us, and other pastors like us, as well!"
 
"With gratitude I want to thank you for the generous loan reduction payment just received. With the synod's ongoing support, we will be able to retire this loan very soon. God's blessings."
 
Thank you to all of you who have donated to this endowment fund. You are making a difference.
LSS MN Resource on Islam
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson and
Jodi Harpstead LSS of MN

During Thanksgiving break, I took time to read "My Neighbor is a Muslim." It was helpful, as I continue to seek to understand this faith tradition and all who practice it. We have congregations in St. Cloud, field testing this study, which pairs information about Islamic belief and practice with the reflections of Christian scholars. They name what we share in common and how we might think differently. The voices of Islamic Imams and leaders enhances the study. You will learn about Islam but you will also be reminded of your Christian identity and our practices.
I want to encourage you to take an hour and read through it yourself. Think about finding a place for others to join you in a conversation about our neighbors. Pass it on. 
ELCA Church Council
+Pastor Joyce Graue 
The ELCA Church Council met in Chicago Nov 12-15, 2015.  This Council meets twice a year - in April and in November.  Its role is to carry out decisions made by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly (next one will be in New Orleans in August 2016) and it also serves as the decision-making body (like a Board of Directors) between Churchwide Assemblies. 

The Council has a maximum of 45 members elected by the Churchwide Assembly; currently there are 34 Churchwide Assembly elected Council members.  There are two of us serving on the ELCA Church Council who live in our Southwestern MN Synod:  myself (Pastor Joyce Graue, serving a 6 year term) and Oliver Thul (serving a 3 year term as a youth member); we were both elected at the Churchwide Assembly in 2013 in Pittsburgh PA.

The Church Council carries out its work in large plenary sessions as well as in committees ... and much is even done over meal "breaks"! 

At our recent meeting we recommended action to the 2016 Churchwide Assembly which will create a lay roster of Ministry of Word and Service.  On this roster will be those who currently are serving as Associates in Ministry (AIMs), Deaconesses and Diaconal Ministers).  Those serving on this new roster - if it is accepted - will be called deacons.  The entrance rite - whether consecration, commissioning or ordination - will be determined at a later time. 

We also recommended action on a number of amendments to the 2016 Churchwide Assembly of the Constitutions, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions of the ELCA.

We accepted 32 Statements of Agreement from Declaration on the Way and forwarded them to the 2016 Churchwide Assembly for reception.  These are 32 statements on which Roman Catholics and Lutherans agree.  Wow!

The Council adopted a document titled "Gender-Based Violence" as a social message of the ELCA. (Note:  A 'social message' is a document adopted by the ELCA Church Council which addresses a contemporary concern; it does not establish a new teaching or policy. The ELCA currently has 12 social messages.)

The Council also received a number of reports, including from our Presiding Bishop, the Church Secretary, the Vice-President, the Executive of Administration, the Treasurer, etc.  Vice-President Carlos Peņa shared with the Council his decision not to stand for another term.  This means that a new Vice-President will be elected at our 2016 Churchwide Assembly.   The Council adopted a continuing resolution to address the election process of the Vice President.

As well as taking many other actions, the Council spends time in worship and prayer.  On Sunday, November 15 Oliver served as the lector in worship and it was my privilege to preach.