SYNOD NEWS AND EVENTS - APRIL 15, 2016
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Campus Ministry - One of Your/Our Mission Fields
+Bishop Jon V. Anderson
What are some places your congregation is involved in mission outreach? 
I wonder how many of you named the campus ministries across our country and state. 
When I was at college, the campus ministry there transformed my life.  As I wrestled with faith questions, they helped me and invited me to go deeper.   As I wrestled with challenges in my studies, friendships, dating relationships, family and what I was called by God to do with my life, my campus ministry - the friends, sermons, bible study, songs, prayers, hymns - all made a life changing impact.  

When I ask this question about mission in congregations across our synod people rarely name local mission projects, they normally focus on global mission. When I ask about local mission they name many things like food shelves, ministries that care for people, but rarely do they name campus ministry.  

I want to invite you to see one of your local missions. If you are sharing mission support with your synod and churchwide system, you have many campus ministry outreach sites across our state.  You can learn about campus ministry through the ELCA Campus Ministry web site - elcacampusministry.org. Your mission support share goes in part to support these sites across our country. If you want to learn more you can visit this the  LCMNet web site - lcmnet.wildapricot.org, where we are working on building a network to support campus ministry. 

If you don't know, your synod shares significant resources from your congregation's mission support with three sites. We have a campus ministry in Marshall, Morris and St. Cloud State. Through the generosity of our congregations we contribute $126,000 with a statewide organization that distributes resources to nine sites across our state. Here are their web sites.  Many congregations have budget lines to support campus ministry in addition to the synod and churchwide support.
We also give thanks for the campus ministry of local congregations like Resurrection in St. Joseph which as part of their mission reaches out to students at St. Benedicts and St. John's.  We also remember conferences that provide support like the Lakeland Conference does at Ridgewater Community College.  Finally we remember the campus ministry at Gustavus Adolphus College.

This week at our synod council we had a discussion about our campus ministry.  I invite you to support your campus ministry through prayers in worship, through finding ways to learn about nearby campus ministries and finding ways to support this mission outreach to young adults, faculty and staff. 
Augsburg Fortress - Annotated Luther
+Beth Lewis
If you are looking for ways to learn about and commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.  Here is a resource.

Reading Martin Luther's essential writings is a lifetime goal for many Lutherans, but the challenging language of his writings may prove to be a barrier for many modern-day readers. With this in mind, I'm delighted to share with you our new Annotated Luther series from Fortress Press.  This series encourages readers to explore Luther's writings alongside helpful annotations. This engaging and accessible resource will assist pastors and interested lay readers who want to explore and understand Luther and his writings with greater depth and clarity.

 Volume 1: The Roots of Reform and Volume 2: Word and Faith are already available and Volumes 3 and 4 of the series will be published this summer. 

Annotations in these volumes are designed to provide key contextual background for people, events, theological issues and controversies, interpretive notes, and Scripture references to which Luther alludes but which he does not include in the text. Each volume is also enhanced with maps, illustrations, timelines, art, and photos to bring the context of Luther's writings to life. 

We strongly believe that this series should be on the shelf of every ELCA pastor, and in the hands of congregation members, so we are happy to offer a standing order discount.  A "standing order" means readers receive each book in the series as soon as it is published with a 30% off discount. New subscribers to the standing order program may also order previously published titles in the series at 30% off when setting up their subscription. To sign up for a standing order, readers should simply call 800-328-4648 and reference The Annotated Luther series standing order code: ANNOTATLUT.  Please feel free to direct any questions about this series or the standing order to my colleague, Olga Lobasenko.  olga.lobasenko@augsburgfortress.org.
 
Two Scholarships per Conference
Engaging Adults: Your Church Can't Survive without
Effective Adult Faith Formation 
Tuesday, May 3, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM 
Pax Christi Catholic Community - 12100 Pioneer Trail , Eden Prairie, MN
+Bishop Jon Anderson
We are offering two scholarships (for $72 each or $62 if part of a group) to pastors, youth directors, AiM, Christian Education Directors or Committee member.  It will be first come, first served process. Email Carla Klawitter at carla.klawittter@swmnelca.org to let us know you are requesting a scholarship - please also name your conference or your congregation and home town so we know where you are coming from. If you receive a scholarship, we would ask you to make a time to present to the conference meeting to your rostered leaders sometime in the coming year and to use this workshop to move forward your ministry and mission. The registration page at the bottom lists folks who are going so you can ride share and see if any of your friends are going.

Event Information: It's time!
+Vibrant Faith   
It's time for every church to commit to adult faith formation. The transmission of faith to the next generation lies not in our work with children and youth, but rather with adults. We talk a good game for lifelong faith formation, but our actions remain primarily focused on children and youth. It's time to flip the paradigm. Spend a day exploring effective adult faith formation in the congregation.
In the context of the four seasons of adulthood - young adult, midlife adult, mature adult, older adult - we will explore:
  • Practical approaches that reach beyond traditional practices that have more-or-less mirrored the schooling, education model
  • New Models that are showing real promise in some congregations
  • Digitally enabled efforts that are appropriate for the audience and doable
  • Design and planning process for building a networked approach to adult faith formation.
  • You'll come away with . . .
  • A renewed vision for empowering adults in their journey of faith
  • A host of methods and strategies that you can customize and integrate into your congregation
  • A practical planning and implementation process that you can take home and utilize right away
  • An introduction to a plethora of resources already tested and proven to enhance adult faith
  • A positive experience of adult learning and growth for yourself
Audience
  • Pastors and Staff, Small Group Ministry Team, Adult Formation Team, Council/Vestry, other interested leaders, ministry leaders and teams from neighboring congregations.
Click here to register!
Morning hospitality provided. Lunch on your own.
Facilitated by - Leif Kehrwald - Vibrant Faith Partner for Training Services
Rick Loseth presenting at the 2016 ECD
How Congregations Can Support Healthy Boundaries
Equipping Day 2016, Willmar
Presented by Rick Loseth, PACT for Families Collaborative, Willmar
The workshop reviewed the basics of "boundaries" and how relationship boundaries are part of ministry. Boundaries are really about how we relate to others and how we want people to relate to each of us. Boundaries in ministry are there to help all feel both welcome and safe as they enter our churches and are involved in all types of programming and activities.
A handout was used to look at some ways to address key areas in all congregations. It includes ways for the church council and congregation to start the conversation.
  • Click here to download the ECD Handout, Establishing Safe Connections 
 Looking at congregational boundaries is a responsibility of all leadership, including church council, education, youth, outreach and the pastoral and church staff.

Visit the 2016 Equipping Congregations Day (ECD) webpage for more workshop handouts. ECD videos are also available by clicking here. 
Healthy Congregations Workshop
Saturday, May 7, 2016; 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Shalom Hill Farm, rural Windom
Cost:  $15/person, including lunch
Click here to register!
You are invited to join others from neighboring congregations for a day of learning about "healthy congregations."  You'll learn some tools that will help improve communication in your parish, and ways to respond to conflict in constructive ways!  It can help a congregation move toward greater healing and a positive future.  These workshops have been appreciated throughout our Synod.
Congregations in pastoral transition might find this workshop to be especially helpful as they prepare for a new start with a new pastor.
Pastor Andy Hermodson-Olsen of Grace Lutheran, Brownton will be our presenter.  He will use a variety of teaching styles, including a PowerPoint presentation, some video vignettes, and table conversation.  The videos will help illustrate an unhealthy response to congregational conflict, and also some more healthy responses. 
Click here to download an event PDF to share with your congregation. 
Synod Events
Below is a list of all the upcoming synod events. Visit the synod events webpage for more information.
MAY
May 7, 2016
Shalom Hill Farm, Rural Windom, MN

JUNE
SW MN Synod Assembly
Registration is open
June 10-11, 2016
Gustavus, St Peter 

2016 SW MN SWO Convention
June 17 & 18, 2016
Vinje Lutheran, Willmar 
SAVE THE DATE
August 10-13, 216
New Orleans
 
ELCA Churchwide Assembly
August 8-13, 2016
New Orleans  
Other great resources and events! 

Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA 
PO Box 499, Redwood Falls, MN 56283
Phone: 507-637-3904