News and Events

News and Events

Saint Paul Area Synod
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

February 25, 2013

Want a dose of inspiration?

The Nobel Peace Prize Forum March 8-10 at Augsburg College, Minneapolis is bringing two remarkable Nobel Peace Prize winners to the Twin Cities: Mohammad Yunus, who developed the concept of microcredit that has lifted millions of people out of extreme poverty, and Tawakkol Karman, who has advanced civil rights and is known as the Mother of the Arab Spring. In addition to these two Laureates, there are six keynoters (including Dr. Paul Farmer) and dozens of breakouts lead by regional and local experts. It's a unique not-to-be-missed opportunity.

Please announce to your congregations and church groups!

Children, youth and family ministers roundtable

Tuesday, February 26, 1:30-3:00 p.m.
Saint Paul Area Synod conference room, St. Paul. Susan Miller and Don Marsh will be hosting a children, youth and family ministers roundtable on the topics of conference coordinators for CYF ministers, Practice Discipleship trainings, and shepherding Saint Paul Area Synod CYF ministry over the next two years.

If you are interested in participating in this conversation, please contact Susan Miller at susan.miller@spas-elca.org or 651.224.4313.

Health care reform from Portico Benefit Services
You've likely heard that health care reform is bringing changes to the ELCA health plan. Portico Benefit Services is preparing new options that will give employers choices to fit their budget. Plan details should be finalized later in 2013. Along with new options, Portico expects the 2014 ELCA health plan to continue to enhance leaders' well-being, facilitate the call process, and support ministry throughout this church.

To help you anticipate what's coming, Portico has posted new health care reform FAQs for answers to dozens of questions such as:

Why should employers stay in the ELCA health plan?
Who will make coverage decisions?
Who will be eligible for a federal subsidy?

Check out the FAQs and their answers here.

Upcoming opportunities for hunger advocates

"A Place at the Table" is the theme for Bread for the World's annual metro area workshops. Come and learn what it will take to get our nation and our leaders to commit to ending hunger while deepening our own commitments in churches and on campuses to realize a world in which all of God's children are fed. The workshops are scheduled for:

March 4, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Bethel University
March 15,9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon at Guardian Angels Church, Oakdale;
March 16 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon at Calvary Baptist, Minneapolis

Detailed information including directions, a workshop outline and a publicity poster is available at: www.breadmn.org/workshops.

Creating emails that people want to read

By Keith Anderson

For all the advances in digital communications and social networking, email continues to be the most reliable way for congregations to digitally communicate with members and potential members. Why? Because according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 98 percent of people use email. In the transition we find ourselves between print and digital communication, email is the most reliable way of digitally sharing your ministry's news and information. Unfortunately, most congregations fail to get the most out of their emails for several reasons. Read the entire article.

Save the date for these important events
Synod Assembly
May 17-18, Prince of Peace, Burnsville
This year's assembly will explore the concept of diakonia under the umbrella of "Living Lutheran Writing God's Love in Human Deeds." More.

Bishop's Theological Conference
Oct. 27-29, Heartwood Conference Center and Retreat, Trego, Wis.
The Bishops' Theological Conference becomes the Bishop's Theological Conference in 2013, when the two metro synods will meet separately for the first time in a decade or more. More.

Conference Assemblies
Feb. 8, 2014, St. Andrew's, Mahtomedi
This will be the time during which congregations are able to nominate candidates for bishop through their conference. More.

For information about these and other events, visit our calendar of events

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