News and Events

News and Events

Saint Paul Area Synod
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

December 9, 2013

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton calls for prayer to end hunger

Join in prayer to end hunger at noon on Dec. 10

In a video released on Tuesday December 5, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton invited all people of faith to join in for a worldwide wave of prayer to end hunger at noon tomorrow (Tuesday December 10). Information about ELCA World Hunger is available at www.ELCA.org/hunger.

Watch Presiding Bishop Eaton's video invitation

New Seasonings of the Synod

The Christmas Pledge
As the season of Advent begins, we, as citizens of the United States and part of the culture here, tend to already focus on Christmas. Knowing that to be true, take a minute to stop and think about how you might slow down, take deep breaths, and make this Christmas pledge...Continue reading

Seasonings of the Synod provides food for thought from the Saint Paul Area Synod's Hunger Work Group.
More at www.spas-elca.org/seasoningsofthesynod.

ELCA Good Gifts
Gifts that make a difference

Through December 31, all ELCA Good Gifts donations totaling $200 or more will receive a free, limited edition ornament. Honor friends and loved ones this Christmas season with gifts that grow the church, fight hunger, and transform lives. Each gift in the catalog provides direct support for our shared ministries like ELCA World Hunger, the ELCA Malaria Campaign, and more.

Give online: www.ELCA.org/goodgifts

Order ELCA Good Gifts catalogs and other resources: www.ELCA.org/resource

Print cards to announce gifts to friends and loved ones: community.elca.org/GoodGifts-Announce

Determine your voting members early

If your congregation has not yet elected voting members for conference assemblies and the synod assembly, now is the time to identify several who might attend the open forum on the synod profile from 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Jan. 11 at Gloria Dei, St. Paul and share the information with others in your congregation in preparation for nominations at conference assemblies on Feb. 8.

Download the 2014 Voting Member Allocation Chart (PDF)

Miss the bishop election events in November?

Rostered leaders at the Fall Ministerium on Nov. 14 at St. Michael's, Roseville

The 2014 bishop election process kicked off in November with a ministerium for rostered leaders of the Saint Paul Area Synod on November 14, 2013, at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Roseville and a conversation with laity on November 16, 2013, at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, St. Paul.

Bishop Rogness' remarks from these two events, "What I Know That I Think You Should Know," are now available on the synod website, www.spas-elca.org.

For a schedule of upcoming events in the bishop election process, please visit www.spas-elca.org/bishopelection2014/events or contact the Bishop Election Committee at spas.bec.2014@gmail.com.

Office closings for transition work

In preparation for the upcoming election of a new bishop in 2014, the synod staff has allocated specific days within the next few months to complete transition-related tasks. The synod office will be closed Wednesday Dec. 11 and Wednesday Dec.18. If you have an emergency, please leave a message on the general mailbox. We will be checking messages several times each day.

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