I am excited to invite you to one of the Hope In Christ Coffee Conversations that will be held in July. Each gathering will run from 6:30PM-8:30PM. 

• Tuesday, July 25 – Aurora Lutheran Church, 6329 SE 38th St, Owatonna
• Wednesday, July 26 – Concordia Lutheran Church of Pickerel Lake, 69471 190th St, Albert Lea
• Thursday, July 27 – Henrytown Lutheran Church, 36190 County 18, Canton

The Hope In Christ process is the response of the Office of the Bishop to concerns we have heard from a number of small, rural congregations about their future. The process was created to help congregations discern what God is doing and the future to which God is calling them in their congregation and in their community.

Because there are a significant number of congregations seeking guidance with this, we have contracted with Rev. Peter Soli to facilitate the Hope In Christ process. Hope In Christ is not a program where an outsider comes in and lays out three steps to fix everything. It is an organic process of discernment and planning. Congregations know themselves better than anyone else. Rev. Soli brings his expertise and experience in process to facilitate conversations that will help a congregation to discover and build a group consensus for its next steps and direction.

Those attending the Coffee Conversations will not only receive an overview of the whole process (including what it could look like to have Rev. Soli work directly with your congregation), the congregational assessment tools will be made available for congregations to begin some work on their own. I hope that you will prayerfully and thoughtfully consider participation in one of the Hope In Christ Coffee Conversations.

Peace & Joy in Christ,
Bishop Steven Delzer