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Friends In Christ,

The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light and those who have lived in darkness light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

As someone who’s not a lifelong Lutheran this season of Advent is one of my favorites. It is an introspective, self-reflective time that provides a moment of calm in a busy and transitory world. In it, we hear the promise God will change the world, but don’t know when that change will come. 

One of those changes is coming in my life. At the end of this year, I will step out of my role as Assistant to the Bishop for Generosity, to take on a new part-time role with a community economic development finance firm, to connect congregations with more sizeable financial resources to develop their church-owned real estate for good. This is an incredible opportunity to build on the ministry I have been part of here, in the Office of the Bishop, and work I’ve been doing with congregations these past many years.  

In my four and a half years on staff it has been an honor to work with Bishop Joy and my colleagues in the synod office, Marie, Walter, Jen, and Jill, as we have striven to find ways of walking alongside you, in the people and congregations in our synod, meeting people where they are, and together trying to chart a life-filled future. 

You can expect more communication about what that means for our Funding Forward program and other ministries in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, wishing you a safe and blessed time with your loved ones this holiday season.

May you be filled with the light of Christ as you strive to listen, discern, and follow the Holy Spirit.

In Christ’s peace,

The Rev. Peter Beeson

Associate to the Bishop for Generosity 

Mark your calendars!

The 2026 LEAD Conference for rostered and lay leaders is:

Saturday, February 7, 2026, 9:00am to 3:30pm

Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison

(5202 Cottage Grove Rd., Madison)

Our keynote speaker is Grace Pomroy, Director of the Stewardship Leaders Program at Luther Seminary and author of the excellent book, Funding Forward: A Pathway to More Sustainable Models for Ministry.

LEAD is the SCSW's annual conference for both rostered and lay leaders, offering an opportunity to come together for learning, worship, fellowship, and more. Many more details are yet to come, including the line-up of workshop opportunities. Stay tuned!

Mark your calendars!

The 2026 SCSW Synod Assembly is May 15 and 16, 2026 at the Woodmans Center in Janesville, WI.

The Assembly will open on the evening of Friday, May 15 and will continue through the day on Saturday, May 16.

Planning is underway and more details, including registration information, will be shared soon.

The Madison Area Jail Ministry is still accepting donated copies of Hear My Voice: A Prison Prayer Book from Augsburg Fortress. This resource is a useful guide to those who are new to prayer and to Christianity. For some, when they are allowed one sacred text to bring from the jail to prison, this is the text that is chosen. The book is available from Augsburg Fortress and other online retailers. Purchased books can be sent to: Madison Area Jail Ministry, Laura Jasiczek, 216 S. Tyler St., Lancaster, WI 53813.

Click here for a flyer about the book request that you can download and share.

On November 25 an email was sent to congregations and rostered ministers regarding a synod staff change. The Rev. Jen Christenson, Associate to the Bishop for Candidacy and Community has accepted a call to serve as the Candidacy and Leadership Manager for Region 5. Her last day in the office is December 23.

Read the full text of the November 25 email here.

As 2025 comes to a close, rostered ministers are reminded to complete and submit the annual Rostered Minister Report. These reports provide a valuable connection point for Bishop Joy and aid in her understanding of the joys and concerns of our synod rostered ministers.

Rostered Minister Report forms are available on the ELCA website.

Click here to access the list of reports and choose the one that best fits your current situation.

Please return completed forms to Jill Sim, SCSW Administrative Assistant, by February 15, 2026.

The November 2025 Mission Support memo celebrates stewardship in its many forms. You will meet the Rev. Tauna Roth, Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in the East-Central Synod of Wisconsin. She has a passion for connecting with people, collaborating with fellow congregations, learning together, and especially sharing food. She was awarded The Dr. Richard Lee Peterman Stewardship Award for 2025 from our ELCA Congregation and Synod Support Team and Stewardship ministry, an award celebrating our churches' abundant and creative forms of stewardship.

In this memo learn how "Is there going to be food?" can be the start of an important stewardship experience. You also do not want to miss the time to gather on Monday, December 8 at 6pm CST, to explore "Christmas Eve as a Missional Moment." Join to wonder how we can use our large service times with glorious influxes of people to introduce new worshipers to the mission of our community and share stewardship-of-mission moments.

Click here to view and download the November 2025 Mission Support Memo.

Experience the fifth annual Musical Advent Calendar from Lutheran Summer Music, November 30–December 24. Enjoy daily musical meditations to inspire reflection throughout the Advent season.

Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, with all videos archived at LSMacademy.org/acal. 

Click here to sign up to receive each day’s video directly to your email inbox!

The SCSW Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Team hosts a monthly meeting on the second Thursday of the month. The meeting is held via Zoom. This month's meeting is Thursday, December 11, at 10:30am.

Join with other leaders for a time to connect, offer and receive support, and prayer. All who engage in ministry with children, youth, and families are warmly welcomed and invited!

Click here for the Zoom link for this month's meeting. Contact Heather Greenley if you have questions or wonderings about the monthly meetings.

The SCSW Care for Creation team's 2026 online winter Zoom book study begins January 8, 2026. We will meet every Thursday from 6:30pm to 7:45pm, from January 8 through February 5.

Together we’ll explore the book, Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters by Sandra Richter, in which the author provides insights into ancient Israelite society that allow us to connect with their wisdom today.

Biblical sections about caring for land, animals, and people on the margins are clearly presented along with practical suggestions on how to be responsive in caring for creation. Richter is known as a lively Bible teacher, has a PhD from Harvard, and is a member of the Committee for Biblical Translation of the NIV.

Click here to register for the Zoom. After you register you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link. Questions? Contact Deacon Meg Nielsen, Care for Creation Committee Chair.

The Fall 2025 Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM) Ambassador-Gram is now available! The Fall edition includes the 2025 to 2027 LMM strategic plan "LMM iS" (Lead, Model, Multiply & Sustain), a sign-up for Advent devotionals, opportunities for online Bible studies and book studies, and more!

Click here to view the LMM Ambassador-Gram.

The Rev. Brian Ferguson

Sunday, November 23, 2025

St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Middleton

The Rev. Jason Hill

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Brooklyn Lutheran Church, Brooklyn (8:30am)

Primrose Lutheran Church, Belleville (10:30am)

The Rev. Wade Crevier

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 9:30am

Jefferson Prairie Lutheran Church, Poplar Grove, IL

Below are learning opportunities that the Office of the Bishop has been made aware of that may be of interest to our rostered and lay leaders.

Applications are open for the next cohort of Contemplative Renewal Immersions at Holy Wisdom Monastery. This is an opportunity to journey as part of a cohort of pastors from across the country and multiple Christian traditions for two years of contemplative practice and renewal. The journey begins with two immersions at Holy Wisdom Monastery, an ecumenical Benedictine monastery nestled in 130 acres of restored prairie on the north edge of Madison, Wisconsin.

This program offers early and mid-career clergy the opportunity to nourish their spiritual center by developing life-long practices of contemplative prayer and covenantal relationships with clergy peers. 

Click here for more information and to apply.

The Wisconsin Council of Churches is offering a webinar titled, "Building the Bridge to Communities: Flipping the Script on Outreach" on December 3 at 11:00am (CT).

For generations, faith communities have asked, “How do we get people to come to church?” This session explores a flipped script: what do we need to do to prepare and enter communities authentically and with intention? This potential reversal of the directionality of our approach to church membership and participation explores the opportunity to serve IN the community without the expectation that individuals “join” us. Participants will consider the obstacles and opportunities to reorganize our outreach and better serve those we seek.

This webinar will be led by Dr. J. Cody Nielsen, Assistant Professor of Higher Education at Western Michigan University and Executive Director of Convergence Strategies.

Click here to learn more and to register.