June 14, 2022
Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews
Synod office update
Synod staff members are splitting time between in-office and remote work; the office remains closed to public meetings. This protocol will be evaluated periodically to reflect the CDC guidelines for vaccinated persons.

The synod office will be closed on Monday, June 20, in commemoration of Juneteenth.
Calvary at the cross roads
“On the morning of April 21, 2022, four leaders from Calvary Lutheran Church logged onto a Zoom call to discuss how the way they ‘do church’ is changing. In the last two years, a number of events happened in Calvary’s backyard: the killing of George Floyd just one block from their congregation; a pandemic that forced members physically apart; all while in the middle of a years-long process of selling of their building, which, as of April 20, 2022, is now on the National Register of Historic Places.  
 
Josh Moberg, Calvary’s church council president, said that the congregation is ‘a small, vibrant, urban church called to engage with [its] immediate neighborhood in an authentic way; ways that support people and meet their needs.’”
My fullest self
“June 13 marks the two-year anniversary of my grandmother Marlys’ death. She was the family matriarch, a force to be reckoned with, and an extremely devout Lutheran. She brought joy and snacks for everyone everywhere she went. We couldn’t host her funeral in the church she’d been a member of for decades because of the pandemic; we couldn’t invite any friends or long-distance family to attend for fear of COVID spread. We were stuck. And now I was stuck.”
Commemoration of the Emanuel Nine — June 17
As part of the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, voting members adopted a resolution designating June 17 as a commemoration of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9 — the nine people shot and killed on June 17, 2015, during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.

The ELCA has created materials to help synods and congregations mark this commemoration. These resources can be adapted for virtual worship, online conversation, or individual reflection and devotion. You are invited to use them in whatever ways are most helpful for your local context.

Our relationship to the shooter, as well as two of the slain, reminds us of both our complicity and our calling. Together we confess that we are in bondage to the sins of racism and white supremacy and, at the same time, we rejoice in the freedom that is ours in Christ Jesus who “has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2:14). May God continue to guide us as we seek repentance and renewal, and racial justice and reconciliation among God’s precious children.
Unique VBS opportunity
Cristo Obrero, one of the synod's Synodically Authorized Worshipping Communities, is hosting a Vacation Bible School on the farm with Prairie Oaks Institute August 1-5. Ten area churches and more than 200 kids will participate. Cristo Obrero and its partners are looking for additional volunteers to help with this week-long VBS program.

August 1-5
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.; 1st-5th grade
9:00 a.m.-Noon (Pre-K and K)
Prairie Oaks Institute
1200 West South Street
Belle Plaine
Do you qualify for
loan forgiveness?
Changes to the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program have created a unique opportunity for rostered leaders and other nonprofit employees. Have you been told in the past that you were previously ineligible for PSLF? You may now be eligible! PSLF has expanded qualified employment to include religious instruction and worship. 

Lutheran Social Service offered a webinar on the qualifications for loan forgiveness for church workers. A recording of that webinar is available for your viewing.
Leadership for Social Justice Cohort '22-'23
Thanks to the generosity of the Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Leadership Center for Social Justice at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is welcoming applications a tuition-free, nine-month continuing education program in Leadership for Social Justice for congregational pastors in Minnesota and surrounding states.

The program equips pastors with the skills to effectively address a broad range of social issues — including struggles for economic, racial, gender, sexual, and ecological justice — in ways that are reflective, practical, relational, and faithful. The program supports pastors in developing and/or deepening contextually-sensitive, sustainable, and community-based ministries in social justice responsive to what God is doing in the world, in congregations, and in communities.

A cohort of 16 will meet twice a month from September 2022 to May 2023. In addition to earning a Certificate in Leadership for Social Justice, successful completion of the program fulfills the requirements for up to eight credits toward United’s Doctor of Ministry degree.
Cherish All Children Virtual 5k
Join Cherish All Children for their Virtual 5K! Head out solo or with friends and family to run, walk, or bike at a location you choose. The goal for each participant is $300. Enlisting others to help sponsor you is a helpful way to accomplish this goal. For example, consider asking 10 friends to sponsor you for $30 each. If you’re unable to participate, you may also sponsor a racer or make a general gift and support this work of keeping children safe from sexual exploitation.
ELCA Coaching Webinar Series
ELCA Coaching is mixing things up in 2022 to continue to experiment and learn. You are invited to join their webinars, weekly on Wednesdays, at 1:00 p.m., CST, to hear from various leaders across the Church. The theme will be Courageous Leadership. 

The gatherings will be hosted by various ministries through the year, so each week will be different. There will usually be time for small groups in breakout rooms so attendees can continue to learn from each other and leave each gathering with at least one action step.

Find more information, and recordings of prior sessions, at the ELCA Coaching website linked below.
Rethinking Silence: A Tool for the Body, the Mind, and Sustaining Recovery
The Center of Addiction & Faith is hosting a one-hour free webinar titled “Rethinking Silence: A Tool for the Body, the Mind, and Sustaining Recovery" on Thursday, June 30 from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. with a 30-minute discussion after.

We live in a world of noise and constant movement, but nearly all the world’s religions and wisdom traditions teach about the value and importance of silence. Join Justin Zorn and Leigh Marz, authors of “Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise,” as they encourage a rethinking of our definition of silence – not just the absence of noise, but as a presence that can bring us energy, clarity, and deeper connection. Participants will learn more about the science of why silence is essential for bodies and minds, as well as practical approaches to cultivating silence in your life. Participants will discuss how silence can be key to promoting and sustaining recovery in all its forms.
Lutheran Night at the Twins
Start getting your group of 20 or more together for Lutheran Night at the Twins on Tuesday, August 2. You'll receive group discounted tickets seated together, a welcome message on the scoreboard, and the opportunity to participate in the national anthem choir. Ticket prices range from $17 to $37 in a variety of seating areas including the Deck, Field Box, and Home Run Porch View. 
Where is the synod staff in upcoming weeks?
Upcoming Events
Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA www.mpls-synod.org