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...Jesus came near & went with them |
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Upcoming Events
- NWOS Affirmation of Vows Chrism Mass
- NWOS Listening & Spiritual Discernment Retreat
- Common Table: Young Adult Gathering
- Multifaith Council Earth Day Celebration
- Spiritual Retreat for Rostered Leaders and SAMs
- Carry the Hope: A Day for Justice-Minded Folks
- Good Trouble Friday
- First Evangelical's Feast Women's Event
- Lakeside Lutheran Chautauqua
- Happy Easter from Lutheran Summer Music
- 2026 Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts
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Pierstorf College Fund Applications
- 2026 School of Congregational Development
- 2026 Nelson Lecture Series
Service and Sponsorship:
- Growing Hope: HopeWood Outdoors Campaign
Resource Sharing:
- Young Adult Gathering Leadership Applications
- 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering GNews
- ELCA Action Alert: Farm Bill
- Church Property Resource Hub
- ELCA Advocacy Resources
- The Sermon Supply
- Free Clergy Shirt!
Position Postings:
- Assistant Professor of Homiletics - Trinity Lutheran Seminary
- Organist and Music Director - St. John Lutheran Church, Port Clinton
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NWOS Affirmation of Vows Chrism Mass
Join NWOS for our 2026 Affirmation of Vows Chrism Mass on March 31st, 2026 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in North Baltimore. Lunch will be provided afterwards.
SAMs and Deans are invited to a brunch with Bishop Daniel and staff before the Affirmation of Vows Chrism Mass.
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NWOS Listening & Spiritual Discernment Retreat
Are you curious where the Holy Spirit might be leading you?
Are you feeling a sense of call to serve the church in a new way?
Are you wondering about what it takes to become a public leader in the ELCA?
Do you feel God’s Spirit tugging or nudging you to explore spiritual gifts, passions and interests?
If any of these questions resonate with you, consider joining us for this unique one-day retreat.
Join Bishop Daniel Beaudoin and Synod Staff for this time of prayer and discovery together. We will explore scripture, share our faith stories, enjoy lunch together, and spend time with a spiritual director who will help us focus and listen for where God may be calling us next. Weather permitting, there will be time to explore the beautiful gardens at Schedel.
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Common Table: Young Adult Gathering
Join us for our monthly Common Table meeting, an intentionally ecumenical and inclusive community for young adults ages 18-35.
Come enjoy meaningful community and connection.
Tuesday, March 24th, 2026 at 6pm
Heatherdowns Branch Library
3265 Glanzman Rd, Toledo, OH 43614
Join us for a food tasting of various cheeses, chocolates, and more. Plus we will connect over the Jackbox game, and close with a time of prayer. We will be in Meeting Room B.
Whether you're looking for community, curiosity, or just a fun night out, you
belong at the table. We hope to see you there!
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Multifaith Earth Day Celebration
MFC is partnering once again with Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and Sacred Grounds to host our annual MultiFaith Earth Day celebration on April 26. This beloved event honors the beauty of our natural world while exploring ecospirituality and sustainability through the lens of diverse faith traditions.
We are currently seeking faith communities to host tables showcasing how their traditions honor the environment, as well as community organizations promoting sustainability initiatives. Volunteers are also needed!
This event is free and open to people of all faiths. We hope you'll join us in celebrating our shared responsibility to care for the earth.
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NWOS Southwest Conference Presents:
To Love as God Loves: Spiritual Retreat for Rostered Leaders and SAMs in collaboration with the NWOS Southwest Conference
"To Love as God Loves" is a three-day, three night Benedictine-style retreat featuring plenty of silent time for contemplation, reading, and prayer. Daily worship includes morning, midday, and evening prayer along with daily eucharist.
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Carry the Hope: A Day for Justice-minded Folks
Many who care deeply about justice, community, and the well-being of our neighbors are feeling isolated or overwhelmed. Carry the Hope is a one-day gathering designed to create space for renewal, connection, and solidarity among justice-minded people across Ohio. Through music, shared stories, conversation, and grounding practices, we will take time to breathe, listen, and reconnect with one another. Featuring music and facilitation by Luke Wallace, the day will include communal singing, table conversations, and regional connection designed to strengthen relationships and remind us that we are not alone in this work. This gathering is an invitation to step away from urgency for a moment, reconnect with hope, and begin building a relational network of people committed to justice, care, and community in the days ahead.
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Good Trouble Friday
Join us on Friday, April 3 from 12-1pm at Trinity Episcopal on Capitol Square
(125 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215)
Join Christians from across the state for a Stations of the Cross march encircling the Ohio State House, featuring prayers by leaders spanning denominations which name the suffering faced by our neighbors today.
Together, we pray and sing to honor those enduring hardships in Ohio and fervently petition for justice, harmony, and the inherent dignity of ALL
people.
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Feast Virtual Event
The Christian Ed and Outreach Committees at First Evangelical Lutheran are hosting a one day Women's Event on April 25th from 9-2p.m. Attached, please find a flyer that we would love for you to share within your church, newsletters, bulletins or your business/organizations bulletin board. We are so excited to bring this opportunity to Upper Sandusky and would be grateful for the community's support! The proceeds for the event will be going towards our efforts to purchase a Digital Sign on our property.
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Lakeside Lutheran Chautauqua
Celebrate faith, fellowship, and family during Lakeside Lutheran Chautauqua. Join fellow Lutherans for uplifting worship (featuring Rev. Michael Beck), family activities, and joyful community along the shores of Lake Erie. For more information about registration, complimentary passes, and the Lakeside Lutheran Chautauqua week, please visit our website!
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Happy Easter from Lutheran Summer Music!
Please enjoy this joyful musical offering of "O Clap Your Hands" by Ralph Vaughan Williams, performed by the LSM 2025 Festival Choir, conducted by Dr. Shannon Gravelle, with Dr. Catherine Rodland, organ.
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Invitation to Attend the 2026 Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts (CWTA)
The 2026 Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts (CWTA) is a high-quality, affordable conference, full of practical ideas that you can adapt to your own setting, along with meaningful worship experiences — for ministry practitioners and by ministry practitioners. It will be held July 20-22, 2026, on the campus of St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN. You are invited to participate!
CWTA attracts participants from many different roles, including experienced and first-call Pastors, Deacons, and other church professional leaders; Lay people including lay leaders; Church workers – volunteer and paid; Children youth and family ministers/leaders; Artists; Church musicians; Christian education professionals; Outdoor ministry professionals; Seminarians; Others interested in deepening theological understandings and spiritual practices; and Members of congregations that are reimagining their vocation. We’ll provide opportunities for you to find those people at the conference so you can connect and share experiences.
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College Loans for the 2026-2027 School Year
The Pierstorf College Fund is a one-of-a-kind pan Lutheran financial aid program that provides interest-free loans to all Lutherans pursuing a higher education who live in the State of Ohio. These loans are specific to students who are or will be enrolled full time in a four-year undergraduate program at any accredited college or university. This year, the maximum interest-free loan is $4,000 for the school year. All types of students are eligible. Continuing your education after high school? Second career applicants? Continuing education after a gap? All qualify.
Founded in 1994, Pierstorf College Fund has awarded Lutheran students over $14 million, allowing them to worry less about tuition and focus more on their goals. We do not ask for family income information, and strive to provide loans for every Lutheran college student. First time borrowers can be new or returning college students. Applications open March 1 and remain open until June 30, 2026.
New this year: First-time applicants with completed and approved applications between March 1 and April 30, 2026 will have the opportunity to meet with our committee and receive their disbursements on Saturday, May 16. All other first-time applicants will receive their disbursements on Saturday, July 25, 2026. There is an incentive to apply early
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SCD 2026
The “School of Congregational Development” is the UMC’s largest training and resourcing event. From August 2-5 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Columbus, practitioners from across the globe will be here offering workshops on a variety of topics. Hosted in Columbus, Ohio, SCD 2026 equips and empowers leaders to build communities where people truly belong and, together, become more like Christ—loving boldly, serving joyfully, and leading courageously for the sake of the world.
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2026 Nelson Lecture Series
The Nelson Lecture Series is a gift from the late Constance Ruth (Nelson) Wise. A 1971 graduate of Capital University, she earned her degree in Music Education. During her time at Capital, her eyes were opened to the wider world—particularly to issues of racial and sexual identity and the richness of diverse faith expressions. In establishing this legacy lecture series, she requested that it be grounded in open dialogue and faithful engagement with a variety of topics that reflect and support the mission and values of Capital University.
This year’s Nelson Lecture Series will take place March 24–26 and will feature two keynote speakers. All events are free and open to the campus community and the public.
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Growing Hope:
Campaign for HopeWood Outdoors
HopeWood Outdoors is launching a new capital campaign! This campaign is called Growing Hope and our desire is to expand the impact of Lutheran outdoor ministries here in Ohio. With a goal of $2.5 million, the priorities of Growing Hope include projects at both HopeWood Pines and HopeWood Shores, as well as the expansion of HopeWood Connect.
God is already bringing growth to HopeWood’s ministries, including 190% growth in campers since 2022. What a blessing to know that God is already Growing Hope among us! We want you to join us in Growing Hope, too. We invite you to read attached documents will share more details about how God is expanding ministry through HopeWood Outdoors.
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2027 Young Adult Gathering - Leadership App!
We are so excited that you are discerning a call to join the Leadership team of the 2027 Young Adult Gathering! This team will play an integral part in the operations, worship, programs, and community life of the 2027 Young Adult Gathering. The journey from planning to the completion, evaluation, and celebration of the event will be filled with opportunities for you to share your gifts, discern Holy Spirit nudges, and dream alongside the young people of this church.
The 2027 Young Adult Gathering dates are June 26 - July 2, 2027, and the event will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The YA Gathering Core Team will consist of 6 people, including a registrar position to be identified closer to the event date as well as Kayla Zopfi and Daniel Kirschbaum as the two staff team leaders that will serve as supervisors for all positions, and will be joined by the Implementation Team closer to the start of the Gathering.
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2027 ELCA Youth Gathering
Every three years, thousands of high schoolers and their adult leaders from across the ELCA come together for the ELCA Youth Gathering. It’s not just an event but a movement in which faith ignites and community comes alive. Through inspiring speakers, experiential learning and transformative connections, young people experience the church in bold, unforgettable ways. Each night, participants share a unique faith experience through high-energy worship and powerful storytelling. The Gathering is an opportunity to ask big questions, grow in faith and be part of something bigger than yourself. Are you ready to join the movement?
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Urge a bold, efficient Farm Bill which supports both hungry families and vital rural communities.
The House Agriculture Committee passed a new Farm Bill on Mar. 5, 2026. The bill includes some welcome provisions, such as restoring farm-to-foodbank programs, offering policy stability to farmers, boosting nutrition incentives that directly support the communities our ministries serve, and reauthorizing key international food aid programs. But it falls short in critical areas that must be addressed before it is sent to the president’s desk.
After years of temporary extensions, farmers and families need a bold, efficient Farm Bill that reflects our Lutheran commitment to promoting vitality to rural communities and hungry families. Read more on the ELCA Advocacy Blog.
Please contact your members of Congress today and urge them to strengthen hunger provisions in the Farm Bill.
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Church Property Resource Hub
You are invited to learn more about the Church Property Resource Hub, a new project of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), at one of three upcoming town halls. These webinars are an introduction to the project for congregations and all people connected to the management of church property. Join to explore support available to congregation leaders as they seek to steward property in faithful and practical ways.
Tuesday, March 17, 1 p.m. Central time
Register today.
Thursday, March 19, 4 p.m. Central time
Register today.
Tuesday, March 24, 1 p.m. Central time
Register today.
Developed in response to requests from synod and congregational leaders, the Church Property Resource Hub offers support in navigating the opportunities and challenges that buildings and land represent for congregational vitality and the wider mission of the church.
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ELCA Advocacy Resources
ELCA Advocacy offers a monthly blog called "Advocacy Connections" which features Policy Notes, Action Alerts, Featured Resources, Dates of Note, and much more!
You can find Editions of Advocacy Connections and learn how to sign up to receive these emails at the link below.
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Young Adult Opportunities
Check out what’s happening with ELCA Young Adult Ministry this month!
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Sermon Supply Library
Region 6 Sermon Resource
We’re excited to officially launch The Sermon Supply, a collaborative project from the synods of Region 6!
Beginning today, congregations can access a growing library of sermon videos and manuscripts—designed to support preaching ministry across our synods. Whether you're looking for pulpit supply options, a fresh voice, or support during vacation time, these sermons are free to use and rooted in the Gospel.
Each sermon is filed in a folder by lectionary number, making it easy to find what you need.
Thank you for being part of this shared ministry. We hope these sermons equip and encourage you and your communities in the weeks to come.
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Free Clergy Shirt!
Pastor Mary Beth Smith-Gunn has a NEW clergy shirt that she is looking to give to someone who needs it. If you are interested, please reach out to Mary Beth at pastortlcbryan@yahoo.com or the button below!
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Assistant Professor of Homiletics
Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University invites applicants for a tenure-track faculty position in Homiletics. This position includes a three-quarters teaching appointment and a one-quarter appointment directing the seminary's assessment process and portfolio or the seminary's grant applications and processes. The nine-month contract will begin in August 2026.
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Organist and Music Director - St. John Lutheran Church, Port Clinton
The Organist and Music Director provides leadership for the music ministry of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Port Clinton, Ohio. This position combines service playing, choir direction, and worship planning to support the congregation's mission and worship life. Working closely with the Pastor and Worship Committee, the Music Director ensures that music enriches the proclamation of the Gospel and reflects the liturgical and theological heritage of the Lutheran Church. Interested candidates can request a detailed job description and are invited to submit a resume and cover letter outlining relevant experience by emailing stjohnportclinton@gmail.com, attention Pam Boytim.
| | If you have an announcement or an event that you would like to share throughout the synod, click below to access our submission form. Questions: news@nwos-elca.org | | | | |
