...Jesus came near & went with them

Upcoming Events

• ELCA Youth Gathering and Young Adult Gathering Registration Opening Soon
• NWOS Golf, Guitars, and Gazebos - Youth and Young Adult Event
• Common Table: Young Adult Gathering
• Share the Joy of Christmas with Luther Home of Mercy
• 100th Anniversary of the Founding of Faith Lutheran Church, Toledo
• 2026 Filling Fall Fling with Filling Homes
• HNO Advocacy in Advent & Celebration Dinner
• Marion Correctional Christmas Play 2026
• 2027 All-Ohio Rostered Ministers Gathering

Service and Sponsorship:

• Growing Hope: HopeWood Outdoors Campaign
• Hunger Network in Ohio: Monthly Advocate Check-In

Resource Sharing:

• ELCA Advocacy - Election Engagement Toolkit
• ELCA World Hunger - Advent Resources
• NWOS - The Great Goat Project (NEW Resources Added!)
• NWOS Annual Fund Campaign
• Luther Seminary: Boundaries for Christian Leaders Training
• 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering GNews
• ELCA Advocacy Resources
• ELCA Young Adult Opportunities
• The Sermon Supply

Position Postings:

• Executive Director - The Ohio Council of Churches
• Rector & Dean - Trinity Lutheran Seminary

UPCOMING EVENTS

ELCA Youth Gathering and ELCA Young Adult Gathering - Registration!

Registration for the 2027 Youth Gathering and Young Adult Gathering, happening concurrently in Minneapolis, MN from June 28-July 2, 2027, opens THIS MONTH!

Join with youth and young adult Lutherans from across the denomination (and the world, with a Lutheran World Federation Youth delegation joining!) for worship, discernment, play, learning, and much more at this gathering. 

Mark your calendar for the opening of early bird registration on October 21st, and check out the link below to learn more about Young Adult Gathering logistics and programming!

The application for financial assistance is open! The priority consideration deadline for application is November 11, after which consideration of applications will be open on a rolling basis until the close of late registration. Applicants who apply for assistance by November 11 will be granted early registration pricing whether they receive financial assistance or not. 

Click the button below for more information!

Golf, Guitars, and Gazebos: Youth & Young Adult

Event

Hey NWOS Youth & Young Adults! 

Come spend the afternoon with us at Golf, Guitars & Gazebos on October 25th, 2026! We'll gather for food, worship, conversation, hot chocolate, and a round of disc golf in the park. 

No disc golf experience? No problem! Discs will be provided if needed.

This is a great opportunity to meet other young adults from across the synod, build connections, and enjoy a fall afternoon together.

October 25th, 2026

Carter Park, Bowling Green

Starts at 1:30 PM

We can't wait to see you there! 

Register by scanning the QR in the image or by clicking the link below!

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, October 27th, 2026 from 6 - 8pm

Reynolds Corners Branch Library

4833 Dorr St., Toledo, OH 43615

We are exploring the theme of light and darkness through a fun activity and conversation. We will end with light and darkness themed interactive prayer stations.

Whether you're looking for community, curiosity, or just a fun night out, you

belong at the table. We hope to see you there!

Share the Joy of Christmas with Luther Home of Mercy!

Join us to bless over 175 adults with disabilities with Christmas gifts. You can choose to "Adopt a Resident," shop for items on a Wish List or donate a Thrivent Card. Contact Melissa Gregg at mgregg@lutherhome.org or call 419-972-4338 to learn more or adopt.

100th Anniversary of the Founding of Faith Lutheran Church, Toledo

Come join us on November 1st, 2026, in celebrating 100 years of the ministry of Faith Lutheran Church in the South Toledo community! Bishop Beaudoin will be joining us for an 11 am worship service followed by a luncheon. For questions or to RSVP, contact the church office at 419-385-7459 or email faith-lutheran@att.net.

2026 Filling Fall Fling with Filling Homes

The Filling Fall Fling will be held on November 7, 2026, and is presented by the Filling Homes Guild.

This annual fundraiser supports our Transportation Fund, helping provide safe and reliable transportation for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to access medical appointments, employment opportunities, church activities, community events, and visits with family and friends.

HNO - Advocacy in Advent & Celebration Dinner

You are invited to come and advocate with us during the Advent and holiday season for an end to hunger and justice in our communities. No experience necessary. After a day at the Statehouse, join us for dinner, singing, and community with one another! Come for one or both events!

Advocacy Day 12:00-5:00pm

Celebration Dinner 5:00 -7:00pm

Marion Correctional Christmas Play 2026

Join us in person for a heartwarming evening filled with holiday cheer and amazing performances. This festive play brings the spirit of Christmas alive right at Marion Correctional, showcasing talent and togetherness. Don’t miss out on a night full of laughter, music, and holiday magic!

Dates: December 14th, 15th, and 16th

Showtimes: 1PM and 6PM

Location: Marion Correctional Institution

940 Marion-Williamsport Rd. E

Marion, Ohio 43302

2027 All-Ohio Rostered Ministers Gathering

Join Us for the 2027 All-Ohio Rostered Ministers Gathering 

When: January 19th - 21st, 2027

Where: Sawmill Creek & Resort (Huron, Ohio)

Who: Open to all Rostered Ministers (Active, Retired, OLFC), Synod Authorized Ministers, Interns, and Seminarians in any ELCA Ohio Synod.

About Our Keynote:

Rev. Dr. Troy Troftgruben is an ordained ELCA pastor who serves as Professor of New Testament and the Wagner Chair in Biblical Theology at Wartburg Seminary, where he has taught since 2013. Before that, he served for five years as a pastor in Grand Forks, ND. A graduate of Luther Seminary (M.Div.) and Princeton Seminary (Ph.D), Troy’s areas of specialty are Luke and Acts and early church communities. He has written Rooted and Renewing (Fortress, 2019), Bearing Witness in Acts and Today (Cascade, 2025), and is presently working on a commentary on Luke's Gospel. Troy also contributes regularly to Augsburg's Sundays and Seasons: Preaching.

By vocation, Troy sees himself as a pastor with a specialized call: the spiritual formation of church leaders. He is married and has two nearly adult children. For Sabbath time, Troy enjoys playing and listening to local music, biking, being outdoors, and practicing the discipline of hope by following Minnesota sports teams and the Chicago Cubs. 

Find more information and how to register by visiting the link below!

SERVICE AND SPONSORSHIP

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.

Hunger Network in Ohio’s - Monthly Advocate Check-in

SECOND THURSDAY’S (NORMALLY) 7PM - 8PM

Join fellow advocates from across Ohio to hear what is going on at the Ohio Statehouse, ways to get involved, ask questions, and share what is going on in your community. All are welcome to this time!

RESOURCE SHARING

ELCA Advocacy - Election Engagement Toolkit

This ELCA Election Engagement Toolkit contains succinct inspiration and tools to activate and energize love in an election season as people and communities of faith.

Follow the footprints to action steps from beginning to challenging, and find reflections from ELCA social teaching along the way.

ELCA World Hunger - Advent Resources

An Advent devotional, calendar and other materials are available to order or download from ELCA World Hunger. Inspired by Mary’s Magnificat, “Filled With Good Things” invites all of us to strengthen our relationships with our neighbors by sharing our abundance. 

Support your neighborhoods, make new neighbors, see your longtime neighbors in new ways and expand your understanding of who neighbors can be. While you’re at it, why not sprinkle in some joy?

Find more information and resources by clicking the button below!

NEW RESOURCES AVAILABLE!

NWOS - The Great Goat Project 2026!

This year, we invite your congregation to join something fun, meaningful, and a little bit… goat-tastic 🐐:

👉 The Northwestern Ohio Synod’s Great Goat Project

🐐 What’s it all about?

The Great Goat Project isn’t just about goats—it’s about sharing God’s love in real, life-changing ways.

Through this project, your VBS can help provide goats to families in Kashasha, Tanzania, in partnership with our Companions in the ELCT Dodoma Diocese in Tanzania. A single goat can:

• Provide nutritious milk for children
• Help families grow food through fertilizer
• Create income and long-term sustainability
• Bless not just one family—but an entire community

We've recently added new resources!

Planning Rally Day, Youth Group Events, Sunday School Activities, or even a Tanzanian Christmas Party?

Kick off the program year with a project that's engaging, global, and impactful! The Great Goat Project provides ready-to-use resources for congregations, youth groups, and families to learn, give, and serve together. Every goat gifted through this project helps strengthen families and communities in Kashasha, Tanzania.

Explore our new games, activities, and fundraising tracker specifically with Congregations and youth in mind!

All of this grows out of our shared theme:

💛 “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) 

NWOS - Annual Campaign

Living out the Synod’s mission to equip leaders, this year’s Annual Fund will focus donations on Synod programs which identify, enrich and encourage lay members to grow their faith and leadership skills for ministry.

This will include programs such as Growing in Faith, (Diakonia), a two year program of advanced classes in church foundations and practical education on leadership in the church; Synod Authorized Ministers (SAM) and their mentors;  and encouraging nontraditional students to attend seminary.

The Annual Fund will also support Imagining Renewal Microgrants, small one time grants for unique ministries, which recognize the needs of communities and empower lay and rostered leaders to respond with creativity and passion. 

All Annual Fund donations remain in and benefit NWOS. While funds are unrestricted, these funds allow for building up churches, developing lay members and growing the number of people able to express and meet ministry needs.

Luther Seminary - Boundaries for Christian Leaders Training

Have you ever seen the fallout when boundaries in ministry break down—or were never set in the first place? It can happen in relationships, when things start to blur and feel not-quite-appropriate, or it can happen when a ministry leader gets caught in a pattern of sacrificing time and energy beyond what’s healthy. It can happen in youth ministry, or in a church’s financial practices, or in how church members communicate with one another. So how can you be a part of stewarding and safeguarding your community through the cultivation of clear and wisely-designed boundaries?

Boundaries for Christian Leaders was designed to equip ministry leaders with wisdom, theology, and practical tools for setting and maintaining healthy boundaries in every area of ministry. Boundaries aren’t walls meant to restrict: they’re a gift from God, and they’re necessary. Intentional frameworks for maintaining appropriate boundaries can allow you and those you serve to thrive. This course lays a foundation of theological insight and real-world application, so that church leaders can navigate everything from sexuality to technology with clarity, integrity, and grace.

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?

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.

Young Adult Opportunities

Check out what’s happening with ELCA Young Adult Ministry this month!

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.

POSITION POSTINGS

Executive Director - The Ohio Council of Churches



The Executive Director will be responsible for the functioning and mission of the Ohio Council of Churches – a non-profit organization made up of (currently) 23 partner judicatories of Christian denominations around Ohio that are a Christ-Centered movement for peace, justice, and unity. The Council accomplishes its work by:

• Fostering relationships through study, worship, dialogue, and prayer.
• Connecting Judicatory leaders working on common missions.
• Proclaiming God’s justice in a broken world.

Rector & Dean - Trinity Lutheran Seminary

The next Rector and Dean will assume leadership at a consequential and promising moment in the life of both the Seminary and the University. As one of seven seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and one of only three embedded ELCA seminaries within a broader university, Trinity occupies a distinctive place in theological education.

The Rector and Dean will help define and communicate a compelling vision for Trinity's future - one deeply rooted in Lutheran theology and the formation of leaders for Christ's church while responsive to changing patterns of ministry, theological education, and congregational life. The leader will be called to strengthen sustainable enrollment, nurture a culture of formation and belonging, advance innovative and accessible approaches to theological education, deepen relationships across the ELCA and broader church, and expand Trinity's public witness and external visibility.



As Trinity's chief executive and administrative leader, the Rector and Dean reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and serves as an active leader within Capital University. The successful candidate will bring theological depth, pastoral credibility, academic judgment, strategic imagination, and relational strength and will be able to work effectively at the intersection of church, university, community, and vocation.

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