...Jesus came near & went with them

Upcoming Events

• Additional Portico Info Sessions
• Daniel R. Boyle Organ Concert
• NWOS WELCA Gathering
• Retiring Well Workshop
• Hope in Practice: LFCNA
• Prepare-Enrich Facilitator Training
• Pedals, Pipes and Pizza Event
• LWF Ingathering - Load the Truck
• Trinity Days 2025!
• Filling Fall Fling
• Marion Correctional Christmas Play
• Rostered Minister Gathering
• Boundaries Training

Service and Sponsorship:

• Growing Hope: HopeWood Outdoors Campaign

Resource Sharing:

• ELCA Seminaries September Newsletter
• LMM Summer AmbassadorGram
• The Sermon Supply

Position Postings:

• Part-Time Youth Director - St. Matthew, Lima
• Director of Operations-Olivet, Sylvania
• Preschool Teachers + Admin - Hilltop Dayschool
• Building Manager - First, Findlay
• Organist - Zion, Sandusky

UPCOMING EVENTS

*Additional* Portico Info Sessions

September 22, 2025 - Virtual

All ELCA-Primary Health Plan options are changing for 2026. Before Annual Enrollment begins, Portico will be hosting information sessions to help members understand how the new plans will work, what factors you should consider determining which plan is best for you, and how to navigate the new tools we are creating to help your decision process. Both webinars will be led by our Region 6 Portico Regional Representative, Pastor Cathy Schibler. Please save the dates for these upcoming webinars and share with your network. 

FOR SPONSORED PLAN MEMBERS: 
Monday, September 22nd at 2pm Eastern

If you are sponsored in the Portico Benefits plan, this webinar will review the options you have for benefits in 2026, explain Portico’s four new ELCA-Primary Health Plan options, and provide helpful information for enrollment. Register below.

FOR SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS: 
Monday, September 22nd at 6:30pm Eastern

If you sponsor members in the Portico Benefits plan, this webinar is for you. We will discuss employer benefit selections, the health plan options for ELCA-Primary Health Plan members in 2026 and review the annual enrollment process. Register below.

Fall Concert by Dan Boyle September 21, 2025 Solomon Lutheran, Woodville

Come experience the power and playfulness of the pipe organ with Daniel R. Boyle at the console!This thrilling program features works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Paul Fey, George Frideric Handel, Louis Marchand, Everett Titcomb, and Freddie Mercury—yes, really. You'll hear the organ as you've never heard it before: bold, beautiful, and full of surprises. A reception follows; a freewill offering will support the Solomon Concert Fund.

NWOS WELCA Gathering

September 26-27 Bowling Green, OH

Join us for our Biennial NWO Synodical Women of the ELCA 2025 Gathering in Bowling Green. Event highlights include Bible Study on Being Still and Listening, Contemplative Prayer, Bible Journaling, Party Planning ideas, Self Help, news from WELCA Churchwide and the NW Ohio Synod. Hope you can join us!

Retirement Planning Workshop

October 1, 2025 from 9:00 - 11:30 AM St. Mark's Lutheran-Bowling Green, OH

All Rostered Ministers and their spouses interested in learning about retirement and intentional planning for the next season of life are invited to attend & connect with local retired clergy and their spouses about the retirement process. Refreshments provided. Email Cassie at cassie.mugler@nwos-elca.org to RSVP.

Hope in Practice: Applying Solution-Focused Communication 

October 7, 2025 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM 
Virtual

As a faith community nurse, or other professional in ministry, you are on the front lines of mental health and substance use care. It is possible that you engage with people and their families during some of their most vulnerable moments. This interactive session introduces attendees to the Solution Focused model, an evidence-informed, strengths-based approach that emphasizes hope, possibility, and patient resources over pathology, diagnosis and problems. Rather than focusing on what's wrong, this model guides faith community professionals in helping people move toward hope, and what is possible. Participants will learn and practice strategies such as the miracle question, scaling techniques, and exception finding, all tailored for use in time-limited, high-stress community environments.

Prepare-Enrich Facilitator Training
October 21, 2025 - 9 AM to 3 PM

Zion Lutheran-Huron, OH

Prepare-Enrich is a tool used mostly by pastors to prepare couples for marriage, and to enrich existing marriages. It involves the completion of an on-line survey, and interpreting the results in a multi-page printout which organizes and summarizes a couple's responses to survey items. The workshop will teach participants how to administer the survey, interpret the results, and provide meaningful feedback to a couple.

Pipes, Pedals and Pizza

November 15, 2025 St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church Bowling Green, OH

A hands-on exploration, including crawling around inside St. Al's wonderful Létourneau pipe organ. This is a special introductory workshop (even building a miniature organ together) for students 8-18 who want to learn more about the pipe organ.

2025 Ingathering for Lutheran World Relief

October 11, 2025

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pemberville

Come and bring all supplies that your congregation has collected for Lutheran World Relief! The truck that will be parked at St. Paul will have space for all Baby Care kits, Personal Care kits, Fabric kits, School kits and lovingly-made quilts. Please box, tape shut and properly label all supplies. Please contact the church 419-287-4731 and leave a message with any question, or email Joan Simon at simonj@bgsu.edu.

Trinity Days 2025!
October 23-24, 2025

Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH

Trinity Days is open to anyone seeking to worship, praise, and expand their faith! Paid registration is required for keynote speaker Bishop Leila Ortiz on Thursday. The film 1946: The Mistranslatiation that Shifted a Culture, on Friday is free and open to the public.

Filling Fall Fling! 
November 1, 2025 from 11 AM to 3 PM
Filling Home N160 OH-108 · Napoleon

Join the Women's Guild of Filling Homes for a day of fun! A free-will offering lunch, bake sale, live and silent auctions and raffle are all part of the celebration. Join the party in Hanson Aquatic Therapy Center Gymnasium. All proceeds from this event will support the Filling Homes Transportation Fund.

Marion Correctional Christmas Play 2025
December 9 at 1 PM + December 10 at 6 PM
Filling Home N160 OH-108 · Napoleon

Come join us for a festive evening at the Marion Correctional Institution! In this special event, the incarcerated adults will showcase their talents in a heartwarming Christmas play. Witness their creativity and dedication as they bring the holiday spirit to life through their performances. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to support the rehabilitation efforts of the incarcerated adults and enjoy a memorable evening filled with entertainment and joy. Get your tickets now!

Save the Date: Rostered Ministers Gathering
January 20-22, 2026
Columbus, OH

Save the Date: Boundaries Training
January 22, 2026 - 1 PM to 4 PM
Columbus, OH

Are you looking for a boundaries training opportunity? Save the Date: the Southern Ohio Synod ELCA is hosting a boundaries training session on Thursday, January 22, 2026 from 1-4 PM in person at the Hilton - Columbus/Polaris. This event is open to all Rostered Ministers in Region 6! Registration information will be available shortly. As a reminder, all Rostered Ministers must complete Boundaries Training every 3 years.

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.

RESOURCE SHARING

LMM Summer AmbassadorGram

The latest Lutheran Men in Mission newsletter is now avalible!

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.

The first sermon available corresponds with Lectionary 12 - Lectionary 15, June 22 to July 13, 2025. 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

Part-Time Youth Director St. Matthew, Lima

St Matthew Lutheran Church in Lima, Ohio has an opening for a Part-Time Youth Director. This person will play a vital role in building our youth program and helping young people develop a relationship with Jesus Christ by planning classes, events, and activities that align with the Church's vision.

Director of Operations - Olivet, Sylvania

Olivet Lutheran Church is seeking a compassionate, organized and mission-driven Director of Operations to lead the administrative and operational functions of our vibrant congregation. Our vision is: "Celebrating the power of the Holy Spirit by inviting all people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus." Learn more about Olivet at www.olivetsylvania.org

Preschool Teachers + Preschool Administrator

St. John's Hilltop Dayschool

St. John's Hilltop Dayschool, a ministry of St. John's Lutheran Church, has been a part of the Stony Ridge comunity for more than 50 years, serving children from 18 months through school-aged children in after school care. Please contact the office to schedule an interview 419-837-5115

Building Manager First Lutheran, Findlay

The ministry of the Building Manager is to clean, maintain and preserve the properties of First Lutheran Church. The Building Manager shall be responsible for the day-to-day care of the church property. This also includes, but is not be limited to, scheduling needed contractors; coordinating volunteers for large, time-intensive projects; and maintaining the Church Property Budget.

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