June 2021
Our Mission: Supporting lifelong faith formation in the home and congregation
Prayer Pause
Dear God,
We thank you
for clear blue skies and sunny days
for fresh green grass and leafy trees
for vivid purple flowers and well-tended gardens
for fluffy white clouds and gentle breezes
for people stepping out with sandaled feet
for children playing games with delighted squeals
for picnics
for long days and short nights
Glory be to God...
for seasons
for sunshine
for summer
President's Message

Dear friends,

Kermit the Frog once sang...

It's not easy being green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over 'Cause you're not standing out
Like flashy sparkles in the water or stars in the sky

One of the biggest complaints I hear from rostered ministers and lay leaders alike is about this season of green – this Ordinary season that seems to drag on all summer. It’s not easy when it seems so ordinary. One of the joys of serving a rural congregation is watching green things grow. Outside of my office window is a field. As I work, I am aware of the farmer at work. Tilling the soil as the dust cloud moves across the road. Planting in between the spring rains. Tending the fields as the crop begins to grow. Then waiting. And waiting. That ordinary time seems to lasts forever as questions filter through the farmer’s thoughts:

Did I plant too early? Or, did I plant too late?
Did I get the right seed?
Are we going to get sufficient rain?
Is it going to rain too much? Will the rain bring hail that destroys the crops?
Maybe I should have bought hail insurance?
Will we get an early freeze?
If we get a lot of rain in the fall, will the corn and beans dry?”

Yet, Paul reminds us: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)

This past 18 months has been the most difficult season of Confirmation in all of my ministry. Since I started this call in October 2019, we waited until January to begin Confirmation Class. In March, we moved to Zoom. Then we moved back to in-person, but in the gym where we could spread out and keep the 6 feet distancing. It was frustrating at best. Ineffective at worst. At least that is what I thought.

Learning Strategies for the Life of Faith Initiative

Featured Church:
Westwood Lutheran
St. Louis Park, MN
Pastor Jason Hunnik shared what Westwood is up to in their congregation and community with our board member, Julie Hestermann

How many members do you have?

Westwood is a congregation of around 2500 and prepandemic worshipped about 600 people weekly.

Community Information:
St. Louis Park is a first ring suburb just west of Minneapolis.

Describe the Grace and Vocation Initiative:

Grace and Vocation is an initiative that began out of a growing concern that daily life and faith were separate for many members of the congregation; even core members were unable to combine the two. The goal of the Grace and Vocation initiative was to connect faith and real life and as Pastor Jason said, “for people to be so embraced by the gospel that their lives would be lived out of that narrative.”

Book Review
Title: Grace and Gigabytes: Being Church in a Tech-Shaped Culture

Author: Ryan M. Panzer

Reviewed by: Carole Joyce, CENetwork of the ELCA

What will the church look like after the pandemic? After a long year of digital faith formation and worship, our congregations are discerning how to go back to in-person ministry yet keep the new digital connections that were built. Grace and Gigabytes can help.

I read the book hoping to figure out how grace and technology work together in ministry. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the book is not really about technology in the church. And you do not have to know what a gigabyte is to read it! Instead, the book reflects on how culture has changed because of technology. That changing culture affects how we do everything including ministry.

Read the book review here.

Available on Amazon.com.
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Vision Statement
Building a community which equips, encourages and empowers those engaged in lifelong faith formation in a changing world, the CENetwork will:

  • Identify and evaluate resources and educational opportunities
  • Facilitate communication and conversations
  • Offer guidance, networking and mutual support
  • Nurture spiritual growth online and face-to-face



How You Can Support the Christian Education Network

You can become a member or make a one-time donation via PayPal on our website; or, you can purchase from AmazonSmile and designate The Christian Education Network as your charity. We receive a percentage of the proceeds! You can also designate the CENetwork through Thrivent Choice.



Contact Us

CENetwork of the ELCA
PO Box 250009
Holly Hill, FL 32117