January 7, 2020 Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA Enews

Event Spotlight: EcoFaith Power-Up Ruth Ivory Moore, the ELCA's director of environment and corporate social responsibility, will be a featured leader at the EcoFaith Network's Power-Up event at St. Luke's Lutheran in Bloomington on February 8. Green teams and individuals invited! Learn more   Tool Kit: February 22, 2020 Workshop descriptions one by one The Minneapolis Area Synod offers an annual Tool Kit for congregational leaders. It's a great opportunity for teams of church leaders to come together and expand skills and knowledge about congregational leadership. Each week we are introducing one of the workshops to pique your interest. This week: Title:   What is a Sanctuary Church? Presenters:  Pr. Jen Nagel and Nicholas Tangen Brief Description:  With the ELCA voting to become a Sanctuary Church at the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, many congregations are discussing what it means to be part of a sanctuary church. What are the moral/ethical implications? What are the risks? How does a church become a sanctuary  congregation? What are some of the practical considerations? Pastor Jen Nagel and Nicholas Tangen from University Lutheran Church of Hope will share some of the learning they've done in partnership with ISAIAH and the University Area Sanctuary Coalition. “ Dear God, thank you for today ” " These days as I settle back into life in Minneapolis, I’ve been sharing a roof not only with two very close friends, but also their two amazing toddlers. Antalya, who is 4, and her little sister Aurelia are the dearest kiddos in my life and an absolute hoot to call housemates. Yes, sometimes there’s screaming involved over the impending doom of bedtime. Yes, I’m learning unique skills like how to not step in play dough crumbs on the floor (or more accurately, how to get said play dough crumbs out of socks). Yet, it is in and through the controlled chaos that the most magical moments occur.  " Emilie Bouvier's blog

Hostel for Seeking Souls: The Minneapolis Area Synod’s Newest Mission Exploration In the ELCA, new ministries often start from a small group before they grow into congregations. Hostel for Seeking Souls is a new mission exploration in our synod with a vision of sharing God’s radical hospitality among global neighbors. Arising from the collective heartache experienced for those who suffer at the hands of a broken immigration system, this exploration is built around three combined expressions: a short-term housing ministry for asylum seekers, a Christian community of faith, and a mission-driven business. Learn more

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday 2020 January 20 9:00-11:30 a.m. Nativity Lutheran 3312, Silver Lake Road, St. Anthony Celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., as a family! This event is for families, with kids' activities particularly geared for those in elementary school and middle school. There will be music, crafts, speakers, and service projects around the theme "Focus on Freedom." There's no cost to attend and no registration is required; just show up! This event is hosted by Nativity Lutheran Church with support from the synod's Advocates for Racial Equity work group and area congregations. Telling the (old) New Story Monday, January 27-Tuesday, January 28 St. Andrew Lutheran 13600 Technology Drive, Eden Prairie Story is at the center of our world, from the relational stories told on social media to the carefully crafted advertisement narratives and immersive stories on television, streaming services, and on the big screen. The church has a rich story to tell, but we don’t always do the best job sharing this story in media that are constantly changing. For two days you will be immersed in story work, with keynotes that will inspire you to develop your own story and learn the stories of others, workshops that will help you build skills for storytelling in a digital age, and time to connect with other storytellers to hone your craft.   Keynote Speakers: Marlon Hall – visual anthropologist, filmmaker, artist David Hansen – digital pastor, ministry coach, church redeveloper Nora McInerny – author, TED speaker, host of "Terrible Thanks for Asking" Natalia Terfa – pastor, author of "Daily Uplift," cohost of Cafeteria Christian   Cost: $199, with group rates for three or more also available. Learn more

Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend The celebration and commemoration of the life and ministry of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is Monday, January 20. Four Bloomington congregations are sponsoring two events on either side of the MLK holiday. Sunday, January 19; 11:15 a.m. Pastor Danny Givens: "Collective Liberation" Transfiguration Lutheran Church 11000 France Avenue South, Bloomington tlcmn.com/mlk-rsvp Tuesday, January 21; 6:30-8:30 p.m. Discussion of Pastor Lenny Duncan Dear Church Atonement Lutheran Church 601 East 98th Street, Bloomington

Ask the Archivist "Some Basics of Document Retention and Records Sampling" ELCA Region 3 Archivist Paul Daniels addresses topics most of us never think about. "Should I throw that out or keep it? What will the church need 25 years from now? Is this just taking up space, or does it reflect an important part of our history and mission?" These are questions that it's good to think about before throwing documents out! Paul has some thoughts. Learn more

Power Up Your Environmental Efforts!

Exciting Update : Ruth Ivory-Moore , the ELCA’s Director of Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility, will be joining us as the keynote speaker for the Power Up. She will share how the ELCA is working in partnership to create a more sustainable world. EcoFaith Network Power-Up: Determining Our Collective Path Forward Saturday, February 8 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. St. Luke's Lutheran Church 1701 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington Join the EcoFaith Network as leaders gather for a few powerful hours to discuss and dream about how the Minneapolis Area Synod can impact wider systems change for environmental sustainability and justice as we care for God's creation.

Year-long service opportunities to be "healers of the breach"

The Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC) is a community of faith uniting people to work for peace with justice. LVC's values are: Living simply and sustainably  Living in intentional community  Exploring spirituality in community Confronting racism and oppression through intentional and often uncomfortable personal and institutional transformation Working for social justice and a peaceful world where basic human rights are met Spend a year or semester living or exploring intentional community, serving at a social justice nonprofit, and practicing simple and sustainable living. Applications are now open with priority application by January 15, 2020. Information about LVC Through Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM), young adults learn what it means to serve in a spirit of accompaniment as they walk alongside global church companions. Participants will become immersed in a new community and form deep relationships. And they will confront issues of wealth and poverty, racial privilege, gender privilege, economic disparity, and globalization, all through the lens of faith. Applications for the ELCA’s 2020-2021 YAGM program are now open. If you know young adults age 21 to 29, encourage them to apply by the priority deadline of January 15, 2020 . Information about YAGM

Celebrating the ongoing legacy of closed congregations through Ministry Imagination Grants

Sports journalists, disc jockeys, and movie bloggers are releasing their "year in review" lists over the next fewdays. Below you will find a review of some imaginative and creative initiatives sponsored by congregations from the Minneapolis Area Synod.   In recent years several congregations faithfully decided to bring an end to their ministries in their locations. But the members' desire to leave a legacy for future ministry offered the synod an opportunity to create "Ministry Imagination Grants" for new ministry projects -- dreams of congregations that require a seed grant to initiate. Throughout 2019 stories of these imaginative projects have appeared on the website and in this enews. Our "year in review list" puts all these stories in one place for your enjoyment and inspiration. Below are stories -- both written and video -- about imaginative congregational programs that were given life through these seed grants made available by the members of the Lutheran Church of the Reformation (St. Louis Park), Bethany Lutheran on 36th Street (Minneapolis), and Luther Memorial (Minneapolis).

Talking with Your Mouth Full Pastor and chef Jose Flores chopped vegetables while talking to the small class gathered at Our Father’s Lutheran Church in Rockford. The crowd watched as he prepared what the audience would soon eat for lunch. He keeps chopping as he utters, “The most amazing conversations happen in the kitchen.” Where there is food, there is conversation. Some of the most memorable stories in the gospels have Jesus talking to someone during a dinner or when food is being prepared. Food brings people together. Read the story Sensory Friendly Worship at Cross of Peace Going to church is challenging for families with a child on the autism spectrum. Because of this, about one third of people on the autism spectrum have never been to church before. Cross of Peace Lutheran Church in Shakopee, Minnesota hopes to decrease this number by creating a sensory friendly worship experience that is comfortable for all families, especially those with a family member on the spectrum. Through the Ministry Imagination Grant program of the Minneapolis Area Synod, Cross of Peace is able to turn this vision into a reality. Watch the video

A Gathering of Young Adults Young adults who have experience living in community and service often seek each other out for shared spiritual expression. Gather is an occasional worship service for young people who have served in Young Adults in Global Ministry or Lutheran Volunteer Corps, or have lived at Holden Village, or who have had some other similar activity.  Watch the video Come for the Food, Stay for the Community Every Wednesday at  Zion Lutheran Church  in South Minneapolis, a group of congregants and neighbors gather to serve and share a meal and build community around the table. These Lyndale Community Dinners have been a staple of this neighborhood’s life for nearly 20 years, and the “little church with a big heart” continues to find ways to expand and deepen the relationships that have begun in the small church basement. Read the story

Sit at the (Longer) Welcome Table The economic diversity in the neighborhood around Mount Olive Lutheran Church is tangible in the many people who don’t have access to financial institutions such as banks when they are in need of loans. Because loans are often not easily available, these individuals often rely on payday lending businesses which tend to have exorbitant fees – an expense that puts further stress on low-income populations. And three payday lending businesses operate between Lyndale and Hiawatha Avenues along Lake Street, according to Anna Scott, a member and former staff person at the church. Longer Table Lending was created by the members of Mount Olive to help people obtain loans at a low cost.  Read the story A Prodigal Welcome “We say we’re bondage to sin and can’t free ourselves,” says Ed Treat, the pastor of Transfiguration Lutheran Church in Bloomington. “Addiction is anything that you do that is hurtful, you know, and you keep doing it.” Treat understands what it means to be in bondage. A recovering alcoholic, he is also the head of the   Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy   (FRLC), a pan-Lutheran support network of clergy recovering from addiction to alcohol and other substances. Ed believes the network is needed because the church is not very accepting of clergy struggling with addiction. “The church shoots its wounded,” says Treat. Read the story

Breaking Barriers to Grace Safe spaces where people can be who they are, including at worship, are critical. That’s why there’s a need for  Queer Grace , a ministry of  Grace Lutheran Church  in Northeast Minneapolis, started in 2017 by Pastor Emmy Kegler. Pastor Kegler saw a need that wasn’t being filled by other faith communities. R ead the story Love God and Love Neighbor The saints of First Lutheran Church of Columbia Heights strive to embody new and innovative ways to engage the neighborhood that surrounds the congregation. The members and leaders seek to be actively involved for the sake the world. Watch the video

Nativity Lutheran Seeks to Expand Cultural Awareness The church holds great potential for making positive change in communities. However, intercultural incompetence can have extremely negative effects on community outreach by churches, even when members act with the best intentions. In the last year, Nativity Lutheran Church in Saint Anthony has made a concerted effort to develop a new approach to their congregation’s community outreach. As a part of this process, the church staff, council members, and anti-racism team are undergoing an intensive intercultural competency training using the   Intercultural Development Inventory . Read the story Leading by Organizing: A video about videos Congregational organizers in the Minneapolis Area Synod received a Ministry Imagination Grant to broaden their reach for training basic skills for community engagement. Organizers from Holy Trinity Lutheran , University Lutheran Church of Hope , Mount Olive Lutheran , and House of Prayer Lutheran , as well as their rostered colleagues, discuss the value of having resources that aid congregations in outreach efforts; to be the church in the neighborhood. "Leading by Organizing" tells the story of why and how they are making these training videos . Watch the video

Alter Guild: The Power of a Podcast Alter Guild is the podcast produced by four pastors within the Minneapolis Area Synod ELCA (Lutheran church). The hosts discuss existential questions and invite people both inside and outside the church to engage these serious and significant questions. And, they also bring pastoral care and humor to the topics they discuss. The Ministry Imagination Grants of the synod gave the producers an opportunity to expand this ministry through new equipment and marketing budgeting. Watch the video Confirmation, Context, and Community “The creative partnership between Augustana Lutheran and Messiah Lutheran envisions confirmation and faith formation taking place within the context of community, centering relationships and service as the vehicles for ongoing learning and discernment. Furthermore, the building of relationships across the two communities has added a powerful dimension to the learning and service opportunities.”

And more to come in 2020 ...

Another series of articles and videos on creative ministry projects will be produced in 2020, thanks to the generosity of those congregations that, when concluding their official ministry and closing their doors, decided to provide funding for imaginative ministry and storytelling. Proceeds from the property sales provides the ongoing Ministry Imagination Grant process. Special thanks to storytellers Courtney Olsen, Nick Tangen, Dennis Sanders, Brenda Blackhawk, Grace Corbin, Jeni Huff, and Bob Hulteen. The deadlines for Ministry Imagination Grant applications in 2020 are March 30, June 15, and October 15. More information

Where is the synod staff in upcoming weeks?

Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be facilitating a Ministry Site Profile at Our Father's Lutheran, Rockford, on Sunday, January 12. Ms. Brenda Blackhawk will be preaching a dialogue sermon with Pastor Pam Stalheim-Lane at Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran, Robbinsdale, on Sunday, January 12. Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be offering a greeting at the Midwest Academy congregational organizing training at Westwood Lutheran, on Monday, January 13. Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be installing Pastor Jeni Grangaard in the Chapel of the Incarnation at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, on Wednesday, January 15. Bishop Thomas Aiken, Northeastern Minnesota Synod, will be ordaining Meagan McLaughlin at Holy Trinity Lutheran, Minneapolis, on Saturday, January 18. Meagan has been called as solo pastor to Christ Lutheran, St. Louis, Missouri. Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be facilitating a Ministry Site Profile at All Saints Lutheran, Norwood Young America, on Sunday, January 19. Ms. Brenda Blackhawk will be preaching and leading an adult forum at St. James Lutheran, Crystal, on Sunday, January 19. Pastor Deb Stehlin is preaching at the First Call Theological Education Retreat at Dunroven Retreat Center, Marine on St. Croix, on January 28. Bishop Ann Svennungsen will be offering a greeting at the Eco-Faith Network Power-Up gathering at St. Luke's Lutheran, Bloomington, on Saturday, February 8.

Upcoming Events

'White Privilege in the ELCA" -- January Racial Justice Liaison Gathering, January 14 Discussions on Historic and Systemic Racism in the Church, January 19 Book discussion on "Dear Church," January 21 Church Anew: Telling the (old) Story in New Ways, January 27-28 Cafeteria Christian Live Podcast, January 27 EcoFaith Network Power-Up: Determining Our Collective Path Forward, February 8 Tool Kit and Conference Assemblies, February 22 Allies and Friends, February 29 Spring Ministerium, March 26 Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly, April 24-25 Bishop's Theological Conference, September 27-29 Joint Fall Ministerium, October 29

Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA www.mpls-synod.org

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌