Real Presence: In our neighborhoods, with our neighbors

May 5-6, 2017, at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Ramsey

In Holy Communion, bread and wine become body and blood – the common becomes the uncommon.

In Holy Communion, a simple gathering becomes the body of Christ – sent to be Christ’s living presence with their neighbors.

In the neighborhood, God is already ahead of us. When we go into our surrounding communities, we find Jesus already present there – in, with, and under the lives of those we encounter.

We find Real Presence, we live Real Presence in our neighborhoods and with our neighbors.

2017 Synod Assembly Business and Reports

Synod Council

  • Rev. Joseph Crippen, Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Minneapolis (re-elected)
  • Rev. Valerie Brown-Greenly, Peace Lutheran Church, Coon Rapids (re-elected)
  • Rev. Doug Mork, Crown of Glory Lutheran Church, Brooklyn Center (re-elected)
  • Mr. Nicholas Menth, Cross of Hope Lutheran Church, Ramsey (youth)
  • Rev. Brenda Froisland, Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
  • Ms. Emma Kasiga, MN Swahili Christian Congregation, Minneapolis

Consultation Committee

  • Rev. Randy Romsdahl, St. James Lutheran Church, Crystal
  • Rev. Mark Vinge, House of Hope Lutheran Church, New Hope
  • Rev. Jason Wahlstrom, Holy Nativity Lutheran Church, New Hope
  • Rev. Amy Chalupnik, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Ramsey
  • Rev. Susan Engholm, Trinity Lutheran Church, Watertown

Augsburg Corporation Governing Board

  • Ms. Christine Anderson, First Lutheran Church, Columbia Heights (re-elected)
  • Rev. Matthew Bersagel, Crown of Glory Lutheran Church, Chaska (re-elected)
  • Ms. Rebecca Bithow, St. James Lutheran Church, Crystal
  • Rev. Jane Buckley-Farlee, Trinity Lutheran Congregation, Minneapolis (re-elected)
  • Ms. Patricia Cina, Trinity Lutheran Church, Monticell0 (re-elected)
  • Rev. Kjell Ferris, Peace Lutheran Church, Plymouth (re-elected)
  • Rev. Diane Goulson, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Henderson
  • Ms. Joyce Peterson, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Minneapolis (re-elected)

Featured Speakers Were:

Rev. Dr. David Lose,
Keynote Speaker

Rev. Ruben Duran,
ELCA Churchwide Representative

Rev. Barbara Lundblad,
Bible Storyteller

Presenter biographies

David J. Lose became the president of Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia on Sept. 1, 2014. Before that, he held the Marbury E. Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary, where he also served as the Director of the Center for Biblical Preaching and Academic Dean. He earned his MDiv (1993) and STM (1997) at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. He received a four-year presidential scholarship to Princeton Theological Seminary, where he was awarded a PhD in homiletics (2000).

David is the author of Preaching at the Crossroads: How the World — and Our Preaching — Is Changing (2013), Making Sense of the Cross (2011), Making Sense of the Christian Faith (2010), Making Sense of Scripture (2009), and Confessing Jesus Christ: Preaching in a Postmodern World (2003). In addition, he offers reflections on his blog “…in the Meantime” and on the radio program “Day1.”

Prior to his faculty appointment at Luther Seminary, Lose held pastorates at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Summit, New Jersey (1993-96); Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Audubon, New Jersey (1997-98); and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Princeton Junction, New Jersey (1998-2000). He speaks widely in the United States and abroad on preaching, Christian faith in a postmodern world, and biblical interpretation.

David will be installed as senior pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, on June 4, 2017.

The Rev. Ruben Duran serves as Director for New Congregational Development in the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He is responsible for promoting the development of area strategies, local initiatives, and emerging models for the multiplication of new communities of faith in the U.S. and the Caribbean.

Ruben is a native of Lima, Peru, South America. He was introduced to the Lutheran Church through the work of missionaries. He received a BA in Business Administration from the Escuela Nacional de Turismo, and worked as a Travel Agent prior to coming to the Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle. Ruben is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California.

He served parishes in the Seattle and Los Angeles areas prior to becoming Associate to the Bishop and Mission Director for the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, ELCA. He has also served as Associate Director for Latino Outreach in the former Division for Congregational Ministries and Executive for Congregational Outreach Services in the former Division for Outreach.

Barbara Lundblad received a B.A. in English from Augustana College (1966), the M.Div. from Yale Divinity School (1979), and the D.D. from Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. An ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, she served 16 years as a parish pastor in New York City, as well as campus pastor at Lehman College and New York University. She has taught preaching at Yale Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary, Hebrew Union College, and in the D.Min. program of the Association of Chicago Theological Schools.

In 2007, she served as president of the Academy of Homiletics. Her teaching interests include preaching in partnership with the congregation, preaching and social transformation, new forms of preaching, and preaching as an integral part of worship.

Barbara is the author of two books Transforming the Stone: Preaching through Resistance to Change and Marking Time: Preaching Biblical Stories in Present Tense. This latter book is based on the Beecher Lectures which she gave at Yale Divinity School. In addition she has published articles in journals such as Currents in Theology and Mission, Word and World, Journal of Preaching, and The Living Pulpit.

For more than 20 years, she has been one of the preachers on the radio program “Day 1” (formerly “The Protestant Hour”). She has preached in hundreds of congregations across the United States and has given lectures at many seminaries in this country and Canada, as well as a Lutheran World Federation conference in Buenos Aires. She is currently a member at Grace University Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

Featuring:

Bruce A. Henry,
Musician

Bruce and his band, The Bruce Henry Band, provided music for worship, and performed a musical selection titled “My American Blues.”

Bruce A. Henry

Bruce A. Henry is a vocalist, performer and educator extraordinaire. Henry’s eclectic vocal style has been influenced by legends such as John Coltrane, Leon Thomas, Gil Scott Heron, Al Jarreau, Nina Simone and Marvin Gaye.

Bruce possesses a three-octave range, a pure voice with versatility few can match. Bruce’s music has taken him to five continents and he has recorded for Disney, HBO and numerous national ad campaigns. In addition he has performed with and opened for the likes of Doc Severinson, Roberta Flack, Chris Botti, Ramsey Lewis, Stephane Grapelli, Jimmy Jam and The Sounds of Blackness.

Bruce is the Music Leader at Messiah Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Clergy Financial

The James Company

Kairos

Luther Seminary

Mission Investment Fund

Vanco Payment Solutions

2016 Synod Assembly Archives