By Bishop Jen Nagel The January morning when Renee Good was killed, I was at the airport, headed for Palestine and Israel for an ELCA accompaniment visit that included the consecration of Bishop Imad Haddad in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). For generations, our siblings in the ELCJHL have experienced daily [...]
By Samantha Johnson Gather Twin Cities Early in the month of January, young adult participants of Gather Twin Cities, Gather Detroit Lakes, Gather Lakes Area (Alexandria), Gather of the Red River Valley (Moorhead), Gather Twin Ports (Duluth), and Gather Mille Lacs (Onamia) showed up unpolished, frazzled, tired, but hopeful for a weekend celebrating the growth [...]
By Sarah Maslowski My weekend started at the smallest national park in the United States. Up 630 feet in the air, I leaned forward and peered through one of the small windows in the Gateway Arch. Exploring the city alongside fellow CYF leaders is all part of the Extravaganza experience. The Extravaganza team describes [...]
This post is one of the monthly posts blog posts written by the deans of the conferences of the Minneapolis Area Synod. By Pastor Joseph Schattauer Paillé Community of the Cross Lutheran, Bloomington Dean of the Bloomington Conference Imagine your doctor told you about a daily vitamin that would expand your breathing capacity, improve your [...]
Back in September, worshipping communities all around the country loved their neighbors on the ELCA's day of service, God's Work, Our Hands. We collected pictures and stories from some of those communities. Watch the video and read more below so you can get ideas for next year and dream about future partnerships! East [...]
By Pastor Kate Reuer Welton Campus Pastor, Lutheran Campus Ministry Twin Cities, University of Minnesota It is, perhaps, no secret that it is a hard time to be a young adult right now. Chaos, cruelty, and dehumanization have taken hold. Faithfully-discerned callings that were their north star through all night study sessions - in research, public [...]
Version en Español abajo By Juan Gonzalez A furious storm came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind [...]
This post is one of the monthly posts blog posts written by the deans of the conferences of the Minneapolis Area Synod. By Rev. Chris Beckman Corporate Director for Spiritual Care for the Ebenezer Society Dean of Chaplains and Specialized Ministers I’m a mender. Not a whole cloth seamstress or fine tailor, but a [...]
By Bishop Jen Nagel We have an olivewood nativity set in our family. It’s set up atop the piano with Joseph and Mary, and the young baby Jesus surrounded by curious shepherds, a few sheep, and a lowly donkey. Now some put all the characters into the nativity right away, but I prefer the day-by-day approach with the Magi coming from the east, slowly plodding. On the piano they traverse assorted [...]
By Pastor Ryan Fletcher How dear to me is your dwelling, O LORD of hosts! Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young, by the side of your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Psalm 84: 1, 3 In early [...]