By Pastor Joe Orner Dean of the Bloomington Conference Growing up as the youngest of three children, I attended a lot of concerts, sporting events, and theater productions for my older siblings. As children do, I would often get bored while I sat in the audience. And so as a way to keep my [...]
By Peg Ihinger On the first Thursday of every other month, I clip a little brass Minneapolis Area Synod nametag to my sweater and prepare to welcome two groups of people to the synod office for Candidacy Day. The first group, armed with coffee and donuts, are the members of our candidacy committee. These quietly [...]
By Rev. Dr. Yolanda Denson-Byers This post continues the Mission Table’s “Year of Partnership” highlighting the new and strategic ministries of the Minneapolis Area Synod. Redeemer is one of the strategic ministries and worships in North Minneapolis. Redeemer Lutheran Church has one hundred and sixteen years of history in North Minneapolis. Originally started as [...]
By Pr. Adam White and Pr. Eric Luedtke For more than 40 years, the Leipzig District (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Saxony) and Minneapolis Area Synod have shared a companion synod partnership. In November 2024, Rev. Adam White (Faith Lutheran, Waconia) and Rev. Eric Luedtke (House of Prayer, Richfield) represented the Minneapolis Area Synod at the [...]
By Pastor Ashley Osborn Dean of the Northwest Hennepin Conference Pastor at Valley of Peace, Golden Valley Awe wasn’t just the theme for our Summer Worship at Valley of Peace—it was the emotion we all felt as we welcomed one of the newest, and youngest, members of our church family: Jessica. From the moment she [...]
By Melissa Melnick Gonzalez This post continues the Mission Table’s “Year of Partnership” highlighting the new and strategic ministries of the Minneapolis Area Synod. Tapestry is one of three new mission development congregations, and accompanies Latino families living in and around Richfield. --- Guided by the Spirit and led by Creator God, Tapestry shares [...]
By Bishop Jen Nagel I returned last week from five days in Puerto Rico, at the Bishops Academy of the ELCA and the ELCIC (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada). Held every two years in various locations, the Academy is a space for continuing education and fellowship for those serving as bishops across these two Lutheran [...]
By Nicholas Tangen When I start to feel overwhelmed – a seemingly more regular occurrence these days – I will look for a messy drawer or a cluttered shelf to reorganize. I take everything out so I can see the blank canvas, then categorize and organize the things that belong and toss the things that [...]
By Pastors Jorge and Stephanie Espinoza, Iglesia Luterana Cristo Obrero This post continues the Mission Table's "Year of Partnership" highlighting the new and strategic ministries of the Minneapolis Area Synod. Cristo Obrero is one of three new mission development congregations, and accompanies Latino families living in mobile home parks in Chaska and Shakopee. Advent, [...]
By Bishop Jen Nagel Advent blessings, dear ones. We are smack in the middle of this season of preparation for Christ’s birth. Around our house we’ve gotten as far as putting the lights on the tree, but the bin of ornaments awaits. Calendars, candles, concerts, cookies, cards. The pulls of this season are many. [...]
