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. [...]
By Pastor John Hulden Have you heard of the new movie that is causing theological and historical debates? It’s a film about religion and the consequential actions that arise out of a strong belief in doing what is right. The reaction to this film is resulting in essays, treatises, and of course, social media chatter. [...]
By Nick Tangen A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to share a bit about the work of Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices with the Metro New York Synod at their Bishop’s Conference. The first two days of the conference were for pastors and deacons in the synod, rostered ministers serving a variety of [...]
By Bishop Jen Nagel I write this blog in the in-between hours, the anxious times, between All Saints Day and the close of Election Day. Regardless of party or persuasion, our nation is holding its collective breath, waiting, watching, wondering, fearful, hopeful, exhausted. I recognize that taking a deep breath while at-once holding one’s [...]
By Pastor Craig Pederson Last month brought to a close the seven-year experience of our daughter, Nora, playing AAU summer basketball. The past few summers had us traveling to destinations beyond the many weekend tournaments held in the Twin Cities: St. Cloud, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Ames, Iowa, among them. Nora’s final tournament was in [...]
By Jack Hurbanis In June of this year, I had the opportunity to attend a weeklong training hosted by leaders on synod staff and from Street Voices for Change entitled “The World Is About to Change.” The entire week was focused on building skills to more faithfully engage in issue-based community organizing and, while I [...]
By Bob Hulteen In 1985 I was fortunate to be invited by my then-pastor, Jim Ellison, to represent the synod at a national gathering in Chicago to discuss the church that was being formed by the merger of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), the American Lutheran Church (ALC), and the association of Evangelical Lutheran [...]
