By Bob Hulteen The group of synod leaders (Vice President Felicia Boone, Pastors Jen Collins, Ryan Fletcher, David Larson-Martinez, and Siri Strommen) who are helping to plan the 2024 Bishop’s Theological Conference (BTC) gathered at the synod office a couple months ago. When the conversation shifted to the kinds of topics or messages that might [...]
By Mercy Zou Taithul Summer season is here! Who doesn’t love summer – the bright sunshine, the extra-long days, green grasses and trees, unfrozen lakes and rivers, gorgeous Golden Hour, and so much more? During summer I love to walk around the lake. People are out with their dogs, family, or friends, or maybe just [...]
By Bishop Ann Svennungsen As I prepare for my final days as your bishop, I want to share a few thoughts about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. As much as ever, I love the ELCA. I believe its distinctive witness is critical, especially today, when so many in America seek to use the word [...]
By Pastor Craig Pederson “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for [...]
By Pastor Wondimu Sonessa Long before the spreading of formal education, the priests of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church were teaching how to read and write. I remember some students joining our second-grade class because the government declared that such instruction was illegal and all children must join government schools. About the same time, I found [...]
By Emilie Bouvier When I lead art workshops with faith groups, one of my favorite activities is to use the Creation image from the Art of the Saint John’s Bible as our launching point. It is such a layered and captivating piece, and I always start by observing the intricate details – from geometric fractals [...]
By Pastor John Hulden At our Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly this past weekend, the 500+ voting members elected a new bishop to begin serving in August. Good work y’all! We are church together. Full disclosure, I’m writing this before our synod assembly. Most of our synod staff have Monday off, after a busy synod assembly [...]
By Bob Hulteen Whew. I just got news that the American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation of the resolutions under consideration at Synod Assembly this weekend will arrive in time (barely) to publish them on the website today. The posted two-minute video recordings of each current bishop nominee are already interpreted in ASL and Spanish for [...]
By Nicholas Tangen Last week, as the temperature climbed into the 50s and the sun shone down across Northeast Minneapolis, a familiar thing happened. Neighbors up and down Pierce Street began poking their heads out their front doors, opening windows, and making their way outside to soak up the first fruits of the spring air. [...]
By Bishop Ann Svennungsen The signs were weight loss, shortness of breath, a cough. Given the symptoms, my husband, Bill, met with his doctor. She prescribed a battery of tests – looking for causes. Through a chest x-ray, a cat scan, and a biopsy, new signs were found: a 12- by 13-centimeter mass, malignant cells, [...]
