The Minneapolis Area Synod does not exist in a vacuum. The number and quality of partner ministries is admirable. We don’t duplicate. We are better working together. We partner with a wonderful variety of ministries — locally, regionally, nationally — both ELCA and ecumenical.
The synod is in partnership with a number of faith-based agencies and institutions that carry out various ministries of the broader church.
Augsburg University is a private university set in a vibrant neighborhood at the heart of the Twin Cities. Augsburg offers undergraduate and graduate degrees to students of diverse backgrounds.
The purpose of the Book of Faith Initiative is to increase biblical literacy and fluency for the sake of the world.
The Book of Faith is an initiative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Book of Faith initiative invites the whole church to become more fluent in the first language of faith, the language of Scripture, in order that we might live into our calling as a people renewed, enlivened, empowered, and sent by the Word.
The Minneapolis Area Synod task force on Book of Faith has been working hard to aid congregations to help our people access the Scriptures so that lives can be inspired and we can grasp the great gift of grace provided for us in the person of Jesus.
Minneapolis Area Synod Book of Faith Resources
- A Path into the Bible, Our Book of Faith – A resource for pastors as an introduction to the process
- Book of Faith Response sheets – Intended for small group Bible studies and use in congregations
- The Bible Factor – A resource for an in-depth seminar which will introduce the biblical documents to adult readers.
Bible Study Resources
- CRUCIFORMED! – Mark’s Story of Jesus and His Disciples in 20 sessions
- Hostility and Hospitality: The Secret of Living in an Unfriendly World – Five Forays into First Peter
- Friendship and Felicity – Five Short Studies in Philippians
- Take a Look Matthew’s Book – Insights and conversation starters for the Gospel according to St. Matthew in 30 sections.
- Free in Faith, Free from Law, Free to Serve – Eight conversations about Galatians
- Personal and Political – Insights and conversation starters from the Gospel according to St. Luke in twenty-five sessions.
You can receive the weekly devotional emails written by Rev. Mark Wegener on Tuesday mornings. Click on this sign-up link and select “Living the Word (Weekly Bible Lectionary Study).”
The Center of Addiction & Faith is a God-inspired movement to open the hearts and minds of faith communities everywhere to better understand the spread of addiction, its consequences and how to respond.
The centerpiece of The Center of Addiction & Faith is the annual, national gathering of ecumenical and interfaith spiritual leaders and many others who are interested in being part of the solution to addiction. Visit the Addiction & Faith Conference to learn more.
Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)) is the largest faith-based nonprofit dedicated to serving vulnerable immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the U.S.
For more than 80 years, LIRS has been a champion for migrants and refugees from around the globe. Their legacy of compassionate service has made a difference in the lives of more than 500,000 people who have sought safety and hope in America’s communities. Their history reflects our own deep immigrant roots and passionate commitment to welcoming newcomers, especially those who are most in need.
Lutheran Advocacy—Minnesota (LA-MN) is a state public policy office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). We advocate for justice in the areas of hunger, poverty, and care of God’s creation. Working together with congregations, coalitions, and legislators throughout the state of Minnesota, we create networks to advance public policies that promote and protect the common good.
ELCA campus ministry is a Lutheran ministry for students, faculty, staff and others on campus, not just a ministry for Lutherans. It provides an ELCA presence at more than 180 state and private colleges and universities with cooperating congregations in campus ministry at an additional 400 campuses nationwide.
The Minneapolis Area Synod partners specifically with Lutheran Campus Ministry – Twin Cities at the University of Minnesota Campus.
Lutheran Disaster Response brings God’s hope, healing and renewal to people whose lives have been disrupted by disasters in the United States and around the world. When the dust settles and the headlines change, they stay to provide ongoing assistance to those in need.
LFCNA is a membership organization of and for Lutheran Parish Nurses dedicated to the service of others.
Lutheran Men in Mission’s mission is By God’s grace, to intentionally disciple men by personally modeling the character of Jesus by living and leading a lifestyle intended to help transform them from having an inward focus to a culture of naturally loving and serving our neighbors.
The landscape of ministry, as well as men’s ministry has changed dramatically in the last generation. Following the challenge in the Great Commission, we cannot rely on old models of “men will come to us,” rather we must explore new opportunities in which “we will go to the men” with the message of the Gospel. This is why discipleship is part of our spiritual DNA.
Likewise, we must live out the challenge of the Great Commandment to love God and our neighbors. This is where their passion for Scripture and helping men walk alongside other men comes from.
Learn more >
Luther Seminary is a community centered in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their mission is to educate leaders for Christian communities.
You can find information about their programs including Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theology, their specialized Certificate programs and more, with course options that are on campus or online.
Nearly 600 Christian leaders from around the world attend Luther Seminary to engage with extraordinary faculty. Students chart their own course with expert guidance from people who have been educating Christian leaders for many years.
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota expresses the love of Christ for all people through service that inspires hope, changes lives, and builds community.
The LWF is a global communion of 148 churches in the Lutheran tradition, representing over 77 million Christians in 99 countries.
They strive to put faith into action within and beyond the communion, and seek God’s Word and Spirit as a guide.
This action takes a variety of forms from theological reflection and dialogue with other churches and faiths, to deepening relationships, sharing faith, serving those in need and advocating for a more just, peaceful and reconciled world.
They share a vision, purpose and values. They work to strengthen our relationships and build an inclusive, respectful communion. They are on a common journey of renewal shaped and enriched by the different contexts within which we live.
Founded by Lutherans in the United States at the end of World War II, grounded in Lutheran theology and building on decades of experience, Lutheran World Relief tackles global poverty by helping people adapt to the challenges that threaten their livelihoods and well-being.
Lutheran World Relief works with people based on need, regardless of race, religion or nationality and they do not evangelize.
LWR provides aid in emergencies and help families restore their lives. They partner with communities to build and grow rural economies. They break the cycle of poverty, so families and communities can thrive.
Their goal is to help people build self‐sufficiency and create new community‐owned approaches to problem‐solving that will last long after their projects end.
The Minnesota Council of Churches is a body consisting of 27 members representing the regional governing and administrative bodies of Historic Black, Mainline Protestant, Peace Church, and Greek Orthodox judicatories. They work for unity built on justice, and believe that strong communities are made up of meaningful relationships and are guided by our deepest values. Their work is broken up into four main areas: refugee services, connecting through conversation and stories, justice advocacy, and interfaith work.
The Minneapolis Area Synod has been a Reconciling in Christ synod since 1999. This means that we are aligned with the mission of ReconcilingWorks, who advocate for the acceptance, full participation, and liberation of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions within the Lutheran Church.
Through ReconcilingWorks, synods and congregations can go through the process of becoming a Reconciling in Christ(RIC) body. Reconciling works also has resources, hosts events and campaigns, and works to empower communities to take charge in their growth towards equity, inclusion, and advocacy.
The Synod Senior Band’s mission is to make joyous music by and to seniors.
The Band is a concert band that plays quality sacred and secular repertoire comprised of brass, woodwinds, and percussion.
Membership
SSB has around 90 members already, but we welcome more, especially percussionists.
Learn More
You can learn more about the Synod Senior Band, including rehearsal and concert times, at their website, or by contacting the Director, Nick vanDuzee, or the Administrator, Gigi Kornfuehrer.
WELCA includes Lutheran women who gather in more than 4,500 locations in the U.S. and the Caribbean, for service, study, advocacy, fellowship and more! WELCA embraces all kinds of ministries that support our mission of mobilizing women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ. There is a place for you in Women of the ELCA.
Connect with Minnesota WELCA contacts Marie Wiegert, President, and Karen Weiberg, Treasurer.