ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza
2026-01-30 - 2026-02-02 | Hyatt Regency at the Arch, 315 Chestnut Street, St. Louis, MO, 63102, United States
The Extravaganza is a four-day leadership event for ELCA congregational leaders in children’s, youth, young adult, and outdoor ministry.
Extravaganza is about faith formation. Extravaganza is about helping you in your ministry. Extravaganza is about renewal, education and connection.

Intensive Care Courses: January 29-30, 2026
The Main Event: January 30-February 2, 2026
This event runs Friday evening through Monday noon with optional pre-conference add-ons on Thursday & Friday.
The ELCA’s Youth Ministry Network invites leaders of color to participate in a pre-conference Multicultural Initiative. Learn more about the Multicultural Initiative.

Register >

YAGM Info Session
2026-01-30 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Online
The Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) team are hosting two info sessions on January 12 and January 30. Young adults (ages 21 – 35) are invited to attend this session to learn more about the YAGM program and get their questions answered ahead of the application deadlines. If you are a young adult interested in learning more about YAGM, register here.
Questions? Email Brooke Helfers at brooke.helfers@elca.org.

Webinar: Safety in Faith Communities
2026-02-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Does your faith community have a plan to manage medical emergencies and reduce your liability?
Are your safety policies and procedures up-to-date?
Who’s responsible for first aid supplies and AED care?
Are protections in place for children, youth and the vulnerable?
This FREE Webinar on Thursday, February 5, 2026, from Noon – 1:00 p.m., will provide you with several ways you can improve safety for staff, members and visitors.
Led by an RN and faith community nurse who developed safety policies and procedures for three congregations, you’ll learn practical ways to address these important issues.
Register >

Pre-Super Bowl Party Fundraiser
2026-02-07 15:00 - 18:00 | Immanuel Lutheran Church, 16515 Luther Way, Eden Prairie, MN, 55346, United States
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Come for a time of multicultural food, drinks, music, fellowship and fun benefitting members of Cristo Obrero and their community. Many are suffering from restricted movement and inability to safely go to work.
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Bi-lingual service of Holy Communion with guest preacher Bishop Jen Nagel
Direct Donations can be made to Cristo Obrero’s Venmo at @Cristo-Obrero
Register and/or sponsor a family >

Stories and Strategies for Resisting Dictators around the World
2026-02-11 18:30 - 20:00 | First Lutheran Church of Columbia Heights, 1555 40th Ave NE, Columbia Heights, MN, 55421, United States
Attendees will hear strategies from around the world that have worked to help slow and ultimately stop dictators and authoritarians.
Freedom Trainer Rebecca Ulasich and Fran Benjamin will share their personal stories of world conflict and organizing.

This training will help us understand concrete strategies people can do in our everyday lives to prevent dictators from gaining power in our community and our world.

This training is focused on adults, but ages 12 and up are welcome.
More info >

Nuts and Bolts of Dementia
2026-02-12 09:15 - 13:00 | Online
This symposium will help nurses better understand the risk factors for dementia with a focus on hearing loss as a risk factor. Nurses will also learn the importance of early detection and dementia friendly interventions.
Closed captioning and ASL Interpretation Available.
More information >

Western Suburbs CYF Ministry Network February Gathering
2026-02-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Advent Lutheran Church, 9475 Jefferson Hwy, Maple Grove, MN, 55369, United States
The Western Suburbs CYF Ministry Network gathers CYF leaders for quarterly gatherings around different topics.
In February, the Network will be talking about Parent Engagement. How do we connect with parents and faith in the home? How do we connect parents in volunteer roles? Come and let’s learn together.
More information >

Stories the Land Holds: Race and History
2026-02-12 19:00 - 20:30 | MN
Introducing “Stories the Land Holds” – A Community Invitation to Listen, Reflect, and Connect

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd is beginning a new initiative that invites the community into a deeper relationship with the land we inhabit and the stories it holds. “Stories the Land Holds” is a multi-session project beginning October 9 at 7:00 p.m. Rooted in the belief that the land beneath us speaks—through its history, its people, and its enduring presence.

Hosted by Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Minneapolis, and supported by a generous foundation grant, this series explores the layered histories of the neighborhood lands between the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Through storytelling, reflection, and dialogue, participants will ask:

– What has the land absorbed?
– Who has lived here, been welcomed, excluded, or expelled?
– How have these histories shaped our present?
– And how can listening to the land guide us away from division and racism and towards justice and harmony?

More information >

Standing in the Gap for Our Children
2026-02-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Shiloh Temple International Ministries, 1225 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55411, United States
On February 15, clergy, faith leaders, and educators from across Minnesota will gather at Shiloh Temple International Ministries for prayer and reflection as we stand in the gap in prayer for our children and continue to chart the pathway forward together.

Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education, will be present as part of this gathering, lending his voice and perspective as a longtime advocate for young people.

This is a unified faith response — grounded in solidarity, shared responsibility, and hope.

Clergy, faith leaders, educators, school staff, and those committed to the well-being of our children are invited to attend.

Mardi Gras Jazz Concert and Fundraiser
2026-02-15 16:00 - 18:00 | Christ Church Lutheran, 3244 34th Ave South, Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
Mardi Gras Jazz Concert – The Longfellow Jazz All-Stars
On the Sunday of Carnival weekend, just days before Ash Wednesday, join local trumpeter Bill Simenson and the Longfellow Jazz All-Stars for a lively program of traditional New Orleans jazz. With influences from blues and ragtime, this improvisatory style will delight the eye and ear and have your toe tapping. Dance while the “front line” plays and join the “second line” as we march from stage to reception.
Concert and reception are free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be collected, with all funds going to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, New Orleans—one of Christ Church Lutheran’s partner congregations—to help fund their many neighborhood-based ministries around feeding, housing, and caring for neighbors.
More information >

ELCA Youth Gathering Webinar
2026-02-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Gathering Webinars are designed to provide timely, relevant information as you prepare for the Gathering. Each session is led by Gathering leadership and includes a presentation followed by a live Q&A. Webinars begin at 7:00 p.m. CST and run approximately 45 minutes. For those unable to attend live, recordings will be available online several days following the webinar.

Topic: Why the Gathering?

Register >

Rise & Repair Rally
2026-02-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Minnesota Capitol
Join us for our “Opening Day in a Good Way” Gathering in the Rotunda!
Given the overall political landscape our organizing arc will be different this year than in past seasons! The first day of the 2026 legislative session will be a day of mourning for the late Rep. Melissa Hortman who was assassinated in her home on June 14, 2025.
This year’s Rise & Repair Rally will take place on the first day of the legislative session to make sure our legislators get the message loud and clear: protect Water, protect Wild Rice, strengthen our environmental protections, honor Indigenous and tribal sovereignty and take bold action on climate.
This gathering will be artistic with community singing as we open up the 2026 session in a good way.
Please register and spread the word!
Rough Outline of the Day:
10:00 a.m. ~ Meet & Gather on the Front Steps / Promenade of the Capitol
10:15 a.m. ~ Enter the Rotunda, Gathering Begins
11:15 a.m. ~ Engage with Legislators & Community
12:00 p.m. ~ Gathering concludes

Friday Fish Fry Iftar - Shared Fasting, Shared Turning
2026-02-20 17:00 - 20:00 | Rabata Cultural Center, 3533 Lexington Ave N, Arden Hills, MN, 55126, United States
Shared Fasting, Shared Turning: Multifaith Convening for Healing, Resistance, and Justice
We gather in a moment marked by deep grief, fear, and urgency. As communities of faith, we are living amid ongoing violence and injustice, and many are asking how we sustain the spiritual strength, courage, and clarity needed to remain engaged in the work of healing and resistance over time.
More information >

Navigate, Encourage, and Thrive Retreat
2026-02-22 - 2026-02-24 | Shores of St. Andrew, 19080 16th St. NE, New London, MN, 56273, United States
Working in ministry with kids, youth, or families? You’re invited to a free retreat created just for you. The NET Retreat offers rest, connection, and fresh ideas alongside others who understand the unique rhythms of ministry. Worship, reflect, share stories, enjoy optional activities, or simply recharge in a peaceful setting—no prep, no pressure.
Register by February 12.
Learn more: https://www.gllm.org/adult-retreats.html

Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Course
2026-02-22 - 2026-03-22 | Online
For RNs who wish to practice as Faith Community Nurses, this course provides 36 hours of continuing education credit and prepares RNs to lead health ministries in faith communities or other communities.
15 modules include Spiritual Care, Advocacy, Prayer, Documentation, Care Coordination. Outstanding review from students!
Dates: 2/22, 2/26, 3/8, 3/12, 3/22

More information >

An Evening with Rev. Angela Denker
2026-02-23 18:30 - 20:00 | Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55403, United States
Join in person or online for a discussion of the book, Disciples of White Jesus: Radicalization of American Boyhood, followed by Rev. Denker taking audience questions about the movement to resist Christian Nationalism. Meet in the sanctuary at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403, or watch the live stream of the event on the church’s website, YouTube channel, or Facebook page.

You can also join…
Christians Against Christian Nationalism Minnesota Statewide Book Club on February 10, 6:30 p.m.
Zoom Book Club Discussion on Disciples of White Jesus: Radicalization of American Boyhood by Rev. Angela Denker
After a short welcome, attendees will divide into breakout rooms of 5 – 6 people for a deeper discussion of the book.

Youth Gathering Worship Brainstorming Session
2026-02-24 18:30 - 20:00 | Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN, United States
Join the Youth Gathering Worship Planning Team on Tuesday, February 24, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Ave S, St Paul, MN 55116.

The group will start with some pizza, salad, drinks, and dessert, then play an have an ice breaker game, and then spend some time listening to you leaders and your youth. They look forward to making your group feel welcome and heard. If you have not yet done so, please fill out this form so they can best prepare for you!

Webinar: Walking With the Latino Communities -- Faith, Stress, and Behavioral Health in a Time of Change
2026-02-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
The Center for Addiction & Faith is hosting a free, one-hour webinar led by Ana L. Chavez-Mancillas (DSW, MSW) Senior Director for the National Latino Behavioral Association. This webinar will help equip faith leaders to recognize the unique health challenges facing Latino/a communities today including the effects of immigration policies, discrimination, and economic strain on individuals and families. Participants will explore how these stressors intersect with substance use and other mental health concerns and gain practical tools to help support Latino congregants.
Register >

Stewardship for All Seasons Information Session
2026-02-26 11:00 - 12:00 | St. Anthony Park Lutheran, 2323 Como Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108
Rev. Peter Reuss from GSB Fundraising will host an information session on the Stewardship for All Seasons program. Check out this short video from Pete and the attached flyer to learn more. If you are looking for a structured way to introduce nonprofit fundraising principles in a theologically sound way, this is an opportunity worthy of your consideration.

Webinar: Understanding the Neurodivergent Brain
2026-02-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
Understanding the Neurodivergent Brain: Using Knowledge and Compassion to Show God’s Love

Presented by Dr. Kristin Mauk, PhD, DNP, RN, CRRN, GNP-BC, FARN, FAAN
Sponsored by the Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association
FORMAT: Zoom
Registration fee: $30 for LFCNA members/$50 for non-members
Nursing Contact hours provided: 2.0 (see below)
To Register and for more information follow this link: https://lutheranfcna.org/event-6478185
Objectives:
1. Define commonly used terms related to neurodivergence.
2. Explain how neurodivergence manifests in autism, ADHD, and OCD.
3. Appreciate the uniqueness of individuals whose brain works differently than others.
4. Discuss strategies that persons of faith can use to show God’s love to children and families affected by neurodivergence.
Description: This interactive presentation will help participants gain an understanding and appreciation for persons living with a neurodivergent brain due to conditions such as autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Using an unfolding, real-life case study based on the presenter’s personal experience with a neurodivergent child, the audience will learn strategies to address common challenging behaviors, social difficulties, and communication issues. Practical ways to show God’s love to persons and families struggling with the complexities of neurological differences will be discussed.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Mauk is currently Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in the School of Nursing and Health Professions at Colorado Christian University. Prior to moving to Colorado, she was a Professor of Nursing at a large private university in Indiana for nearly 25 years where she held the first Kreft Endowed Chair for the Advancement of Nursing Science, a position dedicated to gerontological nursing.
This activity has been submitted to Montana Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. Montana Nurses Association is accredited with distinction as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Zoom on the Hill: Your Voice is Needed
2026-03-03 13:00 - 2026-03-05 20:00 | Online
How can I effectively communicate with my legislators? What difference do letters or meetings make? Will my voice have an impact? Join this event to learn what you can do, and how what you have to say can carry weight and be influential on Lutheran Advocacy-MN’s issues, like Food Security, Electronic Waste Recycling, Immigration, and more.

The opening devotion will focus on Faith and Civic Engagement.

Two options:
Tuesday, March 3, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. OR
Thursday, March 5, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Register >

Grandparents Retreat
2026-03-06 - 2026-03-08 | Camp Wapo, 1204 74th Ave, Amery, WI, 54001, United States
March 6 – 8 | Camp Wapo, Amery, Wisc.
The Grandparents Retreat is a new opportunity for grandparents to take time together to discover how God sees the role of being a grandparent as a calling. Retreat leaders will share ways grandparents can build stronger relationships, be equipped to better love and protect those precious grandkids, and consider all it means to be the best grandparents they can be. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to apply your faith to make a difference in the lives of your grandchildren.

More Information >

Lenten Friday Dinners and Prayer Vigils for Disappeared Neighbors
2026-03-06 18:00 - 2026-03-27 19:00 | Cross of Glory Lutheran, 5929 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center, MN, 55422, United States
Each Friday evening during Lent, you’re invited to a gathering at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church (5929 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center). At 6:00 p.m., we’ll share food from a local restaurant that has been particularly impacted by ICE raids. If you plan to eat, please RSVP each week here by Thursday at noon: https://tinyurl.com/4tsxxzzp. A free will offering will be collected to cover costs. Around 6:30, attendees will move into a short prayer vigil for our neighbors taken by ICE that includes psalms, songs, candle-lighting, and prayer. Neighbors and friends are welcome as we gather to break bread, grieve, and pray. Reach out to Pastor Ali Tranvik (atranvik@crossofglory.us) with any questions.

Two Events with Meredith Miller
2026-03-08 09:00 - 2026-03-09 11:30 | Westwood Lutheran Church, 9001 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park, MN, 55426, United States
Meredith Miller, author of “Woven: Nurturing a faith your kids won’t have to heal from” is coming to Westwood Lutheran, St. Louis Park, for a parent event (Sunday, March 8) and a practitioner (CYF staff and volunteers) event (Monday, March 9). Author, Pastor and Parent, Meredith Miller, will engage the audience (of CYF staff, volunteers and rostered leaders) with topics from her new book (Available March 3) called Wonder: 52 Conversations to Help Kids Fall in Love with Scripture. Miller brings a conversational approach to faith formation and emphasizes the need for kids to know WHO God is, before they TRUST what God does. Her approach is not about obedience, but about a relationship with the living God. Join us for a morning of learning and fun!
Parent Event >
Practitioner Event >

Joint Religious Legislative Coalition's 2026 Day on the Hill
2026-03-09 | Central Presbyterian Church, 500 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN, 55101, United States
The 2026 Joint Religious Legislative Coalition’s Day on the Hill theme is In the Image of God, encouraging all to remember and promote the fact that God is reflected in every human person.
The issues this year include:

Strengthening Food Security
Safeguarding Affordable Housing and Expanding Homelessness Support
Opposing Gambling Expansion

Rabbi Jill Avrin is the keynote speaker for this event and will speak to what it means for mankind to be created in the “image of God,” both in how we are called to serve our neighbors, but also in how we carry out this work in a time of strife.
Details and registration >
Rabbi Jill Avrin is the Director of Campus Affairs at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas. Her work centers around supporting Jewish students, staff, and faculty on college campuses and working to improve the campus climate for all students. She is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, received her BA from the University of Minnesota in 2004, and was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2013. Following ordination, she spent ten years working as a congregational rabbi at Bet Shalom Congregation in Minnetonka, MN, serving as the Rabbi Educator and Associate Rabbi. Rabbi Avrin is also the founding rabbi of YourJewish, a Twin Cities Jewish organization serving those who are unengaged or under-engaged in Jewish life.

Western Suburbs CYF Ministry Network March Gathering
2026-03-09 09:30 - 12:00 | Westwood Lutheran Church, 9001 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park, MN, 55426, United States
The Western Suburbs CYF Ministry Network gathers CYF leaders for quarterly gatherings around different topics.
NOTE: The March Gathering has a special date and time. Attendees have the privilege to meet with author Meredith Miller. Do NOT miss this special event! (Also, if you would like to stay longer, bring a lunch!)
More information >

Play Ball and Connect: A Desert Sojourn Retreat
2026-03-10 - 2026-03-13 | Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center, 7415 E Elbow Bend Road, Carefree, AZ, United States
Back by popular demand! This Spring Training retreat returns to Spirit in the Desert March 10-13, 2026
Join us for an inspiring Spring Training experience in Arizona, where baseball enthusiasts and faith-driven individuals unite to explore the connection between sport and spirituality. This unique retreat, led by Pastor Dave Ellingson, combines fellowship, worship, and the excitement of baseball with opportunities to attend MLB Cactus League games in the vibrant Arizona desert. Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center is a wonderful host with comfortable accommodations, delicious food, meditation trail/labyrinth, and pool/hot tub.
More information >
Contact Pastor Dave with questions.

World Mission Institute
2026-03-12 17:30 - 20:30 | Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, 5416 S. Cornell Avenue, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
Register for the 2026 World Mission Institute (WMI), an annual conference held in the spring since 1970. Each year outstanding international speakers and resource persons deal with a significant aspect of Christian mission.
This year’s theme is “Keeping the Faith: Learning from Middle Eastern Christians.” This event will be held both in person and virtually on Thursday, March 12, 2026. In-person attendees are invited to join us for a vegan meal at 5:30 p.m. on the 3rd floor in the Atrium, followed by the program at 6:30 p.m. in Room 210. A reception will follow the program. Free parking is available in the garage adjacent to the front of the building.
Details and registration >

Mass Deportation, Detention & ICE: How We Got Here. What We Need Now
2026-03-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Diamond Lake Lutheran Church, 5760 Portland Ave, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Immigration policy is complex, personal, and often deeply misunderstood. This presentation by Attorney Kari Hong will explore how current systems developed, how detention and enforcement function today, and what alternatives might look like. Whether you are new to the topic or have been following it closely, this evening will offer historical context for what is happening today and what can and should be done differently.
More information >

Rutter Requiem Concert
2026-03-12 19:00 - 21:30 | Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Ave S., Minneapolis, MN, 55419, United States
Mount Olivet Music & Art warmly invites you to the 2nd annual Masterworks Concert: John Rutter’s Requiem! The Rutter Requiem is one of the most widely performed choral works of the 20th century, known for its unique blend of traditional Latin Requiem texts and English Psalm texts. The expressive, contemporary work will feature professional instrumentalists, soloists, and choral singers from Mount Olivet and the greater community. This event is free. Please consider bringing a food donation as a way to support and care for members of our community in need.
More information >
