Gathering Expedition Retreats
2025-10-31 - 2025-11-02 | Lutherdale, N7891 US-12, Elkhorn, WI, 53121, United States
This fall, the ELCA Youth Gathering is hitting the road with Gathering Expedition, a regional retreat experience for 8th – 12th grade youth and the adults who lead them. It’s designed to be simple, meaningful, and full of movement — because ministry doesn’t just happen every three years. It happens in the in-between too.
Over the course of the weekend, your group will worship together, dive into deep questions, serve with purpose, and connect with others in your region. It’s a chance for young people to explore where God might be calling them — and for you to walk alongside them without the pressure of planning it all yourself.
Whether your group is new to ELCA events or Gathering veterans, Gathering Expedition is a powerful space to pause, listen, grow, and move.
Let’s keep Faith in Motion.

Dates and locations:
📍 Cross Roads (Port Murray, N.J.) — September 26 – 28
📍 Lutherhill (La Grange, Texas) — October 3 – 5
📍 Lutherdale (Elkhorn, Wis.) — October 31 – November 2
More information >

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Discernment Weekend
2025-10-31 - 2025-11-02 | Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, 2000 Center St Suite 200, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
Are you wondering if seminary might be right for you? Consider joining Signs Along the Way at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) in Berkeley, California, to connect with others in discernment, get to know PLTS faculty, and explore what it’s like to be an online student in the MDiv, MA in Spirituality and Social Change, or Lutheran Year programs. PLTS is transitioning to only offer online study with in-person intensives, so this weekend is designed for those interested in online learning. PLTS covers lodging and meals during the event and can offer travel assistance for those who need it. Visit plts.edu/signs to learn more and sign up.

Game Night Fundraiser Benefitting Cristo Obrero
2025-11-01 15:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Immanuel Lutheran Church, 16515 Luther Way, Eden Prairie, MN, 55346, United States
Join Immanuel, Eden Prairie, and Cristo Obrero, Chaska, (one of the Synod’s strategic ministries) for a game night!

There will be games of all sorts- card games, board games and yard games (weather permitting)! Come play your favorite games with new friends or try out a game you’ve never played before. There will be options for all ages. While you’re there, learn about Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)!

**Contribute any amount to play – donations will be matched up to $3,000 by Immanuel!**

FOOD this year: Hot dogs & chips, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and the Lions beer truck

and join Immanuel for Trunk or Treat just before!

National Lutheran Choir Concert
2025-11-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Normandale Lutheran Church, Edina, MN, United States
Lead Me Home
A Concert of Remembrance
A journey of remembrance and hope, this concert honors the beauty and fragility of life while offering a glimpse of the eternal home that awaits. Through music and movement, we explore the thin places between heaven and earth.
Featured works include Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s In Thee, O Lord, Thomas LaVoy’s O Great Beyond (with texts by Rabindranath Tagore), and Stephen Paulus’ beloved The Road Home. Additional selections by Minnesota composers Linda Kachelmeier and Marí Esabel Valverde round out the program.
Presented in collaboration with dance artist Eve Schulte, the concert will be performed in the Twin Cities and in St. Peter, Minnesota in partnership with Brandon Dean and the Gustavus Choir as NLC goes on the road.
Saturday, November 1, 7:00 p.m.
Normandale Lutheran Church, Edina
Sunday, November 2, 4:00 p.m.
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi
More information and tickets >

Faith After High School
2025-11-02 12:00 - 14:00 | Calvary Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, 3901 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Join Calvary Lutheran Church Sunday, November 2, at noon for pizza and salad, followed by a panel with faith leaders from U of M Lutheran Campus Ministries, and Augsburg Lutheran Campus Ministries. They will share about their faith after high school. This is a great event for students thinking about attending these colleges or wondering what happens to your faith after high school.

Come join the conversation. Register by clicking the link below https://forms.gle/C2UR91jGETXzaqp19

Partnership Trip to Palestine
2025-11-03 - 2025-11-12
Attention to news from Gaza and the West Bank leaves many feeling that words are not enough. When there is grief and hunger, dispossession and death, when words fail, it is our presence that counts. Walking alongside those who are suffering is what God’s Holy Spirit does for us. Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, is planning a trip to Palestine November 3 – 12 to accompany their mission partners, Bright Stars of Bethlehem and Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem. You are invited to lend your presence and support to their Palestinian siblings and join their group. Participants will sit with students and faculty at Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem and will help with olive harvesting at Augusta Victoria. As much as the presence and encouragement may bless those they are visiting, surely attendees will be blessed and encouraged, too, as they are able to share their experiences with their own congregations and friends when they return. For information about this opportunity, please consult the tour brochure and be in touch with Judy Hinck at judyhinck@gmail.com.

ELEA National Conference
2025-11-04 - 2025-11-07 | Crowne Plaza Cleveland at Playhouse Square, 1260 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, United States
“Inspiring Leaders, Strengthening Faith”
This much-anticipated gathering will unite educational leaders committed to nurturing academic excellence and spiritual growth in Lutheran schools.
Experience three powerful professional development days, spiritual renewal, and networking with fellow Lutheran educators nationwide. Through dynamic keynote sessions, interactive workshops, and collaborative discussions, you’ll gain practical strategies to enhance your leadership skills while deepening your faith foundation.
Don’t miss this opportunity to:
– Connect with passionate educational leaders who share your mission
– Develop innovative approaches to faith-based leadership
– Revitalize your spiritual journey alongside your professional growth
– Build lasting relationships within the ELEA community
Register now to secure your place at this cornerstone event. Early bird pricing is available through May 1, 2025. Let’s strengthen our schools, inspire our communities, and nurture the next generation of faithful leaders.
More information >

Minnesota Multifaith Network 6th Annual Conference
2025-11-06 09:00 - 17:30 | House of Hope Presbyterian Church, 797 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55105, United States
The Time is Now!
Strengthening Engagement, Understanding, and Equity for All
Celebrating Religious Pluralism in Minnesota
More information >

Considering Your Call Saturday at Wartburg Seminary
2025-11-08 09:00 - 16:00 | Wartburg Theological Seminary, 333 Wartburg Pl, Dubuque, IA, 52003, United States
Wartburg Seminary is hosting a discernment day- “Considering Your Call Saturday”- on November 8. It’s a great opportunity for folks discerning a call to ministry leadership to engage with others (faculty, staff, current students, others in discernment), ask questions about the seminary process, and learn more about Wartburg specifically. All lodging and meals are covered for out-of-town attendees. More information and registration can be found at the link below.
Considering Your Call Saturday Information & Registration

November Western Suburbs CYF Ministry Network Gathering
2025-11-13 10:00 - 12:00 | St. Stephen Lutheran, Bloomington, 8400 France Ave S, Bloomington, MN, 55431, United States
The Western Suburbs CYF Ministry Network meets the second Thursday of each month to Renew, Educate, and Connect. Everyone is welcome!
We will be having an Advent Devotional time and taking about how you care for yourself when you seem to never have the time and are always in charge of upcoming events.

Minneapolis Area Synod Women of the ELCA Gathering
2025-11-15 | Transfiguration Lutheran Church, 11000 France Avenue South, Bloomington, MN, 55431, United States
Minneapolis Area Synod Women of the ELCA Gathering. Come to:

Learn and Listen
Connect and Create
Celebrate and Worship
Together!

More information >

Gather Twin Cities Friendsgiving
2025-11-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Spirit Garage, 100 W 46th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55419, United States
Join Gather Twin Cities for an evening of community, fellowship, and great food. Please bring a dish to share!
Check out their instagram (@gathertwincities) for more info.

Creating Accessible Spaces on a Budget Webinar
2025-11-17 19:00 - 20:00
Every church should be a place where everyone feels welcome and included — regardless of ability. But making your facilities more accessible doesn’t have to break the bank. Join us for this practical and inspiring webinar designed specifically for churches seeking to improve accessibility with limited resources. We’ll explore affordable strategies to enhance physical, sensory, and digital accessibility in your church buildings and programs. From simple upgrades to creative adaptations, you’ll gain tools and ideas that can be implemented right away — no large renovation budget required.

Monday, November 17, 2025 ~ 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Central Time

In this workshop, you’ll learn:

Low-cost improvements that make a big impact
How to prioritize accessibility changes
Ways to engage your congregation in accessibility efforts

Register >

Webinar: MN Paid Leave Program
2025-11-20 12:30 - 13:30
Join this webinar with attorney Jewelie Grape to find out more information about Minnesota Paid Leave. If you have questions you would like to be discussed at the webinar, please email them to Liz Farmer.
Join on Zoom >

Stories The Land Holds Series: Culture and Recovery
2025-11-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 4801 France Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55410, United States
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 >

Film Screening: Indian Horse
2025-11-23 14:00 - 16:00 | Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55404, United States
Honor Native American Heritage at Mia with this special screening of Indian Horse (2017). Based on the novel by Ojibwe author Richard Wagamese, this film follows the life of Saul Indian Horse, a Canadian First Nations boy who survives Canada’s residential school system through his gift as a hockey player.
Get tickets >
This film is not rated; run time is 1 hour, 41 minutes.
Note: This film contains content that some may find distressing related to the Canadian residential school system, including depictions of abuse, addiction, and racism.

Rethinking Addiction: A Faith Leader's Guide
2025-11-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
A free one-hour webinar titled “Rethinking Addiction: A Faith Leader’s Guide” featuring Rachel Bowling, Director of SAFE Communities at SAFE Project, a national nonprofit working to end the addiction epidemic, and hosted by the Center of Addiction & Faith. Faith leaders are often called upon to support individuals and families navigating the complexities of substance use, addiction and recovery. This session invites participants to help examine how we understand and respond to substance use and share insights from professionals and recovery advocates.

Register >

Digital Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
2025-12-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Join historian, theologian and licensed tour guide Mary Danho for four digital sessions that send your spirit traveling to the Holy Land.

Mary Danho grew up in Jerusalem just blocks from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, listening in on tours long before she was leading them herself. There are fewer tourists and travelers coming to visit these days, but Mary knows there are many who long to make connections between their faith and the very real places she calls home.
Mary is offering a digital Advent series for long distance pilgrims, including some who have traveled with her in the past or hope to join her tours in the future. She is relatively new to teaching online, so this will be a new adventure.
Register as an individual or as a congregation/organization. You’re bound to learn something new about scripture, sacred land and yourself during a season we claim to be too busy for a holy, midday pause like this one.

Monday, December 1 HOPE
Sea of Galilee: The setting of so many miraclces and stories in Jesus ministry.
Monday, December 8 PEACE
Nazareth: The Annunciation – A girl who belonged to herself said yes.
Monday, December 15 JOY
Ein Kerem: The Visitation – Mary & Elizabeth, John the Baptist, too.
Monday, December 22 LOVE
The Shepherds’ Fields: Jesus’ birth is announced to the shepherds.

More information >
Note: EventBrite requires that we list four ticketed dates, but you’re really just buying one ticket and getting one ticket and one reoccurring Zoom link. We’re sorry for the ways it looks confusing. Contact a host if you need help!
Hosted by: Jenny Sung, Natalia Terfa and Meta Herrick Carlson

Webinar: Rebuilding Hope - What's Next for Welcome
2025-12-01 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
As 2025 draws to a close, Global Refuge reflects on the many ways the work of welcome has been tested—and our conviction to come back better than ever in 2026. This webinar will cover the current state of immigration policy, our programming, and how you can help us meet critical needs and spread hope in the final month of the year.
Global Refuge, formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), has been welcoming newcomers since 1939 through advocacy, care and empowerment.

Augsburg University Advent Vespers
2025-12-05 - 2025-12-06 | Central Lutheran Church, 333 S 12th St., Minneapolis, MN, 55404, United States
For more than four decades, Augsburg University has ushered in the Advent and Christmas seasons with Advent Vespers, a magnificent experience of music and liturgy focusing on the theme of preparation and culminating in the joyful celebration of the Incarnation. You are invited to join on December 6 – 7 at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, for the 46th annual Advent Vespers: “Guide Our Feet Into the Way of Peace.” In times like these, God sends prophets to point us in a new direction, to remind us of God’s loving intentions for the world. While peaceful times may feel far off, we join the defiant song of Zechariah that points towards a future day when the fullness of God’s shalom dawns once again in our lives. Reserve tickets now at augsburg.edu/advent-vespers.
Friday, December 5, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 6, 2:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m

Alternative Gift Market at Christ Memorial
2025-12-06 - 2025-12-07 | Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, Plymouth, MN, United States
Select from 25+ local and international charities as alternative gifts for friends and family. Fair trade items also available for purchase.

Advent Concert & Cookie Exchange
2025-12-07 14:00 - 15:30 | St. James Lutheran, Crystal, 6700 46th Place North , Crystal, MN, United States
Join some amazing musicians for an afternoon of Advent music at St. James. There will be a free will offering taken for Agate Housing & Services. There will also be a cookie exchange following the event; bring cookies, eat some, and take a few home!

Silent Retreat Week
2025-12-08 - 2025-12-12 | Mt. Olivet Retreat Center, 7984 257th St W, Farmington, MN, United States
Between the busyness of Thanksgiving and Christmas, give yourself the gift of stillness. Rest in a comfortable hotel-style room, enjoy nutritious meals prepared by our professional chefs, and restore your spirit with access to peaceful amenities—indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, cozy lounges, miles of trails, fire pits, a meditation room, and more.
More information >

Faith & Life Conversation: Antisemitism
2025-12-10 17:30 - 19:00 | Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church, 5011 S 31st Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, United States
Faith and Life Conversation
Patrick LaCombe, Steve Hunegs, and Joel Quie strive to address the issue called, “The Longest Hatred”.
Before a business career, Patrick spent 14 years at the State Department supporting the transition from Communism to democracy and free markets in Central and East Europe. He served the State Department in Poland in the 90’s and is dedicated to the study of Holocaust history.
Steve Hunegs has been the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota & the Dakotas since 2006. During this time Steve and his colleagues have been recognized for their work by the United States Attorney for Minnesota; the FBI; International Leadership Institute; Israel Bonds; among others.
Joel Quie is an ordained pastor of the ELCA. Prior to retiring in 2021, he served for 35 years in three states. During his tenure in three congregations he worked tirelessly to build ecumenical bridges in his community.

December Western Suburbs CYF Network Gathering
2025-12-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Trinity Lutheran Church, Long Lake, 2060 County Road 6, Long Lake, MN, 55356, United States
The Western Suburbs CYF Ministry Network meets the second Thursday of each month to Renew, Educate, and Connect. Everyone is welcome!
This month they are talking about local service opportunities for all sizes and ages. Great start when looking forward to summer programs!

National Lutheran Choir Christmas Festival
2025-12-12 16:30 - 2025-12-13 21:00 | Basilica of Saint Mary, Minneapolis
Come, Dwell with Us: A Christmas Festival Join the National Lutheran Choir under Artistic Director Jennaya Robison for Come, Dwell with Us: A Christmas Festival. This beloved festival features a new Christmas carol by acclaimed Minnesota composer Jocelyn Hagen alongside works by Mark Butler, Gwyneth Walker, and Rosephanye Powell, as well as cherished favorites like Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium, Pavel Chesnokov’s Salvation Is Created and Carl Schalk’s Before the Marvel of this Night. Experience the beauty of the NLC, the NLC Children’s Ensemble, instrumental chamber ensemble, and narration by Brian Newhouse.
Dates & Location:
Friday, December 12, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 13, 1:30 p.m.* and 8:00 p.m.
Basilica of Saint Mary, 1600 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis
*The Saturday 1:30pm performance will be live-streamed.
Tickets at NLCA.com.
Groups of 10 or more receive discounted tickets. Call 612-722-2301 for info on group rates.

Bevies with the Bishops
2025-12-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Norseman Distillery, 451 Taft St NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
Young Adults (18-35) of the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Area Synods are invited to join Bishops Patricia Lull and Jen Nagel for an “Ask Them Anything” event.

Las Posadas: A Community Pilgrimage & Peace Lantern Procession
2025-12-19 18:30 - 21:30 | San Pablo/St. Paul’s, 2742 15th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, United States
You and your communities are invited to claim joy with San Pablo-St. Paul’s at their annual community Posada on Friday, December 19. At 6:30 p.m., all will gather in the Sanctuary to recall the story of Mary and Joseph’s journey and their search for posada, shelter. Then attendees will walk through the neighborhood in a lantern-led Peace Procession, singing traditional carols in both English and Spanish (plus a special song they’re composing just for the posada!). Afterward, all are invited to embrace convivencia with shared food, a piñata, and live music from Alma Andina. The community Posada is free and open to all.
Download the flyer >

Center of Addiction and Faith Blue Christmas Service
2025-12-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
The holiday season arrives when the world around us is at its coldest and darkest. In these deep winter weeks, when the trees are bare and the days are short, it’s easy to feel as if the warmth and light we’re promised are out of reach.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
A beautiful truth—yet there are moments when that light feels faint, and the shadows feel closer than ever.
This service is for anyone who isn’t feeling merry or bright right now. For anyone carrying grief, exhaustion, disappointment, or a quiet ache you can’t quite name. While the world pushes cheer, we make space for what’s real.
We gather to honor your pain, your questions, your empty places, and to gently ask—together—for comfort, for courage, and for a light that still rises even when we cannot see it.
You are not alone. Come as you are.
Register >

Unwine Your Mind - A January Reset
2025-12-31 12:00 - 13:00
Join the Center of Addiction & Faith for a one-hour free webinar entitled “Unwine Your Mind – A January Reset”
December 31, 2025, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
This webinar will feature Hilary Sheinbaum, founder of GoingDry.co, a company that designs non-alcoholic events and menus, and author of The Dry Challenge, a guide for anyone attempting a dry month. She believes in joyful big living without relying on alcohol. A healthier relationship with alcohol starts with one honest month. This webinar will invite you to go fully alcohol-free for 30 days for the full reset experience, or commit to a meaningful reduction and see how you feel physically, emotionally and spiritually after one month. Hilary will bring humor, compassion, practical tools and a refreshing “no guilt necessary approach during this webinar.
Register >
