Mpls Area Synod ELCA

Digital Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
2025-12-01 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | 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

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 >

Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) Gathering
2025-11-25 10:30 - 11:30 | Minnesota Church Center, 122 W Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55404, United States
Since 1990, leaders from the Minneapolis Area Synod have visited Nigeria and maintained a companion synod relationship. Individuals and communities who have a history of partnership with the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) and those who are interested in starting a new partnership are invited to gather and connect.

When we’re together, we will share information and updates about the Lutheran University that is being built and discuss what is means to be a companion synods.

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.

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 >

Webinar: MN Paid Leave Program
2025-11-20 12:30 - 13:30 | MN
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 >

Power and Boundaries Workshop for Ministry Leaders - Option 2
2025-11-20 08:30 - 16:00 | Nativity Lutheran, 3312 Silver Lake Road, Saint Anthony Village, MN, 55418, United States
Rostered leaders in the Minneapolis Area Synod are required to attend a Power and Boundaries Workshop every three to five years. Church staff and volunteers are also encouraged to attend. This year’s workshops will be led by Rev. Emily Carson, Assistant to the Bishop, Director for Evangelical Mission & Financial Administrator at the Southeastern Minnesota Synod.
There are two dates to choose from, each workshop will be limited to 35 people.

Friday, November 14, at the Minnesota Church Center, Minneapolis
Thursday, November 20, at Nativity Lutheran, Minneapolis

Register >

Creating Accessible Spaces on a Budget Webinar
2025-11-17 19:00 - 20:00 | MN
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 >

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.

EcoFaith Coffee and Conversation
2025-11-15 09:30 - 11:30 | Mount Olivet Lutheran Church of Plymouth, 12235 Old Rockford Rd, Plymouth, MN, United States
Join us for a morning of coffee and conversation as we welcome in different creation care partners of the Minneapolis Area Synod. Here about their work and how you can get involved. Coffee and pastries will be provided.

Sign up >
Facebook event >

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 >

Power and Boundaries Workshop for Ministry Leaders - Option 1
2025-11-14 08:30 - 15:30 | Minnesota Church Center, 122 W Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55404, United States
Rostered leaders in the Minneapolis Area Synod are required to attend a Power and Boundaries Workshop every three to five years. Church staff and volunteers are also encouraged to attend. This year’s workshops will be led by Rev. Emily Carson, Assistant to the Bishop, Director for Evangelical Mission & Financial Administrator at the Southeastern Minnesota Synod.

There are two dates to choose from, each workshop will be limited to 35 people.

Friday, November 14 at the Minnesota Church Center, Minneapolis
Thursday, November 20 at Nativity Lutheran, Minneapolis

Register >

Learn Together Over Lunch Series: ELCA Immigration Policies and Statements
2025-11-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Join Kate Parsons, Migration Policy Advisor, and Raed AbuJries, US Network, Education, and Communication Manager, who will share about the ELCA’s work alongside immigrant communities and dig into some of our commitments as a church regarding immigration. They will discuss the ELCA Social Message on Immigration, Sanctuary Churches, AMMPARO, and more.
Join us live for the one-hour Zoom call or watch the recording later. Live Spanish interpretation will be provided and recorded. ASL will be provided with the recording of the call.
Register to receive the Zoom link >

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.

Children and Youth Monthly Ministry Gathering - November
2025-11-11 15:00 - 17:00 | Urban Growler, 2325 Endicott St, St. Paul, MN, 55114, United States
November Youth Ministry Gathering
Topic: Neurodivergence and Support Needs

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

Tool Kit for Congregational Leaders
2025-11-08 08:00 - 12:00 | Immanuel Lutheran Church, 16515 Luther Way, Eden Prairie, MN, 55346, United States
Church lay and rostered leaders are invited to attend a morning of learning, networking, and connecting. The Tool Kit will offer about a dozen different workshops so you can choose two that will be most helpful for you. Many churches bring multiple people and spread out to many workshops to bring lots of resources back to their ministries.

8:00 Registration opens, coffee hour to meet other people in similar roles (optional)
9:00 Large group with Bishop Jen
9:30 Break
9:45 Round 1 workshops
10:45 Break
11:00 Round 2 workshops
12:00 Adjourn

Register Now

Workshop Details >

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 >

RESCHEDULED - Communicators Retreat
2025-11-06 09:00 - 16:00 | Mt. Olivet Retreat Center, 7984 257th St W, Farmington, MN, United States
Rescheduled for Thursday, November 6.
The Minneapolis and Saint Paul Area Synods invite all congregation communicators to a fall retreat! This is a great opportunity to connect with others, build community, and learn about leveraging video in your ministry (and where to start if you haven’t yet). Sitraka Rakotoarivelo, media production specialist for Faith+Lead, and a panel of congregation communicators will talk about how they use video in their settings. The cost for the day is $50 per person. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Whether your job title has “communications” right in the name or if it’s one of the many hats you wear as a church employee, you are welcome to join us!
Register by October 23.

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 >

Partnership Trip to Palestine
2025-11-03 - 2025-11-12 | MN
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.

Discerning Your Call: Exploring the Next Faithful Step
2025-11-02 14:00 | Faith Lutheran, Forest Lake, 886 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake, MN, 55025, United States
A discernment retreat hosted by the ELCA synods of Region 3 in the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota
Wondering what’s next?
Wondering if God is calling you to something different?
Wondering if there’s “something more”?
Explore these and other questions in the context of our faith, with other wonderers through storytelling, introspection, and studying of Scripture. We strongly encourage you to bring a conversation partner (your pastor, a colleague, family member, friend, etc who will continue this conversation with you). The event costs $10 per person, which includes an evening meal.
Choose the date and location that works best for you. Each retreat is 2:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 2
Faith Lutheran, Forest Lake
Register by October 26
Sunday, February 22
Oak Knoll Lutheran, Minnetonka
Register by February 15
Register now >

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

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 >

Game Night Fundraiser Benefitting Cristo Obrero
2025-11-01 15:00 - 20:00 | 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!

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.

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 >

Fall 2025 Joint Ministerium
2025-10-30 08:00 - 12:00 | Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 3115 Victoria Street North, Roseville, MN, 55113, United States
Rostered ministers in the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Area Synods are invited to gather for worship, fellowship, and reflection on Semper Reformanda (“always reforming”). Augsburg University President Dr. Paul Pribbenow, an esteemed leader in higher education, will be the featured presenter. He will speak about recent executive orders and changing demographics that impact all colleges and universities and reflect on what it means to be a church that is always reforming.
There’s no fee to attend, but please register in advance >
Agenda:

8:30 a.m. Check-in
9:00 a.m. Worship
10:15 a.m. Fellowship & Refreshments
11:00 a.m. Presentation by Dr. Paul Pribbenow
11:55 a.m. Adjourn

Public Policy & Civic Engagement 101 Training
2025-10-27 09:00 - 15:30 | Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, St. Paul, MN, 55155, United States
One of the most powerful tools we can leverage to bring more resources and opportunities to our communities and create positive change is by championing our causes.
Who Should Attend
This training is open to individuals who attend a faith community within Hennepin County and are interested in learning how to engage with the legislative process on issues they care about. Community members, social workers and other social services providers are invited to attend this in-depth training all about the legislative process. Attendees will hear from experts and leave with the skills and confidence they need to successfully advocate on the issues they care about.
Public Policy & Civic Engagement 101 includes:
• Guest speakers from the legislature
• A behind the scenes of the Capitol
• A primer on how an idea becomes a law
• Tips for successful legislative meetings
• How to effectively engage yourself and others in speaking about the issues important to you.
Register Here: https://forms.office.com/r/BsRaQRGuCM
This continuing education workshop can be attended virtually (3 CEUs) or in-person (5.5 CEUs).

Trunk or Treat at All Saints Minnetonka
2025-10-25 14:00 - 16:00 | All Saints Lutheran Church, 15915 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, 55345
Join All Saints Lutheran Church of Minnetonka in their west parking lot for this free family-friendly Halloween event! Kids get to go trick-or-treat around the parking lot by visiting each of the decorated cars. After visiting the cars, kids can grab a cup of hot chocolate, enjoy yard games, get an airbrush tattoo, or play Halloween bingo.
Trunk or Treat is open to all families, so invite your neighbors, friends, and relatives to join you. Costumes are encouraged.
