Weekly Blog Posts
The following blog posts are written by Bishop Jen Nagel, Synod staff members, and leaders from the Minneapolis Area Synod.
With significant flaws, … still rooted and engaged
By Bishop Ann Svennungsen Founded in 1988, we will soon celebrate the 35th anniversary of the ELCA, formed by the merger of three predecessor bodies – the AELC, the ALC, and the LCA. However, even [...]
Weren’t our hearts burning … ?’
By Pastor Norma Malfatti The story of Cleopas and the other disciple walking on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24 has been a passage resting with me for several months. If you don’t remember it, [...]
Unexpected wonder
By Emilie Bouvier If you’ve talked to me in the past five months, you’ve probably heard me talk about my planned trip back out west to go hiking in the Cascades. It’s been almost three [...]
‘Mairzy Dotes and Dicey Quotes …’
By Bob Hulteen If I learned anything from my religion professors in college (which, of course, I did since they were great), it was that a deep understanding of context is essential when working with [...]
Pandemic, pain, and push ups
By Pastor Craig Pederson As the odometer on my body passed the 54-year mark earlier this summer, I gave thanks for the gift of living a relatively healthy life thus far. I also took stock [...]
In their own words
By Bob Hulteen I woke up this morning planning to write a great blog about how fortunate I feel, as a lay synod staff person, to be able to attend the Bishop’s Theological Conference (BTC) [...]
Church fun?
By Pastor John Hulden A day or two before my first class at pastor-school many, many years ago, a classmate I had just met asked: “What is your mission statement?” During those first days at [...]
Let’s get real
By Nicholas Tangen Last week I joined a number of other Minneapolis Area Synod representatives at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Columbus, Ohio under the theme “Embody the Word.” Churchwide Assemblies are the highest legislative [...]
With hearts invested
By Pastor Norma Malfatti “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:34 NRSV) This past week I had the great joy of being the pre-school leader at Vacation Bible School [...]
Diagnosis: FOMO
By Brenda Blackhawk I have a six-year-old sister, Camille. She is the youngest of nine siblings, so she is the cutest, the whiniest, and the most picked-on (which makes her the toughest, too). She also [...]