Weekly Blog Posts
The following blog posts are written by Bishop Jen Nagel, Synod staff members, and leaders from the Minneapolis Area Synod.
Genius not required
By Rev. Deb Stehlin, Director for Evangelical Mission At the end of Luke 12, Jesus challenges the crowds: “You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don’t tell me you can’t tell [...]
Assigned Seats
By Pastor John Hulden, Assistant to the Bishop I hated assigned seats. Especially in seventh grade. My first experience with a different teacher for every subject was at Ramsey Junior High in south Minneapolis. Some [...]
Door Knocking for Jesus
By Emilie Bouvier, Congregational Organizer for Environmental Justice “Knock and the door shall be opened unto you.” As an emerging environmental organizer, I have many hours of stories about “on door” exchanges – comical moments, connections [...]
Process or content
By Bob Hulteen, Director of Communications and Stewardship Is stewardship more about outcome or process? I mean, budgets must be met, right? Buildings must be heated in the long, cold winter months. Professional staff must [...]
Making the invisible visible
This blog post is an excerpt from the “charge to action” shared by Bishop Ann Svennungsen at the “Service of Prayer and Lament Honoring the Life of Philando Castile” held on July 9, 2016, at [...]
E-Newsletters I Love
Email newsletters can be such a blessing – and such a curse! They are a great way to keep up with a church, an online resource, or a writer of interest without doing a deep-dive [...]
God’s Big Garage Sale
When I was a young adult, I opted out of church. I still believed in God; and I still prayed. But for many reasons, the imperfect institution got in the way. You’ve heard the statistics [...]
Finding Our Identity
Although I have a Norwegian surname, I come from a long line of both German and Scandinavian Lutherans. I am grateful for the faith my ancestors brought when they immigrated to the United States. Now [...]
Is Your Future Vital?
By Rev. Craig Pederson, Assistant to the Bishop When your job title is “Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Vitality,” you need to learn to have some fun with it. When I meet with church [...]
5 Tips for Kids’ Sermons
By Rev. John Hulden, Assistant to the Bishop With a gaggle of little sweet ones gathered at the preacher’s feet, who knows what will happen next? Check your next kids’ sermon against these five simple [...]