A day like no other

By Bob Hulteen

Under the theme of “With Glad and Generous Hearts,” the Minneapolis Area Synod met in assembly May 2-4 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Ramsey, Minnesota. Highlighting the business portion of the agenda, the Rev. Jen Nagel, pastor at University Lutheran Church of Hope in Minneapolis, was elected the fourth bishop of the synod.

Pastor Nagel was elected on the fifth ballot with 316 votes, or 68%. The Rev. Natalia Terfa, associated pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, received 146 votes, or 32%.

“I am humbled and excited by this new role and the trust of the synod’s voting members,” said Bishop-elect Nagel. “The church is at an inflection point. We don’t know where the Holy Spirit is taking us, and that can cause anxiety. But, it can also provide hope. I think participants in the election process heard a message of reconnection, and that gives them hope.”

“The church is at an inflection point. We don’t know where the Holy Spirit is taking us, and that can cause anxiety. But, it can also provide hope.”

Nine rostered leaders of the ELCA participated throughout the pre-assembly nomination process organized by the Bishop Election Committee. Three additional names for consideration were added during the Thursday evening plenary, which followed the opening worship service. Subsequent ballots reduced the number of people being considered for the Office of Bishop, until Nagel’s fifth ballot election.

Responding to the election process itself, Bishop-elect Nagel stated, “The Bishop Election Committee structured the election as a call process, much as congregations engage in call processes for their pastors. The Committee facilitated our deepening relationships with the people in the synod, as well as with other nominees. … The entire synod will be stronger because of the intentionality of this work.”

 

IN BETWEEN BALLOTING for bishop, the Rev. Dr. Barbara Lundblad and Dr. Michael Chan offered Bible studies. Lundblad, presenting on Acts 3:43-47, noted that “If Pentecost ends too soon, we never get to economics,” a reference to the parts of Acts describing the common purse of the faithful. In her later address, Lundblad concentrated on “The apostolic succession of Dorcas,” a key leader in the church, as she encouraged participants to “celebrate the apostolic succession of ordinary people.”

Dr. Michael Chan centered his Bible studies in Isaiah 41, concentrating on what it meant to be church in “a time of great collapse.” That’s what Isaiah’s people were experiencing. He said, “A prophet’s greatest enemy is the propensity for denial.” What does it mean to live faithfully in a time of collapse? How about in a time when we see collapse coming?  Or, once it has occurred?

Vice President Felecia Boone, in her address to the assembly, stressed that the synod should be strategic about its leadership. She noted that we are in a time of great transition within the life of the Church, encouraging the members of congregations to embrace change even while continuing to care deeply for each other.

“We are in a time of great transition within the life of the Church.”

Members of congregations of the synod were also elected to a number of positions, including the Synod Council, the Discipline Committee, the Consultation Committee, and the Augsburg Corporation Governing Board. Voting members to the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly from the Minneapolis Area Synod were also elected. That Assembly will be held in Phoenix July 28 – August 2 of next year.

Four resolutions were considered and adopted. RC2024-01 recommitted the synod to its vocation of supporting efforts at peacemaking by urging congregations to review ELCA social statements and act on the resulting learning. RC2024-02 and RC2024-03 were budget resolutions, adjusting the 2024 budget and offering a proposed 2025 budget. RC2024-04 offered appreciation for the service of Bishop Ann Svennungsen to the Church.

Synod Assembly voting members also celebrated the ministry of the Rev. Kelly Chatman, long-time pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Minneapolis. After his retirement from the parish, Pastor Chatman founded the Center for Leadership and Neighborhood Engagement. He had earlier worked for the ELCA in youth ministry, and has mentored many of the young leaders of this synod.

In addition, the Rev. Amanda Simon presented the Servant of Christ Award to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, New Prague. This award is presented by Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota to one synod congregation each year in each of Minnesota’s six synods.

ELCA Treasurer Lori Fedyk represented the Churchwide organization at the assembly; she provided oversight of the election process. Leaders of the two synod’s two companion synods – Archbishop Musa Filibus of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria and Superintendent Sebastian Feydt from the Leipzig District of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony – were also present. In addition, six of the other eight bishops in Region 3 (Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota) showed their support for retiring Bishop Svennungsen.

On Friday evening, a festive reception was held honoring Bishop Svennungsen. Emceed by the Revs. Eric Hoffer and Mark Hanson, words of appreciation were offered by the visiting dignitaries from Nigeria, Leipzig, and Region 3.