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By Minneapolis Area Synod Bishop Ann Svennungsen, Southeastern Minnesota Synod Bishop Regina Hassanally, Saint Paul Area Synod Bishop Patricia Lull, Northeastern Minnesota Synod Bishop Amy Odgren , Southwestern Minnesota Synod Bishop Dee Pederson, and Northwestern Minnesota Synod Bishop Bill Tesch Current economic conditions present difficult choices to leaders across all sectors of our economy: businesses, […]

As stipulated in the Synod Constitution, the Minneapolis Area Synod Council at its first meeting since the 2023 Synod Assembly considered and approved a Bishop’s Election Committee (BEC) for the 2024 Synod Assembly election. Bishop Ann Svennungsen will have reached her twelve-year term limit in July, 2024, so a new bishop will be elected at the May 2-4 Assembly. The Synod’s Nominating Committee provided the Synod Council with a slate of seven names (and two alternates) for consideration for the BEC. The Nominating Committee members strived to identify people who express all the diversity of the synod – from size and location of congregation to age, ethnicity, and gender.

By Pastor Paul Lutter Amid COVID19’s lingering impact, leaders of Lutheran Campus Ministry – Twin Cities (LCM-TC) had to ask themselves a difficult set of questions related to their free weekly noon soup meal that they had hosted during the school year on Tuesdays for more than 15 years. While the meal had historically served […]

By John Mai Just a few blocks away from Lake Nokomis sits a newly renovated church on 31st Avenue in South Minneapolis. Previously home only to Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church (ELCA), the building now additionally houses Living Table UCC (United Church of Christ) and Spirit of Saint Stephen’s Catholic Community. The three worshiping bodies have […]

A congregation’s constitution is its primary governing document.  It provides a framework for its purpose and mission and includes provisions that address important matters such as Council and Committee leadership, membership criteria, the call of a pastor and/or deacon, administration of real estate and property, and the congregation’s relationship with the synod and the larger […]

By John Mai In Minnesota, more than 48,000 residents are not allowed to vote in elections due to the fact that they are currently on probation or parole. Even though these citizens have finished their prison sentences, they are not able to share in one of the fundamental aspects of participatory democracy. The Minneapolis Area […]

By Pastor Craig Pederson For the first time since the fall of 2019, rostered ministers gathered on the shores of Gull Lake near Brainerd for the 2022 Bishop’s Theological Conference. The theme for this year’s conference was “Facing the Wilderness, Embracing a Path,” focusing on the climate change crisis, environmental racism, and the responses of […]

This week we’re lifting up Sue Ferkingstad, who was one of our Churchwide Assembly voting members and is very active at her church. Learn more about how she gives her time.   What role(s) do you take on in the synod and beyond? I’m a member of my church choir, council president, volunteer for Every […]

Get to know one of our two youth Synod Council members, Paavo Rundman! What role(s) do you take on in the synod and beyond? I’m one of the youth members on the Minneapolis Area Synod Council, and I’ve been a part of the past three National Youth Leadership Summits as a representative from our synod. […]

By Maya Bryant On the morning of April 21, 2022, four leaders from Calvary Lutheran Church logged onto a Zoom call to discuss how the way they “do church” is changing. In the last two years, a number of events happened in Calvary’s backyard: the killing of George Floyd just one block from their congregation; […]