July 2012 - Saint Paul Area Synod

SAINT
PAU L
AREA
SYNOD
FaithLink
ConnecƟng Leaders of the Saint Paul Area Synod (ELCA)
Volume 17

Number 4

July 2012
ELCA Global Mission
Spotlight on ELCA young
adults in global mission
W H A T ’ S
Inside
1
From the Bishop
2
grants support sabbaticals
3 Wellness
and staff development
4 Calendar; Theological Conference
Pentecost in northern
5 Connections:
Serbia
6 Synod assembly
News about Calls; Endowments
7
Lutheran Campus
8 Prayers;
Ministry
Spotlight on ELCA young adults in
global mission
Jacki Schuhle, a volunteer with ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission program, serves as a tutor and “house mother” for at-risk
children in Tuaran, Malaysia.
N
ext year, two members of Saint
Paul Area Synod congregations
will serve through the Young
Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program
through the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America. Alicia Hillar, member of Shepherd of the Hills in Shoreview, will serve in
Mexico, and Blake Anderson, member of
Trinity in Stillwater, will serve in the United
Kingdom.
Hillar and Anderson will serve for one year
in a church, school, health and development project, or social service ministry,
beginning in August. Hillar, Anderson, and
the 55 other YAGM participants will undergo orientation in Chicago and leave from
there to their respective destinations.
‘Faith and ac on are inseparable’
“YAGM is a unique opportunity that allows young adults to concretely link their
faith with action,” according to the Rev.
Heidi Torgerson-Martinez, director of the
program.
p
The Rev. Peter
Harrits does
regular site visits
as a part of his
ministry as a
Young Adult in
Global Mission
coordinator in
Malaysia.
“For almost all of our participants, faith and
action are inseparable.”
The ELCA began this work in 1999 with 10
participants serving in the United Kingdom.
Nearly 400 young adults have participated
in the ministry since, said Torgerson-Martinez, adding that about 80 percent of these
young adults go on to graduate school. Of
the 80 percent, 31 percent entered seminary, while others have pursued graduate
degrees in human rights law, medicine, and
social work.
Participants, ranging in age from 19 to
29, are appointed to serve in Argentina,
Uruguay, Jerusalem and the West Bank,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Hungary,
South Africa and the United Kingdom.
“The way the ELCA engages in global mission resonates with our young adults,” said
Torgerson-Martinez, adding that young
adults walk alongside Lutheran global companions, learning and discovering together
what God is up to in the world today.
Long-term missionaries welcome
and guide young adults
“I arrived in August. I would have gone
home in September, had it not been for
Peter!” said Jacki Schuhle, a tutor and
“house mother” at Jireh Home, a ministry
for at-risk children in Tuaran, Malaysia. She
is one of the ELCA’s 48 Young Adults in
Global Mission currently serving in com-
FaithLink is published six mes a year by the Saint
Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America, Peter Rogness, Bishop.
Saint Paul Area Synod
105 West University Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55103-2094
Website: www.spas-elca.org
Phone: 651.224.4313
Kate Penz, Editor
Email: [email protected]
munities of need in seven countries around
the world.
Schuhle, along with seven other volunteers serving in Malaysia, is supported by
the Rev. Peter Harrits, a long-term ELCA
missionary who serves as their coordinator. Harrits, a member of Shepherd of the
Valley, Apple Valley, was a candidate of
the Saint Paul Area Synod before he was
ordained and commissioned into his current role at the 2011 Saint Paul Area synod
assembly.
“I wouldn’t be able to be the best at my site
without Peter’s support,” says Schuhle. “In
addition to reminding me that I’ve done a
good job, he helps us to understand and go
beyond cross-cultural barriers.”
“In some ways,” said Harrits, “my job
is to make myself invisible. I don’t solve
problems personally; rather, I help the volunteers to find answers.”
Yet, Harrits is anything but invisible as he
arranges and evaluates service sites, provides country orientation, plans retreats,
and mentors the Malaysia volunteers in
their ministry.
Con nued on page five
From the Bishop
By Peter Rogness
Summer pace and ministry balance
S
ummer is supposed to be when things
slow down, and pastors and church
workers are reminded of the need for
balance in life, a balance that all of us need
in any profession. But the pace around the
synod office hasn’t seemed to slow as I dash
this off. And a recent weekend trip got me
thinking of ministry balance of another sort.
Current debate about religious freedom
(The balance of allowing religious bodies to
be unrestrained by government, and the responsibility of government to govern fairly
on behalf of all people are both important
principles.) reminds me of another balance,
also critically important: the balance between priestly and prophetic ministry—the
care of souls and the care of society, both
biblical mandates.
Lest this get too abstract, I’ll personalize
it. After so many years in ministry, I find
myself attending retirement parties for colleagues. I recently returned to Milwaukee
for Pastor Ken Wheeler’s retirement. Ken
had followed me as pastor of Hephatha
Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, a mostly
black, urban congregation. When the ELCA
was formed, I invited him to join me on
staff, which he did, for 14 great years. Ken
served as a half-staff person and a half-time
interim pastor in 16 congregations over the
17 total years he worked those dual roles.
I don’t think I’ve ever observed the priestly
and prophetic so fully embodied in one
person. Personal compassion and social
justice passion woven together. Ken was
an African-American from Jackson Miss.,
schooled at Concordia, Moorhead, and
Trinity Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, and
formed in the mold of Martin Luther King,
Jr., whom he often echoed.
Ken has been a pastor to the core: when he
would begin an interim assignment, he first
had a schedule drawn up that put him in
the homes of every council member; then
Li le Red Book from
Augsburg Fortress
T
he Augsburg Fortress 2013 Little Red
Book is now available as a free downloadable resource in a variety of formats at
www.augsburgfortress.org/redbook. This
long-standing resource has served Lutheran
clergy for decades as a practical and handy
reference. If you prefer the
traditional “ink on paper”
format, you may pre-order
one for $9.95. There is a
link for the pre-order on the
same webpage.
2 FaithLink July 2012
he’d follow it with home visits to the family
of every confirmand. He attended to hospital bedsides and family joys and tragedies
alike. Within two months the people of the
congregation knew they had someone that
cared deeply about them as people and
about their life as a congregation.
Yet he never compromised his clear voice
naming issues of race and poverty and
injustice. Those of us who are white can’t
possibly know the courage it takes to move
into a white world day after day and name
our realities. Ken’s prophetic voice wasn’t
compromised, but was heard by people who
knew he deeply cared about them.
There’s a lesson here about balance. Those
who would tend to the hurts and needs
of their own flock without caring for the
whole of God’s human family, and those
who raise their voices at the world’s injustice, but leave their people wondering if
they care—both are guilty of compromising
the priestly and prophetic word of the Bible
we are called to proclaim. In our quest for
balance, let’s not forget this one.
Iringa: The Price of Success
I recently sent a letter to the congregations
who participate in our Bega Kwa Bega
(Shoulder to Shoulder) partnership with
congregations of the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania, describing the complex issues we’ve
now uncovered related to the financial records of this magnificent ministry. No other
companion synod relationship in the ELCA
even comes close to the size and complexity of this one. We have 66 congregations
in individual relationship with congregations there; we have a variety of affiliated
ministries (health, water, agriculture, microfinance, radio), and over 1,300 scholarships
annually. More than 4,000 people from this
synod have visited Iringa, and 150 members
of that diocese have been here.
All this—now amounting to more than $1
million per year—has been accomplished
almost entirely by volunteer leadership,
administrative and financial. The resulting
myriad of spreadsheets and accounts keeping track of the many donors and the many
projects, tracked by volunteers who come
and go, has resulted in a financial system
that is inadequate, has shown discrepancies
in totals, and is being replaced by a tighter
and more sophisticated system. The letter
and Q&A sheet that describes all this can
be found on the synod website by following
a link from the home page.
transfer of money. Now we will undertake
a study and revision that will position us to
deal well with all the good work we continue to do. When one considers that those
who monitor non-profits are satisfied if administrative costs stay under 25-33 percent,
our consideration of moving to the five to
ten percent range is modest indeed. We can
do that because we continue to have deeply
committed people shouldering large portions of this work. And we will be better
positioned to carry on this work with clarity
and accountability as befits a success story
of this size.
Take time for renewal this summer!
Welcome
Chris ne Fifield
C
hristine Fifield has accepted our invitation to join the synod staff as the
communications specialist. Christine is a
member of Shepherd of the Valley, Apple
Valley, and is a 2012 graduate of Concordia
College, where she majored in chemistry
and minored in biology and Spanish. She
emerged out of a large and very talented
applicant pool and brings us a future promising a continuation of the strong work that
Kate Penz has done these past four years.
Christine and Kate will overlap some this
summer as Kate transitions to Rochester,
where her husband Matt takes up a dental
practice. We grieve losing Kate, but we are
delighted that Christine will now be part of
our work together.
We have been proud that we’ve done all
this ministry with little cost—only recently
did a two percent administrative fee get
tacked on to project donations, and that
was largely to cover bank fees from the
Saint Paul Area Synod
Wellness grants support sabba cals and
staff development
Grant recipients
I
n 2011 and 2012, Portico Benefit
Services (formerly ELCA Board of Pensions) granted money to synods that
reached the 65 percent health assessment
participation goal by April 30, and we were
one of them! The additional reward—more
than $20,000 for our synod each year—is
intended to be used to further the health
and wellness within our synod for the sake
of ministry. The reward represents one
percent of ELCA health plan contributions
billed to congregations during the past year.
Our synod reached the health assessment
goal, and has made these monies available
to fund the following health and wellnessrelated initiatives:
Funding sabbaticals for church leaders has
become increasingly difficult as congregational budgets are stretched and resources
become scarcer. To support church staff
sabbaticals, grants of $1,000 are available:
$500 to the congregation to offset costs
(supply preaching, part-time staff supply,
etc.) and $500 to the staff member for sabbatical costs. These grants are available for
any sabbatical taken by clergy or lay staff.
Congregations and staff are invited to take
advantage of this opportunity.
Staff development. While some congregations provide regular opportunities for
staff development, other congregations
are unable to do so because of financial
considerations. Congregations may apply
to receive a $500 grant to provide staff
retreats, workshops, or other opportunities
that focus on wellness, spiritual renewal,
identification of gifts and strengths for ministry, staff dynamics, or other enrichment.
Congregations may also partner with one
another and pool grant money.
How is the grant money used?
Gloria Dei in St. Paul is one of the congregations taking advantage of the wellness reward.
As the congregation welcomes the Rev.
Bradley Schmeling as its new senior pastor,
the council and staff will go to ARC Retreat
Center for a day and a half of reflection, meditation, and community, intended to nourish
and refresh the leadership team as it prepares
for the next chapter in ministry together.
How to apply
Plenty of funds remain. If you have questions about the wellness grants or if you
would like to apply, contact Beth Helgen in
the synod office at beth.helgen@spas-elca.
org or 651.224.4313.
Mayo Clinic Health Assessment: Log
on to earn more by September 30
And for those with Portico-primary coverage, there’s still time to earn money for your
health savings account by completing the
health assessment and follow-up activities
by September 30. Log in at www.elcaforwellness.org for more information.
Mark your calendars now to take the 2013
health assessment during the first week in
January. Let’s make sure to continue this
support for wellness in our synod!
Incarna on, Shoreview and All Saints, Co age Grove
Get out and enjoy the gardens
I
t is summer in Minnesota,
and congregations are filling
the space around their buildings
with more than just grass and a
parking lot. Here are a couple
of creative ways congregations
are using real estate to welcome
visitors:
Peace Garden provides
summer refuge
The Peace Garden at Incarnation, Shoreview, provides a
tranquil place for prayer, conversation, reflection, or even for
lunch. The comfortable, quiet
setting includes a seating area,
Rebecca Holz, Li le Library chairperson, and Dennis Anderson, carpenter of the
peace pole, prayer pavilion, and Li le Library, stand in the rain garden at All Saints in Co age Grove during the
a labyrinth. Surrounded by trees dedica on of the congrega on’s new Li le Free Library, a children’s book exchange
program.
and a rose arbor, the garden
gives visitors a feeling of peace, for preschoolers through elementary ages. The premise
tranquility, and meditation.
is simple and easy: Take a book. Return a book.
Library in a rain garden
All Saints, Cottage Grove,
recently dedicated a “Little Free
Library” in its rain garden area,
stocked with children’s books
Saint Paul Area Synod
The library is part of an international program that
promotes literacy, love of reading, and fosters a sense
of community. The concept was started by Todd Bols of
Hudson, Wis., and it has grown to more than 60 libraries in Minnesota alone.
Sabba cal grant recipients
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Rev. Lon Larson and Family of
Christ, Lakeville
The Rev. Vern Anderson and Good
Shepherd, Inver Grove Heights
The Rev. Dale Stiles and Fish Lake,
Harris
The Rev. Anita Hill and St. PaulReformation, St. Paul
The Rev. Karsten Nelson and Our
Redeemer, St. Paul
The Rev. Lloyd Menke and Our Saviour’s, Hastings
Staff development grant recipients
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gloria Dei, St. Paul
Living Waters, Lino Lakes
Christ, Lake Elmo
St. Paul-Reformation, St. Paul
Gustavus Adolphus, St. Paul
Minnesota Faith Chinese, Roseville
St. Anthony Park, St. Paul
Atonement, New Brighton
Abiding Savior, Mounds View
Lutheran Church of Peace,
Maplewood
Pilgrim, St. Paul
The ELCA Macedonia Project
You are invited to
grow in stewardship
W
ould your congregation benefit
from an opportunity to grow congregational stewardship through an
intentional process of learning, reflection,
and conversation?
The Macedonia Project is an 18-month
project that gathers congregational teams
together to focus on four areas of stewardship: biblical and theological underpinning
of stewardship, creating stewardship mission and vision within the congregation,
how to raise up stewardship leaders, and
how to communicate the message. Teams
meet monthly. The project is divided into
units, each taking about four months to
complete and including time with other
congregations and meetings of individual
congregational teams.
Sixteen congregations from the Minneapolis Area and Saint Paul Area Synods
are already part of the pilot group for this
project. A second group of congregations
will begin in October. If you are interested
in participating, come to the informational
meeting for congregational pastors and
team leaders on Thursday, September 27
from 7:00-9:00 p.m. (location to be determined). You may also contact Terri Endres
at the Minneapolis Area Synod at t.endres@
mpls-synod.org this summer or Susan
Miller at the Saint Paul Area Synod after
she completes her summer sabbatical.
July 2012 FaithLink 3
Calendar
Look for more events and informaƟon at www.spas-elca.org
Minneapolis Area and Saint Paul Area Synods present
Bishops’ Theological Conference
September 23-25, 2012 ▪ Heartwood Conference Center and Retreat ▪ Trego, Wisconsin
Featuring
Romans: Classic Text, Manifesto for the Church
Dr. Arland Hultgren, Asher O. and Carrie Nasby Professor
Emeritus of New Testament, Luther Seminary
Beer and Hymn Sing
Aug. 6, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Cork Room, Shamrock’s Pub, St. Paul. Sponsored by Humble
Walk Lutheran Church. For more information, see www.humblewalkchurch.org.
From Bishop Peter Rogness and Bishop Ann Svennungsen
Two of our church’s finest teaching theologians join us for this Dr. Aland Hultgren
year’s theological conference at Heartwood Conference Center
and Retreat in Trego, Wis., Sept. 23-25. Dr. Arland Hultgren,
Luther Seminary, will give two presentations on his recent
commentary on Romans, Paul’s Letter to the Romans: A Commentary, published in 2011 by William B. Eerdmans. He will
be joined by Dr. Martha Stortz, who spent 25 years on the faculty at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and joined the
Augsburg College faculty in 2010. She will lead two presentations on what it means to be the body of Christ in the world.
Register early! Space will fill up fast
Dr. Martha Stortz
More informa on and registra on available at www.spas-elca.org.
July
Jazz in July
July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 7:00-9:00 p.m., All
Saints, Cottage Grove. Free concert series all five Sunday nights in July. Dwayne
Tannahill and Rick Jenkins, Charmin and
Shapira and Friends, SpiritJazz, Rhonda
Laurie and Sidewalk Café, and Lucia Newell will be featured throughout the series.
Theater Camp for Kids
July 8-12, Living Waters, Lino Lakes. Theater camp for children entering first to ninth
grade. Open to all area youth. See Living
Waters’ website for more information.
Beer and Hymn Sing
July 9, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Cork Room, Shamrock’s Pub, St. Paul. Sponsored by Humble
Walk Lutheran Church. For more information, see www.humblewalkchurch.org.
Sponsored by the Saint Paul Area Synod
4 FaithLink July 2012
Vacation Bible School Theater Camp
July 30-Aug. 3, The Lutheran Church of
the Resurrection, St. Paul. Annual theater
camp and Vacation Bible School (VBS) for
ages four through completed grade six. Go
to www.lcrelca.org or call the church office
at 651.484.1292 for more information.
August
Ecclesia Crucis, Crucified Church: Living as Marked
Dr. Martha Stortz, Bernhard M. Christensen Chair in Religion and Vocation, Augsburg College
Registration deadline is September 6. Early registration is advised. Contact Julie Keefe in the Office of Bishop of the Saint
Paul Area Synod—the registrar for this conference—if you
have questions.
Rethinking Stewardship: Connecting Faith
and Finances
July 24-26, Luther Seminary, St. Paul. Conference designed for congregational pastors
and stewardship leaders. Speakers include
Mark Allan Powell, Nathan Dungan, David
Lose, and Gary Langness, among others.
More information at www.luthersem.edu/
rethinking.
SeAM Movie Night on Refugee Perspectives
July 12, 7:00 p.m., Christ on Capitol Hill,
St. Paul. Watch and discuss The Beautiful
Country.
ELCA Youth Gathering
July 18-22, New Orleans, La. Thousands
of ELCA youth will gather under the theme
“Citizens with the Saints.” For more information, visit www.elca.org/gathering.
Free Music Clinic by Augsburg Fortress
July 23-24, Roseville Lutheran, Roseville.
Free music clinic features a variety of choral, organ, and piano reading sessions to
help plan for the coming season, as well as
practical workshops on choral, keyboard,
and handbell topics. Expert clinicians offer
valuable insights and ideas to help participants explore ways to revitalize and refresh
worship in their local settings. More at
www.augsburgfortress.org/musicclinics.
September
Bishops’
Theological Conference
Sept. 23-25, Heartwood Conference Center
and Retreat, Trego, Wis. See inset.
October
Fueling
our Missional Fire
Oct. 15, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Luther Seminary,
St. Paul. ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark
Hanson will speak to pastors and congregational leaders in the Saint Paul Area and
Minneapolis Area Synods and the Luther
Seminary community about the missional
activity of the ELCA throughout the United
States and the world as we live out our call
to be faithful stewards of all God entrusts
to us.
Fanning
the Flames of Mission
Oct. 27, 8:30 a.m.-12:00 noon, Roseville
Lutheran, Roseville. We have come to
believe that stewardship and mission are
inextricably linked. Rather than asking,
“How can we raise enough money to do
what we’ve always done?” we invite congregational pastors and leaders to explore how
we can organize all of our resources—time,
money, relationships, buildings, passion,
and people—to respond to God’s gracious
activity in Christ.
Save the date for the annual
Bega Kwa Bega
Fall Fes val
Saturday, Nov. 17, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Easter on the Hill, Eagan
Mark your calendars for the Bega Kwa Bega
Fall Fes val. Registra on begins at 8:30 a.m.;
Fes vi es will run from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Join us as we celebrate, pray, and strengthen
our connec on with our brothers and sisters
in Tanzania. Contact KC Gubrud with input
and inquiries at [email protected].
Saint Paul Area Synod
Connections
with the ELCA churchwide and other partners in ministry and mission
ELCA Global Mission
Pentecost in northern Serbia
the wonder of God’s church on this Pentecost Day.
God came to us then at Pentecost, the
Spirit new life revealing,
That we might no more in death be lost,
its power over us dispelling.
The flame will the mark of sin efface and
bring to us all true healing.
(“O Day Full of Grace,” ELW 627)
*Haug is rostered in the Saint Paul Area Synod
Con nued from page one
Young adults in
global mission
YAGM par cipant experience
The American Ambassador to Serbia, Mary Burce Warlick (wearing red), the daughter of Lutheran missionaries, and the Rev. Arden
Haug are seen with Pastor Igor Feldi gree ng worshipers a er the Pentecost service. Haug explained that many women s ll wear
tradi onal dress in Stara Pazova.
By the Rev. Arden Haug, ELCA regional
representative for Europe*
A
lthough I moved to Wittenberg,
Germany in February to take on the
responsibilities for the ELCA Wittenberg Center, I still travel across Europe
representing the ELCA to our Lutheran
partners. Often times, I visit places where
few people are aware of the Lutheran community. Indeed, we don’t often imagine
Lutherans living peacefully in the lands
of the former Yugoslavia. But in northern
Serbia, there still exists a unique territory
known as Voivodina where diverse religious
groups live together.
From the outside, the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Stara Pazova looks no different
than most of the historic church buildings
that dot the landscape in Voivodina. The
emperor in Vienna ordered that all churches
should look the same regardless of whether
they were Lutheran, Reformed, Roman
Catholic, Greek Catholic, or Orthodox.
Oddly, in other parts of the empire, Lutherans were not allowed to have a church
tower, but here this was acceptable. However, it isn’t the outside of the church that
is so fascinating. It is the community and
the worship practices inside that are worth
studying. It was my great pleasure to preach
on Pentecost in Stara Pazova.
Many old traditions are still a part of their
worship life. In parts of Europe, newly cut
birch boughs often adorn the church for
Pentecost. Sometimes it can feel as if you
are entering into a forest. In Stara Pazova,
fresh cut grass was strewn across the sanctuary floor as well. Slovak women dressed
in traditional costumes stood in the front of
the church leading the singing, and this is
very important since nearly the entire worship service is sung. Men and women still
sit in separate parts of the sanctuary. For
the people of Voivodina these sights are so
common that it was only me marveling at
Two years ago Stephanie Berkas set out
to Cape Town, South Africa, to work in a
Lutheran congregation and an elementary
school there as a YAGM volunteer. Having
lived in Minnesota for the majority of her
life, she knew she would be stepping out of
her comfort zone but did not anticipate just
how life-changing her experience would be.
“My experience in South Africa was formative in that I grew up as a person, but it was
transformative in that there was a death
and resurrection for me - part of my identity
died but a new life” surfaced before me,
said Berkas, who today is a first-year student at the Lutheran School of Theology at
Chicago, one of eight ELCA seminaries.
“While in South Africa, I was cared for,
loved, and given grace in a way that I have
never experienced,” said Berkas.
In addition to being a student at seminary,
Berkas works for the program, helping
to envision and create an active alumni
network.
“The relationships I’ve made and the hospitality I received were life-changing,” said
Berkas. “I was a stranger when I arrived in
South Africa, but I left with a new sense of
family.”
Tanzanian student
photos updated
S
From Twila Schock,
director for ELCA Missionary Sponsorship
and Global Appeals
Le : Pasheni Kewone, scholarship recipient, is sponsored
by St. Mark’s, Circle Pines.
More informa on is available
at www.elca.org/yagm.
aint Paul Area Synod congrega ons
involved in the companion synod relaonship with the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania
provide scholarships to secondary and
post-secondary students. Photos of those
students, taken by volunteers, have been
updated for congrega onal use. Please
share the photos of the students your congrega on sponsors by pos ng on a bulle n
board, on your church website or Facebook
page, or by including the photos in your
newsle er. To view, go to www.spas-elca.
org/mission/global-rela onships/tanzania.
Saint Paul Area Synod
Your support of ELCA
missionaries like Harrits
helps make it possible for
YAGM coordinators like
him to serve and, in turn,
help young volunteers
grow in their service.
Your support of ELCA
missionaries helps to
make a world of difference! Thank you!
July 2012 FaithLink 5
Snapshots from the Synod Assembly
Living Lutheran
Photos of the assembly are by David Kern Photography, www.davidkern.com
Living Lutheran: What does our story mean?
T
he 2012 Saint Paul Area Synod assembly was held May 18-19 at Prince
of Peace Lutheran Church, Burnsville, gathering under the theme of “Living
Lutheran: What Does This Mean?” Led by
keynote speakers Dr. Rolf Jacobson, associate professor of Old Testament at Luther
Seminary, and Dr. Winston Persaud, professor of systematic theology at Wartburg
Seminary, we examined our story as Lutherans in the context of Scripture and how
the activity of Christ orders and directs our
lives.
In addition, we were joined by the Rev.
Jessica Crist, bishop of the Montana Synod,
who spoke on behalf of the whole church,
and by the Rev. Megan Torgerson, Augustana, West St. Paul, and the Rev. Marc
Ostlie-Olson, St. Anthony Park, St. Paul,
who will enhanced themes presented during the keynotes. The Fleshpots of Egypt, a
bluegrass ensemble from Luther Seminary,
also joined the assembly program.
Resolu ons
The assembly considered five resolutions,
all of which were adopted. You may download and read the resolutions at
www.spas-elca.org/events/synod-assembly.
Resolution 2012-1: Native American Reconciliation. Adopted with amendment.
Resolution 2012-2: A Resolution Opposing Voter Identification Amendment
to the Minnesota State Constitution.
Adopted.
Resolution 2012-3: Facilitate Lutheran
Discernment Relative to Military Participation. Adopted with amendment.
6 FaithLink July 2012
Resolution 2012-4: A Resolution Opposing Marriage Amendment to the
Minnesota State Constitution. Adopted.
Resolution 2012-5: Becoming a Multicultural and Anti-Racist Church. Adopted as
amended.
Elec ons
The following people were elected at the assembly. For a full list of those elected at the
conference and synod assemblies, visit the
synod website.
Synod Council Secretary
Claire Hoyum, Gloria Dei, St. Paul
Churchwide Assembly Voting Member at
Large
The Rev. Julie Rogness, Christ, Lake Elmo
The Rev. Martin Ericson, Como Park, St.
Paul
Shannon McCabe, St. Paul, Stillwater
Margaret Bonsack, St. Matthew’s, St. Paul
Dennis Aulich, Trinity, North Branch
Dustin Nelson, Living Waters, Lino Lakes
Committee for Consultation
The Rev. Therese Helker, Grace, Apple Valley
Mark Gieseke, Trinity, Stillwater
$4,762 from Luther Seminary to Lutheran
Campus Ministry.
Registra on finals
We registered 108 congregations, 419 voting members, and 115 visitors and advisors
for a total attendance of 534.
Photos and video
Photos of the assembly have been posted on
our Facebook page (photographer is David
Kern). Videos of the assembly, including the
sermon, reports, keynotes, and speakers,
are available through the synod’s website.
Visit the assembly page and click on “media” in the upper right. Please feel free to
share the videos with your congregation.
These resources are for you! Keynotes may
be used for an adult forum series, Bible
study, or as a part of another program.
Upcoming Assemblies
Please mark your calendar for the upcoming
synod assemblies:
May 17-18, 2013
(Memorial Day is May 27)
May 16-17, 2014
(Memorial Day is May 26)
2013 budget
The $2.1 million budget for 2013 was
adopted following an amendment to move
Synod assembly worship offering
supports flood relief in North Dakota
As of June 6, we received $7,937 in offering at the synod assembly that will be used
to support con nued relief efforts to those affected by the flooding along the Souris
River in North Dakota.
Saint Paul Area Synod
Synod endowment funds
support ministry
NEWS
F
Rostered Ministry Vacancies
our endowment funds have been
established to provide an avenue for
giving to support specific arenas of
ministry that have been supported generously over the years by congregations and
individuals of the Saint Paul Area Synod
in theological education, global mission,
mission starts, and ministry with people in
poverty.
Mount Carmel Endowment Fund enables congregations to strengthen ministry
among persons in poverty in the Saint Paul
Area Synod. Grants will be awarded with
particular priority given to ministries that
build relationships with persons living in
poverty through a connection with the life
and people of a congregation or group of
congregations working together. This fund
was established this spring with $143,000
of the assets from the sale and dissolution
of Mount Carmel Lutheran Church on
the East Side to continue ministry in lowincome areas of the synod.
Lowell Erdahl Endowment Fund underwrites some of the costs associated with
the development of new congregations in
the Saint Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Grants will be awarded with particular
priority given to ministries among low-income and ethnic minority populations. This
fund was originally established to honor the
retirement of former Bishop Lowell Erdahl
and has recently been renewed as an endowment to fund new ministry starts. This
fund currently hold
some $45,000.
Planning a trip to the
synod office?
Iringa Endowment Fund strengthens and
extends mission through collaborative
initiatives of the Saint Paul Area Synod of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Iringa Diocese of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
(ELCT). Priority support is given to many
of the initiatives familiar to people of this
synod: scholarships, clean water and health
ministries, pastoral support, support of parish coordination, and other initiatives. This
fund was recently established and funds
are being raised to secure the first $25,000
needed to begin making distributions.
Saint Paul Area Synod Seminarian Support Endowment Fund addresses the need
for funding seminary education by providing financial scholarships to seminary
students from the Saint Paul Area Synod
pursuing rostered ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. These
scholarships fund both those preparing
for ministry on the ordained or lay roster.
This fund grew out of Crossing Bridges and
works alongside our synod’s Fund for Leaders. The fund currently holds approximately
$118,000.
How to Give
An endowment secures, strengthens and extends the long term viability of ministry by
providing an ongoing stream of income for
years to come. The financial support that
will be generated by these endowments will
enable our synod to maintain current effective ministries and to initiate new ministries
in response to needs as they arise in the
future—whether it is supporting new leaders, seeking to meet the immediate needs of
those living in poverty, launching new congregations, or walking shoulder to shoulder
with our partners in the Iringa Diocese. All
of these efforts build up the body of Christ
here in this synod and around the world!
If you are considering a gift to any of these
endowment funds, you are encouraged to
seek advice in putting together a plan that is
best suited to your personal situation.
Light rail construc on along University Avenue in St. Paul.
A note about construc on and
staffing
Central Corridor light rail construc on along
University Avenue is in full effect. If you are
planning to come to the synod office for a
mee ng or visit, please allow extra me to
arrive. Call the synod office in advance to
check on access to the parking lot.
Also, we are in the midst of staff sabba cals
and transi ons, meaning that some days
the office will be thinly staffed. On those
days the office might be locked or closed
without prior no ce. If in doubt, call before
you stop by.
Saint Paul Area Synod
The Saint Paul Area Synod endowment
funds are all administered with the assistance of the ELCA Foundation. The staff of
the ELCA Foundation are available to work
with you and your attorney, financial advisor, or accountant to facilitate a charitable
gift that benefits the Endowment Fund and
fits your individual needs and motivations.
ABOUT
Calls
In Interim
Christ, Marine on St. Croix, associate
pastor
Christus Victor, Apple Valley, associate
pastor
Elim, Scandia, associate pastor
Gustavus Adolphus, St. Paul, associate
pastor
Highview Christiania, Farmington, pastor
Hmong Central, St. Paul, pastor
Immanuel, Almelund, pastor
Mount Calvary, Eagan, senior pastor
Shepherd of the Valley, Apple Valley,
associate pastor
Spring Lake, North Branch, pastor
St. Paul-Reformation, St. Paul, co-pastor
Call Commi ee Ac ve
Farmington, Farmington, senior pastor
First, Harris, pastor
Memorial, Afton, pastor
St. Luke, Cottage Grove, senior pastor
Calls Accepted
The Rev. Christopher Beckman, campus
director of spiritual care, Ebenezer Ridges,
Burnsville
The Rev. Anita Hill, regional director, Lutherans Concerned/North America, St. Paul
The Rev. Ralph Olsen, planned giving officer, Union Gospel Mission, St. Paul
Re rements
The Rev. Gordon Peterson, effective July 1,
2012
Deaths
The Rev. Winfield Johnson, age 96, died
June 13, 2012. Services were held June 19
at Christ on Capitol Hill, St. Paul. Johnson
was a 1943 graduate of Luther Seminary,
St. Paul, and obtained a Masters Degree
in Religious Education from New York
University. He was ordained to serve as
a chaplain with the U.S. Naval Reserve,
was a veteran of WWII and the Korean
War, and served congregations in Franklin
and Fairfax, Minn., and Glen Head, Long
Island, NY. In April 1958, he became pastor
of Christ on Capitol Hill, St. Paul. He was
also a part-time instructor in the religion
department at Augsburg College. He retired
in 1980 and continued to serve as interim
pastor for several congregations in northern
Minnesota.
Give op ons
Release of Dra Social
Statement on Criminal Jus ce
Donors can make For planning assistance or
more informaƟon, contact:
contributions to
the Endowment
Brenda J. Moore, CFRE
Fund by a variety
Regional Gi Planner
of methods. Gifts
ELCA Founda on
507.934.4614
of all sizes and in
[email protected]
many forms
are welcome.
Please talk to Brenda Moore about the
method that works best for you.
On March 15, the ELCA released the
Draft Social Statement on Criminal
Justice. It’s your turn to weigh in! Find
more information, download the draft
statement, and respond online at www.
elca.org/socialstatements/criminaljustice. Printed copies can be ordered at
www.elca.org/resources or by calling
800.683.3522. Feedback must be submitted by Oct. 31, 2012.
July 2012 FaithLink 7
Prayers
Month of July
Lutheran Campus Ministry-Twin Ci es
How I have seen God
Week of July 1
By Ellen Seltz, Lutheran Campus MinistryTwin Cities student
Immanuel, Almelund; Immanuel,
St. Paul; Incarnation, Shoreview;
Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
and Bishop Duane Pederson;
Northwest Washington Synod and
Bishop William Chris Boerger;
Barbara McCauley, Luther Seminary
didn’t join Lutheran Campus Ministry
(LCM) until my sophomore year at the
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
My freshman year, I didn’t see God; mainly
because I wasn’t looking.
Week of July 8
Joy Fellowship, Circle Pines; King
of Kings, Woodbury; Lakeview,
Maplewood; Northwestern
Pennsylvania Synod and Bishop Ralph
Jones; The Rev. Peter Morlock, Regina
Medical Center, Hastings
Week of July 15
Light of the World, Farmington; Living
Waters, Lino Lakes; Oregon Synod
and Bishop David Brauer-Rieke; Erin
Morris, DM, St. Andrew’s, Mahtomedi
Week of July 22
Lord of Life, Lakeville; Luther
Memorial, South St. Paul; Pacifica
Synod and Bishop Murray Finck; The
Rev. Russell Myers, United Hospital, St.
Paul
I
Fast forward to my senior year…
During one of the first weeks, I paused for a
moment during on our events and thought
to myself, “since when did so many cool
people start coming to LCM?” But then I
realized: it’s my fault. The cool people were
always here, and I wasn’t. Up until this
past fall, I did not realize their greatness. I
wasn’t present enough to do so, too caught
up in my own world, and trying to be my
own savior.
It didn’t work. I learned that you can’t find
God if you’re not looking. Up until this
year, I wasn’t looking hard enough. And
then I opened my eyes. I noticed those who
were present with me, and there God was
too.
Week of July 29
While talking recently with another LCM
student, she told me about how important
LCM has been in her life this year. She
thanked me for being a role model. I found
this funny, because I didn’t join LCM to be
a role model. I came for the same reasons
she did:
Lutheran Church of Peace,
Maplewood; Lutheran Church of
the Redeemer, St. Paul; Lutheran
Church of the Resurrection, St. Paul;
Rocky Mountain Synod and Bishop
James Gonia; The Rev. Bonnie Nash,
Heartland Hospice, Roseville
To find friends.
To find community.
To find faith.
To find some reason to be hopeful.
To find a place to struggle, where struggling
is socially acceptable, and where others are
struggling right a long side of you.
Month of August
Week of August 5
Memorial, Afton; Minnesota Faith
Chinese, Roseville; Saint Paul Area
Synod and Bishop Peter Rogness;
The Rev. Dana Nelson, ELCA Global
Mission in Peru
Week of August 12
Mount Calvary, Eagan; Sierra Pacific
Synod and Bishop Mark Holmerud;
Slovak Zion Synod and Bishop Wilma
Kucharek; The Rev. Timothy Nelson,
HealthEast Hospice Program, St. Paul
Week of August 19
Newport, Newport; North Emanuel,
St. Paul; South Carolina Synod and
Bishop Herman Yoos
Week of August 26
Our Redeemer, St. Paul; Our Savior’s,
Circle Pines; Our Savior’s, Stillwater;
Our Saviour’s, Hastings; South Dakota
Synod and Bishop David Zellmer;
Christy Olson, AiM; The Rev. Debra
Ost, chaplain
where I saw God. We have brought our
whole selves to this place, our struggles,
insecurities, worries, doubts, and imperfections, and we’re still okay. We have
each other, and we have God.
The LCM community has meant more to
me than any community I have ever been
part of, and it’s because the people are
real. They care and they love, and I have
seen God in them. Because I finally had
the sense to look.
Support collegebound students in
your congrega on
Are students from your congregation attending state schools and universities?
The ELCA wants to meet them there!
Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) is
present on many campuses all over the
country, but it’s hard for them to find our
young people. LCM relies on you to refer
students, so that the faith nurturing you’ve
done can be continued through their college years.
The Rev. Kate Reuer, campus pastor,
University of Minnesota, welcomes names
and email addresses of students that are
attending state colleges and universities.
Email her at [email protected].
U of M-Twin Cities students will receive
an email from her, and she’ll pass the
other names on to ELCA ministries across
the country.
LCM thanks you for your partnership in
youth ministry!
That’s where God meets us, after all, in the
struggling. So it makes sense that this is
Changes afoot for the synod handbook
I
n 2010, we discontinued printing a synod handbook and began to distribute the document electronically. Now, in an effort to improve efficiency and reduce the time and
potential for error when updates are made, the synod handbook will be formatted using
database software. The handbook will continue to be posted on the synod website. You
may notice changes to the appearance of the document, but the function and information will remain the same.
The handbook contains information about committees, rostered leaders, congregations,
trend reports, and synod assembly minutes, is available as a PDF at www.spas-elca.org/
resources/synod-handbook-and-directory. (Note: You will need Adobe Reader installed
on your computer, available for free at www.adobe.com.)
To protect personal information, a password is required to open the document. It was
mailed to rostered leaders previously. Please call the synod office if you need to be reminded of the password.
C A L L
Assist
Clergy, rostered leaders, and their families are
some mes the last ones to reach out for help with their
own problems. But you don’t have to wait un l things
fall completely apart before you ask for help. Assist,
the employee assistance program of Fairview Health
Services, can help. To speak confiden ally with an Assist
counselor about issues of personal or professional
concern, call 612.672.2195. The phone is answered 24
hours a day.
NEXT DEADLINE
August 1
The deadline for the September issue is August
1. The mailing date is August 31. If you have
ques ons, contact Kate Penz at 651.224.4313 or
at [email protected].