Inside - Saint Paul Area Synod

SAINT
PAU L
AREA
SYNOD
FaithLink
ConnecƟng Leaders of the Saint Paul Area Synod (ELCA)
Volume 17

Number 2

Mar. 2012
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi
Community Resource Center
offers help, hope, and healing
W H A T ’ S
Inside
By Kate Penz, Editor
1
From the Bishop: Leaders;
2 Spring Ministerium
assembly to focus on
3 Synod
Lutheran identity and insights
Jump Start Your
4 Calendar;
Stewardship
5 Connections
Day of Grace: A pastor’s perspective
6 Day of Grace: A doctor’s perspective
News about Calls; Progress toward
7 the two percent discount
Community Re8 Prayers;
source Center, cont.
Community Resource Center offers
help, hope, and healing
Case manager Kris Mason, le , stands alongside a client at the Community Resource Center, a ministry of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in
Mahtomedi. Among its many services, the center provides computer access for job seekers and people searching for stable housing.
FaithLink is published six Ɵmes a year by the Saint
Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America, Peter Rogness, Bishop.
O
Saint Paul Area Synod
105 West University Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55103-2094
Website: www.spas-elca.org
Phone: 651.224.4313
nly a couple of years ago, Kevin
had a successful career in construction and engineering, and his wife,
Charlene, worked part-time as a catering
manager and also stayed home to manage
an active household and care for their four
daughters. After a series of unfortunate
events, including job loss, issues with mental and physical health, and struggles with
addiction, Kevin and Charlene lost their
home in White Bear Lake in May 2009.
The family of six was hit with a new reality,
homeless and unsure of where to turn.
“We were accustomed to helping others, so
asking for help was very difficult,” Kevin
wrote in a letter to thank St. Andrew’s
Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi for the
assistance they received from counselors
at the congregation’s Community Resource
Center.
The center’s staff and volunteers helped
the family find stability by connecting it to
services offered by local agencies, like affordable housing and health care.
“The center has been a blessing. We now
feel like we can face these challenges with
honor, integrity, and hope,” said Kevin.
Call to local mission
While the center opened in March 2011, its
seed was planted years before. Shortly after
the Rev. John Hogenson began his call as
lead pastor at St. Andrew’s, nearly five years
ago, he met with groups from the congregation and discovered its passion for local
mission. Soon after, the Rev. Mike Carlson,
executive pastor, was called to St. Andrew’s
and came with experience in ministering to
people experiencing homelessness from his
previous call. A task force was created and
charged with identifying and supporting
social services in the community already in
place. It held an informational forum and
then hosted a resourcing event that included presentations by several social service
agencies, including Minnesota Coalition for
Homeslessness and Lutheran Social Service
of Minnesota, among
others.
“We were surprised by
the amount of need,”
said Kellie Cardinal,
who was hired to
direct the community
resource center initiative. “Many of the
families facing homelessness are much like
yours or mine, but
they were hit with job
loss, illness, bankruptcy of their small
business, etc. Many
found themselves unable to keep up with
Kate Penz, Editor
Email: [email protected]
the mortgage or rent, facing the loss of their
home and not sure where to turn.”
The task force developed a five-year plan
to transform a wing of the church into a
community center. However, the five-year
timeline was accelerated when three anonymous donors contributed financial support
for the center in October 2010, asking
Con nued on page eight
The Rev. Sarah Breckenridge, pastor at St. Andrew’s, hangs out with the center’s younger clients.
From the Bishop
By Peter Rogness
Signs abound of God li ing up leaders
W
e who work with the leaders of
congregations in this synod know
how earnest congregations are
about leadership. We live in a time when
churches don’t thrive just by being carried
by a cultural wave of popularity. Some
congregations thrive. Some struggle. All
congregations are aware of the crucial importance of strong and effective leadership.
So how are we doing?
I wish all members of our congregations
could see the work of the church as I see
it—so much good work in so many places.
And I wish you could see what I see as you
think about the leadership of this church.
Let me tell you about just the past few
weeks:
•
•
•
Now is the time that we assign this
spring’s graduating seminarians, poised
to be called and ordained, commissioned, or consecrated into the life and
work of the church. Twenty years ago,
bishops often wondered if we were still
attracting “the brightest and the best”
into church vocations. I don’t hear
that concern anymore. I come to know
those who prepare for leadership in the
church, and I’m filled with hope and
confidence for the future.
Lay leaders of two congregations who
are moving to the conclusion of their
process for calling a new pastor observed that they are feeling an element
of sadness—because their final group of
candidates was so strong that it pained
them to tell some that they weren’t going to be their next pastor.
I spent two days with the Minneapolis
Area Synod gathered in assembly to
elect a new bishop. As the final candi-
Bishop-Elect Ann Svennungsen (front) and the Rev. Kelly Chatman at the Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly. Photo by David Kern.
•
•
dates spoke and responded to questions,
I was once again aware of the marvelous gifts of those who make themselves
available for call to that ministry.
Our annual Tool Kit event continues
to grow every year—recently gathering
nearly 200 lay leaders of church councils and committees who spent a day
in workshops being equipped for the
volunteer leadership service they offer.
Because of the work I do, I come to
know those who serve in the ministry of this church as teachers in our
seminaries, chaplains in our institutions, missionaries in foreign countries,
pastors who launch new and risky
ministries, and lay leaders who offer themselves to leadership of their
congregations.
Spring Ministerium to focus on
answering God’s call
Thursday, April 12
a theological framework for organizing
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon Worship and Program our congregational
life around God’s
Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church call to proclaim
God’s healing love
1669 Arcade St. North, St. Paul
in our specific
contexts.
About the ministerium
What is God calling us to be and do as
In addition, we will
congregations? That is the question to be
discuss the kinds
considered at our upcoming ministerium.
Mary Sue Dreier, associate
of planning curMary Sue Dreier, associate professor of
professor of congrega onal
rently underway
mission and leadership at Luther
congregational mission and leadership
in congregations
Seminary, St. Paul
at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, will lead
and resources that
rostered leaders from the Saint Paul Area
would be helpful to those who wish to
Synod in a conversation on missional planbegin or strengthen their congregational
ning for congregations. Dreier will outline
planning.
2 FaithLink March 2012
•
The ministries you read about in newsletters like FaithLink acquaint you with
a variety of ministries and those who
lead them—such as Day of Grace in
Iringa and the Community Resource
Center at St. Andrew’s, Mahtomedi—
that in every case have power because
of powerful, gifted, and committed
leaders.
Take heart and have hope as you wonder
about what the future may hold. This is,
after all, the Lord’s church, and all through
history God has raised up leaders the times
have needed. There’s no reason at all to
believe that God is any less faithful in our
time. I see all around me the signs that
God’s activity of lifting up leaders will serve
us well in the future.
Resource reminder
Synod Handbook
The synod handbook, containing information about committees, rostered
leaders, congregations, trend reports,
and synod assembly minutes, is available
as a PDF at www.spas-elca.org/synodhandbook. (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.
Call the synod office or email Kate Penz
at [email protected] to be reminded of the password.
Upda ng informa on
Updates to contact information, roster status, and mobility are made on a
monthly basis. If you notice incorrect
information, contact Kate Penz.
Saint Paul Area Synod
Synod assembly to focus on Lutheran
iden ty and insights
By Beth Helgen, Assembly Manager
T
his year—and
for the next
two years following—we begin an
exploration of Lutheran identity at our
conference and synod
assemblies. Cultural
pundits and trend
analysts observe that
more people identify
themselves as “spiri- Dr. Winston Persaud
tual” rather than “religious,” and list “none”
as their religion affiliation.
Most no longer identify with one particular
denomination over the other, and those who
do cannot always explain the differences
that distinguish one from another. If you
were asked, “What distinguishes Lutherans
from other denominations?” what would
you say?
To be Lutheran grounds us in a God of
grace, seen in Jesus Christ, who brings
meaning and purpose into our lives. This
God knows us, claims us, sends us into the
complexities and ambiguities of human
suffering, folly, and joy. To be Lutheran
allows us to live within the tension of such
ambiguity, as we sense God’s transcendent
presence in the wide shade of gray in which
we live our lives. To live and understand
what it means to be Lutheran provides a
steady and comforting witness to the world.
Synod assembly
This year’s synod assembly will be held May
18-19 at Prince of Peace, 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’ll examine our story as Lutherans in the
context of Scripture and how the activity of
Christ orders and directs our lives.
In addition, we’ll be joined by the Rev. Jessica Crist, bishop of the Montana Synod,
who will speak on behalf of the whole
church, and by the Rev. Megan Torgerson,
Augustana, West St. Paul, and the Rev.
Dr. Rolf Jacobson
Bishop Jessica Crist
Marc Ostlie-Olson, St. Anthony Park, St.
Paul, who will enhance themes presented
during the keynotes. The Fleshpots of
Egypt, a bluegrass ensemble from Luther
Seminary, will also be a part of the assembly
program.
Communica on prior to the synod
assembly
Interns and candidates invited to
volunteer as pages
Those on internship or who are candidates
for the ordained or lay roster are once again
invited to serve as pages. For more information, contact Beth Helgen at beth.helgen@
spas-elca.org in the synod office.
Grant supports
retreat, renewal
The Pre-Assembly Report contains information and reports from ministry partners and
synod task force groups, the proposed agenda and rules of procedure, the proposed
2013 budget, resolutions, and biographical
information for those nominated for committees and other offices. All materials
needed for reference during the two-day
assembly will be printed in the Assembly
Bulletin, available when you register.
What does “membership” mean
and does anyone even care about it
anymore?
Resolu ons
Resolutions are due into the synod office by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 30. All
resolutions for consideration at the synod
assembly must be submitted by this deadline
in order to give the reference and counsel
committee adequate time to consider them.
The registration fee for voting members and advisors includes costs for assembly materials and speakers, facility costs, Friday lunch, Saturday lunch, and breaks. The registration
fee for visitors includes meals for the days registered. Mileage is not included. Please note
the lower registration fee for those who register by April 16. There will be no refunds for
cancellations after May 1.
$115
$130
$35
All voting members must register online through their congregations or individually at
www.spas-elca.org. If you have questions, contact Julie Keefe, assembly registrar,
at [email protected].
Saint Paul Area Synod
The Rev. Marc Ostlie-Olson
Pre-assembly materials will be distributed
online or by email. Congregations are asked
to provide email addresses for lay voting
members so that the Pre-Assembly Report
can be emailed to them directly and so
that they will receive important electronic
communications prior to the synod assembly. Those who do not have access to a
computer may request a photocopy of the
pre-assembly materials by calling the synod
office.
Online assembly registra on opens March 15
Early Bird Voting Member/Advisor
(register by April 16)
Voting Member/Advisor
(register after April 16)
Visitor Daily Fee
The Rev. Megan Torgerson
By the Rev. Jodi Houge, pastor developer
at Humble Walk, St. Paul
Belonging.
What does it mean to belong? To the
Body of Christ? To a church or to a faith
community?
Pastors have such weird jobs that it’s
hard to know where we belong. Want
to kill conversation? Have your pastor
walk into your next social gathering. We
often carry the secrets of our communities—it’s part of our vocation. Add odd
hours and weekends and you have some
fairly isolated oddballs.
Recently a group of three Lutherans
and three Presbyterian pastors from
very different contexts got together and
proposed that we meet for a monthly,
twenty-hour retreat. We have a book list
related to our theme. We picked a retreat space that will feed us good, whole
food. There are trails for walking and
solid beds for rest. We picked mid-week
time frame so that we are forced to stop
other work to attend to this work.
Guess what? We received a $10,000
grant from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas that will fund
these monthly retreats. Seriously. And
then in October, our entire group will
fly to Austin to meet up with the other
grant recipients and more time for
learning. I have just the boots for this
occasion!
I am profoundly grateful for these
strangers and their belief in what we do.
March 2012 FaithLink 3
Calendar
Look for more events and informaƟon at www.spas-elca.org
March
Basic Parish Nurse Preparation Course
Mar. 12-16, Luther Seminary, St. Paul. Parish nurse ministry program of Concordia
College, Moorhead, offers a course primarily for registered nurses interested in health
and healing ministries. For information
contact Jean Bokinskie at 218.299.3825.
Does your stewardship campaign
need a jump start?
I
s your congregation stuck in a financial stewardship rut? Do you recycle
the same campaign year after year?
JRLC Day on the Hill
Mar. 20, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Minnesota
State Capitol, hosted by the Joint Religious
Legislative Coalition (JRLC). Focus is “And
What Does God Require?” Visit www.jrlc.
org for more information.
Or perhaps you are excited by the possibilities for growing in faith, in stewarding
the financial resources of your congregation, and helping your members to grow
in this spiritual discipline and in the
sense of joy that generosity brings to life.
April
Either way, Jump Start Your Stewardship
is for you!
Spring
Ministerium
Apr. 12, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, Gustavus
Adolphus, St. Paul. Mary Sue Dreier will
lead rostered leaders in discussion around
missional planning for congregations. See
page two for more information.
Transforming Divisive Conversation
Apr. 16, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., United
Theological Seminary, New Brighton. A
workshop for clergy and lay leaders by
the Public Conversations Project exploring ways that congregational leaders can
approach conflict, prevent corrosive interactions, and help members engage each other
in constructive ways. Co-sponsored by the
Saint Paul Interfaith Network (SPIN) and
United Theological Seminary. Information
and registration and fees at www.publicconversations.org/workshops/transforming.
Saint Paul Area Synodical Women’s
Organization Spring Convention
Apr. 20-21, Prince of Peace, Burnsville. The
convention will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Women of the ELCA.
This event, sponsored by the Minneapolis
Area and Saint Paul Area Synods, is for
pastors, congregational leaders, members
of stewardship and finance committees, and treasurers—basically anyone
interested in stewarding personal or
congregational resources.
Join us!
Join us from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on
Saturday, Apr. 21 at Christ the King Lutheran in New Brighton.
Schedule for April 21
8:30 a.m. Registration
8:45 a.m. Devotion and overview
9:00 a.m. Keynote, “The Problem of
Money in the Church,” Phil Jamieson
10:15 a.m. Workshops, “Motivations
for Giving: A Theological Analysis” and
“Strengthening Money Leadership in the
Church”
11:15 a.m. Bishops’ Conversation, “Supporting the Mission of the ELCA,” Peter
Rogness and Bishop of the Minneapolis
Area Synod
11:45 a.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. Keynote, “Expanding the
Money Conversation,” Janet Jamieson
1:45 p.m. Workshops, “Budgeting as an
Expression of God’s Mission” and “Financial Transparency in the Church”
Learn more and register
Individuals and congregational teams
must register by Apr. 17. Learn more and
register for Jump Start Your Stewardship
at www.spas-elca.org/events/jump-start.
About the speakers
Philip and Janet Jamieson, authors of Ministry and Money:
A Practical Guide for Pastors, will each deliver a keynote
address and lead workshops on finances and stewardship
in congregations.
Janet is associate professor of business and accounting at
the University of Dubuque. Philip is assistant professor of
pastoral theology at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and is ordained in The United Methodist
Church.
Mark your calendar
Bishops’ Theological
Conference
for Rostered Leaders in the
Saint Paul Area and Minneapolis
Area Synods
Sept. 23-25, 2012 at Heartwood Conference Center and Retreat in Trego, Wis.
For a church seeking to create healthy leaders whose social, intellectual, vocaƟonal,
financial, physical, and emoƟonal well-being
are integrated and thriving, events such as
this theological conference provide an opportunity to deepen relaƟonships with others,
to share and test ideas about ministry, to
broaden theological understanding, to put
aside the pressing needs of congregaƟonal
ministry to rest and be sƟll, and to engage in
what Luther called “the mutual conversaƟon
and consolaƟon of the saints.”
RegistraƟon and program informaƟon will be
available this spring at www.spas-elca.org/
events/theological-conference.
4 FaithLink March 2012
Jump
Start Your Stewardship
Apr. 21, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Christ the
King, New Brighton. An event that gives
congregational teams time to plan stewardship campaigns for the next program
year. Janet and Philip Jamieson, authors of
the book Ministry and Money, will be the
keynote speakers. This redesigned event
will be co-sponsored by the Minneapolis
Area Synod and will include tracks for both
clergy and lay persons.
ILAG
Concert and Silent Auction
Apr. 29, 4:00 p.m., Augustana, West St.
Paul. Annual fundraiser for our partners in
the Augustinian Lutheran Church in Guatemala (ILAG). Musical offerings will be
presented by ten different metro churches
in relationship with ILAG. Silent auction
proceeds and the offering support flood
relief (after extensive flooding in October
in which crops were partially or totally
destroyed) and the three-year project of
building dry latrines. Questions, call Janet
Metcalfe at 651.450.1717.
May
Saint Paul Area Synod Assembly
May 18-19, Prince of Peace, Burnsville.
Voting members, advisors, and visitors will
explore what it means to “live Lutheran.”
See page three for more information. Look
for registration information after Mar. 15
on the synod website.
June
ELCA
Day at Valleyfair
Jun. 11, 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Valleyfair, Shakopee. Enjoy a day at Valleyfair
at a discounted rate. Groups of any size
and age are welcome. Contact the Rev.
Mary Kaye Ashley for more information at
612.532.7083 or [email protected].
See the flyer (PDF) for ticket and registration information.
Sponsored by the Saint Paul Area Synod
Saint Paul Area Synod
Connections
with the ELCA churchwide and other partners in ministry and mission
Two perspecƟves on a new program in the Iringa Diocese, Tanzania
Day of Grace offers care for pastors
Li ing weight from a troubled soul
Health care in Iringa is received typically as
a result of sicknesses like malaria, typhoid,
gastrointestinal problem, or other serious
medical issues. For the first time, pastors
received proactive care. While Tanzanians
usually greet you with a smile, the smiles
hardly fit on their faces after the physical
assessments. A relieved pastor said, “The
doctor told me I am okay!” Those reassuring words had lifted a heavy weight from a
troubled soul. I heard many such comments
at Day of Grace.
Transla ng stress
Day of Grace: A Pastor’s PerspecƟve
A day of grace in a far away place
The Rev. Tom Hansen
I
have always been amazed by the profound and deep sense of call of pastors
in the Iringa Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT).
Their faith is authentic and commitment
real. They perpetually minister to their
flocks, day after day, without concern for
tending to their own lives. Parish pastors
in the Iringa Diocese are called to care
for hundreds of parishioners, administer
congregational affairs, and serve a number of preaching points, all in the midst
of overwhelming circumstances and challenging conditions. Disease, death, lack
of infrastructure, limited resources, and
never-ending demands of time and energy
are constant stressors on pastors and their
families.
Caring for pastors in Iringa
In late 2009, Dr. Mufwimi Saga, diocese
medical director at Ilula Hospital, visited
Minnesota. During his stay he had a conversation with Dr. Randy Hurley (read his
perspective on page six) about pastoral
burn-out and self-care, prompting the question: How can we care for pastors in Iringa?
Cross-cultural planning began for an annual
program focusing exclusively on care of
pastors. Dean Blastone Gavile and the Rev.
Lusungu Msigwa from the Iringa Diocese
partnered with Bega Kwa Bega of the Saint
Paul Area Synod, and Shoulder to Shoulder,
the Minnesota Ilula Medical Group, to create Day of Grace.
Saint Paul Area Synod
Meant to be held in a spirit of joy, thanksgiving, and appreciation for the pastors who
serve the gospel in the Iringa Diocese, Day
of Grace invited pastors to simply be present and to receive the gift of grace through
others. The program was designed to
nurture pastoral wholeness and well-being
and includes: affirmation and appreciation;
physical care and well-being; psychological and emotional wellness; spiritual
nurture and building supportive collegial
relationships.
‘Come and see’
Three Day of Grace programs were held the
week of Jan. 15 in two locations, one at the
newly completed nurses’ training facility at
Ilula Hospital and two at the Kihesa Lutheran Church Youth Center in Iringa. All
186 ordained pastors in the Iringa Diocese
were invited to attend one of the three
programs. Reimbursement was provided
for transportation, lodging, food, medical
testing, and programming to allow pastors
to “come and see” and be involved without
financial concerns. We were pleased to have
156 pastors attend.
Many of Tanzanian pastors were not familiar with the word “stress” before Day
of Grace. As a matter of fact, when I had
the programs translated into Swahili the
translator had difficulty locating a word to
describe stress. Yet, throughout the presentations, all eyes and ears were focused on
the presenter and discussions were lively
with laughter and obvious agreement while
sharing their mutual woes. When I asked
about the sources of stress in their lives,
most spoke of having too many mouths to
feed or too many children to send to school,
sick parents, conflict in the parish, and
hopeless situations.
And still, in the midst of it all, faith is the
foundation of their very being. Christ is
very real and present in their lives. If I was
told once, I was told a hundred times, how
much they appreciated Day of Grace.
Holy Communion
It was a privilege to care for these pastors
who give so much of themselves to care
Con nued on page six
The pastors received a physical health
assessment, which was administered by
visiting physicians and health care professionals from Minnesota (see page six), a
presentation on pastoral stress and coping
mechanisms by Professor Rwiza Mutasingwa of Tumiani University, and they shared
morning worship, prayer, singing, dancing,
and good fellowship together.
The
h Rev. Tom Hansen, le
l , andd Dr. Randy
d Hurley
l at Day off Grace.
Read Hurley’s perspec ve on page six.
March 2012 FaithLink 5
Con nued from page five: Day of Grace
Day of Grace: A Doctor’s PerspecƟve
‘Some mes I have difficulty walking up small mountains’
By Dr. Randy Hurley
“S
ometimes I have difficulty
walking up small mountains,”
replied the 62-year-old pastor
when asked if he had any concerns about
his health. He was participating in Day of
Grace, an event addressing the physical and
emotional health and stress management for
a group of pastors in the Iringa Diocese.
About Day of Grace
We reviewed data from 155 pastors (24
female and 131 male) that participated in
the physical health assessment component
of Day of Grace. All were offered screening
for hypertension and diabetes and underwent assessment of visual acuity, height,
and weight. Pastors completed a health
questionnaire and were given a health exam
with the aid of an interpreter when needed.
Female pastors were interviewed by female
medical staff, counseled on breast selfexam, and offered pelvic exams. Volunteer
medical staff included physicians, nurses,
and pharmacists from the Minneapolis-St.
Paul area and fourth year medical students
and pharmacy students from the University
of Minnesota.
About the pastors’ physical health
The age range of pastors was 23 to 80 with
a median age of 45 years. Most had never
undergone a comprehensive physical exam,
although most had sought care for treatment of malaria and a significant minority
had been treated for typhoid. Nearly all pastors were married. The median number of
children per married couple was four (range
0-10) and a median of six persons (range
1-15) lived in each household. Female
pastors had a median of three children.
Forty percent had a water source in the
home; however some had to walk up to 30
minutes to obtain safe drinking water. The
majority used mosquito bed nets routinely
and the prevalence of tobacco and alcohol
use was nearly zero.
The most frequent complaints were related
to dental and ophthalmological concerns.
Gastrointestinal/gastritis symptoms and
musculoskeletal complaints were the next
most frequent. The musculoskeletal complaints suggested degenerative arthritis
or complications of prior accidents. Few
pastors had ever undergone surgery, with
orthopedic procedures following trauma being the most
common. It was very rare for
pastors to take medications on
a daily basis.
Relatively few abnormal
physical exam findings were
identified and when present
included issues such as soft
tissue infections, hydroceles,
and hernias. Visual acuity was
strikingly normal with most
pastors having distance vision
of 20/20. A significant number,
however, were in need of corrective lenses for near vision
and reading. Only 12 percent
of the pastors examined had elevated blood pressure (greater
than 140/90 mm Hg), however
30 percent of the pastors above
the age of 42 had an elevated blood pressure. No abnormal breast or pelvic exam
findings were noted. Only eight of the 155
pastors tested had an elevated fasting blood
sugar (above 110mg/dl).
Notes from the medical team
For the medical examiners, the physical
assessments were an opportunity to understand the health and lifestyle of a relatively
homogenous group of Tanzanians. Moreover, the standardized history and physical
exam forms allowed for systematic evaluation of many of the social determinants of
health of this population. In addition, the
presence of interpreters allowed examiners
to enhance their own knowledge of Swahili
medical terms.
The medical examiners were surprised
at the overall general good health of this
cohort of pastors. In developed countries,
educational level and marital status are
both associated with improved health
outcomes. The pastors are a relatively
highly educated group having completed
secondary education and theological training. In addition, “healthy worker effect
bias” may help explain the results. This bias
would suggest that those with underlying
health problems and disability are unable
to remain employed as pastors. Therefore,
only healthy workers remain as part of the
cohort examined.
Deepening
partnerships in ILAG
While travelers from St. Michael’s,
Roseville, visited their companion congregaƟon, Cimiento de la Esperanza of the
Iglesia Luterana AgusƟna de Guatemala
(ILAG), this January, they helped build a
new bapƟsmal font. Later the partners
witnessed the first bapƟsm in the new
font. “We will forever be a part of one
another’s faith stories.”
6 FaithLink March 2012
The leaders of Day of Grace now have
an understanding of what can be accomplished during similar events in the future,
and evaluation forms and a post-seminar
debriefing have generated ideas for improvements. Having an understanding of
baseline health issues will allow closer
tailoring of these assessments to better meet
the needs of this underserved population.
Con nued from page five
A day of grace in a
far away place
for others. As usual, the Spirit filled our
gathering and turned our good works into
indescribable joy in just being there. Not
because of us and what we did, but because
of our friends and who they are. If this is
how Holy Communion is suppose to feel,
then I think I get it.
Plans are in the works for 2013 Day of
Grace, hopefully inviting pastors and
spouses to come, relax, and do nothing but
receive. If you are interested in learning
more or helping to support Day of Grace,
please contact me, the Rev. Tom Hansen, at
[email protected].
Saint Paul Area Synod
NEWS
News from PorƟco Benefit Services
Two percent discount progress
P
ortico Benefit Services (formerly
Board of Pensions) is offering the
Saint Paul Area Synod the opportunity to earn a two percent discount on
ELCA health contributions again in 2012.
Each congregation and organization in our
synod will receive a two percent discount
on health contributions—$44,000!—if
65 percent of eligible ELCA-primary plan
members complete the confidential Mayo
Clinic Health Assessment by Apr. 30. As of
Jan. 30, 20 percent of eligible members had
completed it. We need 119 more people to
reach our goal.
If you have ELCA-primary health coverage,
this savings depends on you. Take the 2012
Mayo Clinic Health Assessment on the
EmbodyHealth web portal at
www.elcaforwellness.org today.
We’ll be one person closer to
65 percent participation, and
you will earn $150 in your
personal wellness account to offset out-ofpocket medical costs.
Instructions for taking the assessment are
available in the Understand My Benefits
section at www.elcabop.org.
Note: If you are retired and have Medicareprimary health coverage, you have access to the
health assessment and online tools, but your
participation will not count toward the two
percent discount.
ABOUT
Calls
Rostered Ministry Vacancies
In Interim
Health care tax credit
Is your congrega on
eligible for savings?
Many congregations and church employers have an opportunity to potentially save
money through the new Small Business
Health Care Tax Credit. Up to a 25 percent
payroll tax credit may be available to your
congregation or church employer.
To qualify, the average salary of your congregation’s staff must be under $50,000.
However, although clergy may count toward
your number of FTEs, the salaries of clergy
aren’t figured into the average because they
are not subject to Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA). Most congregations
in this synod are likely to qualify under the
requisite $50,000. Filing deadline is May
15.
More information is available at
www.elcabop.org/tax-credit.
Tool Kit brings lay leaders together
Christ, Marine on St. Croix, associate
pastor
Christus Victor, Apple Valley, associate
pastor
Elim, Scandia, associate pastor
First, Harris, pastor
Gustavus Adolphus, St. Paul, associate
pastor
Hmong Central, St. Paul, pastor
Immanuel, Almelund, pastor
Memorial, Afton, pastor
Mount Calvary, Eagan, senior pastor
Our Saviour’s, Hastings, associate pastor
Spring Lake, North Branch, pastor
Call Commi ee Ac ve
Farmington, Farmington, senior pastor
Gloria Dei, St. Paul, senior pastor
St. Luke, Cottage Grove, senior pastor
Calls Accepted
The Rev. Jon Larson, King of Kings, Woodbury, lead pastor
Miriam Campbell, Associate in Ministry,
Shepherd of the Valley, Apple Valley, director of children and family ministry
The Rev. Michelle Gawienowski, Shepherd
of the Hills, Shoreview, senior pastor
The Rev. Richard Andersen, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, St. Paul, director
of congregational relations
The Rev. Mary Kaye Ashley, Christus Victor, Apple Valley, interim associate pastor
Ordina ons, Consecra ons, and
Commissionings
The Rev. Andrew Lundborg, Jan. 21,
Prince of Peace, Roseville, associate pastor
Re rements
The Rev. Brian Bergin, effective Feb. 1
Deaths
AApproximately
i l 200 lleaders
d from
f congrega ons gathered
h d at SSt. M
Mark’s
k’ LLutheran
h iin NNorthh SSt. PPaull ffor the
h eighth
i h h annuall TTooll Ki
Kit ffor
Congrega onal Leaders on Saturday, Feb. 25. Hosted by the Saint Paul Area Synod, it gathers and equips leaders, giving them a chance
to connect, ask ques ons, and discuss a wide variety of topics, such as balancing the books, developing a social media strategy, cooking
safely for your congrega on, and implemen ng senior ministry ini a ves, as well as many others.
Ministry reports
Rostered leaders: Have you completed
your 2011 Annual Ministry Report?
While it may seem to you to be paperwork that clutters your desk, be assured
we value the brief responses you send to
our office. You may complete this form
online at www.elca.org/rosteredleaderreports. Please save it and submit it via
email to [email protected].
Saint Paul Area Synod
NEXT DEADLINE
April 1
The deadline for the May issue is April 1. The
mailing date is April 30. If you have quesƟons,
contact Kate Penz at 651.224.4313 or at kate.
[email protected].
The Rev. Kenneth Granquist, 87, died
Jan. 27. After serving in WWII, Granquist
graduated from Augustana Theological
Seminary in Rock Island, Ill., was ordained
in 1952, and served congregations in
East Hartford, Conn. and Waukegan, Ill.,
and then as assistant to the president of
the Central Conference of the Augustana
Lutheran Church. He led congregations in
Grand Rapids, Mich., DeKalb and Mount
Prospect, Ill., before moving to Minnesota
to a call to Messiah, Minneapolis. After his
retirement in 1988, he served for 10 years
as visitation pastor at Como Park, St. Paul.
The Rev. Russell A. Peterson, 87, died
Jan. 20. He graduated from Augustana
Theological Seminary in Rock Island, Ill. in
1955, was ordained in St. Paul, and served
the congregations of East Chain Lutheran
Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Cokato, and Chisago Lake Evangelical
Lutheran. After his retirement he served as
visitation pastor for Chisago Lake and Zion
Evangelical congregations.
March 2012 FaithLink 7
Prayers
Month of March
March 4
Christ the Servant, Vadnais Heights;
Christiania, Lakeville; IndianaKentucky Synod and Bishop William
Gafkjen; Sandra Hammerlind, Luther
Seminary
Week of March 11
Christus Victor, Apple Valley; Como
Park, St. Paul; La Crosse Area Synod
and Bishop James Arends; Janet
Hansen, Gethsemane Lutheran School
Week of March 18
Cross, Maplewood; Cross of Glory,
Mounds View; Lower Susquehanna
Synod and Bishop Penrose Hoover;
Metropolitan Chicago Synod and
Bishop Wayne Miller; The Rev.
Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America; The Rev. Peter Harrits,
ELCA Global Mission, Malaysia
Week of March 25
Easter, Eagan; Eastside Community,
St. Paul; Elim, Scandia; Metropolitan
New York Synod and Bishop Robert
Rimbo; Metropolitan Washington,
D.C. Synod and Bishop Richard
Graham; The Rev. Arden Haug,
ELCA Global Mission, Bratislava; The
Rev. Theodore Hein, HealthEast St.
John’s Hospital
Month of April
Week of April 1
Faith, Forest Lake; Faith, Rosemount;
Minneapolis Area Synod and Bishop
Elect Ann Svenngunsen; The Rev.
John Henrich, North Central Ministry
Development Center
Week of April 8
Faith, St. Paul; Family of Christ,
Lakeville; Montana Synod and Bishop
Jessica Crist; The Rev. Arland
Hultgren, Luther Seminary
Week of April 15
Farmington, Farmington; First
Evangelical, Taylors Falls; Nebraska
Synod and Bishop David deFreese;
The Rev. Timon Iverson, Global
Health Ministries; Diane Jacobson,
Luther Seminary
Week of April 22
First Evangelical, White Bear Lake;
First, Harris; First, Rush City; New
England Synod and Bishop Margaret
Payne; New Jersey Synod and Bishop
Roy Riley; The Rev. Rolf Jacobson,
Luther Seminary
Week of April 29
First, St. Paul; Fish Lake, Harris;
North Carolina Synod and Bishop Leonard Bolick; The Rev. Cindi
Beth Johnson, United Theological
Seminary
C A L L
Con nued from page one
Community Resource Center
that it focus on providing services to the
homeless and requesting that the center
be up and running by winter, not wanting
any family to be without a roof over its
head with snow on the ground. Though the
congregation didn’t make its snowfall deadline, plans for a new center were in place
by January 2011 and the new community
resource center was open in March 2011. A
year later, it is busier than the congregation
could have imagined.
Community collabora on
Homelessness in the suburbs has risen
dramatically in the past four years, leaving
families desperate and unsure of where to
turn. In less than a year since it opened,
the center has helped direct more than
700 families like Kevin and Charlene’s to
resources, including people of all faiths
and backgrounds. To do so, the center collaborates with a number or organizations,
government agencies, and churches. One
such partner is a Unitarian church in White
Bear Lake that sponsores one family at a
time. The congregation subsidizes the family’s rent and helps with transportation and
other needs. Community partnerships are
vital to the center’s ability to help families
experiencing hardship.
“We try to fill the gaps,” said Cardinal. “We
try not to duplicate services that other agencies already offer. When a family comes to
us, we start by listening. We try to be a light
to people experiencing a dark time.”
The center’s four staff and many volunteers walk with those who are homeless,
on the verge of homelessness, or struggling
financially. However, sometimes services
the family needs are not offered by existing agencies, the families aren’t eligible to
receive services, or the programs are full.
Case workers help clients create a plan and
connect them with resources. For those
who are homeless and not eligible to stay in
a shelter, the center funds a hotel stay until
stable housing is secured. Usually that takes
around 14 days, compared to Washington
and Ramsey counties’ 30-60 day average.
The center gives each family a kit of household, cleaning, and personal supplies to
help them settle in. It also distributes food,
clothing for job interviews, toys, and other
common items. This winter it distributed
more than 1,500 winter coats.
“God provides—and I’ve been surprised
by God’s impeccable timing!” said the Rev.
Sarah Breckenridge, pastor at St. Andrew’s.
Countless times a need has been made
known for items that the center doesn’t
usually receive, only for those items to be
donated hours later.
“One day a family stopped by the center to
share their excitement over finally securing
an apartment. I kept a smile on my face, but
in my head I was thinking ‘what are you going to sleep on?’ All of its belongings were
in storage or had been given away.” said Liz
Schreier, intake manager at the center. “Mo-
Clergy, rostered leaders, and their families are someƟmes the last ones to reach out for help
with their own problems. But you don’t have to wait unƟl things fall completely apart before
you ask for help. Assist, the employee assistance program of Fairview Health Services, can
help. To speak confidenƟally with an Assist counselor about issues of personal or professional concern, call 612.672.2195.
The phone is answered 24 hours a day.
Assist
ments later a member of our congregation
dropped off five sleeping bags, giving the
family a place to sleep after all. God is truly
at work.”
Along for the ride
“Sometimes there seem to be so many barriers, but then things just open up,” said
Cardinal. “God is doing amazing things. We
are just along for the ride.”
In addition to its help with housing, the
center serves a free weekly dinner on
Thursday nights. Around 7,500 meals were
served in 2011. While a short devotional
follows the meal and prayer request cards
sit on the tables, participation is not required to receive services. The same goes
for other services, including help with job
searches, résumés, practice interviews, access to computers equipped with job search
tools, and childcare to allow parents time to
focus on their search.
“We help people make plans, but mostly we
are their cheerleaders,” said Cardinal.
The need for volunteers to help with transportation is becoming increasingly great.
About 80 percent of clients rely on public
transportation. The average annual income for the families served at the center
is $10,524, which leaves little or no room
in the budget for car payments or gas. To
address this challenge, volunteers from the
center run a free shuttle that brings people
to and from the center, a bus transit station,
and the hotel used for temporary housing.
Clients are required to check in daily at St.
Andrew’s, unless they are out working on
housing or pursuing a job lead.
‘Help, hope, healing’
At least half of the volunteers are from St.
Andrew’s or are people who were helped
by the center in the past. The team tries
to keep morale upbeat, and Breckenridge
admits she often bursts into song or uses
humor to lighten the mood.
“Our tagline is ‘help, hope, healing’ with an
emphasis on the hope,” said Breckenridge.
“We try to create a welcoming environment
that is nonjudgmental and compassionate,”
said Cardinal. “I am grateful for whom I
work with, they make all the difference. We
hear so many sad stories, so it is important
that we help one another by giving pep
talks. Sometimes it requires being a little
silly.”
Answering the call
Ultimately, the center provides the congregation with the opportunity to answer the
call to local mission it felt several years ago.
“The center has given the congregation at
St. Andrew’s a chance to give itself away in
love,” said Breckenridge. “It has allowed us
to rally around mission, given us focus, and
provided people with the opportunity to
discover gifts they didn’t know they had.”
The Community Resource Center is currently
accepting donations, volunteers, and new
partnerships. If your congregation is interested
in sponsoring a family, please contact Kellie
at [email protected]. See the list of
items needed for donation at
www.saintandrews.org.