March 17, 2010

Welcome to the new Northwestern Minnesota Synod Northern Lights weekly email newsletter. This is your primary source of news, information, events, stories from around the synod and links to other resources to assist you in our shared mission to be God's hands doing His work. 

And check out the revised website at
www.nwmnsynod.org

SYNOD ASSEMBLY

Online Assembly Registration Now Available
Online registration for the 2010 Synod Assembly is now available. Go to our Assembly Page for the link, along with registration instructions and other resources.

COMING SOON!

Celebration at Peoples Church March 21
Peoples Church, Bemidji, is celebrating the completion of its capital campaign for matching funds from the Mission Investment Fund. A celebration feast and worship at Peoples Church will be Sunday, March 21, at noon. Peoples Church is located at 824 America Ave., Bemidji.

Haiti Fundraiser in Fertile March 26
United in Christ Lutheran Parish presents "Feast or Famine 2010" at Concordia Lutheran Church, Fertile, March 26, 7 p.m. This event features Josh and Erin from the band Eyewitness. Come for the music; come for the worship; come and learn. All proceeds for this evening will go to the Youth Challenge Fund through ELCA World Hunger and Haiti Relief, ELCA Disaster Response.

SAVE THE DATE!

Synod Theological Day to Explore "Preaching and Congregational Mission"
The annual NWMN Synod Theological Day will take place April 22 at Immanuel Lutheran Church of Osage, Minn. (between Detroit Lakes and Park Rapids, just off Hwy. 34). "Biblical Preaching" and "Congregational Mission" will be the over-arching topics for the day, and we will be led by four of our own colleagues in ministry:  Grant Aaseng, Eric Lemonholm, Mark Manning and Laurie Skow-Anderson.
 
These four pastors will share some of the research they are doing in their Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) programs at Luther Seminary of St. Paul. Grant, Eric and Mark are in the D.Min program in Biblical Preaching; Laurie is in the D.Min program in Congregational Mission.
 
The event will begin with coffee and registration at 9:30 a.m. and conclude by 3:00 p.m. All rostered leaders and church professionals of the synod are invited to attend.  More information and a registration form will be posted online soon.

MEN'S MINISTRY

Spring Training for Men's Ministry!
A new team has taken to the field and has begun spring training

stretching. Men from Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota Synods gathered together on March 5, 2010. They imagined how they could be a part of God's mission with men in both synods, and decided to form a joint synod Lutheran Men's Ministry Team. As they stretched their imagination they began to envision every man having a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through an effective men's ministry in every congregation in both synods. They stretched some more and began to think of ways to live into this vision by promoting men's ministry events, helping to start new men's groups, sponsoring men's retreats, developing a "took kit" for men's ministry and celebrating and storytelling about men's ministry taking place in both synods.
 
The Lutheran Men's Ministry Team wants to add to the team roster this spring. Join them for their second meeting on April 9th, 2010. The Team will meet at the Eastern North Dakota Synod Conference Room from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
 
If you would like more information contact Pastor Keith Zeh by e-mail keith@eandsynod.org or by phone  701-232-3381. If you would like to attend please RSVP.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENRICHMENT

Discovering Hope in Multiple Point Parishes and Congregations
Mark you calendar for a Discovering Hope in Multiple Point Parishes and Congregations Event. This event is in follow up to the Cultivating Vitality in Multipoint Parishes event in January and will be offered twice on Saturday, April 24 at Vining Lutheran Church in Vining, Minn. and again on Saturday, May 1 at Milnor Lutheran Church in Milnor, Minn.
 
God's Spirit is breathing new vitality into rural congregations and multipoint parishes! Come and learn about what effective rural congregations have to say about God's activity in and through them. In the stories, multipoint parish and congregational leaders will explore the best practices for vital ministry, and identify action steps for their own ministry setting.
 
The events will start at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 4:00 p.m. Stay tuned for more details including registration form and schedule.

Bridgebuilders
The Bridge Builder Team of the Minneapolis Area Synod is sponsoring a training session for the Bridgebuilder process August 30 - September 1, 2010. MORE

Healthy Congregations Facilitator Training
Healthy Congregations, a series of six workshops, will be held at Luther Seminary on Thursday, October 28, and on Friday, October 29. MORE
NOTE: Enrollment for both these training opportunities is limited.

FLOOD RELATED

Meatball Dinner Postponed
The North Buffalo Lutheran Church (rural Moorhead) Meatball Dinner to benefit Haiti Medical Mission of F-M, which had been set for March 21, is postponed until further notice due to flood-fighting.

Please publicize in bulletins or verbally at Sat./Sun. worship services.

FROM LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE

From Lutheran Disaster Response: Prepare for Flooding
The Lenten season is a time in which we feel particular solidarity with those in suffering and sorrow.  This Lent, we have accompanied in prayer and service the many persons affected by disaster overseas.  Unfortunately, the possibility of disaster is always present here at home too. Full story

"LIFE OVERFLOWING" SERIES

March Bishop's Column: "Life Overflowing"
God's abundance meets us in the Word-incarnated in Jesus, proclaimed in preaching, falling from the pages of the transforming Book. 

Bishop Larry Wohlrabe's March column, "Vocation," the third in a series of articles on the theme, "Life Overflowing" is now available. CLICK HERE

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Your Stories Wanted!

We'd like to do more to highlight the great things happening throughout the synod via Northern Lights and the synod website. Please email stories or story ideas from your congregation or parish to the address below, or contact Michael at the synod office.
Your Photos Wanted!
Do you have photos from your congregation you would willing to share? These could be pictures from congregational events or "still life" in and around your building and grounds. Electronic jpegs are preferred. Of course, we want to be sensitive to those who would prefer not to have their faces out there for all to see.

Reply to stein@cord.edu Thanks!

ADVOCACY

JRLC's Day-on-the-Hill
Thursday, March 25, 2010, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-RiverCentre, 175 West Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul 
-State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Be a part of this unique interfaith lobby day focusing on poverty, healthcare, judicial fairness, housing and taxation. Register now for the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition's Annual Day on the Hill. The day will begin at the RiverCentre where participants will then board a fleet of buses for the late morning trip to the Capitol. Shuttle service between the Capitol and RiverCentre ends at 4 pm. To register visit www.jrlc.org/day-on-the-hill. 

Volunteers Needed
Volunteers, a crucial part of making the day run smoothly, are needed. Registration fees may be waived for volunteers.
Please email Alison if you are available to:

-Register JRLC/iCAN advocates as they arrive at the RiverCentre

-Direct advocates to shuttle buses

-Oversee the distribution of box lunches

SYNOD TRADING POST

Church Pews
A congregational member in Roseau has 22 pews, 16-feet long available for $50 each. They are at a local consignment store, Past Treasures, in Roseau. Originally purchased in 1970, the pews are dark stained with blue-aqua toned padded seats. Call 218- 463-2400 for more information.