NW MN Synod Receives CaSTLE Grant from Wartburg Seminary

Northwestern Minnesota Synod Receives Grant from Wartburg Theological Seminary’s CaSTLE Project to Support Rural and Small Town Congregations

The Northwestern Minnesota Synod is honored to announce that it has been selected as a grant recipient through The CaSTLE Project: The Country and Small Town Lived Ecclesiology Project, a five-year initiative led by Wartburg Theological Seminary to support renewal in small town and rural congregations.

The Northwestern Minnesota Synod has been awarded this grant to support a bold initiative in congregational renewal. This effort will engage a cluster of rural congregations and their leaders in becoming a living, active, and vital church for the 21st century. By shifting from an inward focus to equipping people to follow Jesus in daily life, the project aims to deepen baptismal identity and nurture thriving, Spirit-led communities serving every day beyond the walls of the church. The synod is calling this initiative "Behold, the new has Come!"

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Wartburg Theological Seminary and The CaSTLE Project,” said Bishop Bill Tesch “This grant equips us to invest in our rural congregations in a meaningful way—encouraging transformation, collaboration, and hope across the prairie.”

The CaSTLE Project, funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc., is part of the Thriving Congregations Initiative and aims to renew a baptismal ecclesiology for the long-term flourishing of rural congregational life. The first cohort of grantees will gather at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, IA, from August 11–13, 2025, for a summer conference focused on mutual learning, community-building, and innovation.

“We are excited to walk alongside the leaders of the Northwestern Minnesota Synod in this journey of renewal,” said Rev. Ramie Bakken, Director of The CaSTLE Project.

For more information about The CaSTLE Project, visit: https://www.wartburgseminary.edu/castle-project

About the Northwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA:

The Northwestern Minnesota Synod is one of 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), made up of more than 200 congregations across prairie, town, and lakes country. Grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the synod supports leaders, strengthens congregations, and accompanies communities in faithful service and public witness. With a deep commitment to rural ministry, the synod seeks to live out its calling to be Christ-centered, hopeful, and connected.