The Bridge in Plain Text
Issue To Be Used Any Time After
July 1, 2006
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The Bridge
A monthly publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Connecting the congregational, synodical, and churchwide expressions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Why the Synod? - Part 3: Synod
Teams and Programs
What do you know about the
Southeastern Minnesota Synod? Do you know what it does or what the money
your congregation designates for it is used for? This issue is the third in
a series designed to help answer those questions for you.
What does this include?
Part of your congregation’s offering goes to the synod. From the
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, approximately 3% goes to support various synod
teams and programs. This includes new mission starts, the synod council and
leadership teams, Lay School of Theology, Candidacy Committee (responsible
for the process of approving candidates for seminary), conference deans, and
synod communications (which includes this very publication!).
Lay School of Theology
One of the synod programs, the Lay School of Theology, has recently
undergone a few changes to better serve the lay population of the synod. The
Lay School program offers several courses throughout the year targeted at
lay (non-ordained) adults who have a desire to grow in their personal faith
and in their knowledge and understanding of scripture. The program offers
courses in the Old and New Testaments, Lutheran doctrine and theology
(confessions and catechism), church history, skills for ministry,
spirituality and faith development, and the church and the world.
Participants have shared that the experience of attending one class or many
classes has fulfilled the need for more in-depth Bible study. The program
has also helped them grow in faith and better serve their congregations.
Visit the synod website to find out more information about the Lay School of
Theology and view the upcoming courses.
What Does This Mean?
The “Teams and Programs” category is one part of the synod’s ministry
that is directly executed by people within the synod. It reaches a wide
variety of people from the unchurched in the area of a new mission start to
life-long pastors. If you have not been involved with programs like the Lay
School or as a volunteer for the other teams and programs, consider this the
invitation to be personally involved in the ministries your financial
offerings already support.
Featured Resources
Visit these web sites to learn more.
• Lay School of Theology -
www.semnsynod.org/events/lay_school.html
• Southeastern Minnesota Synod -
www.semnsynod.org
Monthly Bible Verse
We are a synod joined in Bible study. This Bible verse was selected by
Harold Usgaard, bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, for everyone in
the synod to study.
“Now there are varieties of
gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the
same Lord...” 1 Corinthians
12:4-5
About Our Synod
The Southeastern Minnesota Synod is a faith community of 130,000 baptized
people in 184 congregations as well as related institutions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its geographic area includes
15 counties in the southeastern corner of Minnesota.
The Bridge is a monthly
publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA. For more information,
contact the synod office:
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
1001 14th St. NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901-2551
(507) 280-9457
www.semnsynod.org
This issue is designed to be
used any time after July 1, 2006.
Graphics from this issue
Right-click the link and choose "save to disk" to save the
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call 507-280-9457.
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